Robert Blaustein, M.D., Ph.D., is a distinguished pharmaceutical leader with more than 25 years of experience in clinical development, regulatory strategy, and commercialization of therapies for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases. He earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in Pharmacology from New York University School of Medicine, followed by residency and fellowship training in internal medicine and cardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Early in his career, Dr. Blaustein held key roles at Forest Laboratories, where he contributed to the development of cardiovascular drugs, and at Relypsa, Inc., rising to Chief Development Officer and spearheading the successful FDA approval of Veltassa® (patiromer) for hyperkalemia treatment—a breakthrough that addressed a critical unmet need in chronic kidney disease patients. Throughout his tenure, Dr. Blaustein has been instrumental in advancing over a dozen investigational programs from Phase 1 through approval, demonstrating expertise in trial design, biomarker development, and interactions with global regulatory agencies including the FDA and EMA. His strategic leadership at companies like ZS Pharma (acquired by AstraZeneca) and Ardelyx further solidified his reputation for bridging scientific innovation with commercial success, resulting in multiple partnerships and acquisitions valued in the billions. As Former Chief Development Officer at Edgewise Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering precision medicines for muscle diseases, Dr. Blaustein oversaw the end-to-end development of the company's pipeline, including the sarcomere-directed therapy EDG-5506 for Becker muscular dystrophy and other rare myopathies. Under his guidance, Edgewise advanced multiple programs into late-stage clinical trials, positioning the company for potential regulatory submissions and transformative impact on patient care. Dr. Blaustein continues to advise biotech ventures, leveraging his deep domain knowledge to foster innovation in underserved therapeutic areas.