SEATTLE, July 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Athira Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage company dedicated to developing therapies for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, today announced the appointment of Mark Litton, PhD, MBA as Chief Operating Officer.

"Mark has tremendous experience in the operations and growth of life science companies. He has deep knowledge advancing innovative therapeutics combined with unique skill in strategic planning, business development and financial transactions," said Leen Kawas, President and CEO of Athira. "Mark's experience will be key during this transformative stage of the company, and we are looking forward to working together in our journey towards advancing novel solutions for the millions impacted by neurodegenerative diseases."

Dr. Litton brings more than two decades of life sciences experience spanning a breadth of responsibilities and achievements. Dr. Litton is co-founder of Alder BioPharmaceuticals, where he served as Chief Business Officer and Treasurer from 2004 to 2018. At Alder, Dr. Litton oversaw the company's business operations, including playing an integral role in Alder's initial public offering and subsequent financings, as well as high-profile collaborations and partnerships. Prior to co-founding Alder BioPharmaceuticals, highlights from Dr. Litton's experience spans executive leadership positions including Vice President of Business Development at Celltech Group, where he was responsible for securing, commercializing, and partnering numerous novel discoveries and therapeutic programs, Vice President of Business Development at Chiroscience Group plc, and Manager of Business Development for Ribozyme. Dr. Litton holds a PhD in Immunology from Stockholm University, an MBA from Santa Clara University, and a BS in Biochemistry from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

"I'm delighted to be joining Leen and Athira's dedicated team focused on a first-in-class approach that may bring hope to those touched by Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases," said Dr. Litton.

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. 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. 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.