Cerebral Therapeutics, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing specialty medications for uncontrolled neurological diseases, announced yesterday that it has named Lisa Shafer, PhD as its new chief scientific officer, and Eric Distad as vice president of clinical development.

Dr Shafer's technical and leadership experience in R&D, strategy, product and business development includes the medical device, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Prior to her experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr Shafer spent more than 10 years in the medical device industry. While at Medtronic Inc, Dr Shafer held various roles in neuromodulation research, drug-device combination product development, and management. Dr Shafer's foundational research and leadership resulted in seminal publications regarding mechanistic, proof-of-concept and clinical evidence for a portfolio of translational and clinical research programs to advance targeted drug-delivery to the central nervous system (CNS). She started her career at 3M in the Pharmaceutical and Drug Delivery Division.

Eric Distad, vice president of Clinical Development, has more than 24 years' experience in medical device and combination product clinical development. Prior to joining Cerebral Therapeutics, Distad's experience included Global Program Management at Medtronic in the Cardiac Rhythm Management and Neuromodulation Divisions, start-up and early commercial orthopaedic companies, and leadership roles at two large Clinical Research Organisations within their Global Medical Device and Combination Product Divisions. In addition, he has served in advisory positions for Medical Technology Angel Funding groups, International Medical Device and Combination Product Regulatory Panels and Therapeutic Advisory Panels.