Experience

OncoResponse Inc.

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Oct 2015 - 8 years 3 months

  Seattle, Washington, United States OncoResponse, Inc. is a clinical-stage, immuno-oncology biotech company developing cancer immunotherapies using clues from the immune systems of elite cancer responders. In a broad strategic alliance with MD Anderson Cancer Center, OncoResponse deploys a proprietary B-cell discovery platform to identify and develop novel therapeutics targeting the tumor microenvironment. The company’s lead candidate, OR2805, has entered clinical studies. OR2805 is a fully human antibody discovered using B cells… Show more OncoResponse, Inc. is a clinical-stage, immuno-oncology biotech company developing cancer immunotherapies using clues from the immune systems of elite cancer responders. In a broad strategic alliance with MD Anderson Cancer Center, OncoResponse deploys a proprietary B-cell discovery platform to identify and develop novel therapeutics targeting the tumor microenvironment. The company’s lead candidate, OR2805, has entered clinical studies. OR2805 is a fully human antibody discovered using B cells derived from an elite responder to checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy. Additional pipeline candidates that modulate suppressive macrophage activity are under development. OncoResponse is a privately held company backed by investment from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Rivervest Venture Partners, Qatar Investment Authority, Redmile Group, Magnetar Group, Yonjin Venture, InterVest, Bering Capital, ARCH Venture Partners, Helsinn Investment Fund, Canaan Partners, GreatPoint Ventures, Takeda Ventures, Buchang Pharma, Alexandria Real Estate Equities and William Marsh Rice University. For more information please visit www.oncoresponseinc.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Show less



Theraclone Sciences, Inc.

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Dec 2011 - May 2016

  1124 Columbia Street; Suite 300; Seattle, WA 98104 Cliff was responsible for leading all aspects of a private, venture-backed therapeutic antibody discovery and development company focused on novel antibodies for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer. Leveraging superb product opportunities, a highly talented team, a savvy board, strong investor backing, sophisticated ongoing partnerships and multiple opportunities for future partnerships, to take the company to the next level of value. Theraclone Sciences, Inc. is a… Show more Cliff was responsible for leading all aspects of a private, venture-backed therapeutic antibody discovery and development company focused on novel antibodies for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer. Leveraging superb product opportunities, a highly talented team, a savvy board, strong investor backing, sophisticated ongoing partnerships and multiple opportunities for future partnerships, to take the company to the next level of value. Theraclone Sciences, Inc. is a Seattle-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapeutic antibody immunotherapies for the treatment of infectious disease, and also conducts cancer antibody discovery for OncoResponse. The Company’s validated antibody discovery platform technology is used to interrogate the human memory B-cell repertoire and harnesses the power of the human immune system to identify rare, naturally evolved, broadly-neutralizing antibodies from immunologically relevant human subjects. Theraclone is well known for screening long-term surviving, Elite Responder HIV patients to isolate and recapitulate rare, broadly-neutralizing anti-HIV protective antibodies that were subsequently licensed to Gilead. Additionally, in 2015 Wellcome Trust chose Theraclone to pursue therapeutic antibody discovery from convalescent Ebola subjects. Theraclone is a privately held company having antibody discovery collaborations with Gilead, Pfizer, Zenyaku Kogo and IAVI, and venture investment from ARCH Venture Partners, Canaan Partners, Healthcare Ventures, Wellcome Trust, MPM Capital, Amgen Ventures, Versant Ventures and Alexandria Real Estate Equities. For additional information, please visit: www.theraclone-sciences.com Show less



Calistoga Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Gilead 2011)

• Chief Business Officer

  • Mar 2009 - Apr 2011

  Led the partnering and M&A processes, activities and teamwork that resulted in the acquisition of Calistoga by Gilead for $600 million in Q2 2011. Executive, Leadership and Corporate achievements include: • Negotiated the intellectual property license and company-formation terms with founders and venture-capital syndicate (from ICOS 2006) • Partnered with CEO on all aspects of the Company. Assisted in recruiting additional key executives. Played key role on a very strong… Show more Led the partnering and M&A processes, activities and teamwork that resulted in the acquisition of Calistoga by Gilead for $600 million in Q2 2011. Executive, Leadership and Corporate achievements include: • Negotiated the intellectual property license and company-formation terms with founders and venture-capital syndicate (from ICOS 2006) • Partnered with CEO on all aspects of the Company. Assisted in recruiting additional key executives. Played key role on a very strong executive team. • Led partnering strategy and engagements. Led deal-making and numerous deal negotiations including licenses, ex-North America partnerships and M&A activities. Architect of deal structures. • Assisted executive team with strategic planning, goal setting, budgeting and company-performance evaluation, including compensation and reward benchmarking • Oversaw market research, commercial assessment and valuation modeling of assets to support financing and partnering efforts • Accountable for: Finance, Accounting, Operations, Information Technologies, Facilities, Intellectual Property, Contract Services and Corporate Development functions • Interacted with and presented to the investment community including venture capitalists, fund and hedge-fund managers, bankers, and buy and sell side analysts. Assisted CEO in securing Series B ($30M) and Series C ($40M) financings. Recruited, secured and managed investment-bank strategic advisors • Assisted CEO with presentations to the Board of Directors. Interacted extensively with the Board on finance, partnering and M&A matters. • Assisted CEO in recruitment of CFO to prepare company for an IPO • Secured WW joint venture collaborator for lead product as a precursor to seeking “strategic alternatives” and backup to an exit • With CEO and advisors, managed M&A process and led trade sale negotiations with several parties simultaneously; closed the deal • Managed counsel in agreement drafting for the sale to Gilead Show less



