CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Parabilis Medicines has appointed Helen Ho, Ph.D., as Chief Business and Strategy Officer and promoted Thomas Kotarakos to Chief Financial Officer, the company announced.
The moves are aimed at strengthening the company’s leadership team as it advances its pipeline of cancer therapies and expands its Helicon peptide platform, which targets previously undruggable biological pathways.
Ho brings more than two decades of experience in biopharma, including leadership roles in corporate development and business strategy. She will oversee corporate growth strategy, business development, portfolio management, communications, alliance management, competitive intelligence and new product planning.
“I am delighted to welcome Helen to Parabilis,” said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, CEO and President of Parabilis Medicines. “She brings a rare combination of strategic breadth, scientific rigor, and business development excellence, with a track record of helping companies grow from early innovation through late-stage development and commercialization. Helen’s leadership, judgment, and range will be invaluable as we advance zolucatetide, broaden our portfolio, and continue unlocking the full potential of our Helicon platform to deliver meaningful new medicines for patients.”
Ho most recently served as Chief Business Officer at Blueprint Medicines, where she helped shape corporate strategy and led multiple transactions generating more than $1 billion. Earlier, she held roles at TCR2 Therapeutics and Agios Pharmaceuticals. She holds a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles.
“What drew me to Parabilis is its focus on tackling some of the most important and historically intractable targets in biology that have long been out of reach for existing therapeutic approaches,” Ho said. “With its Helicon platform and growing pipeline, the company is well positioned to deliver meaningful impact for patients. I look forward to partnering with the executive team and Board to scale that vision through bold strategy and thoughtful execution.”
Kotarakos has been promoted after serving in finance leadership roles at the company since 2021. He has played a key role in building Parabilis’ financial infrastructure and leading multiple financings, including the company’s $305 million Series F round earlier this year.
“I am also thrilled to recognize Tom’s promotion to Chief Financial Officer,” Mammen said. “Over the past four years, Tom has been instrumental in greatly strengthening our financial organization and helping guide Parabilis through several important inflection points, including our recent Series F financing. He combines discipline, sound judgment, and deep commitment to our mission. His promotion reflects both the magnitude of his contributions and the confidence we have in his leadership for the road ahead.”
As CFO, Kotarakos will oversee financial strategy, investor engagement, planning and operations, as well as IT and facilities. Prior to joining Parabilis, he held senior finance roles at Codiak BioSciences and Seres Therapeutics, where he helped prepare the company for a public offering.
“Over the past several years, we have built a strong financial foundation at Parabilis that balances discipline with ambition,” Kotarakos said. “As we advance our pipeline, I look forward to further strengthening our financial strategy and capital planning to position the company for the next phase of growth, focused on driving company performance, delivering value for our investors, and enabling meaningful outcomes for patients.”
