Aquestive Therapeutics Shakes Up Legal Leadership Ahead of Key FDA Milestones
Event summary
- Thomas A. Zalewski appointed Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer effective April 2, 2026, succeeding Lori J. Braender.
- Braender transitions to non-executive role as Corporate Secretary after nearly eight years in leadership.
- Zalewski receives equity award of 100,000 Restricted Stock Units and 75,000 stock options under Nasdaq's employment inducement exemption.
- Appointment comes as Aquestive advances Anaphylm toward FDA approval for oral epinephrine rescue medication.
The big picture
The leadership change positions Aquestive to navigate complex regulatory pathways for Anaphylm, its potential first-to-market oral epinephrine treatment. With Zalewski's deep life sciences experience, the company aims to strengthen governance as it scales toward commercialization. The move reflects broader industry trends of specialized legal leadership in biotech firms facing pivotal FDA decisions.
What we're watching
- Regulatory Momentum
- Whether Zalewski's expertise can accelerate Anaphylm's FDA approval process and international filings.
- Leadership Continuity
- How Braender's transition to Corporate Secretary affects institutional knowledge retention during critical development phases.
- Strategic Alignment
- The pace at which Zalewski integrates Day Pitney LLP's healthcare practice insights into Aquestive's commercial strategy.
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