RyCarma Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotech company developing first-in-class small molecule therapeutics for cardiovascular and skeletal muscle diseases, has appointed Elizabeth Tarka, M.D., as its Chief Medical Officer (CMO). In this role, Dr. Tarka will lead the clinical development of surlorian (ARM210) as it advances into Phase 2 trials for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and ryanodine receptor 1-related myopathies (RYR1-RM).
“Dr. Tarka’s expertise in clinical strategy including the design, implementation, and medical oversight of late-stage clinical trials makes her an exceptional addition to our team,” said Adam Rosenberg, Chief Executive Officer of RyCarma. “Her leadership will accelerate our mission to translate the novel mechanism of Rycals® into innovative therapeutics for heart failure and RYR1-RM patients.”
Dr. Tarka is trained as a cardiologist and has over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. She previously served as CMO for XyloCor Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel gene therapies for cardiovascular diseases and CMO at Idera Pharmaceuticals, advancing its rare disease and immuno-oncology pipeline. Earlier in her career, Dr. Tarka was the Clinical Program Lead for Xarelto® (rivaroxaban) at Janssen Pharmaceuticals and spent over ten years in the metabolic pathways and cardiovascular therapeutic areas at GlaxoSmithKline where she helped to lead multiple cardiovascular programs including a Phase 3 global cardiovascular outcomes study with a novel drug candidate.
“I have dedicated my career to the development of transformational medicines that improve the lives of patients and am looking forward to continuing this mission at RyCarma,” said Dr. Tarka. “Despite many different approved mechanisms for treating heart failure, patients have largely been treated with medications that are not directly targeting known pathology in the cardiac cells. Surlorian has the unique potential to both address a driver of disease progression within cardiac muscle and improve skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue, common symptoms of heart failure that are not addressed by existing treatment options.”
Dr. Tarka earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine where she also completed her residency and fellowship training. Prior to her industry roles, Dr. Tarka was on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and currently serves as Adjunct Faculty Associate Professor. She has been board certified in cardiology and internal medicine and has been published in several peer-reviewed journals.
About RyCarma Therapeutics
RyCarma is a clinical-stage biotech company developing first-in-class small molecule ryanodine receptor modulator therapeutics, called Rycals®, for cardiovascular and skeletal muscle diseases. RyCarma’s drug discovery platform is built from deep expertise in ryanodine receptors (RyRs), channels that regulate the intracellular flow of calcium ions in nearly all cell types. RyCarma holds an exclusive license from Columbia University for certain RyR technology based on the research of the Company’s founder, Dr. Andrew Marks. RyCarma’s lead program, surlorian (also known as ARM210 and S48168), is in development for the treatment of heart failure and ryanodine receptor 1-related myopathies (RYR1-RM). For more information, visit www.rycarma.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250402098653/en/
Contacts
Contacts:
Investors:
investors@rycarma.com
Media:
Ten Bridge Communications
jchen@tenbridgecommunications.com
