Honor
In all areas of our work, honor is the guiding principle and the foundation for realizing our mission.
Natalie, 10, GRIN2B Patient
Neurvati Neurosciences is uniquely positioned to identify, acquire, and develop potential therapies targeting a range of neurological and psychiatric disorders. We have an unmatched ability to assess advances in neuroscience research, review pre-clinical and clinical data, understand regulatory needs and confirm the commercial potential of promising product candidates.
As a Blackstone Life Sciences portfolio company, Neurvati is powered by best-in-class expertise, relentless passion, and extensive resources that allow us to optimize the development of neuroscience therapies. To fuel our success, we engage with strategic partners including other global leaders in neuroscience research and product development. We also align ourselves closely with the patient communities we serve. These efforts bring us the insights and experience necessary to support our efforts to deliver drugs with the potential to transform the lives of patients.
The Neurvati business model is structured to meet the demands associated with neuroscience drug development and commercialization. We maintain a long-term, strategic view of the neuroscience ecosystem and have the ability to apply customized business structures and strategies to advance our programs, including establishing fit-for-purpose subsidiary companies. Our deep base of resources allows us to achieve the highest levels of business versatility and operational productivity.
As the first example of our business strategy in action, in 2021 Neurvati established GRIN Therapeutics to advance a targeted approach to the treatment of GRIN-related disorders and other types of pediatric epilepsy.
The Neurvati leadership team has deep expertise in neuroscience research and in all phases of drug development and commercialization, backed by worldwide industry connections and a shared dedication to meeting the needs of the patient communities we serve.
Backed by the financial and professional resources of Blackstone Life Sciences, a division of Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, Neurvati Neurosciences is ideally structured to advance drug candidates through near- and long-term clinical and regulatory milestones. Our operational capabilities and global reach and resources empower us to achieve levels of business agility and superior clinical execution that represent significant competitive advantages.
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Bruce Leuchter, M.D.
Dr. Bruce Leuchter brings deep-rooted, wide-ranging experience to his role as President and CEO at Neurvati, spanning neuroscience, clinical neuropsychiatry, biotechnology equity research, healthcare investment banking and entrepreneurship. His expertise captures all aspects of building and leading a neuroscience company, and his experiences have generated deep empathy for the patient journey. Across his many roles in the clinic, industry, and beyond, Dr. Leuchter has maintained a passion for knowledge and has aimed to purposefully apply that knowledge to help patients suffering from diseases of the brain and nervous system.
A physician by training and neuropsychiatrist by specialty, Dr. Leuchter completed residency training in Neurology and Psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Leuchter served as Director of Clinical Neuropsychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and maintains a voluntary faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Leuchter has also held multiple financial services roles including biotechnology equity research at Goldman Sachs, healthcare investment banking at Credits Suisse, and biotechnology mergers and acquisitions at PJT Partners, all of which drive a nuanced understanding of the biotechnology industry and particularly the neuroscience ecosystem.
Dr. Leuchter is Co-Founder and Founding Neuropsychiatrist of a digital therapeutics company, Click Therapeutics, which specializes in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. He serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Daedelus Fund for Innovation at Weill Cornell Medical College, as a member of the Life Science Institute Leadership Council at the University of Michigan, as a member of the Advisory Board at Michigan Drug Discovery, and as a Business Advisory Board member at FOXG1 Research Foundation.
Michael A. Panzara, M.D., MPH
Michael A. Panzara, MD, MPH is currently Chief Medical Officer at Neurvati Neurosciences. Dr. Panzara has over 20 years of biopharmaceutical experience focused on developing therapies for neurological disorders having served in leadership roles at Wave Life Sciences, Sanofi, Genzyme, and Biogen before joining Neurvati in 2022 and currently serves on the board of directors of Athira Pharma, Inc., a clinicalstage biopharmaceutical company. Prior to joining Neurvati, he was Chief Medical Officer, Head of Therapeutics Discovery and Development at Wave Life Sciences where he oversaw Wave’s therapeutic research and development portfolio with a focus on genetically-defined diseases.
He served as the Head of the Multiple Sclerosis, Neurology and Ophthalmology Therapeutic Area for Global Development at Sanofi Genzyme, where he oversaw global regulatory approvals of the multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs LEMTRADA (alemtuzumab) and AUBAGIO (teriflunomide) and was responsible for development strategy and oversight within these therapeutic areas. He joined Genzyme in 2009 as Group Vice President, Multiple Sclerosis and Immune Diseases, overseeing the development of MS and other inflammatory disease therapies. Prior to joining Genzyme, Dr. Panzara was Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Neurology at Biogen. During his time there, he served as the global clinical lead for the development of TYSABRI (natalizumab) for MS, overseeing its clinical program and global approvals and managed clinical development activities for all late-stage MS products including AVONEX (interferon beta-1a), PLEGRIDY (PEG-interferon beta-1a), and TECFIDERA (dimethylfumarate).
Dr. Panzara received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Pennsylvania and medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine. He trained in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, received his postdoctoral training in immunology and rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and received his Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Elliott Ruiz
Elliott Ruiz began his career in investment banking with time spent at Truist Securities (f/k/a Suntrust Bank) and KPMG’s boutique healthcare corporate finance group. In 2014, Elliott moved into the pharmaceutical space and helped to grow the private equity backed Alvogen Inc., with leadership responsibilities that included corporate development, capital raising, and financial planning and analysis. In 2016, Elliott joined Purdue Pharma to lead their Business Development Finance team. His responsibilities quickly grew over his tenure with his most recent role as Treasurer overseeing Purdue’s FP&A, Business Development Finance, Treasury, Accounts Payable, Credit, and Insurance functions, among other responsibilities. Elliott’s leadership was battle-tested as he helped to lead Purdue through its restructuring process. Elliott received his BA in Economics from Cornell University and his MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia. He has also received management training at the Yale School of Management where he received an Executive Leadership Development Certification.
Hillary Savoie, Ph.D
Hillary Savoie, PhD is the Director of Community Engagement and Communication at Neurvati Neurosciences. Prior to joining Neurvati, Hillary worked as a rare disease advocate, patient engagement consultant, and writer. She is also a mother. Her daughter Esmé, who is medically and developmentally complex, has served as the inspiration for her work in rare disease. Hillary founded The Cute Syndrome Foundation, which focuses on a rare genetic and developmental encephalopathy, in 2013. She served as Executive Director at TCSF for 9 years and now serves on the Board of Directors. Her personal essays and reported features about life with medically-complex children which can be found on Romper.com, New York Times, Rolling Stone, and the podcast Story Collider, among others. Hillary holds a doctorate in Communication and Rhetoric from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).