Bright Minds Biosciences Appoints Drug Development Executive Mark A. Smith M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Medical Officer

-- Dr. Smith is a 20-year pharmaceutical industry veteran with extensive central nervous system (“CNS”) clinical development expertise --

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Minds Biosciences (“Bright Minds,” “BMB” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: DRUG) (CSE: DRUG), a biotechnology company focused on developing novel drugs for the targeted treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, epilepsy, and pain, today announced that Mark A. Smith M.D., Ph.D. will join the Company as Chief Medical Officer, effective December 1, 2022. The Company also announces that Dr. Revati Shreeniwas’ engagement with Bright Minds as Chief Medical Officer has been terminated.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Smith to the Bright Minds team. A seasoned executive in CNS drug development, Dr. Smith has directed over 50 clinical trials across all stages of development. Dr Smith's extensive background in psychiatry will strengthen the clinical implementation of our next generation 5-HT_2A agonists. His depth and breadth of knowledge in neuropsychiatry, development, translational neuroscience, and clinical trial design will be a great asset as we continue to advance our pipeline of novel compounds through clinical trials,” said Ian McDonald, CEO and Co-founder of Bright Minds Biosciences.

“It’s an exciting time to join Bright Minds with the Phase I trial for its lead program, BMB-101, currently underway. Proposed to treat Dravet syndrome, an epilepsy syndrome that begins in infancy or early childhood, BMB-101 is a promising drug candidate with the potential to change lives. My background is uniquely well-suited to the opportunity, and I look forward to seeing BMB-101 and the rest of the pipeline through their development stages,” stated Dr. Smith.

Prior to joining Bright Minds, Dr. Smith was Chief Medical Officer at VistaGen Therapeutics, where he led the clinical development of drug candidates in the areas of major depression, social anxiety disorder, and depression through all phases of development. Previously, Dr. Smith served as the Clinical Lead for Neuropsychiatry at Teva Pharmaceuticals, where he was accountable for the strategy and clinical development of neuropsychiatric drugs with a focus on schizophrenia, sleep disorders, and agitation. He also held a range of director positions, including as Executive Director of Clinical Development at AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Company, where he led the development of several novel chemical entities targeting treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.