Richard B. Silverman

Dr. Silverman is our scientific advisor and provides guidance in the areas of central nervous system disorders and cancer. He invented Pfizer’s blockbuster drug Lyrica, which notched the FDA approval in 2004 and is used to treat epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain. According to the prescription drug utilization database ClinCalc, Lyrica was the 70th most commonly prescribed medication in the U.S. in 2018, with more than 11 million doses prescribed.

Bringing over 40 years of experience to the role, Dr. Silverman serves as the Patrick G. Ryan/Aon Professor in the departments of chemistry, molecular biosciences, and pharmacology at Northwestern University. Prior to joining the faculty at Northwestern, he carried out postdoctoral research in enzymology and continues to conduct lab research at the University. Dr. Silverman has authored or co-authored over 380 publications and holds over 100 patents to date.

Lyrica isn’t Dr. Silverman’s only pharmaceutical breakthrough. In 2015 he invented CPP-115, a GABA aminotransferase inactivator that completed a Phase 1 clinical trial and is intended to treat infantile spasms. Also, in 2016 he developed OV329, a compound that was licensed to New York-based biopharma company Ovid Therapeutics and treats epilepsy and other neurological disorders.

To expand his lab research, Dr. Silverman founded Akava Therapeutics in 2019, which utilizes unique small molecule therapeutics to treat a variety of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. He earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Pennsylvania State University.