– USA, MA – Cerevel Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CERE), a company dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the brain to treat neuroscience diseases, announced today the addition of Dr. Ruth McKernan, Ph.D., CBE, FMedSci, to its Board of Directors as an Independent Director.
“Dr. McKernan is an outstanding scientific leader with deep expertise in the biopharmaceutical industry and she will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in neuroscience disorders to our board,” said Board chair and CEO, Dr. Tony Coles. “Dr. McKernan’s guidance will help us as we seek to innovate the treatment landscape and bring new therapies to individuals facing some of the most vexing diseases including schizophrenia, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.”
About Dr. Ruth McKernan
Dr. McKernan currently serves as a venture partner with SV Health Investors, LLP, a global investment firm and specialist healthcare fund manager, where she supports companies that create new medicines for treating neurodegenerative disorders. With over 25 years of academic, research and commercial experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. McKernan also serves as chairperson of the BioIndustry Association, a trade association for innovative life sciences in the United Kingdom, and as a trustee of Alzheimer’s Research UK, the country’s leading dementia research charity.
“I am honored to join the board of Cerevel, a neuroscience company that is working hard to bring new treatments to patients,” said Dr. McKernan. “Cerevel aspires to be the premier neuroscience company, and I look forward to contributing to the realization of that goal.”
About Dr. Ruth McKernan
Dr. McKernan’s distinguished career has spanned the academic, business, and government worlds. She has over 25 years of research and commercial experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including leading research units in the United Kingdom and the United States. Currently, Dr. McKernan is a venture partner with SV Health Investors, LLP, a global investment firm focused on the healthcare industry. At SV, Dr. McKernan focuses on companies that create new medicines for treating neurodegenerative disorders, including AstronauTx, a UK‐based biotechnology company for which she serves as chairperson. She also serves as chairperson of the BioIndustry Association, a trade association for innovative life sciences in the United Kingdom, and as a trustee of Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Previously, Dr. McKernan served in a variety of senior leadership roles while at Pfizer, including as vice president, CSO of Regenerative Medicine, and CSO of Neusentis. In those roles, she initiated multiple neuroscience partnerships, acquisitions, and spinouts and played an active part in taking more than 10 compounds into the clinic. Before Pfizer, Dr. McKernan served in multiple senior positions at Merck over the course of an 18-year tenure at the company. As a neuroscientist, Dr. McKernan has over 120 publications and 15 patents in the areas of ion channels and regenerative medicine. Her first book for non‐scientists, “Billy’s Halo,” was shortlisted for the Mind Book of the Year Award (2007), a literary award which celebrates writing that contributes to public understanding of mental health issues.
Dr. McKernan earned her bachelor’s degree in pharmacology with biochemistry from King’s College London and received a Ph.D. in biochemical pharmacology from the University of London.
About Cerevel Therapeutics
Cerevel Therapeutics is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the brain to treat neuroscience diseases. The company seeks to unlock the science surrounding new treatment opportunities through understanding the neurocircuitry of neuroscience diseases and associated symptoms. Cerevel Therapeutics has a diversified pipeline comprising four clinical-stage investigational therapies and several pre-clinical compounds with the potential to treat a range of neuroscience diseases, including Parkinson’s, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Cerevel Therapeutics is advancing its current research and development programs while exploring new modalities through internal research efforts, external collaborations, or potential acquisitions.
For more information: https://www.cerevel.com/
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