PHILADELPHIA–Aro Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company working to develop potent, targeted short-interfering RNA (siRNA) medicines, has appointed industry veteran Purnanand Sarma, Ph.D., as the CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, effective immediately.
Mr. Sarma also serves as President of TiE Boston, a Boston-based non-profit organization that connects tomorrow’s founders with today’s entrepreneurs, executives and venture capitalists, in its mission to foster entrepreneurship. Mr. Sarma will be based in Boston but will be splitting his time between Philadelphia and Boston.
Aro Biotherapeutics said in a statement that its co-founder, Susan Dillon, Ph.D., will transition from her position as president and CEO and continue as chair of the Board of Directors and advisor to the company.
“We founded Aro with the vision to create a new class of targeted siRNA medicines to address significant clinical needs with a fundamentally new approach for the most intractable diseases. As we rapidly build our pipeline, with our lead program already in clinical testing in patients, we believe the time is right for new leadership to guide the next stages of Aro’s growth,” noted Dr. Dillon. “Purnanand brings deep experience in industry and a proven track record of success in drug development across multiple therapeutic areas, and in scaling platforms, to his new role at Aro Biotherapeutics. I look forward to collaborating with him and the Aro Board to realize the company’s long-term goals.”
Dr. Sarma will be responsible for the further development of Aro’s pipeline of siRNA-conjugate medications, including the company’s lead product candidate ABX1100, a novel Centyrin-GYS1 short-interfering RNA (siRNA) drug conjugate for the treatment of Pompe disease, while preparing the company for its next stage of value creation.
“I am honored to take on the leadership of Aro at this pivotal point in the company’s evolution,” said Dr. Sarma. “The company has a rare opportunity to make a significant clinical impact across multiple therapeutic areas using what I consider as a disruptive approach. I look forward to building upon the success of Sue and the rest of the Aro team to unleash the potential of a new class of siRNA drugs for a wide range of diseases, starting with their lead program in Pompe disease.”
Dr. Sarma’s pharmaceutical experience spans more than three decades, with an extensive background in drug development, from discovery through approval, and a robust track record of value creation, including initial public offerings (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and asset and company transactions. He has more than 13 years of experience as an operating CEO and board member for both private and public companies, most recently as CEO for Immunome (NASDAQ:IMNM).
Prior to Immunome, Dr. Sarma led TARIS Biomedical as its CEO through the sale of its first program for interstitial cystitis to Allergan, and before the company was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2019. Prior to his CEO roles, he also held positions of increasing responsibility at Cephalon Corporation, Nektar Therapeutics, and SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Sarma has a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degree from Andhra University in Visakhapatnam, India.
“Purnanand’s unique combination of extensive strategic and operational experience, coupled with deep pharmaceutical knowledge, makes him a market-leading candidate for leadership positions across the industry,” added Kevin Raidy, Board member of Aro and senior managing director and head of Healthcare Opportunities at Blue Owl Capital. “The fact that he chose to join Aro is a validation of the exciting possibilities inherent in our platform and lead asset.”
Dr. Dillon co-founded Aro Biotherapeutics in 2018 along with Karyn O’Neil, Ph.D., the company’s chief scientific offer and co-inventor of the company’s proprietary Centyrin technology. Dr Dillon’s career has been marked by leading cross-disciplinary teams to discover and develop novel therapeutics. Prior to joining Aro, she spent 16 years at Centocor and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, leading global Immunology R&D, achieving numerous regulatory approvals for innovative antibody products for autoimmune diseases, and was named one of the “Fierce Women in Biotech” in 2013 and 2022.
