Sarepta Therapeutics Appoints Michael Severino as Chief Executive Officer to Lead Next Phase of Precision Genetic Medicine Growth
Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc., a global biotechnology company recognized for its leadership in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, has announced the appointment of Michael Severino, M.D., as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 28, 2026. Dr. Severino also joins the company’s Board of Directors, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience across research, drug development, corporate strategy, and commercialization in the global biopharmaceutical industry.
He succeeds Doug Ingram, who is retiring after leading Sarepta through one of the most transformative periods in its history. To ensure continuity during the leadership transition, Ingram will remain with the company in an advisory role through the end of 2026, supporting strategic initiatives and working closely with the executive team.
The appointment marks an important milestone for Sarepta as it continues to expand its portfolio of genetic medicines, strengthen its research pipeline, and pursue innovative therapies for patients living with rare genetic disorders.
Leadership Transition Signals Next Chapter
Sarepta’s Board of Directors selected Dr. Severino following an extensive executive search that evaluated numerous experienced candidates from across the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. The Board concluded that his combination of scientific expertise, strategic leadership, operational excellence, and commercial experience made him uniquely qualified to guide the company through its next stage of growth.
As the biotechnology sector continues to evolve rapidly, companies increasingly require leaders who can bridge cutting-edge scientific discovery with successful clinical development, regulatory execution, manufacturing, and commercialization. Dr. Severino’s career has consistently reflected this balance, making him well positioned to lead Sarepta as it advances new therapies for patients with serious genetic diseases.
Extensive Experience Across Biopharmaceutical Innovation
Before joining Sarepta Therapeutics, Dr. Severino served as Chief Executive Officer of Tessera Therapeutics, where he oversaw the development of next-generation genetic medicine technologies designed to address inherited diseases through innovative genome engineering approaches.
Prior to leading Tessera, he spent many years at AbbVie, serving as Vice Chairman and President. During his tenure, he directed the company’s global research and development organization while also overseeing its Corporate Strategy Office.
In these roles, Dr. Severino played a central part in expanding AbbVie’s scientific capabilities and strengthening its position across several therapeutic areas. Under his leadership, the company significantly broadened its research pipeline while investing heavily in emerging scientific disciplines, including:
- Precision medicine
- Human genetics
- Genomics
- Computational biology
- Translational medicine
- Advanced drug discovery technologies
These investments helped position AbbVie among the industry’s leading innovators in personalized medicine and biologic therapies.
Driving Development of Multiple Approved Medicines
Throughout his career, Dr. Severino has contributed to the research, development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of more than a dozen approved therapies.
Among the most notable medicines developed during his leadership are:
- Rinvoq®
- Skyrizi®
- Venclexta®
These therapies have become important treatment options across multiple disease areas and demonstrate his experience managing complex drug development programs from early research through global commercialization.
In addition, he helped establish industry-leading therapeutic franchises in:
- Immunology
- Hematologic oncology
- Neuroscience
His broad experience spans virtually every stage of pharmaceutical innovation, including scientific discovery, clinical development, regulatory strategy, manufacturing, commercialization, and lifecycle management.
Experience in Precision Medicine
One of the defining aspects of Dr. Severino’s career has been his commitment to advancing precision medicine.
Rather than relying solely on traditional pharmaceutical approaches, precision medicine seeks to develop therapies tailored to specific genetic, molecular, or biological characteristics of disease.
This philosophy aligns closely with Sarepta’s mission of developing targeted treatments for rare genetic disorders, particularly Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other inherited neuromuscular diseases.
Over the past two decades, Dr. Severino has helped build organizations capable of integrating advanced genetic research with practical drug development, positioning him to guide Sarepta’s continued innovation in gene therapy, RNA therapeutics, and precision genetic medicine.
Commitment to Patients
Following the announcement of his appointment, Dr. Severino expressed enthusiasm about joining Sarepta and emphasized the company’s strong commitment to patients living with rare diseases.
He described Sarepta as an organization driven by a clear purpose: bringing hope, innovation, and meaningful treatment options to patients and families confronting life-threatening genetic conditions.
Dr. Severino noted that throughout his professional career he has focused on combining scientific innovation with effective clinical development and commercialization strategies to improve patient outcomes.
He also highlighted that Sarepta’s long-term clinical data supporting its approved therapies, along with encouraging preclinical and clinical results from its expanding small interfering RNA (siRNA) pipeline, reinforced his confidence in the company’s future.
According to Dr. Severino, these programs have the potential to produce best-in-class therapies capable of addressing significant unmet medical needs.
He expressed his eagerness to work alongside Sarepta’s scientists, clinicians, and employees while continuing to support the Duchenne muscular dystrophy community and broadening the company’s impact across additional rare diseases.
Board Expresses Confidence in New Leadership
M. Kathleen Behrens, Ph.D., Chairperson of Sarepta’s Board of Directors, welcomed Dr. Severino to the company and praised the depth of experience he brings to the executive leadership team.
