SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Epirium Bio, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pursuing novel and clinically significant therapeutic approaches for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and mitochondrial disorders, today announced the appointment of Alexander Casdin as chief financial officer (CFO) and member of the company’s executive team. Additionally, Sandy Mahatme, former CFO and chief business officer (CBO) of Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc., will join the Epirium board of directors and serve as Audit Committee chair.
“I am honored to welcome both Alex and Sandy to Epirium. They bring extensive knowledge and proven leadership as successful healthcare executives and investors, who have advised and grown companies like Epirium that are pursuing innovative science and novel therapeutic approaches,” said Russ Cox, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Epirium Bio.
“Alex has more than 20 years of experience and a proven track record of success in shaping companies. His history as both a biotechnology executive and investor bring a unique dual lens as he works with us to build value for Epirium,” continued Mr. Cox. “Sandy is incredibly passionate about improving the lives of people living with rare diseases, and he will bring this commitment and excitement to his role. We are confident he will be an invaluable resource as we move into the next phase of our clinical development program and continue to build Epirium into an industry leader.”
As CFO, Mr. Casdin will be responsible for overseeing Epirium’s finance and accounting divisions, supporting the company’s mission and growth, and optimizing capital structure. He is a senior healthcare executive with broad financial and operational expertise. Prior to joining Epirium, Mr. Casdin was founder, CEO and portfolio manager of Reneo Capital Management LP, a successful healthcare investment fund. He previously served as CFO of Sophiris Bio Inc. and vice president of finance for Amylin Pharmaceuticals.
He has been a member of the board of directors of multiple life science companies, including Erasca, Inc., Dusa Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Ignyta, Inc. and serves on the advisory board for LunaDNA. Mr. Casdin holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in political science from Brown University.
“I’m looking forward to bringing together my experience as a healthcare executive and investor to help Epirium further its scientific platform and bring potentially life-changing therapeutics to the market,” said Mr. Casdin. “Alongside Epirium’s strong management team, we will continue to work toward developing an entirely new class of therapeutics with the ultimate goal of providing new options for those living with neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and mitochondrial disorders.”
Mr. Mahatme is currently president, chief operating officer and CFO of a stealth company backed by ARCH Venture Partners. He previously served as executive vice president, CFO and CBO of Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc., a position he held for eight years before retiring in July 2020. Prior to those roles, he worked at Celgene Corporation, where he served in various positions including senior vice president of corporate development, senior vice president of finance, corporate treasurer and head of tax. Mr. Mahatme served in senior roles in business development and corporate finance at Pfizer, Inc. after starting his career at Ernst & Young LLP.
Mr. Mahatme earned Master of Laws degrees from Cornell Law School and the New York University School of Law and is a member of the New York State Bar Association. In addition to serving on the Epirium board of directors, he holds board positions with Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Flexion Therapeutics, Inc., and Aeglea Biotherapeutics.
“I am pleased to be joining the Epirium board of directors at such an exciting time for the company, which is pursuing a completely novel therapeutic approach with EPM-01 in Becker muscular dystrophy,” said Mr. Mahatme. “I have seen firsthand the urgent need for new therapeutic options for people living with rare neuromuscular disorders and am looking forward to bringing my years of experience in this area to help Epirium transform the treatment landscape.”
About Epirium
Epirium is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that uses unique insights related to the biology of mitochondrial function and tissue regeneration to pursue novel and clinically significant therapeutic approaches for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and mitochondrial disorders. The Company has identified and established an IP-protected platform of small molecules that constitute a new class of therapeutics with the potential to improve mitochondrial structure and function, as well as stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and tissue regeneration. Epirium has advanced its first clinical candidate (EPM-01) in Becker muscular dystrophy and plans to follow with drug development targeting other disorders driven by mitochondrial dysfunction and tissue degeneration. To learn more, please visit www.epirium.com.
