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About Axsome

Advancing the frontiers of brain health

We are a leading neuroscience company developing and delivering innovative medicines to improve the lives of people living with neurological and psychiatric conditions.

We focus on areas of significant unmet need and pursue differentiated approaches to some of the most challenging conditions in neuroscience. Together, we are on a mission to solve some of the brain’s biggest problems so patients and their loved ones can flourish.

Areas of focus

Our broad and deep portfolio spans multiple therapeutic areas across psychiatry and neurology.

Smiling bearded man sitting outdoors

Psychiatry

With a focus on novel mechanisms of action, we’re expanding treatment options for psychiatric conditions that profoundly affect how people think, feel, and function.

Our broad portfolio spans multiple areas of unmet need in psychiatry:

  • Depression
  • Alzheimer’s disease agitation
  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
  • Smoking cessation
  • Binge eating disorder
  • Schizophrenia
Older woman smiling while talking with family

Neurology

Neurologic conditions present complex challenges that demand innovative and targeted treatment approaches. Through rigorous science and purposeful innovation, we are developing differentiated treatments to address critical gaps in care and improve patient outcomes.

Our broad portfolio spans multiple areas of unmet need in neurology:

  • Sleep disorders
  • Migraine
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Epilepsy
Explore our areas of focus

Leadership

Herriot Tabuteau, MD

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Nick Pizzie, CPA, MBA

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Mark Jacobson, MA

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Hunter Murdock, Esq.

GENERAL COUNSEL

Ari Maizel

CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Board of directors

Mark Coleman, MD

DIRECTOR

Roger Jeffs, PhD

DIRECTOR

Susan Mahony, PhD, MBA

DIRECTOR

Mark Saad

DIRECTOR

Herriot Tabuteau, MD

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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People

Solving the brain’s biggest challenges takes exceptional people with the courage to think differently. United by our purpose and inspired by the patients we serve, we turn bold ideas into innovative medicines that can meaningfully improve lives.

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Join a team advancing the frontiers of brain health.

Explore careers

Chief executive officer

Herriot Tabuteau, MD

Dr. Tabuteau has served as our founder, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of our Board of Directors since our founding in January 2012.

He is also the founder of Antecip Capital LLC (formerly Versant Capital Management LLC), one of our principal stockholders, for which Dr. Tabuteau has been the managing member since 2003. Dr. Tabuteau is also the managing member of Antecip Bioventures II LLC. Prior to founding our company, Dr. Tabuteau was a Senior Analyst and Partner at Healthco/S.A.C. Capital (now known as HealthCor) where he was responsible for the biotechnology, genomics, and instrumentation portfolios. Previously, Dr. Tabuteau was the healthcare analyst at Kingdon Capital. Prior to that position, Dr. Tabuteau was a Senior Research Analyst at Banc of America Securities covering the hospital supplies sector. Prior to Banc of America, Dr. Tabuteau was part of the healthcare investment banking group at Goldman Sachs. Dr. Tabuteau earned his M.D. from Yale University School of Medicine and his Bachelor of Arts in molecular biology and biochemistry from Wesleyan University.

Chief financial officer

Nick Pizzie, CPA, MBA

Mr. Pizzie has served as our Chief Financial Officer since May 2018.

Prior to joining Axsome, Mr. Pizzie was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pierre Fabre USA, the U.S. affiliate of Pierre Fabre. Previously, he was Senior Finance Director at Immucor. Prior to Immucor, he held positions of increasing responsibility in finance and accounting at Merck and Pfizer. Mr. Pizzie began his career at Arthur Andersen, where he served as staff auditor. He earned his BS in Accounting, BA in Economics, and MBA in Finance, and Supply Chain Logistics, from Rutgers University.

Chief operating officer

Mark Jacobson, MA

Mr. Jacobson has served as our Chief Operating Officer since March 2020 and has been a member of the Axsome team since April 2014.

Prior to joining Axsome, he was Director of Corporate Development at Stemline Therapeutics, Inc., where he played a critical role in advancing the company from a 3-person team in 2010 to the successful completion of an initial public offering and secondary public offering in 2013, which together raised approximately $100 million for the company. While at Stemline, Mr. Jacobson’s responsibilities spanned investor relations, public relations, corporate operations, and intellectual property. Mr. Jacobson began his career in healthcare communications at Publicis Healthcare Communications Group. Mr. Jacobson earned a Master of Arts in Biotechnology from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Iowa State University.

General counsel

Hunter Murdock, Esq.

Mr. Murdock has served as our General Counsel since June 2022 and has been a member of the Axsome team since December 2021.

Mr. Murdock started his legal career in private practice as an associate at White & Case LLP and subsequently was an associate and then partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Mr. Murdock then served in various in-house counsel leadership positions of progressive responsibility within the pharmaceutical industry, most recently as the Vice President, General Counsel of Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. and Acrotech Biopharma LLC. He earned his BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and JD from Georgetown University Law Center.

Chief commercial officer

Ari Maizel

Mr. Maizel has served as our Chief Commercial Officer since October 2024 and has been a member of the Axsome team since October 2023.

