Ardelyx Appoints Merdad Parsey, M.D., Ph.D. to its Board of Directors

Core Insights - Ardelyx, Inc. has appointed Merdad Parsey, M.D., Ph.D. to its board of directors, enhancing its leadership team with a veteran biotech expert [1][2] Company Overview - Ardelyx is focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative, first-in-class medicines to address significant unmet medical needs [4] - The company has two commercial products approved in the U.S.: IBSRELA® (tenapanor) and XPHOZAH® (tenapanor), along with early-stage pipeline candidates [4] - Ardelyx has international agreements for the development and commercialization of tenapanor, including partnerships with Kyowa Kirin in Japan and Fosun Pharma in China [4] Leadership Experience - Dr. Parsey brings over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biopharma industries, having held various clinical development and leadership roles [2][3] - His recent position was Chief Medical Officer at Gilead Sciences from 2019 until his retirement in 2025 [2] - Dr. Parsey has also served in senior roles at Genentech and as CEO of 3-V Biosciences, contributing to his extensive expertise in clinical strategy and development [2] Educational Background - Dr. Parsey holds a B.S. in microbiology and biochemistry, an M.D., and a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Maryland [3] - He completed his internal medicine residency at Stanford University and a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care at the University of Colorado [3]