TORL BioTherapeutics LLC, a clinical stage biotechnology company discovering and developing new antibody-based immunotherapies to improve and extend the lives of patients with cancer worldwide, has appointed Aran Maree, MD, as Chief Medical Officer.
 
Dr. Maree most recently served as Chief Medical Officer for Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Innovative Medicines where he oversaw a functionally independent team with a primary focus on clinical and scientific advancement of the established products portfolio, patient safety, pediatric portfolio advancement and was co-chair of the company’s R&D Development Committee reviewing the R&D clinical programs across therapeutic modalities in oncology, immunology, neurology, cardiovascular, metabolic and infectious disease. His impact on safety oversight and program development includes some of the most high-profile products in J&J’s history and many other important medicines under development.
 
“Aran Maree is among the most accomplished and experienced physician-leaders in the biopharmaceutical industry, and TORL will significantly benefit from his long track record of improving patient outcomes in multiple disease categories and creating corporate value,” said Mark J. Alles, Chairman and CEO of TORL Biotherapeutics.

Experience 

Maree joined J&J in 2006 and held medical roles of increasing responsibility for J&J’s MedTech company in Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific and Japan. In these positions, he established a comprehensive medical affairs capability while also leading and strengthening regulatory, quality and health outcomes/access capabilities. In 2012, he was promoted to global Chief Medical Officer of J&J MedTech, responsible for patient monitoring and safety surveillance practices, approaches to clinical data transparency, and scientific integrity at the intersection of biology and technology. In 2017, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer for the pharmaceuticals segment of the company.
 
Prior to joining J&J, Maree worked at The Boston Consulting Group and Merck & Co. (MSD) in Australia and New Zealand. He holds an honors medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland/National University of Ireland. He trained as a physician in Dublin, obtaining his Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI) and in interventional cardiology between Dublin, Ireland and Sydney, Australia.
 
“The promise of TORL-1-23 and the Company’s growing pipeline of new target programs represent an incredible opportunity to transform clinical practice in oncology,” said Maree. “I am thrilled to be joining the TORL team at such an important time and look forward to establishing and scaling a global medical organization to support the needs of the portfolio and the patients we seek to serve.”