SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Autobahn Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on restoring hope for people affected by CNS disorders, today announced that industry veteran Scott Giacobello, chief financial officer of GW Pharmaceuticals, has been appointed to Autobahn’s board of directors and will serve as the chair of the company’s audit committee. In addition, Scott Forrest, Ph.D., has been promoted to the role of chief financial officer from his current position as chief business officer.

“Autobahn’s tunable brain-targeting chemistry platform and strong pipeline have the potential to transform the future of treatments for CNS disorders. I look forward to partnering with the exceptional leadership team and board to support a strong financial organization that will ensure the advancement of this important science,” said Mr. Giacobello.

“We are excited to welcome Mr. Giacobello to our board of directors. His extensive financial management and capital raising experience will prove valuable to our future growth and evolution,” said Kevin Finney, chief executive officer of Autobahn. “In addition, Dr. Forrest has played an instrumental role in the progress we have made across both our brain-targeting chemistry platform and pipeline addressing devastating CNS disorders, including adrenomyeloneuropathy and remyelination in multiple sclerosis. Following the completion of a successful pre-IND meeting for our lead program, ABX-002, his business strategy and financial leadership will be critical as we advance toward becoming a clinical-stage company.”

Mr. Giacobello is an accomplished executive with more than 25 years of experience leading finance organizations. Prior to GW, he served as chief financial officer for Chase Pharmaceuticals Corporation, until it was acquired by Allergan, Inc. Earlier, Mr. Giacobello held senior level finance positions at Allergan, Inc., most recently serving as vice president of finance for global research & development. His previous experience includes financial positions at the Black & Decker Corporation and Ernst & Young, LLP. Mr. Giacobello holds a B.A. in business administration from the University of Notre Dame and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Prior to joining Autobahn as chief business officer in July 2020, Dr. Forrest was chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Inception Therapeutics, a Versant Ventures “discovery engine” focused on building and operating transformative biotech companies. Earlier, he was a co-founder and vice president of operations and corporate development at BlackThorn Therapeutics and served as vice president of business development at The Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Forrest started his career at the University of North Carolina (UNC) where he led the restructuring, expansion and management of the life sciences licensing team. He also served as an entrepreneur in residence at UNC and was a central part of the successful launch of multiple startup companies, such as Epizyme. Dr. Forrest holds a B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Calgary and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Virginia.

About Autobahn Therapeutics
Autobahn Therapeutics is focused on restoring hope for people affected by CNS disorders. Autobahn is leveraging its brain-targeting chemistry platform to unlock new therapeutic opportunities through precision tuning of the central exposure of its molecules. The company’s pipeline is led by ABX-002, a thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the treatment of adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), a rare genetic disorder. Autobahn Therapeutics is based in San Diego. For more information, visit www.autobahntx.com.

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