Achieve Life Sciences Appoints Erik Atkisson as Chief Legal Officer

Core Insights - Achieve Life Sciences has appointed Erik Atkisson as Chief Legal Officer, bringing over 25 years of legal expertise in the biopharmaceutical sector to the company [1][2] Company Overview - Achieve Life Sciences is a late-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing cytisinicline for nicotine dependence treatment [3] - The company submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) for cytisinicline to the FDA in June 2025, which has been accepted for review with a PDUFA date set for June 20, 2026 [3] Product Information - Cytisinicline is a plant-derived alkaloid that interacts with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to help treat nicotine dependence for both smoking and vaping cessation [5][6] - The drug has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA, addressing a significant unmet need in nicotine e-cigarette cessation [4] Market Context - Approximately 29 million adults in the U.S. smoke combustible cigarettes, with tobacco use being the leading cause of preventable death globally [4] - There are around 17 million adults in the U.S. who use e-cigarettes, highlighting the growing need for effective cessation treatments [4]