MarketGain Partners

• Business Consulting and Services

• Managing Director

  • Sep 2007 - Mar 2009

  MarketGain Partners focused on executive advisory and business development consulting in the fields of biotechnology and information technologies. Client work included: • Pursued Series A venture financing for a biotech discovery and development start-up company in Shanghai China • Arranged gain share operations and contracts between hospital systems and physician groups in orthopedic device arena • Campaigned discovery stage cancer and CNS therapeutic licensing opportunities to… Show more MarketGain Partners focused on executive advisory and business development consulting in the fields of biotechnology and information technologies. Client work included: • Pursued Series A venture financing for a biotech discovery and development start-up company in Shanghai China • Arranged gain share operations and contracts between hospital systems and physician groups in orthopedic device arena • Campaigned discovery stage cancer and CNS therapeutic licensing opportunities to biotech and pharmaceutical companies Show less



ICOS Corporation (acquired by Lilly for $2.3 Billion in 2007)

• Vice President, Business Development

  • Feb 1992 - Feb 2007

  • Service as Officer (reporting to the CEO) and key executive on Management Committee that oversaw all aspects of the Company including: Research, Development, Operations, Finance, Strategic Planning, Commercialization, Patent, Legal and Human Resources • Head of Business Development (Ph.D.s and MBAs on staff) and the Licensing Review Committee, leading: 1) corporate partnering and strategic alliance formation and management; 2) collaboration formation and team building; 3) sourcing… Show more • Service as Officer (reporting to the CEO) and key executive on Management Committee that oversaw all aspects of the Company including: Research, Development, Operations, Finance, Strategic Planning, Commercialization, Patent, Legal and Human Resources • Head of Business Development (Ph.D.s and MBAs on staff) and the Licensing Review Committee, leading: 1) corporate partnering and strategic alliance formation and management; 2) collaboration formation and team building; 3) sourcing, assessment, licensing and acquisition of product candidates, capabilities and technologies; 4) several strategic initiatives including out-licensing, spin-out creation, mergers and acquisitions and other asset monetization; and, 5) driving organizational change and improvement • Member of the Board of Directors of Suncos Corp. (JV with Suntory of Japan), and advisor to Lilly-ICOS LLC and Biogen-ICOS • Assist CEO with Company goal setting, financing, budgeting, recruiting and performance evaluation processes Show less



Booz Allen & Hamilton

• United States
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 700 & Above Employee

• Management Consultant

  • Oct 1989 - Dec 1991

  Billability was 97% (on 75% target) - Was sought for skills with operations-modeling and financial-forecasting - Interacted extensively with clients during engagements and presentations 1990 to 1991 Associate, Health Services Practice - Developed delivery strategies for healthcare providers, including mergers - Devised direct contracts as alternative managed care plans for several large corporations with >100,000 employees - Positioned hospital systems for shifting… Show more Billability was 97% (on 75% target) - Was sought for skills with operations-modeling and financial-forecasting - Interacted extensively with clients during engagements and presentations 1990 to 1991 Associate, Health Services Practice - Developed delivery strategies for healthcare providers, including mergers - Devised direct contracts as alternative managed care plans for several large corporations with >100,000 employees - Positioned hospital systems for shifting market environment 1989 to 1990 Associate, Strategy Practice - Evaluated and valued an acquisition target for an agricultural chemicals manufacturer - Assessed the international capital expenditure program of a portfolio of businesses owned by a major building products manufacturer; recommendations included pricing and divestiture of several assets - Modeled a competitive cost structure of Canadian beer distribution and created a time-table for free trade legislation initiatives - Analyzed the U.S. market potential for manual transmissions and developed penetration strategies for a major automobile maquiladora in Mexico - Devised and executed a strategy to win an Asian route for a major airline Show less



University of Chicago Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology (MGCB)

• Senior Research Technologist

  • Mar 1987 - Jun 1989

  Laboratory of Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D. (P.I.) - Directed several distinct independent projects - Developed new technologies - Trained medical and graduate students and post-docs, and supervised undergraduates - Published scientific articles and sought patents for inventions developed in the lab