David J. Bearss, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Dr. David J. Bearss is an experienced entrepreneur and drug developer with 20 plus years’ experience in the academic and industry settings. He is an expert in small molecule drug development and in the use of genetic model systems in drug discovery and has deep experience in translational research focused on drug development and the use of genetic markers to predict drug sensitivity. Dave has discovered 16 compounds that have had INDs accepted and moved forward in clinical development and has been a founder of eight biotech companies.

Prior to becoming Halia’s Chief Scientific Officer in January 2021 and CEO in March 2022, Dave was the CEO of Tolero Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma in 2017. He also served as Chief Scientific Officer at Montigen Pharmaceuticals prior to it’s acquisition by SuperGen Inc., and stayed on as Chief Scientific Officer at SuperGen to have oversight on early drug discovery and development. He was the founding Co-Director of the Center for Investigational Therapeutics at the Huntsman Cancer Institute; Associate Professor in the Department of Oncological Sciences at the University of Utah; and Associate Professor of Physiology & Developmental Biology at Brigham Young University. Dave received a PhD in cellular biology from University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX.

Jared Bearss, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

Jared Bearss co-founded Halia Therapeutics in 2017. His prior industry experience includes co-founding Wasatch Scientific and managing the genomic biology department and projects for Code Nutrition. Jared also has experience working in the academic field of life sciences and was Sr. Research Analyst, Lab Manager at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Jared’s experience in both industry and academic sectors of the life sciences field provided him with many areas of expertise including genomics, cell biology, cell culture, western blotting, and molecular biology. His science background and entrepreneurial spirit got him interested in scaling pharmaceutical startups and managing technical and organizational aspects of company development.

Jared has Bachelor of Science in neuropsychology/neurophysiology from Utah Valley University and is an MBA Business Executive from the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah.

Jeff Burton, CPA/MAcc

Chief Financial Officer

Jeff Burton joined Halia Therapeutics as the Chief Financial Officer in December 2020.

Prior to coming to Halia, Jeff was with Tolero Pharmaceuticals where he helped guide the company through several rounds of funding, the acquisition of Tolero by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma for $200 million upfront and $500 million in milestones, and provided support for the successful filing of five INDs and completion of nine clinical trials.

Prior to Tolero, Jeff was at Fusion-io, where he helped the company successfully complete its IPO, secondary offering, several acquisitions, key system implementations, and the eventual acquisition of Fusion-io by SanDisk for more than $1.1 billion.

Jeff holds Bachelor and Master of Accounting degrees from the University of Utah.

Lisa Shamon, Ph.D.

Vice President, Regulatory Affairs

Halia Therapeutics has appointed Lisa Shamon, PhD Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. Ms. Shamon brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, with expertise in regulatory strategies and global interactions for oncology and other therapeutic areas, including rare diseases. Ms. Shamon has led multiple programs in early-phase through late-stage development, including post-marketing, and life-cycle management.

Before joining Halia Therapeutics, Ms. Shamon held regulatory affairs positions of increasing responsibility at various companies including Alza Corporation, Exelixis, Inc., Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc., and Amgen, Inc. Ms. Shamon obtained her B.S. in Chemistry from North Carolina State University and Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Paul Flynn

Vice President, Development Operations

Paul Flynn brings a wealth of expertise to Halia Therapeutics, boasting over two decades of experience in drug development and manufacturing. His knowledge spans various disciplines, encompassing both drug substance, solid state, and drug product.

At Halia, Paul heads the company’s global network of drug development and manufacturing partners, ensuring smooth and efficient operations. Prior to joining Halia, he served as the Head of CMC at Elevar Therapeutics, where he spearheaded the CMC NDA preparation for their lead asset, Rivoceranib. His impressive track record also includes leading CMC at Tolero Pharmaceuticals, where he guided four successful FIH programs and played a key role in the development of the late-stage asset Alvocidib.

Paul’s career trajectory is marked by continuous growth and impactful contributions. Before Tolero, he honed his business development skills at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and held various positions at Regis Technologies, a Chicago-based CDMO. His journey began at Sigma Aldrich, where he gained his initial experience in small molecule manufacturing. Throughout his career, Paul has embraced roles of increasing responsibility, spanning process development, business development, project management, GMP Quality, and regulatory affairs.

Paul’s academic background includes a BS in Chemistry from The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He also served with distinction in the US Army at Ft Hood Texas and Mannheim Germany, showcasing his dedication to service and leadership.

Paul’s passion for the pharmaceutical industry stems from a deep desire to contribute to the development of life-changing treatments for patients in need. His extensive experience, combined with his leadership skills and unwavering commitment, make him an asset to Halia and the broader healthcare community.