Atsena Therapeutics Appoints McDavid Stilwell As CFO To Lead Finance Amid LIGHTHOUSE Trial For ATSN-201 In X-Linked Retinoschisis

Atsena Therapeutics, a clinical-stage gene therapy company dedicated to using genetic medicine to reverse or prevent blindness, announced today the appointment of McDavid Stilwell as Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Mr. Stilwell will oversee the company’s financial strategy and operations as Atsena continues to advance its pipeline of gene therapies, including its ongoing Phase I/II/III LIGHTHOUSE trial of ATSN-201 for X-linked retinoschisis.

Patrick Ritschel, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Atsena Therapeutics, said, “We are excited to welcome McDavid to the Atsena team as we build upon our strong clinical progress and the momentum from our oversubscribed Series C financing. His strategic and operational expertise will be invaluable as we advance therapies with first- and best-in-class potential for inherited retinal diseases.”

“I am thrilled to join Atsena at this exciting stage as we prepare to initiate the pivotal portion of the LIGHTHOUSE trial in the first quarter of 2026,” said Mr. Stilwell. “I look forward to supporting the Atsena team in advancing ATSN-201 and other genetic medicines that have the potential to transform the lives of patients experiencing vision loss.”

Mr. Stilwell brings extensive experience in financial leadership within the biotechnology and life sciences sectors. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer at CPTx and Coherus Oncology, where he led financial operations during multiple U.S. product launches. He has also held leadership roles at Sangamo Therapeutics, Orexigen Therapeutics, and GTx, and began his career as a Senior Investment Analyst at Shadwell Capital. Mr. Stilwell holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. John’s College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.