NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Neuroscience, Inc., an innovative biotechnology company dedicated to developing a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, today announced that leading researcher Ajay Verma, M.D., Ph.D. has joined the firm as Chief Medical Officer.
Dr. Verma joins the United Neuroscience team from Biogen, where he helped spark neurodegeneration therapeutic efforts by building disease area strategy, clinical development teams, experimental medicine capabilities, novel imaging technologies and a neurology drug development fellowship program in conjunction with Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Verma oversaw the early clinical development of several neurodegeneration programs including Aducanumab for Alzheimer’s disease.
“The recent move of this industry veteran from Biogen’s neurodegenerative practice to United Neuroscience serves as a ringing endorsement of our Company’s groundbreaking approach to treating and preventing Alzheimer’s through a highly targeted, safe and immunogenic vaccine,” said Mei Mei Hu, J.D., Chief Executive Officer of United Neuroscience. “We are thrilled for Dr. Verma to head our team as we develop a pipeline of mono and combination vaccines for many of the most pressing neurodegenerative diseases.”
Prior to joining Biogen, Dr. Verma held leadership positions at Merck & Co., Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals and was a U.S. Army Lt. Colonel and Professor of Neurology at the U.S. military’s medical school, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He also worked as a staff neurologist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for 11 years after completing his neurology residency there. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University.
The addition of Dr. Verma follows the recent onboarding of PJ Chen, who joined United Neuroscience as a VP of Clinical Development and President of United Neuroscience Taiwan. PJ was previously Executive Director at PPD, where he served as area head for North Asia clinical management. As a senior executive at WuXiPRA, he was responsible for overall project management and commercial operations. He was also a portfolio development lead at AstraZeneca. After completion of his graduate training at MIT, PJ worked at MGH/HMS/MIT Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging in Boston, where he was actively involved in biomarker/MR imaging research.
About United Neuroscience
United Neuroscience (UNS) is a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to the development of first-in-class, disease-modifying therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. UNS was founded to address the social and economic burden of neurodegenerative proteinopathies and seeks to rapidly advance candidates into and through clinical trials with the goal of delivering breakthrough treatments to patients.
