Decibel Therapeutics today announced the appointment of leading otolaryngologist Dr. Peter Weber as chief medical officer, as well as the promotion of Paula Cobb to chief operating officer.

Weber, an otolaryngologist at Boston University Medical Center specializing in otology/neurotology, brings extensive experience as a clinician, a scientist and a hearing health industry executive. Cobb, who has served as executive vice president of corporate development at Decibel since 2016, previously served in a variety of leadership roles at Biogen, where she oversaw the development and commercialization of breakthrough therapeutics across a variety of indications.

“With two programs to prevent hearing loss in the clinic, a portfolio of discovery-stage gene therapy programs to restore hearing and balance function, and an extensive effort to identify and validate novel targets underway, this is an incredibly exciting time for Decibel,” said Steven Holtzman, president and chief executive officer of Decibel Therapeutics. “The leadership and expertise that Pete and Paula bring will be invaluable to Decibel’s work to create a world in which the benefits and joys of hearing are available to all.”

Peter Weber, M.D., MBA is currently head of otology/neurotology at Boston University Medical Center, where he will continue to practice part-time during his onboarding at Decibel. He comes to Decibel from Frequency Therapeutics, where he served as chief medical officer. Previously, Weber was the director of the Ear Institute at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and head of otology/neurotology/skull base surgery at Mount Sinai Health System. He also served as chief medical officer and VP of reimbursement at Cochlear Americas, a world leader in cochlear implant systems. Weber has also held executive positions at the Medical University of South Carolina, the Cleveland Clinic and the Rocky Mountain Ear Center. Weber’s experience extends broadly into the academic world of otolaryngology as well; he has held teaching positions at the Mount Sinai Health System, the University of Massachusetts and the Cleveland Clinic. Weber has spoken at over 300 conferences relating to hearing science and is a coauthor on more than 65 academic publications. He earned his B.S./M.S. in engineering from Washington University in Saint Louis and holds an MBA from Duke University and an M.D. with distinction in research from Albany Medical College.

Paula Cobb joined Decibel in September 2016 as executive vice president of corporate development. Prior to Decibel, she served as senior vice president of the rare disease group at Biogen. With nearly 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, Cobb has led teams to three new drug approvals and played key roles on four product launches. At Biogen, she served in various senior and global roles. As senior vice president of the rare disease group, she was responsible for the company’s marketed hemophilia assets and Phase 3 programs in spinal muscular atrophy and neuropathic pain. Prior to this role, Cobb managed the multiple sclerosis franchise, led new product commercialization for early pipeline programs, served as chief of staff to the CEO and held various operational management roles with Biogen in Europe. Before Biogen, she worked for various consulting groups in the Boston area. Cobb serves on the board of Nightstar Therapeutics. Cobb has a B.A. in political science and English from Amherst College and an MBA from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

About Decibel Therapeutics, Inc.
Decibel Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has established the world’s first comprehensive drug discovery, development, and translational research platform for hearing and balance disorders. Decibel’s lead therapeutic candidates, DB-020 and DB-041, are designed to prevent hearing loss resulting from cisplatin and aminoglycoside antibiotics, respectively. Decibel is also advancing a portfolio of discovery-stage programs aimed at restoring hearing and balance function to further our vision of a world in which the benefits and joys of hearing are available to all. Decibel is headquartered in Boston, Mass. For more information about Decibel Therapeutics, please visit www.decibeltx.com or follow @DecibelTx on Twitter.

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