About Us

Prior to Axella Health, Dr. Mueller served as Executive Vice President Global Research and Development & Chief Scientific Officer for Vertex Pharmaceuticals (2003-2014), where he provided strategic and operational oversight for Vertex’s worldwide drug discovery and development programs (clinical, nonclinical and pharmaceutical development, QA/QC and manufacturing). His leadership led to the successful approval and launch of Incivek® (2011), Kalydeco® (2012) ,the NDA/MAA submission Orkambi® (2014), and several proof of clinical concept candidates in various disease areas (infectious diseases, IMID, neurodegenerative diseases (MS, Epilepsy) and cancer).

Prior to his tenure at Vertex, he served as Senior Vice President, Research and Development, for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.overseeing global research programs (Immunology, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases and gene therapy) and the development of all drug candidates of the company’s worldwide portfolio in North and South America, Canada and Japan, beginning in 1997. He was majorly involved in the development of Spiriva® , Combivent® , Atrovent® and Viramune®. Dr. Mueller received both an undergraduate degree and a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the Albert Einstein University of Ulm, Germany, where he also holds a Professorship in Theoretical Organic Chemistry. He completed fellowships in Quantum Pharmacology at Oxford University (UK) and in Biophysics at Rochester University, (NY, USA). Special Fields of studies are Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Computational Chemistry (Cheminformatics and Bioinformatics), RNA-Biophysics, Atherosclerosis Research, IMID (Immune Mediated Inflammatory Diseases), Neurodegenerative Diseases, Infection, Oncology, Gene/ Epigenetic Technology , Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Management/Business Strategies (IMD).

He is a member of various scientific and political societies and currently serves on the Board of BioXcel Therapeutics (Chairman) and the US-India Chamber of Commerce Biotech (Director). He also acts as a chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for BioXcel Corporation and is an advisor to the University Iowa (CBB). Prior to that he served on the Harvard Accelerator Fund , the SAB of the Keystone Conferences and was also a member of Govenor Roland’s Council on Economic Competitiveness and Technology (CT, USA). Amongst many awards he also received the prestigious Prix Gallien award.

Judith is a dual-degree recipient with a Master in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and a Master in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences (QMSS) from Columbia’s School of Graduate Arts and Sciences (GSAS). During her time at Columbia she also completed a fellowship with NASA and has worked in the Energy and Environment Bureau at UNDP with a focus on least developed countries. She also consulted the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in creating and implementing a sustainable energy fund. Judith graduated summa cum laude with a BA and departmental honors in International Economics and International Affairs from the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University. She also spent a year abroad at Oxford University studying Economics and is currently completing the Executive Education Program with a focus on Blockchain and AI Technologies at MIT.