Cynthia Butitta

Biography

Cynthia M. Butitta has served as our director since November 2017. Ms. Butitta is a seasoned financial and operational executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in both the biotechnology and high-technology industries. Most recently, Ms. Butitta served as Chief Operating Officer of Kite Pharma, where she played an instrumental role leading up to Kite Pharma’s acquisition by Gilead Sciences for approximately $11.9 billion in cash. From 2014 to 2016, Ms. Butitta served as Kite Pharma’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. During her tenure at Kite Pharma, Ms. Butitta was responsible for securing over $1 billion in equity financing and oversaw the rapid growth of the organization. Prior to joining Kite, Ms. Butitta served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired in 2012 by Pfizer, Inc. for $700 million. Previously, Ms. Butitta served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Telik Inc., a public biotechnology company focused on the development of small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer, prior to its acquisition by MabVax Therapeutics, Inc. Prior to this, Ms. Butitta served as Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer for Connetics, Inc., a public biotechnology company. Ms. Butitta received a B.S. degree with honors in Business and Accounting from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, and a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Research Interest

Cynthia M. Butitta has served as our director since November 2017. Ms. Butitta is a seasoned financial and operational executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in both the biotechnology and high-technology industries. Most recently, Ms. Butitta served as Chief Operating Officer of Kite Pharma, where she played an instrumental role leading up to Kite Pharma’s acquisition by Gilead Sciences for approximately $11.9 billion in cash. From 2014 to 2016, Ms. Butitta served as Kite Pharma’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. During her tenure at Kite Pharma, Ms. Butitta was responsible for securing over $1 billion in equity financing and oversaw the rapid growth of the organization. Prior to joining Kite, Ms. Butitta served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired in 2012 by Pfizer, Inc. for $700 million. Previously, Ms. Butitta served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Telik Inc., a public biotechnology company focused on the development of small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer, prior to its acquisition by MabVax Therapeutics, Inc. Prior to this, Ms. Butitta served as Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer for Connetics, Inc., a public biotechnology company. Ms. Butitta received a B.S. degree with honors in Business and Accounting from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, and a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.