leadership

Anthony Mack is a distinguished pharmaceutical and biotech entrepreneur with a career spanning over 35 years. As the visionary founder of ProSolus Inc., which was successfully acquired by Mission Pharmacal, Anthony laid the groundwork for his future in the industry. He later served as Chairman, President, and CEO of Scilex Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SCLX), further solidifying his reputation in the competitive pharmaceutical and biotech landscape.

As Chairman and CEO of Virpax Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VRPX), Anthony led the company to secure multiple patents, complete a successful IPO in 2021, and obtain significant NIH and Department of Defense grants to advance novel treatments in neuroscience.

Leading Innovation in Rare Neurological Disorders

Currently, as President and CEO of Pathways Neuro Pharma, Anthony is leading the development of next-generation therapies for Juvenile Parkinson’s Disease, with future expansion into other rare neurological disorders.

Under his leadership, Pathways Neuro Pharma is pioneering a non-agonist therapy approach, avoiding the pitfalls of traditional dopamine agonists while leveraging a dual innovation strategy:

1. Upregulating dopamine receptors to enhance signaling without overstimulation, reducing the long-term side effects seen with L-Dopa and other agonists.
2. Advancing a proprietary gene therapy approach utilizing AAV6.2FF, a novel, highly efficient adeno-associated viral vector.

A Paradigm Shift in Parkinson’s Treatment: Non-Agonist 

Gene Therapy

Pathways Neuro Pharma’s AAV6.2FF gene therapy platform delivers a one-time injection that achieves robust and sustained gene expression in the brain for up to 15 months. Unlike traditional agonists— which overstimulate dopamine receptors and contribute to tolerance, dyskinesia, and psychiatric side effects— this non-agonist approach restores receptor balance, potentially modifying disease progression and improving motor and cognitive symptoms in Juvenile Parkinson’s Disease.

Expanding Innovation in Neurological Disorders

Beyond its primary focus on Juvenile Parkinson’s Disease, Pathways Neuro Pharma is applying its non-agonist dopamine receptor regulation technology and long-acting gene therapy to address other rare neurological disorders. By targeting dopaminergic dysfunction at its core, Pathways Neuro Pharma is uniquely positioned to transform treatment paradigms for CNS conditions where traditional therapies fall short.

At the core of Anthony’s vision is the AAV6.2FF Drug Delivery Platform, which offers an extended therapeutic duration, reducing treatment burden and improving patient adherence. This safer, highly targeted non-agonist approach to neuromodulation holds the potential to reshape neurological treatment landscapes with longer-lasting, more effective therapies.

Doug Centilli is an experienced executive with two decades of service at the United States Capitol in Washington DC where he held the positions of Chief of Staff to United States Congressman Kevin Brady and Director of National Econmic Policy for The Joint Economic Committee. He played key roles in healthcare policy including the areas of biotechnology and R&D. Doug is a Member of the Founders' circle of The Texas A&M Institute for Genomic Medicine, a cutting-edge genomic research center that houses the world’s largest library of embryonic mouse stem cells.  Mr. Centilli’s public service began in the Texas Capitol in Austin where he held senior positions for members of the House of Representatives and served as a Special Assistant in the Office of Governor Bill Clements. He serves on the board of the Archer Center at the University of Texas and Sights Unseen, a unique program that provides vision care in developing countries. 

Doug also serves on the advisory board of Helping a Hero, an organization that provides specially adapted homes and community support for severely injured military personnel. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he was also a member of the Texas A&M football team.