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Kyverna Therapeutics Appoints Mert Aktar to its Board of Directors

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Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (KYTX) has appointed Mert Aktar as an independent director to its Board of Directors. Mr. Aktar brings over two decades of biopharmaceutical experience, combining technical leadership in cell and gene therapy with a proven track record in corporate development. He currently serves as CEO of Receptive Bio and holds board positions with UCLA Technology Development Group and ReAlta Life Sciences.

Previously, Mr. Aktar was Senior Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Development & Strategy at Kite Pharma, where he played a key role in establishing Kite's global leadership in cell therapy. He also held senior leadership positions at various biotech and large pharma organizations, including Shire, where he facilitated multi-billion-dollar transactions and led large-scale manufacturing operations.

Kyverna's CEO, Warner Biddle, expressed confidence that Mr. Aktar's strategic experience and technical expertise in cell therapy will be invaluable as the company advances KYV-101 into later stages of development and builds on its CAR T leadership in autoimmune diseases.

Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (KYTX) ha nominato Mert Aktar come direttore indipendente nel suo Consiglio di Amministrazione. Il Sig. Aktar porta oltre due decenni di esperienza nel settore biofarmaceutico, combinando leadership tecnica nella terapia cellulare e genica con un comprovato track record nello sviluppo aziendale. Attualmente ricopre il ruolo di CEO di Receptive Bio e occupa posizioni nel consiglio di amministrazione del UCLA Technology Development Group e di ReAlta Life Sciences.

In precedenza, il Sig. Aktar è stato Vice Presidente Senior e Capo Globale dello Sviluppo Aziendale e della Strategia presso Kite Pharma, dove ha svolto un ruolo chiave nell'affermare Kite come leader globale nella terapia cellulare. Ha anche ricoperto ruoli di leadership senior in diverse organizzazioni biotecnologiche e nel settore farmaceutico di grandi dimensioni, inclusa Shire, dove ha facilitato transazioni da miliardi di dollari e guidato operazioni di produzione su larga scala.

Il CEO di Kyverna, Warner Biddle, ha espresso fiducia che l'esperienza strategica e le competenze tecniche del Sig. Aktar nella terapia cellulare saranno inestimabili mentre la società avanza KYV-101 nelle fasi avanzate di sviluppo e si costruisce sulla sua leadership CAR T nelle malattie autoimmuni.

Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (KYTX) ha designado a Mert Aktar como director independiente en su Junta Directiva. El Sr. Aktar aporta más de dos décadas de experiencia en biofarmacéutica, combinando liderazgo técnico en terapia celular y génica con un comprobado historial en desarrollo corporativo. Actualmente, es CEO de Receptive Bio y ocupa cargos en la junta del UCLA Technology Development Group y ReAlta Life Sciences.

Anteriormente, el Sr. Aktar fue Vicepresidente Senior y Jefe Global de Desarrollo Corporativo y Estrategia en Kite Pharma, donde desempeñó un papel clave en establecer el liderazgo global de Kite en terapia celular. También ocupó posiciones de liderazgo senior en varias organizaciones biotecnológicas y grandes farmacéuticas, incluida Shire, donde facilitó transacciones multimillonarias y dirigió operaciones de manufactura a gran escala.

El CEO de Kyverna, Warner Biddle, expresó confianza en que la experiencia estratégica y la pericia técnica del Sr. Aktar en terapia celular serán invaluables a medida que la empresa avance KYV-101 hacia etapas posteriores de desarrollo y se base en su liderazgo en CAR T en enfermedades autoinmunes.

Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (KYTX)는 독립 이사로 Mert Aktar를 임명했습니다. Aktar는 20년 이상의 생물 제약 경험을 보유하고 있으며, 세포 및 유전자 치료의 기술적 리더십과 기업 개발에서의 입증된 실적을 결합하고 있습니다. 현재 그는 Receptive Bio의 CEO로 재직 중이며 UCLA Technology Development Group 및 ReAlta Life Sciences의 이사직도 맡고 있습니다.

이전에 Aktar는 Kite Pharma의 수석 부사장 및 글로벌 기업 개발 및 전략 책임자로 재직하면서 Kite가 세포 치료의 글로벌 리더십을 확립하는 데 핵심적인 역할을 했습니다. 그는 또한 Shire를 포함한 여러 생명공학 및 대형 제약 회사에서 고위 리더십 직책을 역임하며 수십억 달러 규모의 거래를 진행하고 대규모 제조 운영을 이끌었습니다.

