Protara Therapeutics has appointed William "Bill" Conkling as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing extensive experience in cancer and rare disease therapeutics commercialization to the clinical-stage biotechnology company. The appointment comes as Protara advances its lead candidate TARA-002 through Phase 2 trials and prepares for potential commercial operations.
Proven Track Record in Oncology Commercialization
Conkling brings more than two decades of experience developing and commercializing novel cancer and rare disease therapeutics. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Rafael Holdings, Inc., a holding company with interests in clinical and early-stage pharmaceutical companies. In his previous role as Chief Commercial and Business Officer at Rafael Holdings, he was responsible for building the commercial organization and developing go-to-market strategies.
His experience includes a pivotal role at Immunomedics, where he served as Vice President of Commercial and built and led the U.S. commercial organization for the launch of Trodelvy, a breakthrough treatment for patients with triple negative breast cancer. Immunomedics was subsequently acquired by Gilead Sciences in October 2020.
Prior to Immunomedics, Conkling spent more than a decade at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, most recently as Vice President, Global Commercial Head for CAR-T. At Novartis, he held key leadership roles in the development and commercialization of several oncology products, including Kymriah, the first CAR-T therapy approved in the U.S.
Strategic Positioning for Commercial Transition
"It is a pleasure to welcome Bill, a deeply experienced and proven commercial leader," said Jesse Shefferman, Chief Executive Officer of Protara Therapeutics. "With an impressive track record building commercial organizations and successfully launching oncology and rare disease products, his strategic insights will ensure the Company is well-positioned for its potential transition into a commercial-stage organization."
Conkling expressed confidence in Protara's pipeline, stating, "With a potentially best-in-class bladder cancer therapy and two de-risked rare disease programs, Protara has the opportunity to meaningfully impact patient outcomes. I look forward to working alongside the talented Protara team as we prepare for the next phase of growth."
Current Development Pipeline
Protara's portfolio includes its lead candidate, TARA-002, an investigational cell-based therapy in development for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and lymphatic malformations (LMs). The company is evaluating TARA-002 in an ongoing Phase 2 trial in NMIBC patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) who are unresponsive or naïve to treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), as well as a Phase 2 trial in pediatric patients with LMs.
Additionally, Protara is developing IV Choline Chloride, an investigational phospholipid substrate replacement for patients on parenteral nutrition who are otherwise unable to meet their choline needs via oral or enteral routes.
Compensation and Equity Awards
In connection with his employment, Conkling was awarded an inducement grant of an option to purchase 200,000 shares of Protara's common stock at an exercise price of $3.30, the company's closing trading price on June 2, 2025. He also received a restricted stock unit award for 50,000 shares. The option will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and the balance vesting in equal monthly installments over the subsequent 36 months. The RSUs will vest in equal installments on the first, second, and third anniversaries of the grant date.
Conkling holds an MBA with distinction from the Stern School of Business at New York University and a BA in Economics from Fordham University.
