Full Press Release Details
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Alto Neuroscience, Inc. (NYSE: ANRO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel precision medicines for neuropsychiatric disorders, today congratulates founder and CEO Amit Etkin, M.D., Ph.D. on receiving the Transformational Research Award from the VP&S Alumni Association at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. This award honors VP&S alumni who are making transformational contributions to biomedical research within 25 years of graduation.
“Having led global neuroscience R&D efforts for many years, I recognize that true transformation requires moving beyond the 'one-size-fits-all' model,” said Husseini Manji, M.D., member of the Alto Neuroscience Board of Directors and former Global Head of Neuroscience at Johnson & Johnson. “Amit’s work, honored today by Columbia, represents the successful bridging of elite academic inquiry and industrial-scale innovation. He has moved the needle from theoretical biomarkers to a clinical-stage pipeline that has the potential to redefine how we treat mental health in a markedly improved manner.”
Dr. Etkin earned his MD and PhD with distinction from Columbia University under Nobel laureate Dr. Eric Kandel, joined the Stanford faculty in 2010, and received the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award — the most competitive NIH grant and the first ever awarded in clinical psychiatry. He founded Alto in 2019, where he leads development of the Precision Psychiatry Platform™, which uses brain-based biomarkers to identify patients most likely to respond to specific treatments. Alto’s clinical-stage pipeline programs span major depressive disorder, bipolar depression, treatment-resistant depression, and schizophrenia, with multiple mid- to late-stage data readouts expected across the coming two years.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award from Columbia,” said Dr. Etkin. “My years at Columbia — learning from some of the most brilliant scientific minds in the world, including Dr. Kandel — shaped my conviction that understanding the brain at a fundamental level is the key to transforming how we treat psychiatric disease. That conviction truly motivates our work at Alto, and I dedicate this recognition to the patients we serve and the remarkable team at Alto working to bring better treatments to them.”
For more information about the award, visit https://www.vagelos.columbia.edu/news/amit-etkin-06-winner-transformational-research-award .
About Alto Neuroscience
Alto Neuroscience is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a mission to redefine psychiatry by leveraging neurobiology to develop personalized and highly effective treatment options. Alto’s Precision Psychiatry Platform™ measures brain biomarkers by analyzing EEG activity, neurocognitive assessments, wearable data, and other factors to better identify which patients are more likely to respond to Alto product candidates. Alto’s clinical-stage pipeline includes novel drug candidates in bipolar depression, major depressive disorder, treatment resistant depression, schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions. For more information, visit www.altoneuroscience.com or follow Alto on X .
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” and variations of these words or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Alto’s expectations about the potential benefits, activity, effectiveness, tolerability and safety of its product candidates and Precision Psychiatry Platform (“Platform”); Alto’s expectations with regard to its research and development programs and clinical trials, including the timing and availability of data from such trials; and other statements that are not historical fact. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including the availability and timing of results from clinical trials; and other important factors, any of which could cause Alto’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, which are described in greater detail in the section titled “Risk Factors” in Alto’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as well as in other filings Alto may make with the SEC in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Alto expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether because of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.
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