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ARTICLE | Management Tracks

Pfizer names Elif Aral president of MERA

Plus: CEO Amy Emerson steps down at Lykos, David Hough made CMO, and updates from Opthea, Modus, Melinta and more

September 5, 2024 11:37 PM UTC

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) named Elif Aral regional president for Middle East, Russia and Africa. Aral, who joined the company in 1995 as a sales representative based in Turkey, was most recently emerging markets access and accord commercial lead. 

Amy Emerson will step down as CEO of Lykos Therapeutics PBC, weeks after the company received a complete response letter from FDA for its combination therapy of MDMA and psychotherapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and shed 75% of its workforce. Emerson, who has led Lykos since it was founded in 2014, will serve as senior adviser until Dec. 31, then a board observer. The company named COO Michael Mullette interim CEO and Senior Medical Adviser David Hough CMO. Hough was CMO at PaxMedica Inc. (NASDAQ:PXMD) and, earlier in his career, worked on Spravato esketamine as an executive of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)...