Akcea Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: AKCA), a subsidiary of Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IONS), has named Tracy Palmer Berns as its new chief compliance officer, it was reported on Monday.

In the new role, Berns is to manage the firm's ongoing compliance program aimed at policy development and training. In collaboration with other members of the team, Berns is to provide strategic counsel regarding development of business goals and compliance matters related to Akcea's commercial products and investigational therapies.

Prior to joining Akcea, Berns served as vice president, chief compliance officer and legal affairs at AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc. She has also held various positions at Medtronic and as a regulatory manager of the EP division at CR Bard, regulatory affairs manager and staff attorney at ABIOMED, senior consultant at EXPERTech and associate general counsel at Thermo Electron Corporation.