Ovid Tx appoints CMO and head of epilepsy research

US neurological diseases specialist Ovid Therapeutics (Nasdaq: OVID) is expanding its medical and development team with the respective appointments of industry veterans, Dr Manoj Malhotra as its chief medical officer (CMO) and Dr Toshiya Nishi as its head of epilepsy research.

Immediately prior to joining Ovid, Dr Malhotra served in the neurology business group at the US subsidiary of Japan’s Eisai (TYO: 4523). During his tenure, he led global medical affairs for their epilepsy and multiple sclerosis businesses. Dr Malhotra was also a global senior medical director at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Autoimmune and Rare Disease Unit, and he held senior roles at Takeda Pharmaceutical (TY: 4502) supporting its Alzheimer’s disease program, and within Novartis (NOVN: VX) medical affairs.

Dr Nishi is a pharmacologist and translational scientist who has led multiple drug discovery programs in neurological disorders and other therapeutic areas. He joins Ovid from Takeda Pharmaceuticals, where he played a critical role in the invention and development of soticlestat, a small molecule inhibitor of cholesterol 24-hydroxylase.