Co-founder and Interim CEO Giuseppe Ciaramella, Ph.D., to Transition to Multi-Year Advisory Role
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – September 3, 2024 – Orbital Therapeutics, a company focused on enhancing global health by unleashing the full potential of RNA medicines to treat human disease, today announced the appointment of Ron Philip as chief executive officer (CEO) and a member of its board of directors. Mr. Philip brings to Orbital more than 30 years of biopharma leadership experience, including most recently as CEO of Spark Therapeutics, a member of the Roche Group. Mr. Philip succeeds founding CEO Giuseppe “Pino” Ciaramella, Ph.D., who will remain a scientific and strategic advisor to Orbital. Dr. Ciaramella is president of Beam Therapeutics, a strategic partner to Orbital.
“Alongside my esteemed co-founders, we created Orbital to expand the applicability of RNA-based medicines across a range of human diseases, a pursuit that I am particularly passionate about. It has been a tremendous privilege to build this incredible company and team,” said Dr. Ciaramella. “Having made significant progress across our scientific platform and programs, now is the time to hand the reins to a full-time leader. Ron’s track record in biopharma leadership, deep experience in genetic medicines, and expertise in scaling emerging organizations make him the perfect fit to lead Orbital at this critical juncture. I look forward to continuing to be a part of Orbital’s legacy as a strategic advisor and supporting Ron in his new role.”
“Orbital’s mission to enhance global health by unleashing the full potential of RNA medicines is both inspiring and essential, and I am thrilled to join such an ambitious and talented company,” said Mr. Philip. “Over the course of my career, I’ve pursued opportunities that have pushed the boundaries of science to bring new therapies to patients. I firmly believe that Orbital’s state-of-the-art platform has the potential to expand the possibilities of RNA-based treatments, with RNA programs that precisely align with the distinct attributes needed to treat a specific disease. The incredible work Pino and the team have accomplished in building Orbital’s capabilities and advancing its diverse portfolio sets a strong foundation for, what I believe, will be a transformative future for the field of genetic medicine.”
Mr. Philip is a proven leader with extensive experience in building companies, leading organizational growth, and guiding teams through the development of therapies for people living with genetic diseases. During his time at Spark Therapeutics, he led the company through the commercial launch of the first approved gene therapy for a genetic disease, LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl); led the transition and growth of the company from founder-led to a fully integrated standalone business as part of the Roche Group; pivoted Spark’s platform to target larger disease areas; acquired technologies and therapeutic assets through business development efforts; and oversaw the initiation and build of a state-of-the-art 600,000 sq. ft. Gene Therapy Innovation Center that will open in 2026. Before joining Spark, Mr. Philip spent a decade at Pfizer and Wyeth, where he held several senior leadership roles, including regional president for Africa/Middle East, head of global business unit strategy, head of business development search and evaluation, and commercial development lead within Pfizer’s innovative products business. Earlier, he worked at Deloitte Consulting in the strategy and operations practice and at Merck & Co. in the company’s manufacturing and marketing divisions. Mr. Philip currently serves as a board member at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia, at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, at Life Sciences Pennsylvania and was previously an active board member of Cure Duchenne. He is a graduate of Drexel University.
About Orbital Therapeutics
Orbital Therapeutics aims to enhance global health by unleashing the full potential of RNA-based medicines to treat human disease in ways that were not previously possible. The company is leveraging its first-in-kind platform at the intersection of RNA technology, delivery methods, data science and automation to develop an expansive portfolio of medicines, initially focused in the areas of immunomodulation for autoimmune disease and oncology, next-generation vaccines, and protein therapeutics. Founded by experts in the fields of genetic medicine and RNA development and delivery, Orbital has an operational structure designed to harness the ingenuity of a deep and diverse team of scientists, drug developers and business leaders. For more information, please visit www.OrbitalTx.com.
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Monique Allaire, THRUST
monique@thrustsc.com
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Dan Budwick, 1AB
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