Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IONS) has announced upcoming changes to its board of directors, with B. Lynne Parshall and Joseph Wender set to retire at the end of their term in June 2026, and Peter N. Reikes joining the board. Ms. Parshall has been a director since September 2000 and previously served as Ionis’ chief operating officer and chief financial officer. Mr. Wender has been a director since January 1994 and has served as Ionis’ lead independent director since 2020. Both Ms. Parshall and Mr. Wender are recipients of the Ionis career achievement award, recognizing their significant contributions to the company.
Peter Reikes, the incoming director, brings a wealth of experience, having served as a senior strategy advisor with the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) and as a senior advisor to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He has also held leadership positions in investment banking at Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Cowen and Company, and PaineWebber Incorporated. Reikes previously served as an Ionis director from 2018-2021.
According to Joseph Loscalzo, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of Ionis’ board of directors, both Lynne and Joe have provided valued counsel throughout significant moments in Ionis’ journey over the last three decades. He expressed gratitude to them for their distinguished contributions and welcomed Peter back to the board, highlighting his unique combination of financial and industry experience as critical during a period of rapid growth and pipeline progress.
Brett P. Monia, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Ionis, also expressed gratitude to Lynne and Joe for their role in shaping the company and welcomed Peter Reikes to the board, emphasizing his broad financial, industry, and regulatory expertise.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., known for inventing medicines that bring better futures to people with serious diseases, has a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiometabolic disease, and select areas of high patient need. The company continues to drive innovation in RNA therapies and gene editing, aiming to deliver life-changing advances for patients.
In terms of financial performance, the press release did not include specific metrics or comparisons from the previous period. The market has reacted to these announcements by moving the company's shares -1.14% to a price of $76.33. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
