Cindy Eckert — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Serves as CEO at Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Inc. since 2017.
Serves as CEO aka Head Betty at The Pink Ceiling since 2016, an investment firm for female-led start-ups.
Co-founded Sprout Pharmaceuticals in 2011, selling it for $1 billion in 2015, and reacquiring it in 2017.
Led Sprout Pharmaceuticals to bring Addyi, the first FDA-approved drug for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women, to market.
Co-founded Slate Pharmaceuticals in 2007, which focused on men's sexual health and sold in 2011.
Earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Marymount University.
Received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from North Carolina State University in 2021.

Biography

Cindy Eckert is an American entrepreneur recognized for her work in the pharmaceutical industry and her advocacy for women’s health. She is the CEO and founder of Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company she initially co-founded in 2011.

Under her leadership, Sprout Pharmaceuticals made history by bringing Addyi, the first and only FDA-approved drug for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women, to market. In 2015, Eckert sold Sprout Pharmaceuticals for a reported $1 billion to Valeant.