Athira Pharma
{{Infobox company
| name = Athira Pharma Inc.
| traded_as = {{NASDAQ|ATHA}}
| logo = Athira_Pharma_logo.svg
| industry = Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals
| founded = 2011
| hq_location_city = Seattle
| hq_location_country = United States
| products = ATH-1017
| homepage = {{URL|www.athira.com}}
}}
Athira Pharma is a late clinical stage American biopharmaceutical company developing small molecules to restore neuronal health and stop the neurodegeneration brought on by diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The company's lead candidate, ATH-1017, is in human studies for Alzheimer's disease as of 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-08-16|title=Athira Pharma Reports Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results and Business Update|url=https://www.athira.com/athira-pharma-reports-second-quarter-2021-financial-results-and-business-update/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=Athira Pharma|language=en-US}}
The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Seattle. Funding that supports the company is from both public and private investment groups including the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, Dolby Family Ventures, the State of Washington's Life Sciences Discovery Fund, The W Fund, WRF Capital, and other private investors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.alzdiscovery.org/news-room/announcements/addf-funding-advances-m3-biotechnology-toward-clinical-trials|title=ADDF Funding Advances M3 Biotechnology Toward Clinical Trials {{!}} Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation|website=www.alzdiscovery.org|language=en|access-date=2018-10-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://sciencebusiness.technewslit.com/?p=31874|title=First Trial of Alzheimer's Drug Underway {{!}} Science and Enterprise|website=sciencebusiness.technewslit.com|date=17 October 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lsdfa.org/about_grantees/grants|title=Individual Grants {{!}} Life Sciences Discovery Fund|website=www.lsdfa.org|language=en|access-date=2018-07-31}}
Leen Kawas served as the company's first President and CEO,{{Cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/entrepreneurship-has-grown-on-m3-biotechnologys-ceo/|title=Entrepreneurship has grown on M3 Biotechnology's CEO|date=2017-04-30|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=2018-07-31|language=en-US}} but resigned in October 2021,{{Cite web |date=October 21, 2021 |title=Athira Pharma Announces Leadership Changes; Mark Litton, Ph.D., M.B.A. Named President and Chief Executive Officer; Rachel Lenington, M.B.A. Named Chief Operating Officer |url=https://investors.athira.com/news-releases/news-release-details/athira-pharma-announces-leadership-changes-mark-litton-phd-mba |access-date=July 10, 2022 |website=Athira Pharma - Company Press Releases}} after an independent special committee found she "altered images in scientific papers she authored."{{Cite web |last=Soper |first=Taylor |date=October 21, 2021 |title=Ex-Athira Pharma CEO Leen Kawas resigns and leaves board after image manipulation investigation |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2021/ex-athira-pharma-ceo-leen-kawas-resigns-leaves-board-image-manipulation-investigation/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021235252/https://www.geekwire.com/2021/ex-athira-pharma-ceo-leen-kawas-resigns-leaves-board-image-manipulation-investigation/ |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |access-date=July 10, 2022 |website=GeekWire}} In 2025, the company paid a $4 million settlement in relation to allegations that the CEO falsified research to secure a federal grant.{{Cite news |date=2025 |title=Athira Pharma to Pay $4 Million in Settlement Over Research Misconduct Allegations |url=https://www.occrp.org/en/news/athira-pharma-to-pay-4-million-in-settlement-over-research-misconduct-allegations |work=OCCRP}} On October 21, 2021, Mark Litton, Ph.D., M.B.A. became chief executive officer.
History
The company has received financial support from venture capitalist groups and angel investors through four rounds of funding to date. {{Cite web|url=https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/112079-35|title=M3 Biotechnology Company Profile: Valuation & Investors {{!}} PitchBook|website=pitchbook.com|language=en|access-date=2018-10-15}} Athira Pharma was known as M3 Biotechnology until it underwent a name change on April 11, 2019.{{Cite press release |title=M3 Biotechnology Announces Name Change to Athira Pharma, Inc. |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/m3-biotechnology-announces-name-change-to-athira-pharma-inc-300830438.html |language=en |access-date=2019-04-15 |website=www.prnewswire.com}}{{Cite web|title=Alzheimer's-focused M3 Biotechnology rebrands as Athira Pharma|url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/alzheimer-s-focused-m3-biotechnology-rebrands-as-athira-pharma|access-date=2021-10-20|website=FierceBiotech|language=en}}
Core technology
The company's lead asset, ATH-1017, is in human trials of Alzheimer's disease as of 2021.{{Cite web|last=Delgado|first=Diana Campelo|title=Dosing Starts in Phase 2/3 Trial of Athira's ATH-1017 for Alzheimer's|date=12 October 2020 |url=https://alzheimersnewstoday.com/2020/10/12/dosing-starts-in-phase-2-3-trial-of-athiras-ath-1017-for-alzheimers/|access-date=2021-08-30|language=en-US}} ATH-1017 is a small molecule therapeutic specifically designed to enhance the activity of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, MET, which are expressed in normal central nervous system function.{{Cite web|title=Our Approach|url=https://www.athira.com/our-approach/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=Athira Pharma|language=en-US}} It aims to regenerate lost connections in the brain, protect brain cells from further damage, and prevent additional neuronal deterioration. {{Cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171017006210/en|title=M3 Biotechnology Launches Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's Disease Drug Focused on Restoring Lost Connections in the Brain|access-date=2018-10-15|language=en}} ATH-1017 is currently being tested in two clinical studies: ACT-AD and LIFT-AD.{{Cite journal|last=Athira Pharma|date=2021-08-24|title=A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Translational Study of ATH-1017 in Subjects With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease|url=https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04491006}}
References
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