Orca Bio Bolsters Leadership Team for Cell Therapy Commercialization

Orca Bio, a California-based biotechnology company, is making strategic moves to strengthen its position in the competitive cell therapy market. The company has announced key appointments to its leadership team, signaling its readiness to transition from clinical development to commercialization.

Steve Gavel Appointed as Chief Commercial Officer

In a significant boost to its commercial capabilities, Orca Bio has hired Steve Gavel as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Gavel brings with him eight years of cell therapy commercialization experience, including notable roles at industry giants Legend Biotech and Celgene.

At Legend Biotech, Gavel was instrumental in scaling the commercial group to support the launch of Carvykti, a CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma. Prior to that, he played a crucial role in developing the launch plan for Abecma during his tenure at Celgene.

Orca Bio's CEO, Nate Fernhoff, Ph.D., expressed confidence in the new hire, stating, "Steve is a cell therapy veteran with a proven track record of building and scaling organizations in preparation for commercialization. As we prepare for the commercial launch of Orca-T, Steve brings a perfect combination of background, experience and strategic vision to lead Orca Bio into this next phase of growth and maturation."

Expanding Commercial and Legal Expertise

Alongside Gavel's appointment, Orca Bio has also strengthened its broader commercial organization. The company has added several senior leaders with extensive cell therapy experience to its market access, commercial operations, and medical affairs divisions, although specific names were not disclosed.

In a move to bolster its legal capabilities, Orca Bio has hired Allison Frisbee as Senior Vice President of Legal. Frisbee's background includes her most recent role as Chief Administrative Officer at Kronos Bio and leadership positions in the legal departments of Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Bristol Myers Squibb. Her experience in addressing complex legal and regulatory challenges is expected to be valuable as Orca Bio navigates the regulatory landscape of cell therapy commercialization.

Preparing for Orca-T Launch

These strategic appointments come on the heels of Orca Bio's recent phase 3 data report on its allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy for leukemia patients, released in March. The positive results have set the stage for discussions with the FDA regarding market approval.

The company is actively preparing for the potential commercialization of Orca-T by expanding its workforce across various critical departments, including manufacturing, regulatory, medical, and commercial. These efforts underscore Orca Bio's commitment to bringing its innovative cell therapy to market and potentially reshaping the treatment landscape for leukemia patients.