Internationally Recognized Neurologic Drug Development Expert

SEATTLE, May 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Athira Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage company dedicated to developing first-in-class therapies for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's that are focused on regeneration, today announced the appointment of Hans J. Moebius, MD, PhD, ECPM, FAAN, as Chief Medical Officer to support the company's therapeutic development efforts.

Dr. Moebius is an internationally recognized expert in neuropsychiatry, drug research and development and regulatory strategy, with more than 28 years of leading R&D positions at companies including Ciba-Geigy, Novartis, Merz Pharmaceuticals, TauRx, FORUM, CHASE, Allergan and Rodin. During his career, he held several CMO positions, resulting in six new CNS therapies, two with direct responsibility for FDA approval. He headed the R&D team that won the German Industry Innovation Award for the international development of memantine in late-stage Alzheimer's disease. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, long-term member of the International Society for CNS Clinical Trial Methodology and a founding member of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics.

"Hans is uniquely qualified to help inform and guide the advancement of our therapies that may change the landscape for treating diseases like Alzheimer's," said Leen Kawas, President and CEO of Athira. "He brings decades of experience in neurology research and drug development that will be invaluable to Athira – helping ensure that the science we are advancing is thoughtfully and expertly executed and supporting Athira's strategy in order to make significant, lasting impacts on human health. We are delighted to have Hans join our Athira team."

"Bold thinking is needed to advance neurologic treatments, and I'm pleased to join a great team that is embracing a novel approach which holds true promise to impact neurodegeneration," said Dr. Moebius. "Athira's pipeline has the potential to truly transform the course of a wider range of devastating diseases. My top priority will be the clinical proof of concept for the lead compound in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, establishing Athira as a leader in a field that has so many patients and their families waiting for progress."

Dr. Moebius received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Kaiserslautern, Germany, and his MD and PhD degree in experimental pharmacology from the University of Heidelberg. He is a board-certified psychiatrist and neurologist and completed his medical studies at the University of Bordeaux/France, (West) Berlin, Heidelberg and Frankfurt/Germany, where he has been lecturing during his research tenure at the Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research. He holds the European Degree in Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM) by the EUCOR Universities Basel/Switzerland, Freiburg/Germany and Strasbourg/France.

Athira is currently advancing its lead therapeutic candidate, NDX-1017, a novel small molecule therapy designed to slow, halt or reverse the effects of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases rather than only alleviating disease symptoms. Preclinical studies of NDX-1017 have demonstrated the ability of the compound to promote neuro-regeneration and improve cognitive function. NDX-1017 is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials in individuals with Alzheimer's disease in the United States and France. A Phase 2 proof-of-concept study is planned to start in 2019, including evaluation of NDX-1017 effects on long-term safety and exploratory biomarkers.

Ongoing NDX-1017 Clinical Trials

To inquire about participation in the current Phase 1 clinical trials of NDX-1017, please contact 1-800-839-2095 or visit www.ndx-1017.com. In France, contact our clinical partner, Biotrial, at 0 800 503 460. Further details on the study can be found on clinicaltrials.gov.

About Athira Pharma, Inc.
Athira, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is a drug development company striving to improve human health by advancing new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. For more information, visit www.athira.com.  You can also follow Athira on Facebook, LinkedIn and @athirapharma on Twitter and Instagram.

Media Contact:
Julie Rathbun
julie.rathbun@athira.com 
206-769-9219

SOURCE Athira Pharma, Inc.