Mark P, Headshot

May 25, 2021

Mark Paternoster is responsible for leading the creation and implementation of Marinus’ oral ganaxolone development team’s strategy.

Dr. Paternoster has 25 years of experience in drug development with a focus leading high performing teams developing asset strategy and delivering successful products to the market. Before joining Marinus, Dr. Paternoster was Vice President, Product Development at GW Pharmaceuticals. In this role, he served as the development team lead for cannabidiol—from the initiation of pivotal trials in Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and TSC-associated seizures, to FDA approval and commercialization. He was also the development team lead for nabiximols in spasticity associated with MS. In addition, Dr. Paternoster was instrumental in the creation and evolution of the GW operating model of product development teams and their governance.

Prior to GW, Dr. Paternoster held positions of increasing responsibility at Eisai—from clinical trial management through regulatory submission management, program management and development team leadership. His therapeutic focus at Eisai included commercial and development stage epilepsy and dementia products as well as early development oncology. Dr. Paternoster’s career started in clinical operations at PPD, British Biotech and ICON, primarily in oncology.  He holds a B.Sc. in Microbiology from the University of Bristol, UK, a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Kent, UK, and a M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Medicine from the University of Surrey, UK.