03 Sep Accent Therapeutics appoints Shakti Narayan as chief executive officer
Biopharmaceutical executive strengthens Accent’s leadership team with a strong record of success across the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
Lexington, Mass., September 3, 2019 — Accent Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing breakthrough treatments for cancer patients, today announced the appointment of Shakti Narayan, J.D., Ph.D., as its Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Narayan brings a strong record of experience in life sciences, having held various leadership roles which led to transformational achievements within both the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
“Accent is defining a new and practical paradigm for addressing RNA pathobiology by targeting the proteins that control many aspects of RNA biology, unlocking the potential of RNA biology and providing new hope for patients,” said Robert A. Copeland, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Accent. “We are delighted to welcome Shakti to Accent. He brings a wealth of biopharma experience and leadership as we advance our leading position in the field of RNA modification.”
“Accent has made incredible progress developing a pipeline of targeted therapies in this novel area of biology and is well-positioned to accelerate its impact in the field,” said Dr. Narayan. “I’m thrilled to be joining the exceptional team at Accent as we work to better the course of cancer treatment for patients.”
Dr. Narayan was most recently Chief Business Officer of Tango Therapeutics, where he was responsible for business development, finance and various operational functions. During his tenure at Tango, he led a $1.7B transformational partnership with Gilead Sciences. Prior to Tango, Dr. Narayan was Vice President, Head of Transactions at Johnson & Johnson Innovation, where he helped build J&J’s Innovation Centers model, led oncology business development efforts and led a team of dealmakers who drove transactions for multiple J&J businesses. Prior to his time at J&J, Dr. Narayan led business development as part of the management team at Nodality, a VC-backed personalized medicine biotechnology company, where he developed the company’s partnering strategy, led and closed multiple strategic collaborations and held various operational roles.
Dr. Narayan’s career began in business development at Genentech and as a life sciences transactional attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Dr. Narayan earned his Bachelor of Arts in biology from Grinnell College, obtained his Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin Madison and the Salk Institute and was a post-doctoral scientist at Stanford University. His legal studies were completed at the University of California Berkeley School of Law, where he earned a J.D.
About Accent Therapeutics
Accent Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing oncology-focused, small molecule therapies in the emerging field of RNA modification. This field of biology encompasses post-transcriptional chemical modifications of RNA that provide cells with a unique mechanism for regulating proteins critical for cellular growth and differentiation. By targeting cancer-linked RNA-modifying proteins (RMPs) with precision therapies, the Company aims to translate extraordinary science into life-changing therapies for patients. For more information, please visit www.accenttx.com.
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