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| Press Release

Lilly to Acquire Merida Biosciences to Advance Treatments for Serious Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases
| Press Release

Merida Biosciences Launches with $121M to Create Therapeutics for Multiple Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases
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Allison Dorval

Allison Dorval

Chief Financial Officer

Allison Dorval joined Merida Biosciences as the Chief Financial Officer in 2026 with almost 20 years of finance experience in the life sciences industry. Prior to joining Merida, Allison was Chief Financial Officer at AIRNA, an RNA editing company. Prior to AIRNA, Allison was the Chief Financial Officer at Verve Therapeutics, where she led financial strategy and operations from November 2021 until its acquisition by Eli Lilly & Company in July 2025. Allison was the Chief Financial Officer of Voyager Therapeutics from November 2018 until November 2021 and the Vice President of Finance from June 2017 to November 2018. She has also served in various financial roles including with Danforth Advisors and Insulet Corporation.

Allison has been a member of the Board of Directors of Puma Biotechnology, Inc since 2021. She is a certified public accountant and received her B.S. In Business Administration from the University of Vermont.

Dario Gutierrez

Dario Gutierrez

Founder & Chief Scientific Officer

Dario Gutierrez, Ph.D., is a Founder of Merida Biosciences, and has served as Chief Scientific Officer since 2024. Dario has more than 15 years of experience in drug discovery and development in the immunology and oncology space.

Prior to Merida, Dario was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Third Rock Ventures where he was part of the team which launched Merida Biosciences, and contributed to the formation of numerous other Third Rock portfolio companies. Before his role at Third Rock, Dario was the Vice President of Discovery Research and Innovation at TCR2 Therapeutics, an immuno-oncology company which has since been acquired by Adaptimmune. In this role, he spearheaded the development and expansion of the company’s pipeline, driving the advancement of numerous therapeutic candidates from early-stage discovery through preclinical and clinical phases. Previously, he was Director and Head of Investigational Biology at the Merck Exploratory Science Center, where he led multiple drug discovery efforts in autoimmune diseases, immuno-oncology and vaccines. Earlier in his career, Dario served as Head of Immune Tolerance at Evelo Biosciences.

Dario received his Ph.D. in molecular physiology and biophysics from Vanderbilt University and completed postdoctoral training at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany.

Caitlin Murray

Caitlin Murray

Fractional General Counsel
Michael Naill

Michael Naill

SVP, Process & Product Development

Michael Naill, Ph.D., has served as Senior Vice President, Process and Product Development, since 2024. Michael has more than 20 years of experience in process and product development within the biotechnology industry, focusing on Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) activities.

Prior to Merida, Michael held roles of increasing responsibility at Dragonfly Therapeutics, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, CMC Technical Operations. As the first hire on the CMC team, Michael established and expanded the CMC team and developed the company’s quality systems. During his time at Dragonfly, the company advanced four novel molecules into the clinic, including both Fc-fusion and bispecific antibody formats. Previously, Michael led bluebird bio’s Manufacturing Sciences team and was the CMC product lead for the CAR-T program through Phase 3, overseeing BLA planning, technology transfer to commercial manufacturing sites and regulatory discussions. Earlier in his career, Michael held scientific operations roles at AbbVie and Alexion Pharmaceuticals.

Michael received his B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, and his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Tara Reagan

Tara Reagan

Chief People Officer

Tara Reagan, MBA, has been Merida’s Chief People Officer since 2024, where she leads with the belief that incredible science starts with incredible people. With more than 15 years of experience in human resources and organizational development, she is passionate about cultivating a culture that celebrates the brilliance, individuality, and diverse perspectives each person brings to the team. Tara blends strategic leadership with hands-on operational expertise to shape Merida’s people, culture, and employee experience. Prior to joining Merida, Tara served as Vice President of Human Resources at Third Rock Ventures, one of the industry’s preeminent life sciences company creation firms.

Before joining Third Rock, Tara was a Co-Founder at Agate Partners, a consulting firm that partners with biotech start-ups to build strategic human resources and operational capabilities. Earlier in her career, she held roles of increasing responsibility within people, culture, and operations functions at Human Longevity, Editas Medicine and Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.

Tara received a B.A. in business administration from University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MBA from Suffolk University.

Dodzie Sogah

Dodzie Sogah

Chief Operating Officer

Dodzie Sogah, Ph.D., has served as Chief Operating Officer at Merida Biosciences since 2024. Dodzie has more than 15 years of experience in corporate development and strategy within the biotechnology industry.

Prior to Merida, Dodzie was a Venture Partner at Third Rock Ventures, one of the industry’s preeminent life sciences venture firms, where he helped to build and launch multiple biopharma companies. Previously, Dodzie served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Scholar Rock, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing therapeutics for neuromuscular disease and other conditions. Earlier in his career, Dodzie held roles of increasing responsibility at Vertex and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and began his career as a healthcare strategy consultant at Bain & Company.

Dodzie received his A.B. in biochemical sciences and A.M. in molecular and cellular biology from Harvard University. He completed his Ph.D. in cell biology at Harvard Medical School.

Adam Townsend

Adam Townsend

President & Chief Executive Officer

Adam Townsend has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Merida Biosciences since 2025. Adam has over 20 years of global biopharmaceutical experience in commercial operations and corporate development.

Prior to Merida, Adam was Chief Operating Officer at Apellis where he led U.S. and international commercial and medical affairs organizations. From January 2024 to February 2025, he built and led commercial organization as Apellis transitioned to a commercial-stage company with two approved products. Prior to joining Apellis, Adam worked at Biogen with progressive leadership roles in commercial and corporate development, leading the successful launch of multiple blockbuster products in neurology and rare disease. Adam has also held numerous leadership positions with increasing levels of responsibility in Europe at EUSA Pharma and Amgen. Adam began his career in sales at Novartis UK.

Adam received a BSc (Honors) degree in medical biochemistry from the University of London, UK.