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.
Sarepta shakes up C-suite amid organization overhaul
Sarepta Therapeutics
Reeling from the deaths of two patients who took Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy Elevidys, Sarepta Therapeutics is launching a massive overhaul of its organization. The company’s chief customer officer Dallan Murray is headed out the door, to be replaced by Patrick Moss, formerly senior vice president of U.S. market access and sales and now chief commercial officer. In addition, Ian Estepan is now Sarepta’s chief operating officer; Louise Rodino-Klapac, Ph.D., was named president of R&D and technical operations; Ryan Wong will serve as chief financial officer; and Rachael Potter, Ph.D., previous SVP and head of research sciences, is stepping up as chief scientific officer.
The executive moves come as part of a strategic pivot away from gene therapies and toward siRNA programs along with Sarepta’s slashing of its workforce by 36%, which comes to about 500 staffers. The FDA has requested that Sarepta add a black box warning for acute liver injury on the label of Elevidys, the company’s flagship product. Story
BioNTech strategy chief seeks new adventure
BioNTech
BioNTech is losing its chief strategy officer, with Ryan Richardson set to leave the company at the end of September to "pursue new professional opportunities." The company is now working to transition his responsibilities to other members of the management board. Richardson joined BioNTech in 2018 and became strategy chief at the start of 2020. Across his time at the company, he played a role in its $325 million series B round, 2019 IPO and subsequent private placement and follow-on financings. Story
Prime’s CSO hits the exit
Prime Medicine
Jeremy Duffield, M.D., Ph.D., is leaving his post as Prime Medicine’s chief scientific officer after a five-year tenure in the role. The executive will remain connected with the company through March 2026 for an “advisory period,” during which he will provide certain consulting and advisory services and will continue to vest all of his outstanding equity awards. Duffield’s exit comes a few months after Prime’s CEO stepped down during layoffs that impacted 25% of the company as the company shelved its sole clinical-stage genetic medicine. Securities and Exchange Commission filing
> Novartis’ longtime chief financial officer Harry Kirsch will retire next year after 22 years with the company, leaving the current head of business planning and analysis, digital finance and tax Mukul Mehta in his place. Release
> Jim Green will soon hand over the reins as CEO and president of Harvard Bioscience to experienced executive John Duke. Release
> Uniquity Bio selected Will Kane as its new president and CEO following last month’s departure of co-founder and former CEO Brian Lortie. Release
> Inflammatory-disease-focused Recludix Pharma is bringing up its SVP of chemistry and co-founder Brian Hodous, Ph.D., to the chief scientific officer role. Release
> Sanam Pangali scored a promotion to chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Alumis after Sara Klein retired from the company. Release
> Acclaimed neuroscientist George Garibaldi, M.D., is joining Synendos Therapeutics as chief medical officer to help push its lead candidate toward phase two development. Release
> As Tract Bio preps to submit an IND application for its lead solid tumor asset, the company is bringing Chris Galloway, M.D., on board as chief medical and development officer. Release
> Non-opioid pain company Zyus Life Sciences has a new chief medical officer in hematologist-oncologist Julie Stakiw, M.D. Release
> Bharatt Chowrira, Ph.D., has stepped down from the CEO spot at PureTech Health, with Robert Lyne tapped by the company’s board to replace him in the interim. Release
> Former chief medical officer and medical advisor of Dyne Therapeutics Wildon Farwell, M.D., is swinging over to Satellos Bioscience to take the CMO role. Release
> Revived Vor Bio has made another new exec appointment, this time tapping Qing Zuraw, M.D., to serve as chief development officer effective immediately. Release