ARS Pharmaceuticals, whose only product is neffy epinephrine nasal spray, announced that long-time CEO Richard Lowenthal has left the company and that Donn Casale, has taken over as CEO and Director. Casale joined ARS Pharma in June 2026 as President and is continuing in that role as well as the CEO role. Prior to joining ARS, Casale was Chief Commercial Officer at Dynavax Technologies and has previously held sales and marketing roles at Depomed and Merck.
In the US, the FDA approved a 2 mg dose of neffy for the treatment of anaphylaxis in patients who weigh 66 lbs (30 kg) or more in August 2024. The agency approved a 1 mg dose for children aged 4 or over who weighed 33-66 lbs (15-30 kg) in March 2025, and approved removal of the age restriction for that dose earlier this year. The intranasal epinephrine is also approved in Europe (as EURneffy adrenaline nasal spray), as well as in China, Japan, the UK, and Canada.
ARS Pharma board chairman Pratik Shah commented, “Since co-founding ARS Pharma in 2015, Rich was integral to guiding the company from development to establishing neffy as a leading treatment for adults and children with Type 1 allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, and we are grateful for his many contributions. As we look ahead, Donn is a seasoned business leader with deep operational and financial acumen, and proven commercial track record, particularly in growing adoption and share in large, consumer-driven markets. We are confident that he has the right background and experience to drive the company through its next phase, growing the neffy franchise and positioning ARS Pharma for both near and long-term value-creation.”
Casale said, “I am excited by the opportunity to lead ARS Pharma through its next evolution. neffy is a transformational product for patients, backed by a foundational intranasal technology platform, and I am confident in our ability to grow its impact in the years to come. I’m grateful for the foundation Rich and the Board have built, and I look forward to working alongside our team to increase access, accelerate adoption, and expand the reach of ARS Pharma, delivering on the promise that our treatments can have on patients worldwide.”
Read the ARS Pharmaceuticals press release
