VectorY Therapeutics, a biotechnology company advancing vectorized antibody therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the appointment of Olga Uspenskaya-Cadoz, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
Dr. Uspenskaya-Cadoz brings two decades of experience in neurology, gene therapy, and clinical development, enhancing VectorY’s leadership in developing transformative treatments for neurodegenerative conditions. Her appointment comes as the company prepares to submit an investigational new drug (IND) application for its lead candidate, VTx-002, for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) before the end of 2025 and enter clinical development in 2026.
Dr. Uspenskaya-Cadoz joins VectorY from Eli Lilly, where she served as Vice President, Medical, Gene Therapy. In this role, she led clinical development, clinical operations, pharmacovigilance and patient advocacy for central nervous system (CNS) and lysosomal storage genetic medicines. She also was an integral part of the company’s ALS and rare disease strategy team. Prior to Eli Lilly, she served as Vice President of Clinical Development at Prevail Therapeutics, where she played a pivotal role in designing clinical programs for novel gene therapies targeting neurodegenerative disorders.
With a career spanning global biopharmaceutical companies and leading academic institutions, Dr. Uspenskaya-Cadoz has extensive expertise in neurology, neurodegeneration, and translational medicine. She has contributed to large-scale clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and other CNS disorders at IQVIA, Quintiles, and the University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière. She also has a strong research background, having conducted studies on neurochemical biomarkers and neuroimaging in Alzheimer’s disease.
“On behalf of the VectorY team, we welcome Olga at this important stage of our growth,” said Jim Scibetta, chief executive officer of VectorY Therapeutics. “Her deep expertise in neurology and gene therapy, combined with her leadership in clinical development, will be invaluable as we advance our pipeline of vectorized antibody therapies targeting neurodegenerative diseases. With the planned submission of an IND for VTx-002 in sporadic ALS before the end of 2025 and initiation of clinical development in 2026, her leadership will be instrumental in guiding the program toward success.”
Dr. Olga Uspenskaya-Cadoz earned her M.D. and Ph.D. in Neurosciences from First Moscow State Medical University, with additional research training at Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich and the Sorbonne University of Paris. She has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to multiple book chapters on neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, she has presented extensively at international conferences and remains actively engaged in the scientific community, shaping the discourse on novel therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative disorders.
“I am very pleased to join VectorY and contribute to its mission of developing innovative therapies for patients with neurodegenerative diseases,” said Dr. Olga Uspenskaya-Cadoz. “Vectorized antibody approaches have the potential to revolutionize treatment paradigms, and I look forward to working with the team to advance these promising programs.”
