Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of significant leadership hirings, firings and retirings across the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Darren Incorvaia or Zoey Becker and it will be featured here at the end of each week.
AIRNA appoints Elevidys architect as CMO
AIRNA
Just a few weeks after closing a $155 million series B, RNA editing biotech AIRNA is bringing an experienced gene therapy developer on board to help get the company’s first candidate into the clinic. Jacob Elkins, M.D., is joining the Massachusetts-based biotech as chief medical officer from Sarepta Therapeutics, where he spearheaded the development of Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy Elevidys as CMO and head of development sciences. At AIRNA, Elkins will assist in launching a phase 1/2 clinical trial for lead alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency asset AIR-001. Before joining Sarepta, Elkins held multiple leadership roles at Biogen, which included working on RNA therapeutics as vice president of experimental neurology research and early development. Release
FDA ropes in longtime Hill staffer as policy leader
FDA
The FDA’s newest deputy commissioner for policy, legislation and international affairs is Grace Graham, who joins the agency after four years as the chief health counsel at the Energy and Commerce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Over her lengthy career on Capitol Hill, which included health policy work on the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, Graham worked on healthcare legislation that covers topics such as user fees and substance use disorder prevention and treatment, to name a few. In her new role at the FDA, she will lead the FDA’s engagement with legislators as head of the Office of Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs. Release
City snaps up Big Pharma vet for C-suite
City Therapeutics
Baisong Mei, M.D., Ph.D., is leaving the chief medical officer role at Editas Medicine behind to take the same title at City Therapeutics. Before joining Editas, Mei served stints at Big Pharmas Sanofi, Biogen and Bayer, including more than five years as Sanofi’s senior global project head in rare disease and rare blood disorders. Joining City’s leadership alongside Mei are Anna O’Driscoll as chief human resources officer and Alnylam vet Sara Nochur, Ph.D., as an independent board member. Release
> Viatris is expanding its executive leadership team with the addition of Hemanth Varghese, PhD., as chief strategy officer. Release
> ProQR Therapeutics brought Johnson & Johnson’s former global head of neurodegeneration Christina Lopez, M.D., Ph.D., on board as chief medical officer to help advance the company’s RNA base editing technology platform. Release
> Pediatrician and virologist Alexander Schmidt, M.D., Ph.D., is officially the Gates Medical Research Institute’s chief medical officer and head of development after filling the role in an interim position since Jan. 1. Release
> CRO Parexel found a new chief medical officer in Charlotte Moser, M.D., Ph.D., who will lead the company’s portfolio of clinical research services across global markets. Release
> Dyne Therapeutics is shaking up its C-suite with the appointments of Vikram Ranade, Ph.D., as chief business officer and Ranjan Batra, Ph.D., as chief scientific officer, replacing Oxana Beskrovnaya, Ph.D., who will transition to the role of chief innovation officer. Release
> Thad Huston is leaving Belgium-based Galapagos after a two-year stint as chief operating officer and chief financial officer, opting to hang up the gloves and return to the U.S. for “personal and professional reasons.” Release
> AscellaHealth promoted Donovan Quill to the chief strategy officer, life sciences seat and Bob Gilkin, a registered pharmacist, to the chief commercial and growth officer role in dual appointments that also apply to AscellaHealth affiliate Actum Pharma. Release
> David Weiner, M.D., is back at Chemomab as interim chief medical officer, replacing Matt Frankel, M.D., while SVP of global medical operations Jack Lawler is now the company’s chief development officer. Release
> Scion Life Sciences welcomed Lalo Flores, Ph.D., Huw Nash, Ph.D., and Romesh Subramanian, Ph.D., as venture partners to head up the build-out of three undisclosed portfolio companies. Release
> Oncology- and rare-disease-focused Protara Therapeutics has tapped AstraZeneca vet Leonardo Viana Nicacio, M.D., as chief medical officer. Release
> Rebecca Taub, M.D., the founder, chief medical officer, and president of R&D of Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, is transitioning to the role of senior scientific and medical advisor, with her CMO shoes to be filled by David Soergel, M.D. Release
> Conduit Pharmaceuticals founder Andrew Regan, Ph.D., is taking over the reins as CEO, replacing David Tapolczay, Ph.D., who will stay with the company as head of strategy and licensing. Release
> RNA synthesis company EnPlusOne Biosciences has found a new CEO in Clare Murray, Ph.D., who previously cofounded Life Edit Therapeutics (since acquired by ElevateBio). Release
> Werewolf Therapeutics is transforming its C-suite with the addition of Steven Bloom as chief business officer, who formerly held the same title at Vincerx Pharma. Release
> Ardelyx has created a new role of chief patient officer and named CMO Laura Williams, M.D., to be the first title holder. Release