Kyverna Therapeutics is a patient-centered, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Guided by our core values, Stay True to Why, Collaborate to Accelerate, Lead with Clarity, Boldly Innovative, and Own the Outcome, we are committed to transforming the future of treatment for autoimmune disease. Join us at the forefront of cell therapy innovation and help redefine what’s possible.
Title: Vice President, Lifecycle Leader
Location: Remote
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer
Position Overview
The Vice President, Lifecycle Leader will lead the company’s Program and Portfolio Lifecycle Leadership function and provide hands on leadership of our future indications. This role is accountable for defining and executing the integrated development and commercialization strategy for our programs, ensuring alignment across research, translational science, clinical development, regulatory, manufacturing, medical affairs, and commercial functions.
In addition, the VP will further establish the governance, processes, and strategic frameworks that guide development across Kyverna’s pipeline and provide leadership and thought partnership to program lifecycle leaders. The role requires close partnership with executive leadership to drive portfolio prioritization, investment decisions, and key development milestones.
This role serves as a senior strategic leader responsible for advancing Kyverna’s lead autoimmune CAR-T programs toward regulatory approval and commercialization.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the executive lifecycle lead for future indications and is accountable for the integrated asset strategy across clinical development, regulatory strategy, manufacturing readiness, and commercialization planning.
- Define and maintain the integrated development plan and lifecycle strategy, aligned with the Target Product Profile and long-term commercial value drivers.
- Drive strategic planning for key development milestones including Phase transitions, pivotal trial strategy, regulatory interactions, and launch readiness.
- Ensure program execution is aligned with corporate strategy, timelines, regulatory requirements, and budget targets.
- Lead and develop the Lifecycle Leaders organization, providing strategic oversight and mentorship to lifecycle leads across Kyverna’s development portfolio.
- Establish best-in-class lifecycle governance, decision frameworks, and cross-program coordination processes.
- Partner with the Executive Leadership Team to ensure portfolio prioritization and investment decisions align with corporate strategy and value creation.
- Standardize lifecycle strategy development, program governance, and cross-functional planning across programs.
- Serve as a primary strategic advisor to executive leadership on program strategy, portfolio risk, and lifecycle opportunities.
- Lead preparation and presentation of program updates, strategic options, and decision packages to governance committees and the Board.
- Ensure robust risk assessment, scenario planning, and mitigation strategies are in place across the program.
- Define go/no-go decision points and guide governance discussions around program investment and strategic direction.
- Represent Kyverna externally with key scientific, regulatory, and industry stakeholders.
- Support strategic partnerships, collaborations, and licensing discussions where appropriate.
- Engage with key opinion leaders and external experts to inform program strategy.
- Ensure coordinated execution across all functional areas including:
- Clinical development
- Regulatory strategy
- CMC and manufacturing readiness
- Medical affairs and scientific communications
- Market access and commercial planning
- Oversee the development and execution of key program deliverables including:
- Integrated development strategies and plans
- Regulatory briefing documents
- IND/BLA/NDA supporting materials
- Clinical trial strategy
- Scientific publications and congress presentations
Qualifications
- PhD, MD, PharmD, MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
- 15+ years of experience in biotechnology or pharmaceutical drug development, including significant leadership experience in clinical-stage programs.
- Demonstrated success leading complex global development programs from early development through late-stage clinical trials and regulatory filings.
- Experience serving as a program or lifecycle leader for a major therapeutic asset is required.
- Experience in Neuroimmunology is strongly preferred.
- Strong expertise in autoimmune disease, immunology, cell therapy, biologics, or related therapeutic areas strongly preferred.
- Deep understanding of the end-to-end drug development value chain, including research, translational science, clinical development, regulatory, manufacturing, and commercialization.
- Experience with global regulatory interactions and major submissions (IND, BLA, NDA).
- Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional matrix organizations and enterprise governance structures.
- Ability to interpret complex clinical and scientific data and translate insights into strategic decisions.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in high-growth biotechnology environments.
- Strategic, enterprise-level thinker capable of driving portfolio-level impact.
- Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior leadership and Board stakeholders.
- Proven ability to lead high-performing cross-functional teams in complex, fast-moving environments.
- Strong judgment and decision-making skills in the face of uncertainty and evolving scientific data.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
The national salary range for this position is from $300K to $340K USD annually. This salary range is an estimate of what we reasonably expect to pay for this position, and the actual salary may vary based on various factors, including without limitation individual education, experience, tenure, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. This position is also eligible for bonus, benefits, and participation in Company’s stock plan.
Skills Required
- Advanced degree (PhD, MD, PharmD, MBA) or equivalent
- 15+ years in biotechnology or pharmaceutical drug development with significant leadership experience
- Proven success leading complex global development programs from early development through late-stage trials and regulatory filings
- Experience serving as a program or lifecycle leader for a major therapeutic asset
- Expertise in autoimmune disease, immunology, cell therapy, biologics, or related therapeutic areas
- Experience in Neuroimmunology
- Deep understanding of end-to-end drug development value chain (research, translational science, clinical, regulatory, manufacturing, commercialization)
- Experience with global regulatory interactions and major submissions (IND, BLA, NDA)
- Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional matrix organizations and enterprise governance
- Ability to interpret complex clinical and scientific data and translate into strategic decisions
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in high-growth biotechnology environments
- Strong executive presence, stakeholder management, and board-level communication skills
- Strategic, enterprise-level thinker capable of driving portfolio-level impact and investment decisions
What We Do
Kyverna is a cell therapy company engineering and developing a new class of curative living medicines for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Using its SmarTcell™ approach which includes synReg-T cell and synNotch CAR-T technology platforms, Kyverna reprograms T cells to target and selectively suppress or eliminate autoreactive immune cells. The company’s goal is to develop therapies that are selective, potent and durable to tame autoimmunity. We build interdisciplinary teams that bring a broad range of experiences and scientific expertise together to develop medicines that will free patients from the siege of autoimmune diseases and bring curiosity for exploring and creating the unknown. Our commitment to our employees is to foster an open, supportive, and inclusive environment where we create opportunities for individuals to learn and grow to their full potential at every level. synNotch is a trademark of Gilead/Kite.
