Tenax Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: TENX) appointed Thomas R. Staab II as chief financial officer, effective May 11, 2026, according to a company statement.

Staab will replace Thomas McGauley, who served as interim CFO since December 2024. The appointment comes as the pharmaceutical company expands its registrational program for levosimendan, a treatment being developed for PH-HFpEF patients.

Staab brings over 25 years of financial leadership experience in the healthcare industry. He most recently served as CFO and Secretary of LENSAR until May 2026 and held the position of Senior Vice President, CFO and Treasurer at BioCryst Pharmaceuticals from July 2011 to February 2020. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer at Inspire Pharmaceuticals through its $430 million acquisition by Merck and as acting CFO and Treasurer at Triangle Pharmaceuticals through its $464 million acquisition by Gilead.

Before entering the healthcare sector, Staab worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers providing audit and business advisory services. He holds a BS in Business Administration and a Master of Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a Certified Public Accountant.

The company announced inducement equity awards for Staab consisting of 10,000 restricted stock units and options to purchase 450,000 shares of common stock. The restricted stock units will vest in quarterly installments starting 10 days after his start date. The stock options will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and the remainder vesting monthly thereafter.

Tenax Therapeutics is developing TNX-103, an oral form of levosimendan, for treating PH-HFpEF, described as the most prevalent form of pulmonary hypertension globally. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based company is currently in Phase 3 development.