Compass Pathways Appoints Biopharmaceutical Veteran Justin Gover to Board of Directors as Company Advances Toward Potential Regulatory Milestone
Compass Pathways plc (Nasdaq: CMPS), a biotechnology company at the forefront of developing innovative mental health treatments, announced today the appointment of seasoned biopharmaceutical executive Justin Gover to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. The strategic addition comes at a pivotal time for the company as it progresses toward potential regulatory approval and commercialization of its investigational psychedelic therapy, COMP360, for treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
Gover, a recognized leader in the biopharmaceutical industry with over 25 years of executive experience, is widely known for his transformative leadership at GW Pharmaceuticals. As the founding Chief Executive Officer of GW Pharmaceuticals plc, he steered the company from its early days as a startup in 1999 to its landmark $7 billion acquisition by Jazz Pharmaceuticals in 2021. Under his leadership, GW achieved numerous historic milestones, most notably the FDA approval of Epidiolex, the first-ever plant-derived cannabinoid medicine, marking a significant regulatory precedent for scheduled products in the central nervous system (CNS) therapeutic area.
This new appointment also coincides with a transition within Compass Pathways’s Board of Directors. Dr. Linda McGoldrick, who has served as a director for more than five years, will retire from the Board at the end of October 2025. Dr. McGoldrick has been instrumental in Compass’s journey, playing a key advisory role through critical growth phases including the company’s successful initial public offering in 2020 and its advancement through early-stage clinical development. Her retirement marks the close of a foundational chapter in the company’s evolution, and her departure will be felt across the organization.
“With the achievement of the primary endpoint in our first Phase 3 trial, we’re entering an exciting next stage on our journey towards potential approval and commercialization,” said Kabir Nath, Chief Executive Officer of Compass Pathways. “Justin brings a deep understanding of our industry and a commitment to executional excellence to the Board at this critical time for Compass.”
Nath emphasized that Compass Pathways is currently positioned as a potential frontrunner in the field of psychedelic-based medicine. “With Compass being potentially the closest psychedelic company to regulatory approval,” he added, “Justin’s extensive experience in scaling operations and navigating complex regulatory landscapes for scheduled products will be beneficial as we work to bring COMP360 to the patients who need it.”
Nath also expressed his gratitude to Dr. McGoldrick, highlighting her significant contributions. “On behalf of the entire company and Board, I want to thank Dr. Linda McGoldrick for her invaluable guidance and dedication to our mission through the years as she prepares to retire later this year.”
Justin Gover’s appointment adds significant strategic and operational depth to Compass Pathways’ governance at a time when the company is preparing for late-stage development readouts and planning its pathway toward market entry. Gover’s experience encompasses key areas that are highly relevant to Compass Pathways’s near-term goals, including drug development for CNS disorders, international regulatory strategy, large-scale manufacturing, and commercialization of controlled substances.
At GW Pharmaceuticals, Gover built a fully integrated biopharmaceutical organization that spanned discovery, clinical development, regulatory affairs, commercial operations, and manufacturing. The Compass Pathways company became a trailblazer in the medical use of cannabinoids, helping to reshape regulatory and public perception of scheduled drug development for neurological conditions. Gover’s success in achieving FDA and EMA approvals for Epidiolex—an anti-seizure medication developed for rare forms of epilepsy—demonstrates his ability to lead complex, science-driven ventures from concept through global commercialization.
His unique blend of entrepreneurial vision and operational leadership is expected to greatly benefit Compass Pathways as the company works to bring its novel psilocybin-based therapy, COMP360, through final stages of development and into clinical practice. The company recently announced that it had met the primary endpoint in its Phase 3 study of COMP360 in TRD, a crucial milestone that could set the stage for regulatory filings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other global health authorities.
In addition to his corporate leadership credentials, Gover brings board-level experience that will further strengthen Compass’s governance. He currently serves on the board of Xenon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: XENE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on novel therapeutics for epilepsy and other neurological disorders. He is also actively involved in nonprofit organizations committed to neurological research and patient advocacy, including the Rady Children’s Hospital Institute for Genomic Medicine and CURE Epilepsy.
Speaking about his new role at Compass Pathways, Gover said, “Compass is breaking new ground in the treatment of mental health conditions, driven by scientific integrity and a deep commitment to patients. Treatment-resistant depression represents a serious and urgent unmet need in the U.S., placing a heavy burden on patients, their loved ones, and the healthcare system. I’m thrilled to support the Compass team as they work to potentially deliver a paradigm-changing treatment for those underserved by existing options.”
Gover’s emphasis on addressing unmet needs in mental health aligns closely with Compass Pathways’s mission to accelerate patient access to evidence-based innovation. The company’s investigational product, COMP360, is a synthetic formulation of psilocybin that is being developed as part of a comprehensive, therapist-assisted treatment protocol for individuals who have not responded to conventional antidepressants.
Treatment-resistant depression affects an estimated 100 million people globally and poses significant challenges for healthcare systems due to high rates of chronicity, disability, and suicidality. Compass’s work with COMP360 aims to reimagine how depression is treated, particularly for patients who remain unresponsive to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other mainstream therapies.
The addition of Gover to the Board is expected to help Compass navigate the complex path from investigational therapy to an approved, regulated, and reimbursed treatment option. As psychedelics represent a novel and still largely uncharted regulatory category, Gover’s past success with cannabinoid-based drug development—which faced many of the same legal and scientific challenges—may offer Compass a distinct advantage as it engages with regulators, payers, and healthcare providers.
Dr. McGoldrick’s legacy at Compass Pathways will continue to resonate, particularly in the values and structure she helped establish during her tenure. With deep expertise in global health policy, patient advocacy, and clinical innovation, McGoldrick was known for championing transparency, ethics, and long-term thinking in the company’s early governance. Her leadership during Compass’s IPO and initial clinical milestones laid a strong foundation for the company’s credibility and stability in the public markets.
Compass’s decision to bring in Gover at this key inflection point reflects a broader evolution in its corporate focus—from early-stage innovation and proof-of-concept trials to preparation for potential product launch, scale-up, and healthcare system integration.
As the company moves closer to completing its Phase 3 program and preparing for regulatory submissions, the Board of Directors—now reinforced with Gover’s industry-tested leadership—is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping Compass Pathways’ future as a potential leader in psychedelic-assisted therapies.