Kyverna의 CEO인 Warner Biddle은 Aktar의 전략적 경험과 세포 치료에 대한 기술 전문성이 회사가 KYV-101을 개발의 후반으로 발전시키는 데 매우 중요한 자산이 될 것이라고 확신했습니다.

Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (KYTX) a nommé Mert Aktar en tant que directeur indépendant au sein de son Conseil d'Administration. M. Aktar apporte plus de vingt ans d'expérience dans le secteur biopharmaceutique, combinant leadership technique en thérapie cellulaire et génique avec un parcours éprouvé dans le développement d'entreprise. Il occupe actuellement le poste de PDG de Receptive Bio et détient des postes au conseil d'administration du UCLA Technology Development Group et de ReAlta Life Sciences.

Auparavant, M. Aktar était vice-président senior et responsable mondial du développement d'entreprise et de la stratégie chez Kite Pharma, où il a joué un rôle clé dans l'établissement du leadership mondial de Kite en matière de thérapie cellulaire. Il a également occupé des postes de direction dans diverses organisations biotechnologiques et de grandes entreprises pharmaceutiques, y compris Shire, où il a facilité des transactions de plusieurs milliards de dollars et dirigé des opérations de fabrication à grande échelle.

Le PDG de Kyverna, Warner Biddle, a exprimé sa confiance quant au fait que l'expérience stratégique et l'expertise technique de M. Aktar en thérapie cellulaire seront inestimables alors que l'entreprise fait progresser KYV-101 vers les étapes ultérieures de développement et s'appuie sur son leadership en CAR T dans les maladies auto-immunes.

Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (KYTX) hat Mert Aktar als unabhängigen Direktor in seinen Vorstand berufen. Herr Aktar bringt über zwei Jahrzehnte Erfahrung im Bereich Biopharmazeutika mit, vereint technische Führungsqualitäten in der Zell- und Gentherapie mit einer nachweislichen Erfolgsbilanz in der Unternehmensentwicklung. Derzeit ist er CEO von Receptive Bio und hat Board-Positionen bei der UCLA Technology Development Group und ReAlta Life Sciences inne.

Zuvor war Herr Aktar Senior Vice President und Global Head of Corporate Development & Strategy bei Kite Pharma, wo er eine Schlüsselrolle in der Etablierung von Kites globaler Führungsposition in der Zelltherapie spielte. Er hatte auch leitende Führungspositionen in verschiedenen Biotech- und großen Pharmaorganisationen inne, einschließlich Shire, wo er milliardenschwere Transaktionen erleichterte und große Produktionsbetriebe leitete.

Der CEO von Kyverna, Warner Biddle, äußerte sich zuversichtlich, dass Herr Aktars strategische Erfahrungen und technische Kenntnisse in der Zelltherapie von unschätzbarem Wert sein werden, während das Unternehmen KYV-101 in spätere Entwicklungsphasen überführt und seine CAR T-Führungsposition bei Autoimmunerkrankungen ausbaut.

Positive
  • Appointment of experienced biopharmaceutical executive Mert Aktar to the Board of Directors
  • Aktar's expertise in cell therapy and corporate development aligns with Kyverna's focus on CAR T treatments for autoimmune diseases
  • Potential for strategic guidance in advancing KYV-101 development program and scaling the organization for future growth
Negative
  • None.

Enriches Board's expertise in corporate strategy and business development, with vast experience leading biopharmaceutical companies through rapid growth and creating value across innovative therapeutic platforms, including cell therapy

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Oct. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (Kyverna), a patient-centered, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases, today announced the appointment of biotechnology executive and cell therapy veteran Mert Aktar as an independent director to its Board of Directors. Mr. Aktar has over two decades of biopharmaceutical experience, melding more than a decade of technical leadership in cell and gene therapy with a proven track record in corporate development.

