CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:RARX) today announced the election of Bo Cumbo to its board of directors. Mr. Cumbo is a veteran of the biotechnology industry and has played strategically important roles in the successful launch of 11 products across multiple organizations and therapeutic categories, including rare neuromuscular diseases, hepatitis, HIV, and cardiovascular disease.
“In his more than twenty-year career in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, Bo has played an integral role in the planning and implementation of numerous, highly successful and industry-leading commercial product launches,” said Doug Treco, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ra Pharma. “With this deep expertise and global commercial leadership experience, we are thrilled to welcome Bo to our board and welcome the valuable insights he will bring.”
Mr. Cumbo serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:SRPT), a leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases. Mr. Cumbo joined Sarepta in 2013, leading and establishing the Company’s commercial function as Sarepta developed into a global commercial organization. During his tenure with Sarepta, Mr. Cumbo has been responsible for directing one of the most successful ultra-rare product launches in history for EXONDYS 51™ (eteplirsen). From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Cumbo served as Vice President of Sales and Treatment Education for Vertex Pharmaceuticals, launching Incivek, a treatment for hepatitis C. Prior to Vertex, Mr. Cumbo served in multiple commercial roles supporting the HIV, HBV, and cardiovascular franchises at Gilead Sciences. Mr. Cumbo has extensive experience building pre- and post-global commercial infrastructure, and throughout his career, he has contributed to the launch of 11 specialty products across multiple organizations. Mr. Cumbo received his Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Auburn University.
“Ra Pharma has the potential to transform treatment paradigms across multiple complement-mediated disorders,” said Mr. Cumbo. “This potential begins with zilucoplan, a subcutaneously self-administered complement inhibitor that, if approved, could disrupt standards of care by affording patients greater accessibility, flexibility, and convenience. I look forward to working with this dynamic and talented team at this critical juncture in the Company’s life cycle.”
About Ra Pharmaceuticals
Ra Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of next-generation therapeutics for complement-mediated diseases. The Company discovers and develops peptides and small molecules to target key components of the complement cascade. For more information, please visit: www.rapharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our potential to transform treatment paradigms across multiple complement-mediated disorders, the potential safety, efficacy and regulatory and clinical progress of our product candidates, including without limitation zilucoplan, and beliefs regarding clinical trial data. All such forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the risks that Ra Pharma's product candidates, including zilucoplan, will not successfully be developed or commercialized, in the timeframe we expect or at all; the risk that topline results as of February 7, 2017 from the Company's global Phase 2 clinical program evaluating zilucoplan for the treatment of PNH may not be indicative of final study results; the risk that USAN does not approve the name zilucoplan; as well as the other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in Ra Pharma's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as other risks detailed in Ra Pharma's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by Ra Pharma will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Ra Pharma. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Ra Pharma undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.