Langer startup Taris hires new CEO

7/19/2010

Mass High Tech
By Julie M. Donnelli

Taris Biomedical, a life sciences company developing combination drug-device products, has named Sarma Duddu as its new president and chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors, effective immediately.

“We are extremely pleased that Sarma Duddu has joined Taris as the chief executive officer. Sarma is a highly accomplished drug developer with significant expertise in drug delivery and is ideally suited to lead the company as it develops its  products for genitourinary indications.”  said Michael Cima, a co-founder of the Lexington-based privately held company. The other founder of the company is MIT professor and serial entrepreneur Robert Langer.

Previously, Duddu held the position of general manager and vice president of worldwide drug delivery technologies of CIMA LABS Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Frazer, Penn.-based Cephalon Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH). Duddu has also held positions at San Carlos, Cal.-based Nektar Therapeutics and at  SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. Duddu hails from India, where he completed his undergraduate degree in pharmaceutics from the University of Minnesota .

Taris Biomedical officials say the company is focused on unmet medical needs in areas, such as bladder diseases, where currently therapies have failed for some patients.

In June of 2009, the company announced it had raised a first round of funding totaling $15 million. The company is backed by Cambridge-based Flagship Ventures, Flybridge Capital Partners and Cambridge-based Polaris Venture Partners. 

Duddu is the company’s first official CEO. The company was previously headed by COO Christine  Bunt, who left in March to “ pursue other opportunities," according to a spokesman for the company.