Noah L. Rosenberg, MD, is Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s new Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
Dr. Rosenberg led the clinical development and approval of Xepi, a topical antibiotic for the treatment of impetigo, at Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals. He most recently served as CMO of Travere Therapeutics (Nasdaq: TVTX), where he led the team responsible for the development and subsequent approval of Filspari. Earlier in his career, Dr. Rosenberg held senior positions with Esperion Therapeutics, Forest Research Institute, Sanofi, and Pfizer, where he focused on CV/Metabolism drug development.
“We are excited to welcome Noah Rosenberg to the Verrica team as our new Chief Medical Officer,” says Jayson Rieger, PhD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of Verrica, in a news release. “As a highly accomplished drug development executive and physician, Noah’s deep expertise will significantly help our efforts to establish YCANTH as the new standard of care for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum and advance our clinical-stage programs in basal cell carcinoma and common warts. Dr. Rosenberg brings to Verrica more than 30 years of clinical and therapeutic development experience with multiple global drug approvals across a number of therapeutic areas, including dermatology.”
“I would also like to thank Gary Goldenberg for his many contributions to Verrica over the last several years, which included the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of YCANTH for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum. He stepped into the role of CMO from our Board of Directors when Verrica needed him most and has guided Verrica’s development programs while providing clinical care to dermatology patients and being an advocate for patients and clinicians at the podium of many medical and scientific conferences. We are grateful to still have Gary’s expertise as part of the Verrica team as a strategic advisor and consultant while he spends more time caring for his patients and on other endeavors.”
Dr. Rosenberg adds, “Joining the Verrica team as its new Chief Medical Officer represents a unique and exciting opportunity for me to develop innovative new treatments that aim to address some of the most prevalent skin conditions. Verrica is not only the first company to successfully develop and launch an FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum but is seeking to address two other large and underserved patient populations with its ongoing clinical programs in basal cell carcinoma and common warts. I look forward to working with my Verrica colleagues to help bring these innovative new treatments, which have the potential to positively impact the lives of millions of patients each year, to market.”
Inducement Grant
In connection with the appointment of Dr. Rosenberg as CMO on March 21, 2025, the independent members of the Company’s Board of Directors approved granting Dr. Rosenberg a stock option award to purchase 325,000 shares of Verrica’s common stock pursuant to the Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. 2024 Inducement Plan (the “Inducement Plan”), effective as of March 24, 2025. The stock option was granted as an inducement material to Dr. Rosenberg’s becoming an employee of Verrica in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The Inducement Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously an employee or non-employee director of Verrica (or following a bona fide period of non-employment), as an inducement material to such individual’s entering into employment with Verrica, pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
The option award has an exercise price equal to $0.5221 per share, which was the closing price of Verrica’s common stock on March 24, 2025. The option award will vest, and become exercisable (as applicable), as to 1/8th of the shares on the date that is six months following Dr. Rosenberg’s start date, and 1/48th of the shares each month thereafter on the same day of the month as the start date, subject to Dr. Rosenberg’s continuous service with Verrica on such vesting dates. The option award is subject to the terms and conditions of the Inducement Plan, and the terms and conditions of a stock option agreement covering the grant.
YCANTH (VP-102, cantharidin) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with molluscum contagiosum. It is also in development to treat common warts. Verrica has also entered a worldwide license agreement with Lytix Biopharma AS to develop and commercialize VP-315 (formerly LTX-315 and VP-LTX-315) for non-melanoma skin cancers including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
