Achieve Life Sciences Appoints Dr. Mark Rubinstein As Interim CMO; Strengthens Medical Leadership To Advance Cytisinicline Development

Achieve Life Sciences, Inc., a late-stage specialty pharmaceutical company advancing cytisinicline for smoking cessation, announced that Mark Rubinstein, M.D., will serve as Interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO). He succeeds Cindy Jacobs, Ph.D., M.D., who will continue supporting the company in an advisory role as it progresses cytisinicline toward potential approval as a treatment for nicotine dependence.

“We thank Cindy for her many contributions to Achieve Life Sciences. We are pleased to appoint Mark to this critical role and know that his leadership will ensure long-term success as we work to solve the public health crisis of nicotine dependence. We recently received FDA acceptance of our cytisinicline New Drug Application, and we are on track with our clinical, regulatory and commercialization objectives. We remain confident in the potential for cytisinicline as a smoking cessation treatment for the estimated 15 million American adults who attempt to quit each year,” said Rick Stewart, CEO of Achieve Life Sciences. 

Dr. Rubinstein brings extensive expertise in clinical development and medical affairs, having joined Achieve as Head of Medical Affairs in 2024. His career includes leadership roles at Blip, where he drove clinical strategies to help smokers and vapers quit using FDA-approved therapies, and at Juul Labs, where he focused on preventing youth nicotine use.

In addition, Dr. Rubinstein is Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at UCSF, with nearly two decades of academic and clinical experience. He earned his M.D. from Yale University and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital.