Ironwood Pharmaceuticals named Chief Commercial Officer Tammi Gaskins as chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1, 2027, replacing Tom McCourt, who will retire from the CEO role after 17 years at the company and remain on the board.
Gaskins has been with Ironwood since 2020. During her tenure, the company said she helped make Linzess the No. 1 prescribed brand in the U.S. for IBS-C and chronic idiopathic constipation, and she led commercial development work for apraglutide, Ironwood’s phase 3 asset for short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure.
The leadership change comes after what Gaskins called a “turnaround year” in 2026, highlighted by Linzess returning to blockbuster status and growth, while Ironwood also advanced the confirmatory STARS-2 trial of apraglutide and strengthened its balance sheet.
McCourt’s departure closes a 17-year run at Ironwood. He joined as the company’s first chief commercial officer, helped build the Linzess business, became CEO in 2021, and later led the acquisition of VectivBio, which brought apraglutide into Ironwood’s late-stage pipeline.
The company did not disclose any financial terms tied to the CEO transition. The market has reacted to these announcements by moving the company's shares 4.72% to a price of $3.77. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
