Athena Countouriotis, M.D.
Chairperson
Athena Countouriotis, M.D., is co-founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of Avenzo Therapeutics. She most recently led Turning Point Therapeutics as President and Chief Executive Officer through its IPO in 2019 to its eventual acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb for $4.1 billion in August 2022. During the time period, she and her team raised more than $1.2 billion across multiple equity financings.
With over 20 years of industry experience, Dr. Countouriotis has served as an officer in both public and private companies, led multiple initial public offerings and acquisitions, and guided several development programs to approval in the U.S. and Europe. She previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Adverum Biotechnologies and Halozyme Therapeutics. Dr. Countouriotis also served as Chief Medical Officer of Ambit Biosciences, where she helped lead the company’s initial public offering and was responsible for the clinical development of quizartinib until the company’s acquisition by Daiichi Sankyo in November 2014. Earlier in her career, Dr. Countouriotis led various clinical development organizations within Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb for oncology therapeutics including Sutent®, Mylotarg®, Bosulif® and Sprycel®.
Dr. Countouriotis also serves on the board of directors of Iovance Biotherapeutics, Passage Bio, Recludix Pharma, Leal Therapeutics and Capstan Therapeutics. She earned a B.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine. She received her initial medical training in pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and additional training at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program.
Athena Countouriotis, M.D.
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer
Athena Countouriotis, M.D., is co-founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of Avenzo Therapeutics. She most recently led Turning Point Therapeutics as President and Chief Executive Officer through its IPO in 2019 to its eventual acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb for $4.1 billion in August 2022. During the time period, she and her team raised more than $1.2 billion across multiple equity financings.
With over 20 years of industry experience, Dr. Countouriotis has served as an officer in both public and private companies, led multiple initial public offerings and acquisitions, and guided several development programs to approval in the U.S. and Europe. She previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Adverum Biotechnologies and Halozyme Therapeutics. Dr. Countouriotis also served as Chief Medical Officer of Ambit Biosciences, where she helped lead the company’s initial public offering and was responsible for the clinical development of quizartinib until the company’s acquisition by Daiichi Sankyo in November 2014. Earlier in her career, Dr. Countouriotis led various clinical development organizations within Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb for oncology therapeutics including Sutent®, Mylotarg®, Bosulif® and Sprycel®.
Dr. Countouriotis also serves on the board of directors of Iovance Biotherapeutics, Passage Bio, Recludix Pharma, Leal Therapeutics and Capstan Therapeutics. She earned a B.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine. She received her initial medical training in pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and additional training at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program.
Mohammad Hirmand, M.D.
Co-Founder, Chief Medical Officer
Mohammad Hirmand, M.D., serves as co-founder, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Avenzo Therapeutics, responsible for clinical development, clinical operations and regulatory affairs. Dr. Hirmand has more than 20 years of biotechnology clinical development experience, most recently as executive vice president and CMO for Turning Point Therapeutics, which was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in August 2022.
Prior to joining Turning Point, Dr. Hirmand was CMO of Peloton Therapeutics, which was acquired by Merck in July 2019. Prior to joining Peloton in 2017, Dr. Hirmand served as CMO of Medivation through its acquisition by Pfizer. He played a vital role in advancing XTANDI® (enzalutamide) through clinical trials that led to its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. His responsibilities also included the in-licensing and global clinical development of the poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, talazoparib. Before his 10-year tenure at Medivation, he held clinical development roles of increasing responsibility at Nuvelo, Inc. (now ARCA Biopharma), SuperGen, Inc. (now Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), Tularik, Inc. (now part of Amgen), and Theravance Biopharma, Inc.
Dr. Hirmand received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and his B.A. in Biological Sciences and Economics from Cornell University.
Paolo Tombesi
Chief Financial Officer
Paolo Tombesi serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Avenzo Therapeutics, leading the company’s finance and administrative activities. Mr. Tombesi has more than 30 years of global financial and accounting experience within biotech and pharmaceutical companies. He most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Turning Point Therapeutics, which was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in August 2022.
Prior to joining Turning Point Therapeutics, Mr. Tombesi was the Chief Financial Officer of Epizyme, Inc., where he supported the commercial launch of Tazverik® (tazemetostat) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, and was responsible for capital funding, treasury, tax and accounting. Prior to Epizyme, he was Chief Financial Officer for Insmed, Inc., where he led financial operations and preparation for the commercial launch of Arikayce® (amikacin liposome inhalation suspension). From 2006 to 2014, he served in roles of increasing responsibility for Novartis, including Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Novartis Japan; and Chief Financial Officer of the European Oncology division. Earlier in his career, he served in financial roles for Bristol Myers Squibb in the U.S. and Europe, and Unilever and Johnson & Johnson in Italy.
Mr. Tombesi holds a B.Ed. in Business/Managerial Economics from Sapienza University of Rome, and has completed various executive education courses at Harvard Business School and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Brian Sun, M.S., J.D.
Chief Legal Officer
Brian Sun, M.S., J.D., serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Avenzo Therapeutics, leading the company’s legal functions. He has more than 15 years of experience representing public and private biotechnology companies in corporate, transactional and intellectual property matters. Mr. Sun most recently served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Turning Point Therapeutics, which was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in August 2022.
Prior to joining Turning Point Therapeutics, Mr. Sun served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Sorrento Therapeutics, where he was responsible for managing the company’s legal affairs. Prior to Sorrento Therapeutics, Mr. Sun worked at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, Prometheus Laboratories and Hologic, and served as outside general counsel to early-stage biotechnology companies. Mr. Sun also previously worked in private practice at Foley & Lardner, serving clients in the life sciences arena.
Mr. Sun holds a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law, an M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Scott Lipman, M.B.A.
Chief Business Officer
Scott Lipman, M.B.A., serves as the Chief Business Officer of Avenzo Therapeutics, leading the company’s business development and strategy functions. Scott most recently served on the Executive Team as Chief of Staff at Turning Point Therapeutics, which was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in August 2022, and was an integral part of the business development and strategy, and investor relations teams during his tenure.
Prior to Turning Point Therapeutics, Mr. Lipman worked in Healthcare Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs, where he advised management teams on a range of strategic financial matters, executed financings as well as M&A transactions. He also has worked as a management consultant at ZS Associates, advising biopharma clients on a range of strategic issues, including commercial planning, lifecycle planning, and business development and licensing.
Mr. Lipman received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles and his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Homa Yeganegi
Senior Vice President, Program and Portfolio Strategy and Medical Affairs
Homa Yeganegi serves as Senior Vice President, Program and Portfolio Strategy and Medical Affairs for Avenzo Therapeutics. She has more than 25 years of experience in global biopharmaceuticals, focusing in oncology, product strategy, program management and medical affairs.
Prior to Avenzo, Ms. Yeganegi served as Senior Vice President, Global Program Team Lead, Head of Medical Affairs and Site Head for Turning Point Therapeutics, where she responsible for the global submission plan for AUGTYROTM (repotrectinib) and leading the company’s post-merger integration with Bristol Myers Squibb. Prior Avenzo, Ms. Yeganegi has also held similar roles at Halozyme, Clovis Oncology, Exelixis and Onyx Pharmaceuticals.
She received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Tehran, Iran, her M.S. in Neuroanatomy from the University of Western Australia and is completing her Ph.D. in Health Sciences.