leadership

At Pathways Neuro Pharma, Mr. Mack brings together 35 years of company-building experience with a scientific program at the forefront of rare neurological disease. Pathways' lead program — PINK1 gene therapy — is protected by US Patent 11,760,788 through 2041 and is being developed with GLP toxicology studies underway through Wyvern Pharmaceuticals, a specialist CRO co-founded by Bradley G. Thompson, PhD, with 43 years of biotechnology experience. The company is pursuing first-in-patient dosing in Australia, where regulatory infrastructure and patient population characteristics are optimally aligned for rare pediatric gene therapy development.

Throughout his career, Mr. Mack has consistently partnered with strategic investors who contribute not only capital, but also board participation and operational collaboration—accelerating development while preserving strategic optionality.

Career Highlights

• Founder & CEO, ProSolus Pharmaceuticals  —  Founded and built a transdermal drug-delivery platform, securing Mission Pharmacal as a strategic investor and board participant, culminating in the company’s acquisition. 
• Chairman, President & CEO, Scilex Pharmaceuticals  —  Led the company through a major growth phase, including a strategic investment from ITOCHU Chemical Frontier (ITOCHU Corporation), which became the largest shareholder with board-level collaboration. Scilex was subsequently acquired by a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company. 
• Chairman & CEO, Virpax Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRPX) —  Guided the company through its 2021 NASDAQ IPO and raised over $60 million through IPO and follow-on financings. Advanced multiple neuroscience programs, expanded the IP portfolio, and secured non-dilutive funding from the NIH and U.S. Department of Defense. 

Pathways’ strategy targets two foundational biological drivers of early neurodegeneration:

1. Mitochondrial Gene Replacement

Focused on restoring mitochondrial quality-control pathways in patients with inherited deficiencies such as PINK1, with the objective of engaging upstream mechanisms of neuronal survival and mitigating early cellular deterioration. (Patent pending)

2. Receptor-Level Dopaminergic Modulation

Designed to enhance physiological dopaminergic responsiveness without the chronic overstimulation associated with traditional dopamine replacement therapies—aimed at reducing tolerance, dyskinesia, and neuropsychiatric complications over time.

AAV Gene Therapy Delivery Strategy

Pathways utilizes clinically established AAV delivery systems selected for CNS-targeted applications and translational continuity. The platform emphasizes modalities that:

• Support pediatric and young-adult patient safety
• Align with regulatory precedent
• Enable durable, scalable therapeutic expression
• Reduce downstream manufacturing and commercial complexity

This approach preserves flexibility in capsid selection based on indication, regulatory environment, and clinical trajectory.

What Anthony Mack Brings to Pathways and Its Partners

• Strategic partnerships with governance alignment
  Proven track record of alliances combining capital investment, board participation, and operational collaboration.
• Capital formation and public-market leadership
  Over $100 million raised across ventures, including IPO and follow-on financings.
• IP strategy and non-dilutive funding
  Extensive experience building defensible patent estates and securing NIH and DoD funding within rare and pediatric regulatory frameworks.
• Operator discipline
  Ability to translate complex science into clear development milestones, partnership strategies, and value-creating decisions for patients, investors, and strategic acquirers.

At Pathways, this leadership approach is applied with urgency and purpose: to deliver durable, disease-modifying therapies for families facing devastating neurological disease—and to build enduring value for stakeholders.

All Pathways programs are investigational. Safety and efficacy have not been established in humans.

Doug Centilli is an experienced executive with two decades of service at the United States Capitol in Washington DC where he held the positions of Chief of Staff to United States Congressman Kevin Brady and Director of National Econmic Policy for The Joint Economic Committee. He played key roles in healthcare policy including the areas of biotechnology and R&D. Doug is a Member of the Founders' circle of The Texas A&M Institute for Genomic Medicine, a cutting-edge genomic research center that houses the world’s largest library of embryonic mouse stem cells.  

Mr. Centilli’s public service began in the Texas Capitol in Austin where he held senior positions for members of the House of Representatives and served as a Special Assistant in the Office of Governor Bill Clements. He serves on the board of the Archer Center at the University of Texas and Sights Unseen, a unique program that provides vision care in developing countries. 

Doug also serves on the advisory board of Helping a Hero, an organization that provides specially adapted homes and community support for severely injured military personnel. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he was also a member of the Texas A&M football team.