COYA Therapeutics founder steps down, appoints Pavao to board

Coya Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: COYA) announced that founder Howard Berman stepped down as executive chairman and board member, with Mark Pavao joining the board as an independent director.

Berman's departure follows a planned CEO transition initiated in November 2024, when Arun Swaminathan became chief executive officer. Berman had moved to the executive chairman role as part of that transition process.

"Dr. Berman's entrepreneurial spirit and scientific foresight have been instrumental in guiding Coya from its beginnings as a start-up, through its IPO, and now into a Phase 2B trial of our lead asset COYA 302 in patients with ALS," Swaminathan said in the company's statement.

Pavao brings more than 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having led commercial organizations at companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb, R-Pharm US, and Biotech Value Advisors. He currently serves as chairman of Medical Knowledge Group and sits on boards of Perosphere Technologies and MiracleFeet.

The Houston-based clinical-stage biotechnology company develops treatments focused on regulatory T cells to target inflammation in neurodegenerative disorders. The company is conducting the ALSTARS trial, a Phase 2 study evaluating its lead candidate COYA 302 for treating ALS patients.

"I am impressed by Coya's science and clinical progress, which positions the company to make a meaningful impact for patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and FTD," Pavao said.

The board transition comes as Coya advances its regulatory T cell combination therapy toward potential commercialization, with clinical trial data expected from the ongoing ALS study.

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