Turing Pharma seeks CEO to replace Shkreli, plans job cuts

(Reuters) - Turing Pharmaceuticals said on Tuesday it is seeking a new chief executive to replace Martin Shkreli, the price-gouging entrepreneur who is facing U.S. charges of securities fraud, and will cut jobs in a restructuring.

The private Swiss-based company will also expand its board to include new, independent members, it added.

Shkreli, 32, resigned as CEO on Friday, a day after his arrest on charges that he had engaged in a Ponzi-like scheme. He pleaded not guilty and was released on $5 million bail.

On Monday, KaloBios Pharmaceuticals said Shkreli was "terminated" as CEO and had resigned from the board.

Turing did not specify the number of job cuts in a statement. It could not be immediately reached for comment.

"These staff changes put us in the best position to continue executing on our long-term plan," said Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Ron Tilles, who took over Shkreli's job on Friday.

Shkreli gained notoriety when, as Turing's CEO, he raised the price of a life saving drug overnight to $750 from $13.50.

(Reporting by Ankush Sharma in Bengaluru)

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