ARDSLEY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR) today announced that Rick Batycky, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, will be leaving Acorda as of August 20, 2018 to take a position as the CEO of a private, venture-backed biotechnology company. David Lawrence, Acorda’s Chief of Business Operations, will assume responsibility for the company’s Chelsea, MA manufacturing facility, which produces INBRIJA(levodopa inhalation powder), as well as for the external manufacturing of AMPYRA (dalfampridine). Burkhard Blank, M.D., Acorda’s Chief Medical Officer, will assume responsibility for Acorda’s Pharmaceutical Development and Technical Operations teams.
“After twenty years of working to take the ARCUS technology out of the laboratory into the clinic, I am excited that INBRIJA is on the threshold of potential FDA approval and availability to people who are challenged by OFF periods in Parkinson’s disease,” said Dr. Batycky. “I feel confident in taking this next step in my career, knowing that Acorda has a superb team to maximize the value of INBRIJA, as well as the ARCUS technology.”
“We thank Rick for his contributions to Acorda and for the vision and commitment that led to the development of INBRIJA and the ARCUS platform. We wish him great success in his new CEO role,” said Ron Cohen, M.D., Acorda’s President and CEO. “Rick leaves a highly skilled management team in place at our Boston facilities, now complemented by Dave and Burkhard, each of whom is a seasoned leader with decades of experience. As we near the PDUFA date for INBRIJA, the entire Acorda team is looking forward to the opportunity to bring this important new medicine to the Parkinson’s community.”
About INBRIJA™ (levodopa inhalation powder) and ARCUS®
INBRIJA is a self-administered, orally inhaled levodopa (L-dopa) therapy in development for the treatment of symptoms of OFF periods in people with Parkinson’s disease taking a carbidopa/levodopa regimen.
INBRIJA utilizes Acorda’s investigational ARCUS® platform for inhaled therapeutics. INBRIJA was designed to deliver a precise dose of a dry powder formulation of L-dopa through the lung. Oral medication can be associated with variable onset of action, as the medicine is absorbed through the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract before reaching the brain. Inhaled treatments enter the body through the lungs and reach the brain, bypassing the digestive system.
The proprietary name INBRIJA has been conditionally accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
About Acorda Therapeutics
Founded in 1995, Acorda Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies that restore function and improve the lives of people with neurological disorders. Acorda has a pipeline of novel neurological therapies addressing a range of disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Acorda markets two FDA-approved therapies, including AMPYRA® (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg.
