Josh Cohen co-founded Amylyx Pharmaceuticals in 2013 and has since served as co-CEO and co-Founder. Josh co-invented the oral, fixed-dose combination of sodium phenylbutyrate (PB) and taurursodiol (TURSO, also known as ursodoxicoltaurine), which is being explored for the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Josh, alongside co-CEO Justin Klee, has overseen the growth of Amylyx (NASDAQ: AMLX) from its start as a concept dreamed up in a dorm room at Brown University to a global, commercial stage and publicly traded pharmaceutical company with more than 250 employees and headquarters in the U.S., Canada, and the Netherlands to support Amylyx’ global operations. 

In collaboration with the ALS community, including leading doctors, people living with ALS, and leaders in advocacy, Josh and Justin oversaw global regulatory approvals of AMX0035 for the treatment of ALS in Canada (ALBRIOZA™) and the U.S. (RELYVRIO™). Amylyx’ clinical trial results in collaboration with leading experts have been published in several peer-reviewed medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Muscle & Nerve, and the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

In 2020, Josh and Justin were named to Business Insider’s 30 Under 40 in Healthcare list and PM360’s ELITE in the Drug Researchers and Developers category. Amylyx was also selected as one of Fierce Biotech’s 2020 Fierce 15 companies. Josh and Justin were named to PM360’s 2022 ELITE Entrepreneurs list, were awarded the Harvey and Bonny Gaffen Advancements in ALS Award by the Les Turner Foundation in 2022, and received the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award the same year. The CENTAUR clinical trial team made up of Amylyx, the MGH Neurological Clinical Research Institute, the Northeast ALS Consortium, and Barrow Neurological Institute was also awarded the 2022 Annual Healey Center International Prize for Innovation in ALS, an award that recognizes excellence in research for an individual or team who catalyze exceptional discoveries leading to a transformative therapy development in ALS. Josh and Justin were also awarded the Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) Big Data Award in 2022 for their application of real world evidence approaches in ALS clinical research.

Stemming from his background in biomedical engineering, Josh is passionate about improving outcomes where there is a significant unmet need by pursuing research into novel drug candidates for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases as a part of Amylyx’ ongoing commitment to end the suffering caused by neurodegenerative diseases. While attending Brown, Josh founded the Brown Biotechnology Investment Group and published research at the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) and in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.