Startups
Arkuda Therapeutics
Watertown, Massachusetts, United States · Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States (historical)
Arkuda Therapeutics, Inc. is a US biotechnology company founded in 2018 by Atlas Venture, Gerhard Koenig and Duane Burnett, historically based in Cambridge and subsequently Watertown, Massachusetts. It developed brain-penetrant small-molecule enhancers of progranulin and lysosomal function for neurodegenerative diseases, initially GRN-related frontotemporal dementia and potentially Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. ARKD-104 was described in July 2023 as an investigational IND-enabling development candidate; an expected trial start is not proof that clinical trials subsequently began or that the therapy demonstrated efficacy. Arkuda announced a USD44 million Series A in November 2019 and a USD64 million Series B in February 2022. In February 2024 it entered an option and asset purchase agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, involving an undisclosed commercial option payment and a separate equity investment from Johnson & Johnson Innovation–JJDC, Inc. In January 2025 Johnson & Johnson exercised the option to buy Arkuda’s portfolio of lysosomal function enhancers, with an undisclosed upfront payment and potential milestone payments. This was a portfolio asset transaction; the announcement does not establish acquisition of the Arkuda legal company. Its investors classify the holding as exited. Historical leadership and scientific staff are sourced to original archived company biographies and dated announcements, without asserting continued employment after the asset sale. Gerhard Koenig became CEO of Augustine Therapeutics in January 2025; Serena Hung joined Atalanta Therapeutics in May 2024. Arkuda’s former arkudatx.com domain now serves unrelated content and is not listed as a current company website. Current standalone operating status and a replacement official domain are unverified. Its relevance is neuroscience and drug discovery; no AI platform, approved treatment or undisclosed transaction value is inferred.
Team
 Andy HuChief Business Officer (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Angela ChenScientist II (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Anna-Maria AlvesAssociate Scientist (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Ash KhannaBoard Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Betsy KasslerSenior Director, Human Resources (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Bonne ThompsonScientist II, Mass Spectrometry (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Bruce BoothBoard Chairman (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Christopher HollerPrincipal Scientist (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Christopher O’DonnellBoard Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Deliwe JalbertExecutive Assistant (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Denise PetersAccounting Controller (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Duane BurnettCo-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (April2023 announcement; historical) |
 Gennifer GreenbergSenior Research Associate (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Gerhard KoenigCo-founder, President and CEO (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) · Board Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Giuseppe AstaritaSenior Director, Biomarker Dx (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Heather PrestonBoard Member (appointed February2022; historical) |
 Henry SkinnerBoard Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Hillary Van VoorhiesDirector, Program Management (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Ingrid OchoaLab/Facility Manager (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Irena WebsterVice President, Program Strategy & Dev Ops (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Jean-François BlainVice President, Neurobiology (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Jim LanterVice President, Medicinal Chemistry (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Joanna BryceChief Financial Officer (2019 company launch; historical) |
 John RossAssociate Director, Toxicology (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Katie WattersScientist I (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Kelly GirskisBoard Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Mary WozniakSenior Research Associate (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Mike EspositoVice President, Finance (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Morgan BrandAssociate Scientist (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Pascale WitzIndependent Board Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Raymond HurstSenior Vice President, Discovery (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Raymond J. KelleherBoard Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Richard GallegosPrincipal Scientist, DMPK (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Robert UrbanIndependent Board Member (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Serena HungChief Medical Officer (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Shawna HenryScientist I (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
 Stephanie McTigheDirector, Pharmacology (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Veronika HeilAssociate Scientist (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |
Xiaowen PengDirector, Medicinal Chemistry (archived company roster; historical, current status unverified) |