About Halia Therapeutics

Keoni Kauwe

Halia Therapeutics, headquartered in Lehi, Utah, is committed to developing innovative therapies that improve patients’ lives worldwide.

Halia Therapeutics was founded in 2017 by Dr. John “Keoni” Kauwe, who discovered a family with the APOE4 genetic mutation, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, yet none developed the illness. He found a protective gene mutation in RAB10, which led to the mission of translating this discovery into a therapy for Alzheimer’s. Initially, the focus was on transforming the protective gene mutation into a novel Alzheimer’s treatment. However, the mutation also provided resilience to inflammatory stimuli, a key driver of neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer’s. This crucial finding became the cornerstone of Halia’s mission.3,4

Recognizing the link between inflammation and numerous chronic diseases, including Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and various disorders of the skin, intestines, and liver, Halia expanded its vision.1 The company is pioneering a method to disrupt chronic inflammation through a specific inflammatory pathway, potentially treating many diseases.

Halia is developing a pipeline of therapeutics targeting the RAB10 pathway, with LRRK2 upstream and NEK7 downstream, directly addressing the NLRP3 inflammasome.29,30 These targets aim to reduce inflammation and reset the inflammatory pathway. Halia is in the early stages of clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of this approach in patients. Pre-clinical studies have shown promising results in suppressing inflammatory signals across various organs, from the brain to the skin.

David Bearss

David J. Bearss, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Dr. David J. Bearss, a serial entrepreneur and pharmaceutical innovator, has over two decades of experience spanning academic and industrial roles. His expertise lies at the intersection of structure-based small-molecule drug discovery and the utilization of genetic model systems for drug discovery. Dr. Bearss’s career is marked by significant achievements, with a strong foundation in translational research focused on drug advancement to the clinic and using genetic markers for predictive drug sensitivity.

Notably, Dr. Bearss has discovered 16 compounds that have successfully navigated from discovery in the lab to IND into clinical development. His entrepreneurial experience is evident through his roles as the co-founder of eight biotechnology companies. More importantly, his unwavering commitment to advancing novel drug development truly sets him apart.

Before taking on his role as chief scientific officer at Halia in January 2021 and assuming the CEO position in March 2022, Dr. Bearss served as the CEO of Tolero Pharmaceuticals, an organization later acquired by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma in 2017. His tenure as chief scientific officer at Montigen Pharmaceuticals, followed by its acquisition by SuperGen Inc., demonstrates his dedication to driving early-stage drug discovery and development. At SuperGen, he continued to develop his expertise in these critical areas.

Dr. Bearss’s academic career is equally impressive. It led to his founding role as the Center for Investigational Therapeutics Co-Director at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. He also held academic positions as an Associate Professor in the Department of Oncological Sciences at the University of Utah and as an Associate Professor of Physiology and Developmental Biology at Brigham Young University, demonstrating his deep knowledge and expertise in these fields.

Dr. Bearss’s academic career began with a Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Institute for Drug Development at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center also in Texas. He has won several awards for his entrepreneurial and scientific achievements, including the Utah Governor’s Medal of Science and BIO Utah Entrepreneur of the Year.

Jared Bearss

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.

Margit Janat-Amsbury

Margit Janat-Amsbury, MD, Ph.D.

Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Janát-Amsbury is an experienced leader of cross-functional early development teams in oncology. With 20+ years of experience in academic and industry settings, she has guided numerous oncology assets through Phase 1/2 development and has extensive experience in translational research focused on drug delivery and disease modeling.

​Prior to joining Halia Therapeutics as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Janát-Amsbury served as an Executive Medical Director in Early Oncology Development at Amgen and was also the Product Team Lead for Amgen’s prostate portfolio. Before joining Amgen, she oversaw the development of multiple small molecules at Tolero Pharmaceuticals, which Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma acquired in 2017. Dr. Janát-Amsbury has held faculty appointments with the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, as well as the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Utah, where she also served as Co-Director of the Center for Nanomedicine. Dr. Janát-Amsbury received her MD and Ph.D. from the Albertus Magnus University in Cologne, Germany.

Jeff Burton

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

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 - Halia Therapeutics

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.

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Careers

Halia Works With The Best

We appreciate your inquiry into careers at Halia Therapeutics. If you desire to contribute your unique expertise, talent, and abilities to our team and help change the world of drug discovery, we encourage you to contact us for information about career opportunities and job openings. Correspondence pertaining to job inquiries, opportunities, and offers will only be sent to candidates and applicants through a bonafide company email address that contains an “@haliatx.com” email extension.