Prior to joining Axsome, Mr. Maizel was the Vice President, US Psychiatry at AbbVie where he oversaw sales and marketing for a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Mr. Maizel held positions of increasing responsibility in sales and marketing throughout his career at AbbVie (formerly Allergan), Dendreon Corporation, and Johnson & Johnson across a range of therapeutic areas including CNS, immunology, oncology, gastroenterology, and women’s health. Mr. Maizel began his career at ArrowPath Venture Partners, an early-stage technology investment fund, and was a strategy consultant with Sg2, supporting hospitals and health systems around the world. He earned his BA in Finance from the George Washington University, and MBA in Health Sector Management and Marketing from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Director

Mark Coleman, MD

Dr. Coleman has been a member of our Board of Directors since December 2014.

In addition, from 2012 to 2014, Dr. Coleman served as a consultant to us. Dr. Coleman is currently the Medical Director of the Pikesville office of National Spine and Pain Centers (“NSPC”), one of the nation’s largest interventional pain management groups. Dr. Coleman was formerly the President and then Director of Clinical Services of NSPC. Dr. Coleman is a Diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology in Anesthesiology and Pain Management.

In 2021, Dr. Coleman joined the Board of Directors of Enalare Therapeutics, a privately held company developing respiratory stimulants for the emergency and critical care setting. Dr. Coleman holds an M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and received his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University. Dr. Coleman’s medical expertise and business experience make him qualified to serve on our board.

Director

Roger Jeffs, PhD

Dr. Jeffs has been a member of our board of directors since December 2014.

Dr. Jeffs has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Liquidia Corporation since January 2022. Dr. Jeffs is also the Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of Kriya Therapeutics, a gene therapy company. Dr. Jeffs was previously at United Therapeutics Corporation where he worked for 18 years until 2016. Dr. Jeffs joined United Therapeutics Corporation during its inception phase in 1998 as Director of Research, Development, and Medical and served as its President and Chief Operating Officer from 2001 to 2014, and President and co-CEO from 2015-2016, and was a member of the Board of Directors from 2001 through 2016. While at United Therapeutics, Dr. Jeffs helped lead the IPO, oversaw the clinical development and regulatory approval of 6 products for rare diseases, and managed the commercial effort that led to a consistent >20% CAGR and $1.5B revenue run rate. United Therapeutics was consistently recognized as one of the fastest growing companies and best places to work during his tenure. Dr. Jeffs previously held positions at Amgen, Inc. and Burroughs Wellcome Co. where he held roles in clinical development.

Dr. Jeffs currently serves on the Board of Directors of Liquidia Corporation, and previously served on the Board of Directors of Albireo Pharma, Axovant Gene Therapies, Dova Pharmaceuticals and Sangamo Therapeutics. Dr. Jeffs holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Duke University and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Jeffs’ scientific background and business experience, coupled with his experience as a chief executive officer of a publicly-traded biotechnology company, provides him with the qualifications and skills to serve on our board.

Director

Susan Mahony, PhD, MBA

Dr. Mahony has been a member of our board of directors since October 2023.

Dr. Mahony was formerly Senior Vice President of Eli Lilly and Company and President of Lilly Oncology, where under her leadership, the business unit evolved from one to five marketed medicines. At Lilly, she held leadership positions and led organizations in Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, and China. She also led the global development and launches of several products, including duloxetine for depression and pain. Prior to Lilly, Dr. Mahony led commercial activities for Bristol Myers Squibb’s cardiovascular business and worked in sales and marketing at Amgen and Schering Plough. Dr. Mahony earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Oncology from the University of Aston, UK. She also earned her Master of Business Administration from the London School of Business. Dr. Mahony previously served on the board of directors of Horizon Therapeutics from 2019 until its acquisition by Amgen in October 2023, and Vifor Pharma from 2019 until its acquisition by CSL Limited in August 2022. She currently serves on the board of directors of Zymeworks Inc. and Assembly Biosciences. Dr. Mahony also serves on the board of directors of the Chordoma Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by chordoma.

Director

Mark Saad

Mr. Saad has been a member of our Board of Directors since December 2014.

Mr. Saad is currently the CEO of NuLids, LLC, a portfolio company of Alethea Capital Management, LLC, an asset management firm based in Seattle for which he also serves as an advisor. Between 2014 and 2017, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of Bird Rock Bio, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative immuno-inflammatory regulators.

Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Cytori Therapeutics from 2004 to 2014, where he was responsible for finance and accounting, business development, and other operating functions. Prior to Cytori, he served as Executive Director of UBS Investment Bank, where he was the Chief Operating Officer of the Global Healthcare Group. Prior to UBS, he was part of the Health Care Investment Banking Group at Salomon Smith Barney. Mr. Saad currently serves on the Board of Directors of several private healthcare companies. Mr. Saad holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Villanova University. Through his years of experience as a chief financial officer, and his experience in the investment banking field, Mr. Saad provides valuable financial and leadership experience to the board.