Acceleron Pharma Inc (Nasdaq:XLRN), a biopharmaceutical company in the discovery and development of TGF-beta therapeutics to treat serious and rare diseases, announced on Thursday that it has appointed Robert K. Zeldin, M.D, as chief medical officer (CMO).

Dr. Zeldin, who brings to Acceleron more than two decades of clinical, regulatory and industry experience, most recently served as CMO of Belgium-based Ablynx NV. He joined Ablynx from French pharmaceutical firm Stallergenes SA, where he was SVP and head of Global Clinical Development. Before that, he worked for five years at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, the final three as VP and US Medical Franchise Head, Respiratory and Dermatology. His career in the industry began at Merck, where he spent seven years in progressively strategic roles in worldwide regulatory affairs and clinical development, rising to the position of senior director of Clinical Development.

Prior to his work in industry, Dr. Zeldin served as a medical officer at the US Food & Drug Administration's Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research, assessing efficacy and safety data from the clinical development of allergy-related therapies, vaccines and orphan products.

He also spent several years in clinical practice treating patients with allergic, asthmatic, and immunologic disorders.

Dr. Zeldin succeeds longtime Acceleron CMO, Matthew Sherman, M.D, who earlier this year announced his planned retirement. Dr. Sherman will remain on staff until the anticipated mid-2018 release of topline phase 3 data from the BELIEVE trial of luspatercept in beta-thalassemia patients, and will then serve in an advisory capacity for one year thereafter.

Acceleron is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialisation of therapeutics to treat serious and rare diseases.