Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. subsidiary Akcea Therapeutics Inc. named three new independent directors. The board will initially consist of six members.

Christopher Gabrieli will serve as chairman of the board whereas Elaine Hochberg and Sandford Smith will serve as board members.

Gabrieli, who previously served on the Ionis board, is partner emeritus at Bessemer Venture Partners. Hochberg is the former chief commercial officer of Forest Laboratories Inc. whereas Smith is the founder and chairman of Global Biolink Partners.

The three remaining board positions are held by Stanley Crooke, chairman and CEO of Ionis; B. Lynne Parshall, COO of Ionis; and Paula Soteropoulos, president and CEO of Akcea.

Akcea recently announced a $100 million initial public offering.