Vistagen adds Douglas J. Williamson to board of directors

Vistagen Therapeutics announced on July 31, 2026 the appointment of Douglas J. Williamson, M.D., to its Board of Directors, effective July 29, 2026. The Board, acting on recommendation from its Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, unanimously approved the appointment, with Williamson set to serve until the company's next annual stockholder meeting or until a successor is named.¹

Williamson brings decades of neuroscience industry experience. He currently works as a CNS Drug Development Consultant and founder of Destiny Biopharm Consulting, and most recently served as Chief Medical Officer of QurAlis Corporation.¹ Before that, he was Executive Vice President and Head of Research and Development at Acadia Pharmaceuticals, where he oversaw the company's neuroscience R&D strategy and sat on its Executive Management Committee.¹ Earlier still, he served as Chief Medical Officer of Avadel Pharmaceuticals and held senior roles at H. Lundbeck, including leading U.S. research and development and serving as deputy global chief medical officer.¹ At Eli Lilly, he worked on the development and regulatory approval of neuropsychiatric drugs Symbyax and Zyprexa, and supported commercial work on Cymbalta.¹ He previously sat on the board of Bright Minds Biosciences.¹

As compensation, Williamson received stock options to purchase up to 40,826 shares of Vistagen common stock at an exercise price of $0.2433 per share, matching the stock's closing price on his appointment date; the options carry a ten-year term and vest in equal installments over three years.¹ The company also entered into an Indemnification Agreement with Williamson covering liability related to his board service under Nevada law.¹

Vistagen's most advanced pherine candidates include fasedienol, in Phase 3 development for social anxiety disorder, along with itruvone for major depressive disorder and refisolone for menopausal hot flashes, both in Phase 2.¹