Acorda Therapeutics (Nasdaq:ACOR) announced today that Chief Operating Officer Lauren Sabella will resign next month.
Pearl River, New York-based Acorda develops therapies designed to restore function and improve the lives of those with neurological disorders. The therapies are delivered via inhalation through the company’s Arcus pulmonary delivery system.
Sabella’s resignation will be made effective Sept. 30, 2022. She will be working in a strategic advisory role for early-stage biotechnology companies, the company said in a news release. Similarly, when chief of business operations David Lawrence resigned last year, Acorda said he was set to take a leadership position at an early-stage biotechnology company.
“We are grateful for Lauren’s thirteen years of contributions as a member of Acorda’s executive leadership team. Initially, she and her team led the commercial launch of AMPYRA, a novel treatment for multiple sclerosis,” Acorda President and CEO Dr. Ron Cohen said in the release. “The tremendous success of that product allowed Acorda to invest in additional clinical development programs, including INBRIJA for Parkinson’s disease. Lauren has been an outstanding leader at Acorda; we will miss her and wish her a fulfilling next chapter in her career.”
Sabella’s responsibilities will be assumed by two of her current direct reports: SVP of Operations & Strategic Planning Sofia Ali and SVP of Drug Development and Regulatory Affairs Susan Way.
“I am honored to have been part of the Acorda team. I take particular pride in knowing that the FDA-approved products we have brought to market have helped so many people living with multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease,” Sabella said. “I am also proud to have prepared outstanding senior leaders to help guide Acorda’s success moving forward.”