Ironwood names Jeffrey Silber as chief medical officer

Ironwood names Jeffrey Silber as chief medical officer

US concludes third round of strikes against Iran after Trump reinstates blockade BOSTON - Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IRWD) announced Monday the retirement of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Shetzline and the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Silber as his successor, according to a press release statement. Dr. Silber will join the company on July 20 and oversee Research and Drug Development, Regulatory Affairs and Medical Affairs, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Tom McCourt. Dr. Shetzline will remain as an advisor to ensure a transition.

The company also disclosed that its confirmatory Phase 3 STARS-2 trial of apraglutide in patients with short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure was initiated in June and is actively recruiting patients. Dr. Silber joins Ironwood from Vedanta Biosciences, where he served as Chief Medical Officer since 2020. Prior to that role, he held positions at EMD Serono/Merck KGaA as Senior Vice President in Clinical Development and Head of Development Sciences, and at AbbVie as Vice President and Head of Strategic Portfolio Development.

He spent 16 years at Merck & Co. in various roles, ultimately serving as Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head, Vaccine Clinical Research. Dr. Silber received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Harvard University and a medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed training in Internal Medicine at NYU Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital and in Infectious Diseases at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company focused on gastrointestinal and rare diseases. The company markets LINZESS (linaclotide) for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation in partnership with AbbVie. The company currently trades at a P/E ratio of 6.89 with a market cap of $693 million, and according to InvestingPro analysis, the stock appears undervalued relative to its Fair Value.

The company generated $361.5 million in revenue over the last twelve months with an impressive gross profit margin of 75%. For deeper insights into Ironwood’s valuation and growth prospects, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report, available for this and 1,400+ other US equities on InvestingPro. In other recent news, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2026, exceeding both earnings and revenue expectations.

The company achieved an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.24, surpassing the forecasted $0.19, marking a 26.32% surprise. Revenue for the quarter reached $106.5 million, which was 15.63% higher than the anticipated $92.11 million. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Linzess for use in children aged 2-5 with functional constipation, expanding its previous approval for those aged 6 and older.

This development addresses a condition with an estimated worldwide prevalence of 3% among preschool children, according to Ironwood Pharmaceuticals. Despite these positive developments, the company’s stock experienced a decline in pre-market trading. However, the focus remains on the company’s financial performance and regulatory advancements.