Oruka Therapeutics Inc. appointed Todd Edwards as chief commercial officer, effective immediately, as the clinical-stage biotechnology company accelerates development of its lead candidates for chronic skin diseases.
Edwards brings more than 25 years of experience in immunology and dermatology, including leadership roles at Arcutis Biotherapeutics Inc., where he served as executive vice president and oversaw the launch of the ZORYVE franchise for atopic and seborrheic dermatitis. Prior to Arcutis, he held senior positions at Incyte Corporation, UCB S.A., AbbVie and TAP Pharmaceuticals. Edwards also served in the U.S. Army.
Lawrence Klein, chief executive officer of Oruka Therapeutics, said Edwards’ track record in building and commercializing dermatology franchises positions him to advance the company’s pipeline candidates, ORKA-001 and ORKA-002, toward market readiness.
Oruka, headquartered in Menlo Park, California, focuses on developing biological therapies for conditions including plaque psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa. The company’s shares trade on the NASDAQ under the ticker ORKA.