"We are delighted to welcome Mert to Kyverna's Board of Directors as we continue to advance KYV-101 into later stages of development and build on Kyverna's CAR T leadership in autoimmune diseases," said Warner Biddle, Chief Executive Officer of Kyverna Therapeutics. "Mert brings an impressive track record of building businesses and creating value through visionary operational leadership, strategic transactions and his understanding of drug development and manufacturing. Mert's strategic experience and deep technical expertise in cell therapy will be invaluable as we chart a course to bring the transformative power of CAR T treatments to as many patients as possible."

Mr. Aktar currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Receptive Bio, a privately held biotech company, and holds Board positions with UCLA Technology Development Group and ReAlta Life Sciences. Prior to joining Receptive Bio, Mr. Aktar was the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Development & Strategy at Kite Pharma. In this position, Mr. Aktar played a key role in establishing Kite's global leadership in cell therapy, architecting strategy and executing numerous deals, which strengthened Kite's R&D portfolio and drove its global expansion. Previously, Mr. Aktar held senior leadership positions at various biotech and large pharma organizations, across diverse modalities and therapeutic areas. Most notably, he helped shape Shire's transformation into a global rare disease leader, facilitating numerous multi-billion-dollar transactions as Global Head of Hematology and Immunology Business Development and earlier leading large-scale manufacturing operations as Global Head of Engineering. Mr. Aktar holds an M.B.A. from MIT Sloan School of Management, a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an M.S. in Engineering Management from Tufts University.

"I am thrilled to join the Board of Directors at this critical time in Kyverna's maturation and growth. CAR T is a powerful modality with the potential to revolutionize patient care. Kyverna stands at the forefront in bringing this innovation to patients with autoimmune disease, having already demonstrated encouraging efficacy and safety across initial datasets with KYV-101," said Mr. Aktar. "I look forward to working with the Kyverna Board and leadership to successfully advance the KYV-101 development program forward and scale the organization for future growth."

About Kyverna Therapeutics

Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: KYTX) is a patient-centered, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. 

Our lead CAR T-cell therapy candidate, KYV-101, is advancing through clinical development with sponsored clinical trials across two broad areas of autoimmune disease: rheumatology and neurology, including Phase 2 trials for stiff-person syndrome, multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis, a Phase 1/2 trial for systemic sclerosis, and two ongoing multi-center, open-label Phase 1/2 trials in the United States and Germany for patients with lupus nephritis. 

Kyverna's pipeline includes next-generation CAR T-cell therapies in both autologous and allogeneic formats with properties intended to be well suited for use in B cell-driven autoimmune diseases.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute "forward-looking statements." The words, without limitation, "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these or similar identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, those related to: the proposed contributions of Mr. Aktar on Kyverna's Board of Directors; Kyverna's prospects and ongoing clinical trials, KYV-101's safety, efficacy and commercial prospects; Kyverna's pipeline and the potential for Kyverna's CAR T-cell therapies to be well suited for use in B cell-driven autoimmune diseases. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties related to market conditions, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Kyverna's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that Kyverna has filed or may subsequently file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on the current expectations of Kyverna's management team and speak only as of the date hereof, and Kyverna specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For more information, please visit https://kyvernatx.com.

Contact:

Precision AQ on behalf of Kyverna Therapeutics
Investors: InvestorRelations@kyvernatx.com
Media: media@kyvernatx.com  

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SOURCE Kyverna Therapeutics

FAQ

Who is the new Board member appointed by Kyverna Therapeutics (KYTX)?

Kyverna Therapeutics (KYTX) has appointed Mert Aktar as an independent director to its Board of Directors. Mr. Aktar is a biotechnology executive with over two decades of biopharmaceutical experience, specializing in cell and gene therapy and corporate development.

What is Mert Aktar's current role outside of Kyverna Therapeutics (KYTX)?

Mert Aktar currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Receptive Bio, a privately held biotech company. He also holds Board positions with UCLA Technology Development Group and ReAlta Life Sciences.

How does Mert Aktar's experience align with Kyverna Therapeutics' (KYTX) goals?

Mert Aktar's experience aligns with Kyverna Therapeutics' (KYTX) goals through his extensive background in cell therapy and corporate development. His expertise is expected to be valuable as Kyverna advances its KYV-101 program and builds on its CAR T leadership in autoimmune diseases.

What is the primary focus of Kyverna Therapeutics (KYTX)?

Kyverna Therapeutics (KYTX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. They are particularly advancing CAR T treatments in this field.

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