Kathleen Clarence-Smith, a top executive and co-founder of the Washington-based biotech firm Prestwick Pharmaceuticals, abruptly resigned Wednesday to “pursue other interests,” according to a statement released by the company. The resignation comes just five months after Prestwick hired a new CEO.
Clarence-Smith was the chief research and development officer for Prestwick Pharmaceuticals. She also served as a member of the board of directors until Nov. 10.
Prestwick, which focuses on the development of treatments for chronic diseases of the central nervous system, named George Horner III president and CEO in August.
At the time, Clarence-Smith was tapped to lead the company’s efforts to advance its product pipeline and help launch its lead drug Xenazine, a treatment for Huntington’s disease.
That drug received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March. The company, which was founded in 2002, secured $60 million in venture funding in July, one month before Horner came on board.
In August, Horner outlined a strategy for focusing the company and accelerating its product pipeline.
“I look forward to capitalizing on the excellent portfolio of product assets and creating a focused commercial strategy which builds a proprietary business for targeted markets and a partnered approach to the larger markets,” Horner said in a statement. “Prestwick’s broad CNS pipeline will enable us to accelerate this approach.”
Brian Reid, a spokesman for Prestwick, declined to give further details on the resignation, other than to say the company is “moving forward.”
