Kyverna appoints Naji Gehchan as Chief Medical and Development Officer

Kyverna Therapeutics (KYTX) announced the appointment of Naji Gehchan, to Chief Medical and Development Officer, where he will lead the Company’s research, clinical development, and medical affairs functions. Gehchan brings 20 years of U.S. and international experience across multiple therapeutic areas, including immunology, as both an accomplished pharmaceutical executive and a physician to this newly established role at Kyverna. Gehchan joins Kyverna from Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), where he most recently served as the Head of Clinical Development for imlunestrant, a novel breast cancer treatment. In this role, he advanced this complex development program from Phase 1 to global submissions, laying the groundwork for a successful launch. Gehchan spent more than 16 years at Lilly, holding key senior leadership positions, including Associate Vice President of Sales for the U.S. Diabetes Team and Chief Marketing Officer/Business Unit Senior Director for Lilly France, Belgium and Netherlands, where he successfully led the launch of Lilly’s immunology medicines. As part of this transition, Dominic Borie, who has served as both the founding CEO at Kyverna and more recently as the President of Research and Development, will move to a new role as Strategic Advisor to the CEO and the Board. In connection with the appointment of Dr. Gehchan as Kyverna’s Chief Medical and Development Officer, on January 22, Kyverna will grant Gehchan an option to purchase 425,000 shares of its common stock. The Option will be granted pursuant to the Kyverna Therapeutics, 2024 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.