Neuron23 Appoints Sam Jackson, M.D., MBA, as Chief Medical Officer

Longtime clinical development leader will help advance pipeline of precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases, with initial focus on Parkinson's disease

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuron23™ Inc., an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases, today announced the appointment of Sam Jackson, M.D., MBA, as the company's first chief medical officer (CMO). Dr. Jackson is a seasoned clinical development leader with experience advancing novel neurologic, immunologic, and ophthalmic programs. He is a board-certified emergency physician with fellowship training in medical toxicology.

"I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Jackson to our growing Neuron23 leadership team," said Nancy Stagliano, Ph.D., CEO of Neuron23. "An accomplished physician and drug developer, Sam is known for building bridges between science, medicine, and business. He brings decades of experience in drug development, data-driven decision making, and competitive strategy. Sam is a well-respected thought leader in our industry and I am confident that he will ensure that the needs of patients are at the heart of everything we do."

"It is an honor to join Neuron23 at this critical point in its evolution," said Dr. Jackson. "As Neuron23 prepares to advance NEU-723 into clinical trials for Parkinson's disease and continues to build our pipeline, I am excited about the potential to bring next-generation personalized therapies to patients with limited treatment options."

Before joining Neuron23, Dr. Jackson served as senior vice president and CMO at Alector, where he oversaw the clinical teams developing the company's immuno-neurology therapies for Frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurodegenerative conditions. He also served as CMO of Alkahest, helping build the clinical organization and initiating four Phase 2 trials in neurological and ophthalmologic diseases. Earlier in his career, at Dynavax Technologies, Dr. Jackson ran the final pivotal Phase 3 trial that resulted in product approval for HEPLISAV-B™, and also held positions of increasing responsibility at Genentech, Inc., and Amgen.

Dr. Jackson holds a joint M.D./MBA degree from the Perelman School of Medicine and The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and earned his undergraduate degree in English from Stanford University. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California, and his fellowship in medical toxicology at the Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

Neuron23™ Inc. is an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases. Neuron23 combines recent advances in human genetics with a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled drug discovery and biomarker platform to advance therapeutics for devastating diseases. The Company's focus areas are neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammatory diseases, and systemic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Founded in 2018, Neuron23 has assembled a world-class team of experts and entrepreneurs located in South San Francisco, CA. For more information, please visit www.neuron23.com.

SOURCE Neuron23