Protara Therapeutics Announces Appointment of William Conkling as Chief Commercial Officer

Core Insights - Protara Therapeutics has appointed William "Bill" Conkling as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing over 20 years of experience in developing and commercializing therapies for cancer and rare diseases [1][2][3] - The company is positioned for growth with a potentially best-in-class bladder cancer therapy and two de-risked rare disease programs, aiming to significantly impact patient outcomes [2][5] Company Overview - Protara Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on transformative therapies for cancer and rare diseases, with its lead candidate TARA-002 in development for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and lymphatic malformations [5] - The company is conducting ongoing Phase 2 trials for TARA-002 in patients with carcinoma in situ who are unresponsive or naïve to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment, as well as in pediatric patients with lymphatic malformations [5] Leadership Background - Bill Conkling previously served as President and CEO of Rafael Holdings, where he built the commercial organization and developed go-to-market strategies [2][3] - He has extensive experience in the oncology field, having led the U.S. commercial organization for the launch of Trodelvy at Immunomedics and held key roles at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, including the commercialization of Kymriah [3][4] Stock Options and Awards - As part of his employment, Mr. Conkling received an inducement grant of options to purchase 200,000 shares at an exercise price of $3.30, along with a restricted stock unit award for 50,000 shares [6] - The options will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and the remainder vesting monthly over the following 36 months [6]