Redefining Dementia Care: CervoMed's Bold Journey with CEO John Alam

Aug 15, 2024

Join John Alam, CEO of CervoMed and a pioneer in dementia treatment, as he shares his journey from medicine to biotech. He delves into groundbreaking advancements in addressing Dementia with Lewy Bodies and the shift toward disease-modifying therapies. John discusses the challenges of navigating clinical trials and the importance of resilience and strategic partnerships in the high-stakes world of biotech. His passion for innovation in neurodegenerative research shines through, offering a hopeful outlook for the future of dementia care.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

A Journey Through Biotech: From Drug Development to Neurodegeneration

02:13 • 4min

The Entrepreneurial Journey in Biotech: Flexibility and Networking

06:21 • 3min

Innovations in Dementia Drug Development

09:14 • 13min

The Value of Patience and Resilience in Science and Business

22:12 • 2min

Synopsis: Get ready for an insightful conversation as host Rahul Chaturvedi connects with John Alam, CEO of CervoMed, to uncover the revolutionary advancements transforming dementia treatment, with a spotlight on Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). John shares his remarkable journey from practicing medicine to leading cutting-edge biotech innovations, shedding light on the bold breakthroughs in neurodegenerative research and the intense, high-stakes world of clinical trials. This episode reveals how CervoMed is not just advancing dementia care but redefining it, proving that resilience and bold thinking are the keys to success in biotech. Biography: John Alam serves as the Chief Executive Officer at CervoMed, co-founding the company (formerly known as EIP Pharma) in 2014. John is an industry leader in translational medicine with over 30 years of experience creating value to help build companies through clinical development success. Until May 2014, he was therapeutic area head for diseases of aging at Sanofi, where he led all discovery and development activities directed at Alzheimer’s disease, as well as a number of other age-related diseases including sarcopenia/frailty, osteoarthritis, chronic pain and many others. From 1997 to 2008, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, including Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, Medicines Development. At Vertex, he played major roles in the development of novel innovative medicines for HIV, Hepatitis C and Cystic Fibrosis. Prior to Vertex, Alam led clinical development of Avonex (interferon beta-1a) for multiple sclerosis at Biogen from 1991 to 1997. John is a member of the board of directors of the Alliance for Aging Research (AAR), a Washington, D.C. based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting innovation to address the healthcare needs of older Americans. He received a MD from Northwestern University School of Medicine and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition, he completed an internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a post-doctoral fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.