Michael Kauffman

Biography

  Kauffman is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Karyopharm Therapeutics, Inc. Prior to Karyopharm, he was the Chief Medical Officer of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. which acquired Proteolix, Inc., where he also served as Chief Medical Officer, after serving on the Board of Directors. At Proteolix, he helped lead the development of Kyprolis (carfilzomib), a novel proteasome inhibitor approved by the FDA in 2012 for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Prior to Proteolix, he was Vice President of Clinical Development at Millenium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he led the Velcade (bortezomib) development program. Previously Dr. Kauffman held senior positions at Millenium Predictive Medicine, Inc., a subsidiary of Millenium Pharmaceuticals, where he led the discovery and development of novel molecular diagnostics for major cancers and led collaborations with Becton Dickinson and Bristol Myers Squibb, and which was acquired by Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Kauffman was a medical director at Biogen Idec, leading the clinical development of anti-CD40L antibodies in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and working in business development. He also served as President and CEO of both Epix Pharmaceuticals and Predix Pharmaceuticals, leading the eventual merger of the two companies, and was an Operating Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, making investments in biotechnology companies.  Dr. Kauffman received his B.A. in Biochemistry from Amherst College, his M.D. and Ph.D. in Immunology from Johns Hopkins Medical School, and trained in internal medicine and rheumatology at Beth Israel and Massachusetts General Hospitals. He is board certified in internal medicine.

Research Interest