Octave Bioscience Accelerates Precision Neurology Momentum, Appoints Zachary Fernandes as VP of Business Development to Scale Strategic Partnerships

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Octave Bioscience, Inc., a commercial stage precision medicine company pioneering biomarker-driven solutions for multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the appointment of Zachary Fernandes as Vice President, Business Development. He will lead Octave’s partnership strategy focused on driving durable revenue growth through transformative, strategic collaborations across the life sciences ecosystem.

Mr. Fernandes has over 15 years of leadership experience in specialty diagnostics, with a proven track record, building strategic partnerships within public and private companies. Most recently as General Manager of Lucent Diagnostics at Quanterix Corporation, he led the formation of the business unit, driving adoption of a blood-based Alzheimer’s test across provider practices and leading health systems. He led the recently announced strategic partnership with Tempus and Quanterix. As Vice President of Simoa Diagnostics, he successfully negotiated and implemented key In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) partnerships across APAC markets, including Singapore, South Korea, and China.

Previously, Mr. Fernandes held senior business development roles at Mission Bio, Saphetor, and Veritas Genetics, where he launched and scaled the company’s European business unit from inception to significant annual recurring revenue. His extensive deal-making experience spans partnerships with leading biopharma, specialty diagnostics and tools, national reference laboratories, reflecting his ability to drive high-value collaborations across the precision diagnostics landscape.

“Zac joins us at a perfect inflection point. With our MSDA test already scaling through broad physician adoption and delivering biological insights to pharma partners, Zac’s expertise will be vital as we launch our Parkinson’s multi-analyte blood test later this year,” said Doug Biehn, CEO of Octave Bioscience. “His unique success in developing category-leading precision neurology platforms and his entrepreneurship in forging transformative strategic partnerships globally makes him the ideal choice to advance our mission. We’re thrilled to welcome him to Octave.”

“I’m excited to join Octave at such a significant inflection point for precision neurology,” said Mr. Fernandes. “Throughout my career in neurodegenerative disease diagnostics, I’ve seen the impact that innovative, biomarker-driven solutions can have on patient care and clinical decision-making. Octave’s validated platform and demonstrated clinical utility uniquely position the company to transform how MS and Parkinson’s are diagnosed and managed. I look forward to forging new partnerships, expanding adoption, and helping accelerate access to these critical diagnostic tools for clinicians and patients worldwide.”

About Octave Bioscience, Inc.

Octave Bioscience, Inc. is a commercial growth stage precision medicine company pioneering biomarker-driven solutions for neurodegenerative diseases, with an initial focus on Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease in partnership with the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Octave’s comprehensive testing solutions provide objective, actionable insights to improve disease monitoring, treatment decisions, and patient outcomes. For more information, visit www.octavebio.com.