CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cognito Therapeutics, a Phase 3-ready disease-modifying digital therapeutics company, today announced the appointment of Gerald Chan, ScD. as Chairman of the Board. Cognito is a pioneer in using neuromodulation to engage novel targets of neuronal pathophysiology to achieve disease modification in neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Chan is the co-founder of Morningside, a privately held venture capital and private equity firm. Since inception, Morningside has focused on the development and commercialization of novel scientific discoveries in both the life sciences and technology sectors.

“The use of non-pharmacological interventions to treat neurocognitive decline represents a fundamental shift in approach and an important expansion of biotech targets in neurodegenerative diseases,” said Dr. Chan. “By broadening the therapeutic target from a single protein to the underlying neuronal pathophysiology, Cognito has shown that it can fundamentally alter disease processes more than traditional modalities. I am particularly gratified to see encouraging Phase 2 results in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s patients, and am looking forward to driving this technology forward for the benefit of patients worldwide.”

“Dr. Chan recognized early on that abnormalities in the brain’s electrophysiology represent exciting novel targets for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and that Cognito’s unique intersection of biology and technology positioned it to be a leader in this new paradigm,” said Brent Vaughan, Chief Executive Officer of Cognito Therapeutics. “Gerald is a highly respected investor and driver of innovation in healthcare and technology. We are thrilled to have him as our Chairman as we advance our digital therapeutic for Alzheimer’s into pivotal studies, under the FDA Breakthrough Designation granted earlier this year.”

Dr. Chan received his training from UCLA and Harvard University. He currently serves as the Chairman of Apellis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:APLS) and Stealth Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:MITO), and sits on the boards of multiple private biotechnology companies. He is the past Chairman of the Innovation Advisory Committee of the Wellcome Trust, and was recently named an Honorary Professor of Translational Medicine at the University of Manchester.

About Cognito Therapeutics

Cognito Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company developing a pipeline of disease-modifying digital therapeutics targeting neurodegenerative disorders. Its non-invasive neuromodulation platform was developed by MIT Professors and scientific founders Li-Huei Tsai and Ed Boyden. The Company’s lead digital therapeutic reported positive Phase 2 results in Alzheimer’s Disease, and was awarded FDA Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA. Cognito is based in Cambridge, MA. For more information, visit www.cognitotx.com. Follow us on Twitter at @cognitotx.

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