O'Hara Township-based KaliVir Immunotherapeutics Inc. announced that Schond Greenway will serve as the company's first chief financial officer.
It's the latest move for the biotech company, which employs over 40 in the Pittsburgh area. The firm, which has raised $92 million to develop an oncolytic virus-based cancer treatment, expanded into a larger space last year. In July, the FDA approved the firm to start clinical trials.
"Schond's appointment is a testament to our company's maturation and readiness to elevate our financial operations," CEO and co-founder Helena Chaye said in a prepared statement. "His expertise will be crucial as we advance our mission to redefine cancer treatment with oncolytic virus therapy, execute our key objectives and maximize value for our stakeholders. This strategic addition to our leadership team underscores the remarkable progress we've made this year and positions us strongly for the exciting times ahead."
Greenway previously served as CFO at psychedelic therapy company MindMed (Nasdaq: MNMD) and at biotechnology company Avalo Therapeutics (Nasdaq: AVTX). Banking experience includes work at Morgan Stanley and Barclays Capital.
"Throughout my career, I have made it a priority to be a part of companies looking to advance new treatment paradigms that will make a difference in the lives of patients, and I'm honored to play a role in KaliVir's journey to transform cancer care," Greenway said in a prepared statement. "As the company's first CFO, I look forward to leveraging my experience in biotech finance to build a strong financial infrastructure that will support KaliVir's growth and innovation. I'm excited to join a team that's not only pushing the boundaries of science, but also poised to create significant value for patients and shareholders alike."
The company was founded in 2019 by Chaye and CSO Stephen Thorne, who had each spent over a decade working with oncolytic viruses. In the early 2010s, the field showed significant promise but faced setbacks. KaliVir's technology allows the treatment to be administered intravenously, opposed to others that must be injected directly into tumors.
The company received FDA approval in July to hold clinical trials. At the time, Thorne indicated that it would take about three months for those trials to begin.
