Sarepta's chief executive stands down amid poor relationship with FDA

Christopher Garabedian, chief executive of RNA-targeted therapeutics specialist Sarepta (Nasdaq: SRPT), has resigned from the company.

He has been replaced on an interim basis by Edward Kaye, the company’s current chief medical officer, who will continue as chief medical officer while holding the interim chief executive position. Dr Kaye will focus his efforts on leading the regulatory and clinical process for Sarepta’s lead candidate, eteplirsen, and follow-on “exon” drug candidates for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

John Hodgman, Sarepta’s interim chairman of the board, said: “We believe this change will facilitate the company’s clinical and regulatory discussions and relationships with the goal of meeting its stated timelines for bringing a potentially disease-modifying treatment to patients with DMD as soon as possible.”