CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — AIRNA has appointed Todd Bazemore as president and chief executive officer as the biotechnology company advances its lead RNA-editing program into clinical development.
Bazemore also has joined the company’s board of directors, AIRNA said. He brings more than 30 years of biopharmaceutical leadership experience, including work with clinical- and commercial-stage companies focused on rare and orphan diseases.
AIRNA is developing RNA-editing therapeutics for rare and common conditions. Its lead program, AIR-001, targets alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and is now in clinical development.
“AIRNA is building meaningful momentum as a clinical-stage company, with AIR-001, its lead program targeting alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, now in the clinic and a broader RNA-editing pipeline advancing behind it,” said Rodger Novak, M.D., executive chair of AIRNA’s board of directors. “Todd’s expertise developing rare and orphan drugs, and his experience building value across innovative portfolios, from development candidates to commercial products, make him a perfect fit to lead the company through its next stage of growth. With Todd’s leadership and vision, the company is poised to demonstrate its ability to develop transformative therapies with RNA editing.”
Bazemore most recently served as CEO of Kala Bio, a clinical-stage company developing mesenchymal stem cell secretome therapies for orphan ophthalmic indications. He previously served as president of U.S. operations at Santhera Pharmaceuticals, which is focused on rare neuromuscular diseases, and as chief commercial officer at Dyax Corp., a company focused on hereditary angioedema.
During his tenure at Dyax, Bazemore helped develop U.S. regulatory and commercial strategy for rare disease therapies, supported pipeline acquisitions and played a role in Dyax’s $6.5 billion acquisition by Shire plc.
“I’m very excited to join AIRNA at such an important phase of its development. RNA editing has the potential to impact millions of people around the world living with rare and common conditions, and AIRNA has the expertise to develop best-in-class therapies and deliver the promise of RNA editing to patients around the globe,” Bazemore said. “I look forward to working with the AIRNA team and the AATD community to execute the important global clinical trial of AIR-001 currently underway, and to continue expanding AIRNA’s pipeline of innovative therapies.”
Earlier in his career, Bazemore spent 15 years at Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, formerly Sepracor Inc., where he held roles including vice president of managed markets and vice president of the respiratory business unit. AIRNA said he contributed to the launches of multiple blockbuster therapies and has experience building leadership teams, completing business development and licensing transactions, and raising capital across the biopharmaceutical development cycle.
Bazemore holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
