Ionis Pharmaceuticals announced that Frank Bennett, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief scientific officer, will retire effective February 2027.
Bennett joined Ionis as a founding scientist in 1989 and pioneered the use of antisense oligonucleotides across multiple therapeutic disciplines. His research focused on the basic mechanisms of ASOs, including pharmacokinetics, medicinal chemistry, and cellular uptake, and he demonstrated that antisense drugs could spread broadly throughout the central nervous system when introduced directly into the cerebrospinal fluid.
As head of Ionis’ research programs, Bennett contributed to the discovery of more than fifty drug candidates, with seven receiving regulatory approval worldwide. He spearheaded the discovery and development of several Ionis medicines for neurological diseases, including SPINRAZA, the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, and QALSODY, the first approved treatment for a genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He also led the discovery of several clinical-stage Ionis medicines targeting additional genetic forms of ALS, Parkinson’s disease, prion disease, Angelman syndrome, and MECP2 duplication syndrome, along with zilganersen for Alexander’s disease and bepirovirsen for chronic hepatitis B.
Bennett’s career has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the 2019 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the inaugural 2019 Healey Center International Prize for Innovation in ALS, the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society, the 2021 Gabbay Award, and the 2023 Rainwater Prize for Outstanding Innovation in Neurodegenerative Disease Research. He has authored more than 240 peer-reviewed manuscripts and holds more than 200 issued US patents.
Bennett will serve as a strategic consultant for a period after his retirement to support the transition. His responsibilities will be assumed by Eric Swayze, Ph.D., executive vice president, head of research.
KEY QUOTE:
“As a founding scientist, Frank has been instrumental in shaping Ionis and advancing the entire field of RNA-targeted medicines. Frank’s profound contributions include pioneering the use of antisense medicines in neurological disease. He led the discovery and development of the first approved medicines for spinal muscular atrophy and a genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which have transformed the lives of thousands of people.”
Brett P. Monia, Ph.D., CEO, Ionis Pharmaceuticals
