Vistagen names neuroscience veteran Douglas Williamson to its board

Vistagen (Nasdaq: VTGN), a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced the appointment of Douglas J. Williamson, MD, to its board of directors, according to a press release.

Dr. Williamson is currently a CNS drug development consultant and founder of Destiny Biopharm Consulting. He most recently served as chief medical officer of QurAlis Corporation. Before that, he was executive vice president and head of research and development at Acadia Pharmaceuticals, where he led the company's neuroscience pipeline strategy.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Williamson held the role of chief medical officer at Avadel Pharmaceuticals and senior leadership positions at H. Lundbeck A/S, including senior vice president and head of U.S. research and development, and deputy global chief medical officer. He also served as vice president and global head of therapeutic area leadership at Parexel International.

During his tenure at Eli Lilly and Company, Dr. Williamson contributed to the development and regulatory approval of neuropsychiatric therapies including Symbyax, Zyprexa, and Cymbalta. He previously served on the board of Bright Minds Biosciences (Nasdaq: DRUG). He holds a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh.

"Over his career, he has guided therapies from early development through regulatory approval and into the hands of patients," said Vistagen president and chief executive officer Shawn Singh.

Vistagen is developing intranasal product candidates it calls pherines, designed to act through nose-to-brain neurocircuitry without absorption into the bloodstream. Its most advanced candidate, fasedienol, is in Phase 3 development for social anxiety disorder. Two other candidates, itruvone and refisolone, are in Phase 2 development for major depressive disorder and vasomotor symptoms due to menopause, respectively.

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