Athira Pharma Announces Demise of Tadataka “Tachi” Yamada, M.D, Director and Chair of Board of Directors; Announces Board Appointments
August 05, 2021 at 04:56 pm
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On August 5, 2021, Athira Pharma, Inc. announced that Dr. Tadataka Yamada, M.D., a director and Chair of the Board of Directors of the company, died unexpectedly of natural causes on August 4, 2021. On August 5, 2021, the Board appointed Kelly A. Romano as Chair of the Board, and Barbara Kosacz as Chair of each of the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Ms. Romano has served on the Company's board of directors since December 2020 and brings over 30 years of executive operating experience in technology, with a background in commercial buildings and aerospace. In addition to her role at BlueRipple Capital, LLC, Ms. Romano is an Operating Partner at AE Industrial Partners. Previously, she spent 32 years working at United Technologies Corp. (UTC) in various positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as President of Intelligent Building Technologies in UTC Building & Industrial Systems. Ms. Romano is also a member of several boards of directors, including UGI Corporation and Dorman Products, Inc., and is co-chair of the board of directors at Potter Electric Signal.
Athira Pharma, Inc. is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. It focuses on developing small molecules engineered to restore neuronal health and slow neurodegeneration. Its pipeline consists of both blood brain barrier permeable and peripherally restricted drug candidates for the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system, and other indications. Its lead candidate, fosgonimeton (ATH-1017), is a subcutaneously administered, small molecule positive modulator of the hepatocyte growth factor/mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (HGF/MET) system for CNS disorders. It is also evaluating other drug candidates for the potential treatment of neuropathic pain, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Its ATH-1020 has completed a Phase I single ascending dose evaluation in healthy volunteers. Its ATH-1105 is a small molecule compound designed to be an orally available, once-daily treatment to enhance the HGF/MET system.