PRESS RELEASE
CHARM Therapeutics Bolsters Leadership Team with Key Promotion and Strategic Appointment
LONDON, United Kingdom – December 12, 2023 – CHARM Therapeutics (“CHARM”), a 3D deep learning biotechnology company discovering and developing transformational medicines, today announced the promotion of Sarah Skerratt, Ph.D., to Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), and the appointment of Laura Hare as Chief People Officer and Head of Business Operations.
“These leadership updates mark a transformative phase for CHARM. Sarah’s promotion to CSO is a testament to her exceptional contribution to our pipeline, and we’re excited to welcome Laura, whose experience will be pivotal in our next growth phase,” said Laksh Aithani, co-founder and CEO of CHARM Therapeutics.
Dr. Sarah Skerratt’s promotion to CSO comes as CHARM’s pipeline achieves significant progress under her leadership and expertise. Bringing over 20 years of experience in drug discovery, Skerratt is a leader with a strong record of delivery from the exploratory phase to the clinic across several therapeutic areas. Her extensive tenure includes senior positions at Merck Sharp & Dohme, Vertex, Convergence/Biogen and Pfizer Inc., solidifying her reputation in drug discovery and development. She is an organic chemist by training, holding a Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham and having completed postdoctoral studies at Stanford University as a visiting Fulbright Scholar.
Laura Hare joins CHARM from F-star Therapeutics, where she was instrumental as Senior Vice President of Corporate Operations and People and led the organisation through multiple transformations from early drug discovery to its successful acquisition by invoX Pharma. With 20 years of experience in scale-up and high-growth companies across both tech and biotech, her experience will be critical in leading CHARM’s rapid growth and nurturing a thriving workplace culture. Hare’s expertise in corporate operations and human resources is expected to play a significant role in CHARM’s strategy and operational management as the company continues to expand.
About CHARM Therapeutics
CHARM Therapeutics is discovering and developing small molecule medicines against difficult-to-drug targets with its proprietary 3D deep learning-enabled platform, DragonFold. Powered by the first high throughput protein-ligand co-folding algorithm and a world-class team of scientists and engineers, CHARM seeks to deliver innovative approaches to create life-changing therapies for patients.
Cambridge and London-based CHARM has raised $70 million to date and is building an interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial team, combining leaders from the fields of AI and biotechnology. It is supported by high quality international investors including OrbiMed, F-Prime Capital, General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures, Bristol Myers Squibb, NVIDIA and grep -vc. For more information, please visit: www.charmtx.com
For further information, please contact:
Laksh Aithani, Chief Executive Officer
CHARM Therapeutics
Phone: +44 7933 185425
Email: laksh@charmtx.com
Consilium Strategic Communications
Amber Fennell, Jessica Hodgson, Chris Gardner
Phone: +44 (0)20 3709 5700
Email: charm@consilium-comms.com
Lauren Arnold
MacDougall Advisors
Phone: 781-235-3060
Email: larnold@macdougall.bio
