About Us

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The CalciMedica team is comprised of scientists, physicians, drug development experts and entrepreneurs dedicated to the development of CRAC channel inhibitors for acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.

 

Our executive team is led by Rachel Leheny, Ph.D., our Chief Executive Officer, who has more than 30 years of experience in the life sciences industry as a scientist, venture capital investor and investment banking research analyst. Kenneth Stauderman, Ph.D., a co-founder and our Chief Scientific Officer with more than 30 years of experience in drug discovery and development, is a leading expert in CRAC channels and led the discovery of some of the foundational work in this field. Sudarshan Hebbar, M.D., our Chief Medical Officer, has more than 15 years of clinical development and product development experience and was previously a practicing nephrologist and critical care physician.

Management

Rachel Leheny
A. Rachel Leheny, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer

A. Rachel Leheny, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Leheny has over 30 years of experience in the life sciences industry as a scientist, a research analyst at several investment banks and as a venture capital investor. Dr. Leheny is a Founding Managing Director for Valence Advantage Life Sciences, a venture firm based in New York. Prior to Valence, she co-founded Caxton Advantage Venture Partners, from which Valence Life Sciences emerged. Before that, she was a Senior Vice President and Head of the biotechnology research team at Lehman Brothers. She also led the biotechnology research team at UBS Warburg. She started her biotechnology research career at Hambrecht and Quist. Dr. Leheny obtained an A.B. in Chemistry with honors from Harvard College, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Columbia University. She did post-doctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was an NIH fellow and a lecturer.

Michael Dunn
Michael J. Dunn, MBA
President & Chief Operating Officer

Michael J. Dunn, MBA

President & Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Dunn has 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Before joining CalciMedica, Mr. Dunn was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Biocept, Inc., a company focused on the analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to better target therapy for cancer patients. Prior to that, he served as Vice President and Chief Business Officer of Monogram Biosciences, a biotech clinical laboratory specializing in infectious disease and cancer testing, which was acquired by LabCorp in 2009. Mr. Dunn served as Vice President and Chief Business Officer of ACLARA Biosciences, a company specializing in microfluidic chips and oncology testing, through its merger with ViroLogic, Inc., as well as Vice President and Chief Business Officer at ActivX Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes proteomics to discover and develop small molecule drugs for major unmet medical needs. Additionally, Mr. Dunn served as Vice President of Business Development at Aurora Biosciences, a company that developed and commercialized proprietary drug discovery systems and services. He also served in various project management and business development roles at Salk Institute Biotechnology Industrial Associates, Inc. (SIBIA) and its successor SIBIA Neurosciences, culminating as Vice President of Business Development.

Eric W. Roberts
Chief Business Officer

Eric W. Roberts

Chief Business Officer and Vice Chairman of the Board

Mr. Roberts has 30 years of experience in the finance, investment and life sciences industry and has completed hundreds of financings and merger transactions. Mr. Roberts is currently Vice Chairman of the Board of CalciMedica Inc. He has served on the boards of a number of public and private life science companies. In 2012, Mr. Roberts co-founded the investment firm, Valence Life Sciences. Prior to Valence Life Sciences, Mr. Roberts managed the Caxton Advantage Life Sciences Fund which he co-founded in 2005. Prior to Caxton Advantage, he was Managing Director and Co-Head of the Global Healthcare Investment Banking Group at Lehman Brothers. Mr. Roberts was also a Managing Director, Partner and founder of the Life Sciences Department at Dillon, Read & Co. Inc. which was ultimately merged into UBS. At UBS, Mr. Roberts ran the Life Sciences investment banking team. Earlier in his career, Mr. Roberts worked at the Citicorp Venture Capital (CVC) group. Mr. Roberts received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Director of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, the Atlantic Salmon Federation and is a past Director of the American Museum of Fly Fishing.

Sudarshan Hebbar
Sudarshan Hebbar, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer

Sudarshan Hebbar, M.D.

Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Hebbar has over 15 years of clinical development and product development experience in both the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries. Before joining CalciMedica, Dr. Hebbar was a consultant for Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, where he served as the clinical development lead for a global multicenter Phase IV trial. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of Nephrology at Thrasos Innovation where he helped implement a global multicenter Phase II trial of a novel therapeutic compound for acute kidney injury. Before working at Thrasos, Dr. Hebbar served as Medical Vice President and a member of the U.S. Board of Directors at Oncimmune, a company that pioneered the development of autoantibody assay technologies for the early detection of lung cancer. Before joining Oncimmune, Dr. Hebbar served as a Medical Director at Reata Pharmaceuticals, where he was a medical monitor for both a Phase III global multicenter trial and multiple Phase I trials, and the clinical development lead for multiple Phase II trials. Dr. Hebbar began his industry career at Abbott, where he initially served as a Senior Medical Director in the Quality and Regulatory division before transferring to the Diagnostics division, where he supervised a team that provided medical input into product development, supported commercial launches of diagnostic products and led the clinical development of novel biomarkers.

 

Prior to joining Abbott, Dr. Hebbar was a Medical Director at Dialysis Clinics Incorporated and a partner at Kidney Associates of Kansas City where for 12 years he practiced nephrology, hypertension, transplant medicine and critical care medicine. Dr. Hebbar received a B.A. in Natural Sciences from The Johns Hopkins University and a M.D. from Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine, both at Hennepin County Medical Center, a fellowship in Nephrology at the University of Chicago and a fellowship in Clinical Medical Ethics at The Maclean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago.

Kenneth Stauderman
Kenneth A. Stauderman, Ph.D.
Co-founder & Chief
Scientific Officer

Kenneth A. Stauderman, Ph.D.

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Stauderman brings more than 30 years of research and management experience in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, and has an extensive research background in mechanisms controlling intracellular calcium. Prior to co-founding CalciMedica with Dr. Gonul Velicelebi and joining the company in April 2007, Dr. Stauderman was Executive Director of Biology and Lead Discovery at TorreyPines Therapeutics, since its inception as Neurogenetics, Inc. While at TorreyPines, he directed two successful drug discovery programs and one target discovery initiative that led to the discovery of STIM1 as a key regulator of calcium release-activated Ca2+ channels. Prior to TorreyPines Therapeutics, Dr. Stauderman was Director of Molecular and Cell Biology at SIBIA Neurosciences, Inc. (which later became Merck Research Laboratories, San Diego) from 1994-2000 and Senior Scientist at Marion Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (now Sanofi-Aventis; 1986-1994). Dr. Stauderman has authored/co-authored over 50 scientific publications and is an inventor on several patents. Dr. Stauderman received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Daniel Geffken
Daniel Geffken, MBA
Interim Chief Financial Officer

Daniel Geffken, MBA

Interim Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Geffken brings more than 30 years of experience in financial strategy and operations to CalciMedica. As a founder and managing director at Danforth Advisors, he has served as chief financial officer and strategic consultant to life science and biotechnology companies, ranging from start-ups to publicly traded companies with $1 billion+ market capitalizations, including Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Atea Pharmaceuticals, Cabaletta, Cidara Therapeutics, Homology Medicines, Stealth BioTherapeutics and Transkaryotic Therapies. Mr. Geffken has played a key role in 12 initial public offering filings since 2013 and has raised more than $1 billion in equity and debt securities over the duration of his career. Mr. Geffken holds a B.S. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a MBA from Harvard Business School.

John M. Dunn
General Counsel

John M. Dunn

General Counsel

Mr. Dunn has over 25 years of experience practicing corporate law in the life science industry. Mr. Dunn serves on the Boards of Acer Therapeutics, a publicly traded pharmaceutical company, Sharp Healthcare, a San Diego not-for-profit healthcare system, and Biocom and Connect, non-profit organizations supporting the life science and technology industries in the San Diego area. Over the last 15 years Mr. Dunn has also served as a senior advisor to TVM Capital, a life science venture capital firm.

Mr. Dunn recently served as General Counsel and Secretary of Vital Therapies, Inc., a public biotech company, until its merger with Immunic, Inc. Previously, he spent 10 years at Biogen Idec where he was an Executive Vice President and the head of their corporate venture group, which made and managed strategic investments in emerging biotech companies. Prior to the merger of IDEC Pharmaceuticals and Biogen, Mr. Dunn served on the senior management team as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of IDEC where he led its legal and compliance departments. Mr. Dunn was a partner at the law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pitman. He earned a B.S. in finance and a J.D. from the University of Wyoming.

