Syros Pharmaceuticals: Srinivas Akkaraju
Massachusetts, US-based Syros Pharmaceuticals has appointed Srinivas Akkaraju to the company’s board of directors.
The biopharmaceutical firm focuses on the understanding of the non-coding region of the genome, to advance medicines that control expression of disease-driving genes.
The company is currently focused on cancer and immune-mediated diseases and is advancing a growing pipeline of gene control medicines.
Syros spokesperson Naomi Aoki told in-PharmaTechnologist Akkaraju’s business-focused background will benefit the firm in strategic decision making.
“Our goal is to leverage our leadership in gene control to build a fully integrated and enduring company by maximising the promise of our programmes and our platform across disease areas. Along the way, there will be many key strategic decisions around our programs, potential partnerships and financings,” she said.
“Srini brings a compelling strategic perspective, combining deep scientific knowledge with strong business acumen. He has a proven track record as an investor and a board member of helping innovative biotechnology companies create value for patients and shareholders, and we believe his experience and expertise will be valuable in helping us navigate many of those important strategic decisions,” Aoki told us.
Akkaraju received an MD and PhD in immunology from Standford University.
He is founder and managing partner at Samsara BioCapital, was a general partner of Sofinnova Ventures, and managing director of New Leaf Venture Partners and Panorama Capital.
He is chairman of the board at Versartis, and a director of Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Seattle Genetics and aTyr Pharma.
