August 5th, 2021
Kallyope Inc., a leading biotechnology company focused on identifying and pursuing novel therapeutics involving the gut-brain axis, today announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Jay Galeota as President and he will succeed Nancy Thornberry as Chief Executive Officer by October 1, 2021. Mr. Galeota also joins the Kallyope Board of Directors. Ms. Thornberry will remain actively involved with the Company as a member of the Board of Directors and will become Chair of Research and Development where she will work with Jay to oversee the scientific activities of the Company and assist in other aspects of its business. Mr. Galeota and Ms. Thornberry previously worked closely together at Merck on the development and commercialization of sitagliptin (JANUVIA® and JANUMET®).
“Since joining Kallyope as the founding CEO, Nancy has demonstrated exceptional leadership in building an extraordinary team of scientists into a highly productive research and development organization,” said Founder and Board member Tom Maniatis, Ph.D. “This leadership transition provides enhanced focus on the expanding pipeline while building out the Company’s other capabilities under Jay’s leadership as the company advances to the next phase of growth.”
“The gut-brain axis represents an untapped opportunity for the discovery of novel therapeutics,” said Mr. Galeota. “Under Nancy’s leadership, the Kallyope team has made remarkable progress in advancing our understanding of gut biology and gut-brain signaling pathways. This, coupled with their exceptional chemistry expertise, has resulted in a portfolio of novel programs with the potential for many more well into the future. It is an honor for me to join such a strong scientific organization with such enormous potential to impact disease, illness and suffering and improve human life.”
Kallyope is focused on multiple areas of high unmet need including metabolism, gastrointestinal function, immunology and inflammation, and CNS disorders. The company’s pioneering platform integrates several advanced technologies which have enabled new insights into gut biology and gut-brain communication, as well as the translation of that biology into novel gut-targeted therapeutics with limited systemic exposure.
“I could not be more excited to have Jay join Kallyope at this pivotal time,” said Ms. Thornberry. “With his deep experience in biopharma, leadership skills, and passion for improving human health he is ideally suited to take the Company through its next phase of growth. I look forward to collaborating with Jay and the team as we advance our fourth molecule into the clinic by the end of 2021, in addition to progressing over a dozen earlier stage programs forward.”
Jay Galeota brings to Kallyope more than 30 years of operational and leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. He was most recently CEO and President of Inheris Biopharma, Inc., a planned spin-out of Nektar Therapeutics, Inc. Mr. Galeota spent 28 years in various leadership roles at Merck and Co., including Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, President of Emerging Business and President of Hospital and Specialty Care. Mr. Galeota holds a B.S. in Biology from Villanova University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.