Octave® Bioscience, Inc. Announces Chairman of the Board, CEO Transition in Preparation for Accelerated Commercial Growth and Increased Patient Access for its Precision Care Solution

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Octave^® Bioscience, Inc., a leading precision care company that delivers a new standard for managing multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases, is pleased to announce that as part of its long-term succession plan, entrepreneur and Octave founder, William Hagstrom, will transition into the role of Chairman of the Board. Simultaneously, the company announced that industry leader, Doug Biehn, has been named President and CEO, effective immediately.

“Founding and leading Octave has been an incredible and rewarding experience, and I remain as passionate as ever about our mission to transform the lives of people with neurodegenerative conditions,” said William (Bill) Hagstrom, Octave’s Chairman, founder and former CEO. “Today, we are a true commercial company, which calls for new strategies, skills, and leadership. Doug has deep experience in building and scaling growth businesses and assessing markets for expansion, which is a natural fit for our needs and I am confident that he will make an immediate impact. I look forward to strategically contributing in my new role as Chairman, while continuing to direct special projects for the company such as our important work in Parkinson’s.”

Doug Biehn is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of healthcare experience building and scaling growth businesses, leading and inspiring world class teams and establishing innovative new standards of care. Prior to joining Octave, Doug held executive leadership roles in such category creating and industry leading companies as iRhythm Technologies, McKesson, AliveCor, Blue Shield of California and most recently, Cala Health. Additionally, he is a Board Advisor for a number of early-stage digital health companies and mentors graduate students in the Stanford Business School Lean Launchpad program.

“It’s a privilege to build upon the foundation of innovative science and technology that Bill and the team have created and lead the company through its next phase of growth,” said Octave’s new CEO, Doug Biehn. “I’m passionate about advancing the mission to establish a new standard of care for how those with neurodegenerative conditions are diagnosed and treated to improve quality of life and reduce cost.”

“Bill’s steadfast leadership has been crucial to Octave’s success to date including early market research, positioning, funding, research and development, and commercial launch,” said Brook Byers, a member of Octave’s Board of Directors. “We are pleased to have Bill’s continued engagement as Chairman of the Board and look forward to strong growth under Doug’s capable leadership.”

Recently, Octave announced its expansion into Parkinson’s through a $10M grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation to develop a custom protein biomarker panel that will measure Parkinson’s disease activity and progression in the clinic.

About Octave^® Bioscience, Inc.

Octave Bioscience is a pioneering commercial stage precision-medicine company delivering a new paradigm of care for multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. Octave’s Precision Care Solution is the industry’s first set of measurement tools that accurately and objectively measure disease activity, progression, and severity, allowing for better management of complex and high-cost neurodegenerative diseases, starting with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The Octave Solution includes the Octave MSDA Test, the first and only multivariate blood test, that measures disease activity, enhanced MRI analytics and protocols, and a clinical care program that tracks and connects patients with MS certified nurse care partners in real time. By combining and analyzing multiple biological and contextual layers of data, delivering longitudinal and holistic perspectives of each patient, and revealing insights at population levels, the Octave Solution addresses unmet needs across the entire ecosystem of care, from patients and providers to pharma and payers. Octave Bioscience, Inc. is currently collaborating with leading clinics, payers, and pharma companies nationwide, solidifying its commitment to advancing precision medicine and transforming the landscape of neurodegenerative disease care.

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