Management tracks: As Akcea shifts to commercialization, Crooke resigns from board

Akcea Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:AKCA) said Stanley Crooke, founder, chairman and CEO of parent company Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:IONS), resigned from Akcea's board. Ionis CBO Damien McDevitt will take Crooke's place on Akcea's board.

An Ionis spokesperson told BioCentury Crooke felt McDevitt could help Akcea with commercialization. The move comes after FDA approved on Friday Akcea's first commercial product Tegsedi inotersen. Ionis specifically created Akcea to commercialize its products, the spokesperson added (see "FDA Approves Hereditary Amyloidosis Drug from Akcea, Ionis")...