Tenax Therapeutics Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, announced on April 22, 2026, the appointment of Thomas Staab as its new Chief Financial Officer. Staab joins the executive team from Lensar Inc., a medical technology company specializing in laser-assisted cataract surgery, where he served as CFO and Secretary. The appointment is effective immediately and marks a significant transition in the company’s financial leadership.
Staab succeeds Thomas McGauley, who has served as the company’s interim Chief Financial Officer since December 2024. McGauley’s tenure as interim CFO began during a period of organizational realignment, and he will now step down as the company transitions to permanent financial oversight. The search for a permanent successor focused on identifying a candidate with extensive experience in the financial management of publicly traded life sciences companies.
With a career in corporate finance and management spanning more than 25 years, Staab brings a wealth of industry-specific knowledge to Tenax. Prior to his role at Lensar, he served as the Chief Financial Officer at BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology firm dedicated to developing oral small-molecule medicines for rare and orphan diseases. His professional history also includes a tenure as CFO at Inspire Pharmaceuticals, a company that focused on ophthalmic and respiratory products before its acquisition. Staab’s expertise encompasses financial reporting, internal controls, strategic planning, and capital markets activity within the highly regulated healthcare sector.
In conjunction with his appointment, the Board of Directors of Tenax Therapeutics approved an equity incentive package for Staab. According to the company’s announcement, this package includes an award of 10,000 restricted stock units and options to purchase 450,000 shares of Tenax common stock. These equity-based incentives are intended to align executive compensation with the company’s long-term strategic objectives and are subject to standard vesting schedules tied to continued service.
Tenax Therapeutics is currently prioritizing the clinical development of its lead therapeutic candidates. The company’s pipeline includes TNX-201, an enteric-coated formulation of imatinib designed for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, and TNX-103, a formulation of levosimendan aimed at treating pulmonary hypertension in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Both programs represent the company’s efforts to address significant unmet medical needs in the cardiovascular space.
As the new Chief Financial Officer, Staab will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s financial operations. This includes managing financial planning and analysis, ensuring compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission reporting requirements, and leading investor relations efforts. His experience in managing the financial complexities of biotechnology firms at various stages of clinical development is expected to support Tenax as it advances its primary drug candidates through the regulatory process.