XORTX board sees departure and new appointment within days in July 2026
Chairman Anthony Giovinazzo left the board on July 31 while independent director Depesh Narotam joined effective July 27, 2026.
XORTX Therapeutics Inc. reported two board changes in late July 2026. In a filing dated July 31, 2026, the company said Anthony Giovinazzo is stepping down from the board of directors for personal reasons and to pursue other interests.1 Co-CEO Allen Davidoff thanked Giovinazzo for his service, saying management and the board extended appreciation for his efforts as chairman during the past several years, noting his contribution spanned leadership and ethics as board chairman and on key committees.1
Two days earlier, on July 29, 2026, XORTX announced the appointment of Depesh Narotam to its board as an independent director. Narotam, age 43, was appointed as a director of the Company effective July 27, 2026.2 The company said the board of directors determined that Mr. Narotam is an independent director under applicable Nasdaq listing standards and Canadian securities laws.2 He was also named to a board committee overseeing pay and governance matters, according to the release.
The filing describes Narotam's background as more than 20 years in the financial services industry, with expertise built around debt financing and lending solutions for a range of clients.2 It adds that he has served as a Mortgage Development Manager since December 2020 at Vancity, described as Canada's largest community-based credit union and a member-owned financial co-operative,2 and that he previously spent 16 years at Westminster Savings Credit Union, now known as Prospera Credit Union, in various financial services roles including Mortgage Specialist and Business Development Manager.2
Both releases describe XORTX as a pharmaceutical company with three clinically advanced products in development: its lead program XRx-026 for gout, XRx-008 for ADPKD, and XRx-101 for acute kidney and other acute organ injury associated with respiratory virus infections,1 alongside a preclinical Type 2 diabetic nephropathy program, XRx-225, and a recently acquired VB4-P5 program at the pre-IND stage targeting rare and prevalent kidney diseases.1
Written by readthrough’s AI from the linked primary sources and fact-checked against them automatically before publishing. Not investment advice.