Acadia Pharmaceuticals Appoints Allyson McMillan-Youngblood as Senior Vice President, Rare Disease Franchise
'We are delighted to welcome Allyson to Acadia,' said Catherine Owen Adams, Chief Executive Officer. 'She brings a remarkable breadth of experience across U.S. and global sales and marketing roles, with a proven track record of delivering strong commercial results. Her leadership across therapeutic areas—including oncology, immunology, CNS, infectious disease, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders—as well as her experience specifically in rare oncology, will be invaluable as we grow the DAYBUE brand and advance our pipeline to bring new therapies to patients in need.'
Allyson's distinguished career spans more than 20 years in the global pharmaceutical industry including various sales positions, both in primary care and specialty sectors, at Pfizer, and significant commercial roles at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). Most recently, Allyson served as Senior Vice President and Business Unit Head, U.S. Oncology at BMS, where she provided strategic oversight for two major acquisitions in rare tumors, resulting in successful product launches and significant market share growth. Beyond her operational expertise, Allyson is recognized as a driven and highly capable leader who fosters an inclusive culture that embraces both strategic and solution-oriented innovation.
'I am excited to join Acadia Pharmaceuticals,' said Allyson McMillan-Youngblood. 'Acadia has a strong commitment to patient care and innovation, and I look forward to working with the team to drive DAYBUE growth and prepare to bring new therapies to patients with rare diseases.'
Allyson holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Florida A&M University. She has been consistently recognized for her ability to lead through change and her commitment to improving patient outcomes throughout her career.
About Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Acadia is advancing breakthroughs in neuroscience to elevate life. Since our founding we have been working at the forefront of healthcare to bring vital solutions to people who need them most. We developed and commercialized the first and only FDA-approved drug to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease psychosis and the first and only approved drug in the United States and Canada for the treatment of Rett syndrome. Our clinical-stage development efforts are focused on Prader-Willi syndrome, Alzheimer's disease psychosis and multiple other programs targeting neuroscience and neuro-rare diseases. For more information, visit us at Acadia.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
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'When patients receive a timely and accurate diagnosis, this opens up the opportunity for them to make plans for the future, to engage in lifestyle modifications, and to explore options for therapies that may target their symptoms or the underlying pathology of the disease,' says Matthews. Way back in 1906, the German neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer identified what he called 'an unusual disease of the cerebral cortex' marked by symptoms of memory loss. Using newly available technology, he identified two key pathological proteins in the neurons of his patients' brain cells: Beta-amyloid and tau. Beta-amyloid and tau are proteins produced naturally in the body. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, beta-amyloid starts to clump together, creating plaques between brain cells, while tau twists together into tangles inside brain cells. 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