Cognito Therapeutics today announced the appointment of four new executives to accelerate its growth and commercialization efforts.
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Cognito named Steve Worthy as its new chief business & financial officer, Dr. Robbert Zusterzeel as its chief clinical & regulatory officer, Deanna Angello as chief commercial officer and Pritesh Shah as chief strategy officer.
The new executives join to help progress the company’s Spectris non-invasive neuromodulation device. Cognito designed Spectris to deliver proprietary gamma frequency light and sound stimulation. This evokes EEG-confirmed gamma frequency brain oscillations to treat central nervous system (CNS) diseases.
“As Cognito nears completion of enrollment in our pivotal HOPE trial and prepares for regulatory submission, we are also ramping up our commercial and strategic efforts to bring Spectris to market,” said Christian Howell, Chief Executive Officer of Cognito Therapeutics. “With deep expertise in fundraising, capital markets, regulatory strategy, commercialization, and growth acceleration, Steve, Robbert, Deanna, and Pritesh bring the precise skill sets needed for this critical phase. Their leadership will be instrumental in positioning Cognito as a market leader in neurotechnology-driven therapies.”
More about the executive appointments at Cognito Therapeutics
Worthy brings more than a decade of experience in healthcare finance to Cognito. He previously served as SVP of corporate & business development at Aetion. He also held the role of VP in J.P. Morgan’s Global Healthcare Coverage Group. Cognito expects “pivotal” leadership in capital structuring and strategic partnerships from Worthy.
Zusterzeeel has extensive expertise in clinical trials, regulatory strategy and market access, Cognito says. He previously served as VP of regulatory science & strategy at Woebot Health. Other leadership roles came at IQVIA and the FDA.
With more than 25 years of experience in market development and commercialization — especially in Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disease — Angello now leads Cognito’s strategy for launching Spectris. She previously held executive roles at Pfizer, Genentech/Roche, Kite/Gilead and Johnson & Johnson. Most recently, Angello served as an executive in residence at Springboard Enterprises.
Shah joins Cognito having previously served as chief growth officer and chief commercial officer at Novocure. The company said he brings experience in establishing new revenue streams, preparing for launches and expanding global presence. Other experience includes time spent at Roche/Genentech, Bristol-Myers Squibb and OSI Oncology.
“With this exceptional group of leaders joining our already strong executive team, Cognito is well-positioned to execute on our ambitious vision with confidence and precision,” said Howell. “Each of these executives has not only successfully navigated high-stakes growth phases in their respective companies but has also demonstrated the ability to drive transformative change. Their collective expertise in clinical, regulatory, financial, commercial, and strategic execution ensures we are well-prepared for the milestones ahead. I am proud to welcome them to Cognito and excited about the impact we will make together as we work to bring Spectris to patients and families worldwide, fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life for those battling neurodegenerative diseases.”
More positive data for Spectris as well
Cognito Therapeutics also announced the publication of a study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. Findings highlight myelin and synaptic biomarker changes in patients treated with the non-invasive Spectris device.
The company said the study offers compelling evidence of Spectris’ ability to modulate core biological pathways involved in Alzheimer’s. It demonstrated that daily Spectris therapy resulted in significant cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker changes in pathways critical to Alzheimer’s. That includes myelination, synaptic function, lipid metabolism and neuroimmune regulation.
Investigators evaluated CSF samples from 10 participants with amyloid positive MCI. Participants used Spectris daily for an hour. Results revealed significant alterations in 110 proteins linked to critical biological pathways associated with Alzheimers.
Notably, Cognito reports that many protein changes were observed in the opposite direction of those associated with Alzheimer’s progression. This suggested a therapeutic effect of Spectris on the underlying disease biology.
“This study further validates the potential of Spectris to target core mechanisms driving Alzheimer’s pathology,” said Howell. “By modulating key biological pathways through gamma oscillations, Spectris has the opportunity to not just slow disease progression but to meaningfully improve the lives of patients with Alzheimer’s.”
