First published: 1st February 2023

Industry veterans Shani Waninger, Ph.D., and Eliot M. Lurier, CPA to grow biopharma partnerships and offerings advancing CNS drug development.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of two biopharma industry experts, expanding our leadership bench and reflecting our growth in the biopharma space. Shani Waninger, Ph.D. , takes the helm as Vice President of BioPharma Business Development alongside Eliot M. Lurier, CPA, who joins Cumulus as the interim Chief Financial Officer. The addition of Waninger and Lurier comes on the heels of welcoming Strategic Advisors in drug development, including industry veterans Bavani Shankar, Anish Shindore, Suzanne Coles, and Ron Newbold.

“This expansion of our leadership team is a reflection of our commitment to the biopharma industry ecosystem, and to advancing new precision treatments for neuropsychological disorders,” said Aman Bhatti, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Cumulus. “Shani and Eliot’s strong experience in successful biopharma ventures reinforces the importance of our efforts, and represents exciting momentum for the Cumulus organization.”

Waninger, a biopharma veteran with more than 20 years of experience across pre-clinical and clinical drug development and clinical biomarker implementation, brings deep knowledge and expertise instrumental to the trajectory of Cumulus in the biopharma space. Lurier, a strategic and solutions-oriented senior finance executive with over 35 years of financial experience in life science and healthcare in the Boston-area, joins Cumulus as the company rapidly grows and expands its biopharma partnerships.

The combined track record of both Waninger and Lurier offers significant strategy in Cumulus’ ventures and investments while backed by the strength of science and unwavering commitment to the populations in need. This announcement signifies a profound chapter for Cumulus as it accelerates its biopharma commercialization strategies.

“With neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases at the forefront of scientific research and pressing patient need, I am proud to join an organization accelerating drug development in this field,” said Waninger. “Expanding and enhancing Cumulus relationships with biopharma partners who are focused on solving the biggest healthcare challenges of our time is essential to our shared mission of improving diagnosis and treatment, with the ultimate goal of developing disease modifying precision therapeutics for these CNS diseases.”

“As someone who has spent their career growing biopharma companies, I’m excited to join Cumulus – an organization with strong momentum, growth and presence in the industry,” said Lurier, a consultant with Danforth Advisors, LLC. “I look forward to helping The Company foster the continued innovation and growth, expanding opportunities for our biopharma partners and the patients and caregivers they serve.”

Focused on transforming diagnosis and patient care for Alzheimer’s dementia and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, Cumulus is backed by a strategic investment led by the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), a specialist venture capital fund which includes leading pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Lilly, Biogen, J&J, GSK, and Takeda.