Framingham, Mass. — Tortugas Neuroscience, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on central nervous system disorders, has appointed Jim Frates to its Board of Directors and named him Chair of the Audit Committee.
Frates is an experienced biopharmaceutical executive who has served as chief financial officer at multiple public and private biotechnology companies. He currently serves as CFO of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals.
“Jim’s wealth of experience in CNS drug development, coupled with his deep financial acumen, will be invaluable to our company and clinical-development strategies,” said Jeff Jonas, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Tortugas. “Just as importantly, Jim has for decades demonstrated the same passion and commitment that our team has for improving the treatment options for patients suffering with CNS disorders.”
Tortugas, launched in April 2026, is developing treatments for neurological conditions with significant unmet medical needs. Its clinical-stage pipeline includes potential therapies for schizophrenia, tinnitus, focal epilepsy, reversible encephalopathies and other CNS disorders.
The company’s programs, licensed from Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. and Eisai Co., Ltd., consist of small-molecule new chemical entities with differentiated mechanisms of action.
Frates has served as CFO of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals since 2021 and helped lead the company through its transition to a publicly traded business in 2022. Before joining Amylyx, he spent more than two decades as CFO of Alkermes plc, where he helped oversee its growth from a clinical-stage company into an international commercial and drug development organization with more than $1 billion in revenue and over 2,000 employees.
During his tenure at Alkermes, Frates was involved in numerous acquisitions and debt, equity and private-market financings.
Frates also serves as a Trustee of St. Francis House in Massachusetts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
“Tortugas has built a highly impressive pipeline of differentiated treatment candidates with the potential to positively impact patients suffering from CNS disorders,” Frates said. “I look forward to supporting Tortugas’ leadership team in its continued efficient advancement as a clinical-stage biotech and in helping to fulfill the tremendous promise of its clinical programs to help patients across the globe suffering from CNS disorders.”
