A federal grand jury has indicted Hoau-Yan Wang, a neuroscientist at the City University of New York and a paid consultant for Cassava Sciences, on charges of defrauding the National Institutes of Health in grant applications supporting the company’s Alzheimer’s drug. Wang published key papers supporting the effectiveness of simufilam, an experimental Alzheimer’s therapy being tested by Cassava. However, outside researchers and a panel of CUNY investigators have raised concerns about the integrity of Wang’s work, alleging that his research contains fabricated and falsified data.
According to court documents filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the Justice Department has accused Wang of securing $16 million in NIH funding by submitting fraudulent grant applications on behalf of himself and Cassava. The indictment alleges that Wang made false and misleading statements to the NIH in order to obtain funding and enrich himself through continued compensation. The scheme was aimed at obtaining NIH funding through deception.
This exclusive story from STAT+ provides insights into the ongoing controversy surrounding Cassava Sciences and its collaborator, Hoau-Yan Wang. By subscribing to STAT+, readers can access daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector, including updates on this developing story. Upgrade to a STAT+ subscription to unlock this article and access more exclusive content.