Board of Directors

Robert G. McNeil, Ph.D.

Co-Chairman of the Board (September 2019 - July 23, 2021)

Dr. McNeil had over 36 years of experience as an active investor and management participant in seed and early-stage biomedical companies. He founded Sanderling Ventures in 1979 and served until July 23, 2021, as a Managing Director of Sanderling’s seven investment partnerships. Dr. McNeil was the seed investor for many successful companies including Western Technology Ventures, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems (acquired by Eli Lilly and spun out as Guidant Corp.) and Ventritex (acquired by St. Jude Medical). Dr. McNeil was the Chairman of Ista Pharmaceuticals, GeminX, as well as other entities. He had also served as CEO of DalCor Pharmaceuticals. As an active investor, Dr. McNeil was instrumental in the development many companies, and in the development and management of Sanderling Ventures seven successive partnerships. In each case, close relationships with management and careful understanding of the companies’ technologies allowed successful development of products at very early stage. Dr. McNeil earned his Ph.D. in the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics in 1972 from the University of California, Irvine. He was well known for his love of the sea and restoration of important historical vessels. We at CalciMedica will miss his enthusiasm, vision, and unmatchable energy.

Fred Middleton, MBA

Managing Director, Sanderling Ventures

Mr. Middleton has over thirty years of experience in the biotechnology and biomedical industries in both corporate operating management and as an institutional venture capital investor. At Sanderling, he has worked as an investor, management team member and director in over 20 new biomedical ventures built in Sanderling’s venture investment portfolios since 1988. Recently, he has played an active role as Chairman, CEO or Director of a number of current Sanderling portfolio companies, including as Chairman of Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Stereotaxis, Viacyte and Altor Biosciences. He also served as an early stage investor and director of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, CardioNet, Endocyte, LineaGen, Inc. and Actimis. In 1978, Mr. Middleton joined Bob Swanson and Herb Boyer, the founders of biotechnology pioneer Genentech, Inc., as the third member of the original management team, where he served in various capacities, including Vice President of Finance, Administration, Corporate Development, Chief Financial Officer, and as President of Genentech Development Corporation. While at Genentech, Mr. Middleton successfully completed over $200 million in corporate partnering and institutional funding transactions, which included managing the Company’s (and the biotech industry’s first) successful IPO in 1980. In 1984, Mr. Middleton founded Morgan Stanley Ventures, an affiliate of Morgan Stanley, serving as Managing General Partner of an institutional fund making technology investments. Mr. Middleton joined Sanderling in 1987 as a General Partner and Managing Director to invest in and build early stage biomedical companies. Mr. Middleton earned his B.S. in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971 and received an M.B.A with distinction from Harvard Business School in 1973. In 2007, he was elected to serve as a member of the M.I.T. Corporation.

Robert N. Wilson

Co-Chairman of the Board

Mr. Wilson brings a wealth of expertise in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries, having held leadership roles on boards and been Chairman of various companies and organizations including Johnson & Johnson, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Synta Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Mevion Systems, among others. In addition, Mr. Wilson previously served as a member of the board of directors of Charles Schwab Corporation, Hess Corporation and as Chairman of Caxton Health Holdings, leading efforts in pharmaceutical and health technology investments. Prior to that, Mr. Wilson served in several roles at Johnson & Johnson, notably as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for 15 years and on the executive committee for 20 years. During his nearly 40-year tenure at Johnson & Johnson, he played a key role in the expansion of the pharmaceutical, device and diagnostic programs while establishing the company as a leader in the search for new solutions for patients. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown College in Kentucky.

Lakhmir S. Chawla, M.D.

Chief Medical Officer, Silver Creek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Dr. Chawla joined Silver Creek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2020, and previously was a Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University, where he had dual appointments in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and in the Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension. He was also the Chief of the Division of Intensive Care Medicine at the Washington D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Chawla designed and led the ATHOS 3 Phase 3 trial for La Jolla Pharmaceutical’s FDA-approved drug for shock, GiaprezaTM. He is an internationally renowned expert in the field of acute care and especially acute kidney injury, and is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications.

