Occam Places CEO for Clinical-Stage Immunology Company
In February 2025, Occam Global recruited industry veteran Purnanand Sarma, PhD, as CEO of Aro Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing potent, targeted short-interfering RNA (siRNA) medicines. As part of a planned leadership transition, Aro’s co-founder, Sue Dillon, PhD, will transition from her role as President and CEO to continue serving as Chair and advisor to the company alongside board members Liz McKee Anderson and Chris Picariello.
Sarma brings an extensive background in drug development, from discovery through approval, and a robust track record of value creation, including IPOs, M&As, and asset and company transactions. He has over thirteen years of experience as an operating CEO and board member for private and public companies, most recently as CEO of Immunome (NASDAQ: IMNM). Prior to Immunome, Sarma served as the CEO of TARIS Biomedical, leading the company through the sale of its first program for interstitial cystitis to Allergan before its acquisition by J&J in 2019.
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.
About Aro Biotherapeutics
Aro Biotherapeutics, headquartered in Philadelphia, is at the forefront of developing tissue-targeted genetic medicines. Their mission is to revolutionize treatment paradigms by creating therapies that precisely modulate gene expression within diseased tissues, thereby enhancing efficacy and safety. Central to this mission is their proprietary Centyrin platform, which enables the delivery of therapeutic payloads directly to specific tissues, addressing diseases that have long eluded effective treatment.
The company's innovative approach is exemplified by its lead pipeline program, ABX1100, presently in Phase I, designed to treat Pompe disease. This condition is characterized by the accumulation of glycogen in muscle tissues due to a genetic enzyme deficiency. ABX1100 employs a Centyrin-siRNA conjugate to inhibit glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1), the enzyme responsible for glycogen synthesis, thereby reducing glycogen buildup in affected muscles. This targeted strategy exemplifies Aro's commitment to addressing unmet medical needs and showcases the versatility and potential of its Centyrin platform in developing novel therapies for a range of orphan genetic and immune-mediated diseases.
Occam Global is an international life science executive search and leadership advisory firm dedicated to building management teams for innovative companies in the biotech, techbio, life sciences, and venture capital sectors. Our firm’s unique strength lies in our seamless access to elite talent, proven expertise in aligning exceptional business and scientific leaders with optimal opportunities, and a steadfast dedication to creating meaningful industry impact, guided by elevated ethics and enlightened aggression. Trusted by entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations worldwide, Occam Global is recognized as the premier partner for executive search and recruitment in the life sciences. Our success is rooted in establishing trust, cultivating and valuing relationships, and committing to serve as forthright and good-humored partners in realizing extraordinary ambitions.