Alterity Therapeutics Appoints Daniel O. Claassen, M.D., M.S. as Chief Medical Advisor Beginning March 2026 While He Continues His Role At Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Alterity Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on developing disease-modifying treatments for neurodegenerative conditions, announced the appointment of Daniel O. Claassen, M.D., M.S., as Chief Medical Advisor, with his tenure beginning in March 2026. Alongside this new leadership role, Dr. Claassen will continue to hold his academic position at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Dr. Claassen is a board-certified neurologist and a widely respected expert in neurodegenerative diseases, backed by more than twenty years of clinical and translational research in movement disorders and cognitive and behavioral neurology. Over the course of his career, he has authored hundreds of peer-reviewed papers and consistently secured competitive grant funding from major agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. 

Department of Defense, and several prominent foundations. His reputation as a trusted investigator has made him a key collaborator in translational neuroscience, and he has served as principal investigator for numerous clinical trials, working closely with both academic institutions and industry partners to push forward promising therapies for complex neurological disorders.

David Stamler, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Alterity, expressed confidence in the appointment, noting that Dr. Claassen’s clinical and developmental expertise comes at a defining moment for the company. He emphasized that Dr. Claassen’s longstanding dedication to patient care and his extensive experience in clinical trial operations will play an essential role as Alterity advances ATH434 into Phase 3 development. Dr. Stamler also highlighted that Dr. Claassen previously served as the coordinating investigator for the company’s Phase 2 study and has been deeply involved in the ATH434 program for multiple system atrophy since its early stages, making him exceptionally prepared to guide the next phase of progress.

In response to his new appointment, Dr. Claassen shared that joining Alterity as Chief Medical Advisor offers a meaningful opportunity to translate decades of academic and clinical trial experience into the development of impactful therapies. He noted the urgent need for treatments that can alter the course of neurodegenerative diseases and pointed to the encouraging Phase 2 results showing a clinically significant slowing of multiple system atrophy progression with ATH434. With this momentum, he expressed eagerness to support the transition of the program into a pivotal trial and to help bring additional innovative therapeutic candidates into clinical evaluation.

Dr. Claassen currently serves as Professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he previously led the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology. His work centers on movement disorders and cognitive neuroscience, with a strong focus on multiple system atrophy. His research portfolio spans clinical trials, biomarker discovery, and translational neuroscience, including directing a laboratory that investigates biological mechanisms of neurodegeneration using advanced neuroimaging, cognitive science, and patient-derived biomarkers. Beyond his academic achievements, he also serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Huntington’s Study Group, overseeing international research programs and organizational strategy aimed at accelerating therapeutic development for neurological diseases.