BOSTON, May 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRAX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company translating genetic insights into the development of therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders characterized by neuronal excitation-inhibition imbalance, today announced the appointment of Jill DeSimone to its board of directors.
“We are very excited to have Jill join the Praxis board of directors. She is an ideal fit for the Praxis board with her impressive background as a global business leader for multi-billion-dollar products, unique insights into product strategy and portfolio prioritization, and breadth of experience advocating for excellence in patient care,” said Marcio Souza, president and chief executive officer of Praxis.
Ms. DeSimone served as president of U.S. Oncology at Merck & Co., Inc. from 2014 to May 2022. During her time at Merck, Ms. DeSimone also temporarily served as interim president of U.S. Pharma to help navigate the business through the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining Merck, she served as senior vice president of Global Women’s Health at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd from 2012 to 2014. Prior to her time at Teva, Ms. DeSimone served in several roles of increasing responsibility at Bristol Myers Squibb from 1980 to 2012, including senior vice president of U.S. Commercial from 2010 to 2012 and senior vice president of U.S. Virology/HIV from 2006 to 2010. Ms. DeSimone serves as a board member for the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with their essential living expenses while they undergo treatment for cancer. Ms. DeSimone received a B.S. in pharmacy from Northeastern University and completed a fellowship with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
“I am honored to join the board at Praxis, as they continue their efforts to help people living with CNS conditions,” said Ms. DeSimone. “Throughout my career, I have focused largely on areas of high unmet need, including most recently building and overseeing Merck’s U.S. oncology business. The opportunity with Praxis allows me to continue to follow my passion and share my expertise in product launches for both rare and more common diseases.”
“Jill’s background as a multi-faceted business leader and passion for bringing innovative treatments to people in need will be a tremendous addition to the Praxis board,” said Dean Mitchell, chairman of the Praxis board of directors. “We look forward to working closely with her and applying her unique know-how during a particularly exciting period for Praxis and moving forward.”
About Praxis
Praxis Precision Medicines is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company translating genetic insights into the development of therapies for CNS disorders characterized by neuronal excitation-inhibition imbalance. Praxis is applying insights from genetic epilepsies to both rare and more prevalent neurological and psychiatric disorders, using our understanding of shared biological targets and circuits in the brain. Praxis has established a broad portfolio with multiple programs, including product candidates across psychiatric disorders, movement disorders and epilepsy, with three clinical-stage product candidates. For more information, please visit www.praxismedicines.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
