San Diego, California, United States
I've spent 30+ years turning science into commercial reality... from Merck and Pfizer to the C-suites of half a dozen biotech companies. Today, as CEO of Cerevance, I'm leading one of the more ambitious bets in CNS drug development: using our NETSseq platform and a library of over 16,000 donated human brain tissue samples to find precision targets that decades of dopamine-centric neuroscience missed. Our lead program, solengepras, is now in a pivotal global Phase 3 trial (ARISE) for Parkinson's disease, targeting GPR6, a receptor expressed in a single, specific cell type in the striatum. It's a first-in-class, oral, once-daily approach that we believe can do what existing therapies cannot. Before Cerevance, I built and led commercial-stage companies through some of the toughest environments in biotech, including Neurana Pharmaceuticals and Anthera Pharmaceuticals (President & CEO), Tetraphase (COO), and Trius Therapeutics (CCO), where I co-led the M&A process that resulted in Cubist acquiring Trius for $818M. My foundation was built at Merck (11 years) and Pfizer (8 years), leading global brands including ZOCOR, Zetia, Vytorin, and specialty care franchises across respiratory, inflammation, and infectious disease. What I do well: Build teams from scratch. Raise capital in hard markets. Navigate from IND to launch and exit. And keep the patient at the center of every commercial decision.
Leading Cerevance's mission to bring precision medicine to neuroscience. Since joining I have advanced solengepras through a Phase 2 in Parkinson's disease, with results selected as a featured presentation at the 2025 Parkinson Study Group Annual Meeting, and into a pivotal global Phase 3 program called ARISE. We are finishing enrollment now with 340 patients and expect topline data in September 2026. What makes this program so meaningful is the science behind it. Nearly every Parkinson's therapy available today works by targeting the dopamine pathway, an approach that has not fundamentally changed in decades and that loses effectiveness over time while causing significant side effects. Solengepras works differently. It targets GPR6, a receptor expressed in one highly specific cell type in the striatum, which means we can push a higher dose with effects limited to exactly where we need them. If the data holds, solengepras could be the first non-dopaminergic therapy approved for Parkinson's disease in a generation. The company has raised over to $200 million in total funding and established a multi-year research collaboration with Merck.
Esperion markets oral, once daily non-statin therapies for patients struggling to manage LDL cholesterol levels. I joined the board in 2025 and contribute on commercial strategy and market access. In May 2026 the board unanimously approved a definitive agreement with ARCHIMED to take the company private in a deal valued at up to $1.1 billion, representing a premium to the prior closing price, with an additional contingent value right tied to future commercial milestones. Currently serve as member of the Compliance, Nominating & Governance as well as the Commercial Committee on the board.
NervGen is a clinical stage company developing therapies for spinal cord injury and nervous system damage. I engage on strategy, capital markets and commercial planning as the pipeline progresses. Currently serving as Lead Independent Director, and Chair of the Compensation Committee.
Led strategy, team building, capital formation and pipeline development for this private neuromuscular therapeutics company. The experience deepened my conviction around CNS as an area of enormous unmet need and directly shaped my decision to join Cerevance.
Joined as President and COO and moved into the CEO role within a year. Managed a complex portfolio with both a commercial product and an active pipeline under real financial pressure. A formative experience in making hard calls quickly and leading with clarity when things are uncertain.