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Karuna Appoints Jeff Jonas, M.D., to Board of Directors

Karuna Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Karuna”), focused on targeting muscarinic cholinergic receptors for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders marked by psychosis and cognitive impairment, today announced the appointment of industry leader Jeff Jonas, M.D., CEO of Sage Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SAGE), as an independent member of its Board of Directors. Dr. Jonas brings more than 20 years of scientific and business experience in both the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, with expertise in the field of central nervous system (CNS) disorders and neuropsychiatric drugs.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181016006104/en/

Jeff Jonas, M.D. (Photo: Business Wire)

Jeff Jonas, M.D. (Photo: Business Wire)

Steven Paul, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Karuna Pharmaceuticals said, “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Jeff when we founded Sage Therapeutics and am delighted to have him join our Board of Directors. Jeff is a recognized leader in the field of psychiatry and has an extensive track record of building and leading clinical development programs from early stage to late stage development. We look forward to drawing on his unparalleled experience and expertise as we advance our lead product candidate, KarXT, through a Phase 2 study in schizophrenia.”

“Serious central nervous system disorders like schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease affect a large number of people, and there is a tremendous need for treatments that effectively target the associated psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment,” said Dr. Jonas. “I believe Karuna’s KarXT has the potential to change the treatment paradigm for many of these disorders, including schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s. I am excited to join the Board of Directors and look forward to working with their experienced and passionate team.”

Dr. Jonas is the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors at Sage Therapeutics. Before joining Sage, Dr. Jonas served as President of the Regenerative Medicine Division of Shire plc and previously as Senior Vice President of Research and Development, Pharmaceuticals at Shire. Prior to Shire, he served as the Executive Vice President of ISIS Pharmaceuticals, as the Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of Forest Laboratories, Inc. and in senior-level positions at Upjohn Laboratories. He has published more than 70 scientific papers and chapters, authored more than 100 books, scientific articles and abstracts, and has received numerous awards. Dr. Jonas received his B.A. from Amherst College and M.D. from Harvard Medical School. He completed a residency in psychiatry at Harvard and then served as Chief Resident in psychopharmacology at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

About Karuna Pharmaceuticals

Karuna is a clinical-stage drug development company targeting muscarinic cholinergic receptors for the treatment of psychosis and cognitive impairment across central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as pain. Karuna's lead product candidate, KarXT, (Karuna-Xanomeline-Trospium) is being evaluated in a Phase 2 study in people with schizophrenia, with top-line results anticipated at the end of 2019. Karuna, which was founded by PureTech Health (LSE: PRTC), has a worldwide exclusive license for xanomeline and has a patent portfolio more broadly covering selective muscarinic targeting enabled by the KarXT approach. For more information, visit www.karunapharma.com.

Contacts:

Karuna Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Investors
Allison Mead Talbot, +1 617-651-3156
amt@puretechhealth.com
or
US media
Tom Donovan, +1 857-559-3397
tom@tenbridgecommunications.com

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