She explained that the Board conducted a comprehensive search process before selecting Sarepta’s next chief executive officer.
According to Dr. Behrens, Dr. Severino distinguished himself through his combination of scientific knowledge, development expertise, and consistent ability to translate innovative research into successful commercial products.
She noted that his experience building industry-leading therapeutic franchises and overseeing large research organizations provides Sarepta with a strong foundation for continued growth.
The Board believes his strategic vision and patient-centered approach will help the company continue advancing transformative therapies while creating long-term value for patients, healthcare providers, and shareholders.
Recognizing Doug Ingram’s Contributions
The leadership announcement also marked the conclusion of Doug Ingram’s tenure as Chief Executive Officer.
During his years leading Sarepta, the company evolved from a focused biotechnology organization into one of the leading developers of precision genetic medicines for rare diseases.
Under his leadership, Sarepta achieved numerous scientific and regulatory milestones, including approvals for two exon-skipping therapies designed to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Perhaps most notably, the company secured approval for the first one-time gene therapy developed for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, representing a landmark achievement in the treatment of inherited neuromuscular disorders.
These accomplishments significantly expanded treatment options for patients while establishing Sarepta as a pioneer in genetic medicine.
Building a Culture of Innovation
Beyond individual product approvals, Ingram helped foster a corporate culture centered on scientific excellence, innovation, and urgency.
Throughout his tenure, Sarepta invested heavily in expanding its research capabilities, manufacturing infrastructure, clinical development programs, and regulatory expertise.
The company also strengthened its financial position, allowing it to independently fund ongoing research programs while pursuing new therapeutic opportunities across multiple rare disease indications.
According to the Board, Ingram’s leadership created the organizational foundation that positions Sarepta for continued success under its new executive team.
Ingram Reflects on His Tenure
Commenting on the transition, Doug Ingram described leading Sarepta as the greatest honor of his professional career.
He expressed pride in the company’s achievements and confidence in its future under Dr. Severino’s leadership.
Ingram emphasized that he leaves behind an organization supported by an exceptional workforce, an expanding portfolio of approved therapies, and a robust pipeline of promising investigational medicines.
He also noted that Sarepta has developed the financial strength necessary to continue advancing its scientific programs independently while pursuing long-term strategic growth.
Looking ahead, Ingram expressed confidence that Dr. Severino will continue pushing the boundaries of genetic medicine and further expand the company’s impact on patients living with rare diseases.
Positioned for Continued Growth
Sarepta enters this leadership transition from a position of considerable strength. The company has established itself as a recognized leader in precision genetic medicine through significant investments in gene therapy, RNA-based therapeutics, and innovative platform technologies.
Its growing portfolio of approved products continues to serve patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, while its expanding research pipeline explores additional opportunities across rare neuromuscular and genetic disorders.
The appointment of Dr. Severino reflects the company’s intention to build upon this momentum by combining scientific innovation with disciplined clinical execution and commercial excellence.
As Sarepta Therapeutics embarks on its next chapter, the leadership transition represents more than a change in executive management—it signals the company’s continued commitment to advancing precision genetic medicine for patients with rare diseases. With Michael Severino bringing decades of experience in research, development, strategy, and commercialization, Sarepta is positioned to accelerate its scientific programs while expanding its global impact.
Supported by a strong executive team, an established portfolio of innovative therapies, and a promising pipeline of next-generation genetic medicines, the company aims to continue delivering transformative treatment options for patients and families facing serious inherited disorders while driving long-term innovation across the field of precision medicine.
About Michael Severino, M.D.
Dr. Severino was formerly Chief Executive Officer at Tessera and a CEO-Partner at Flagship Pioneering, roles he had held since 2022. He joined Tessera from AbbVie where he was Vice Chairman and President responsible for research and development and the corporate strategy office.
Prior to joining AbbVie, Severino served in roles of increasing responsibility at Amgen, Inc., leading to his appointment as Senior Vice President, Global Development and Chief Medical Officer. As Senior Vice President, he oversaw the company’s clinical development efforts across all therapeutic areas, including oncology, inflammation, neuroscience, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders. Prior to Amgen, Severino was a Senior Director at Merck & Co., Inc., where he was responsible for leading research in multiple areas, including clinical genomics, molecular profiling, and experimental medicine.
In addition to Sarepta, Severino also serves on the Board of Directors for Avantor, Montai Health, Quotient Therapeutics, and Viatris. Severino earned his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he graduated summa cum laude and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He earned his M.D. from the Johns Hopkins University and completed his residency and post-doctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
About Sarepta Therapeutics
Sarepta is on an urgent mission: engineer precision genetic medicine for rare diseases that devastate lives and cut futures short. We hold a leadership position in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne) and are building a robust portfolio of programs across muscle, central nervous system, and cardiac diseases.