Allan L. Shaw

Chief Financial Officer, Special Advisor and Board Member to a Portfolio of Biopharmaceutical Companies

Mr. Shaw brings over 20 years of leadership experience managing public companies from a financial, operational, and strategic perspective. He has served on five public boards including chairing two audit committees and two compensation committees, and is currently involved with a portfolio of healthcare activities, including serving as Portage Biotech’s Chief Financial Officer. He is also a five-time public company Chief Financial Officer and an experienced deal executive, who has structured, directed, negotiated and closed over $4 billion in public and private financings for several companies. Previously, Mr. Shaw was the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and was Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal LLC, a global professional services firm, leading their biopharmaceutical consulting practice. Mr. Shaw’s previous experience includes serving as the Chief Financial Officer of Serono S.A., NewLead Holdings Ltd. and Viatel, Inc. Mr. Shaw is the founder and Senior Managing Director of Shaw Strategic Capital LLC, an international financial advisory firm focused on providing strategic financial counsel on a wide variety of issues such as general corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, capital structuring, licensing and capital markets. Mr. Shaw received a B.S. from the State University of New York at Oswego and is a certified public accountant in the State of New York as well as a chartered global management accountant.

Zafrira Avnur, Ph.D.

Chief Scientific Officer & Partner, Quark Venture LP

Prior to joining Quark Venture, Dr. Avnur was the Global Head of Academic Innovation, Roche Partnering 2009 – 2016. She was responsible for creating relationships with the world’s leading academic institutions and world class innovators, gaining Roche early access to innovation. Dr. Avnur was named Distinguished Scientist, the highest scientific appointment at Roche. Prior to her partnering roles, she worked in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics research and development for nearly 20 years and she participated in global committees at Roche that managed the research drug discovery portfolios for both Inflammatory and Viral Diseases. Dr. Avnur has created eleven startup companies.

Eric Bjerkholt, MBA

Chief Financial Officer, Chinook Therapeutics, Inc.

Mr. Bjerkholt most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc. overseeing the financial reporting, budgeting, internal controls, investor relations, business development, facilities and information technology functions and led the acquisition of Aimmune by Nestle Health Science for $2.6 billion.

He also spent 13 years at Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where in addition to Chief Financial Officer, he served in various capacities, including Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Finance, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer.

Previously, Mr. Bjerkholt held senior executive finance roles at IntraBiotics Pharmaceuticals, Inc, LifeSpring Nutrition, Inc. and Age Wave, LLC and spent seven years in healthcare investment banking at J.P. Morgan & Company, Inc.

He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Cerus Corporation.

Mr. Bjerkholt holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Cand.Oecon. from the University of Oslo in Norway.

Fred Guerard, PharmD

Director, Lenz Therapeutics

Mr. Guerard has more than 20 years of leadership, strategic and commercial experience as a pharmaceutical executive. Most recently, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Graybug Vision, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRAY) where he led the company through an $80 Million Series C round and a $100 Million IPO, followed by a merger with CalciMedica in 2023.

Prior to joining Graybug, Mr. Guerard was Worldwide Business Franchise Head of Ophthalmology at Novartis Pharma. He led the integration of the global Alcon Pharma and Novartis Retina businesses and was responsible for a number of deals leading to a significant extension of Novartis’ ophthalmology pipeline, including the acquisition of Encore Vision for the topical treatment for presbyopia; the in-licensing of Lubricin® ex-EU for dry eye; the in-licensing of Luxturna® ex-US, a one-time gene therapy to restore functional vision in patients with biallelic mutations of the RPE65 gene from Spark Therapeutics; as well as the preparation of the Xiidra® acquisition for dry eye from Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

During his 20-year tenure at Novartis, Mr. Guerard held additional leadership positions, including Global Franchise Head of Pharmaceuticals at Alcon, Country Head of United Kingdom and Ireland, Country Head and President of Australia and New Zealand, Head of Marketing and Sales for Emerging Growth Markets Region, Country Head and President of Egypt, and Cluster Head of North and West Africa.

Mr. Guerard holds a PharmD and a Master of Biological and Medical Sciences from the University of Rouen, France, and a Master of Marketing from the international business school HEC (Hautes Etudes Commerciales), Paris. He also serves as a non-executive director of Lenz Therapeutics.

Board of Directors

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