Changing the Paradigm for Biologics
Our deep understanding of epithelial biology and cell trafficking, combined with our expertise in biologic manufacturing and formulation, leads to a wealth of novel product opportunities for patients across indications and therapeutic areas.
Our technology platform is based on natural active transport systems of intestinal epithelial tissue that grant privileged access to rich biological targets in the gastrointestinal tract or distal sites in the body via systemic circulation, where a broader attack may be more impactful.
Our Five Core Values
At AMT, we commit to patient care by innovating with intention, fostering collaboration, stretching for growth, and always acting with integrity.
Commit to Patient Care
We care deeply about our mission and work diligently to improve patient care. We listen to our patients and providers, advocating for their needs. Recognizing that transforming biologics is a long road, we are persistent in our effort to bring our medicines to patients in need. We are undeterred by challenges or roadblocks. With resilience and deep empathy, we improve patients’ lives.
Innovate with Intention
We innovate with intention. We seek to develop breakthrough medicines by looking at the science and questioning assumptions. We aren’t afraid to take appropriate risks and test our hypotheses. When new inputs or failures change the equation, we flex and adapt, learning along the way. We are scientifically driven, creative thinkers – determined to alter the future of healthcare.
Foster Collaboration
Creating the next age of medicine requires us all. We celebrate our diversity – of backgrounds and expertise – it enables stronger ideas and strengthens our community. We foster an inclusive environment by listening and communicating thoughtfully. By encouraging each voice and staying open, we draw new connections and then put ideas into action. No matter the challenge, we deliver as a team.
Stretch for Growth
To develop a pipeline of life-changing products, we must develop our people. So at every level of AMT, we stretch for opportunities to grow. We are each empowered to own our careers and be proactive with our work. When we have an idea, we run with it, knowing our team will be there to support us, build on our ideas, and provide feedback. We offer guidance and mentorship – it is how we develop the next generation of leaders.
Act with Integrity
Actions matter, so we all lead by example – striving to do the right thing, then the right way. We are accountable to our patients, to our shareholders, to our community, and to each other. We foster trust by sharing the “why” behind out decisions and admitting when we don’t have the answer. We are direct, honest, and always respectful. When we lead with integrity, we move forward, together.
Leadership
Shawn Cross
Chief Executive Officer & Board Chair
Shawn is the chief executive officer and board chair at AMT. Shawn joined AMT as chief financial officer in 2020. He brings over 20 years of biopharmaceutical strategic advisory and capital market experience. Prior to joining AMT, Mr. Cross was at JMP Securities where he served as managing director and co-head of healthcare investment banking. Previously, Shawn held various investment banking roles at top financial institutions in New York, London, and San Francisco including managing director in healthcare investment banking at Deutsche Bank Securities, managing director and head of biopharmaceutical investment banking at Wells Fargo Securities, amongst others. He also brings operational experience from his time on the executive management team at GT Biopharma, a targeted immunotherapies company. Shawn holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles.
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Charlene Banard
Board Director
Charlene Banard joined our board of directors in March 2022. Ms. Banard is the chief technical officer of Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. Previously, she served as the global head, Technical Operations, Cell & Gene Therapy platform of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Prior to Novartis, Ms. Banard was senior vice president, Global Quality, Technical Operations at Shire Pharmaceuticals Group PLC, until it was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. She also served in multiple leadership positions at Gilead Sciences, Inc., Cell Genesys, Inc., and Chiron Corporation earlier in her career.
Ms. Banard holds a B.S. in biochemistry from University of California at Davis and an M.B.A. in transglobal business from Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga.
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Tahir Mahmood, PhD
Board Director
Tahir is a co-founder and current board member at AMT. He was closely involved in the early development of the technology and also led the company’s partnering and corporate development activities.
With a career that has straddled science and business, Tahir previously led the US West Coast Life Sciences consulting practice at Booz Allen Hamilton and was Managing Director at Lake Sherwood Partners. As a consultant, he advised executives across the spectrum of life sciences, healthcare provider, private and public equity investment, and global health organizations.
Tahir is also co-founder and director of MiNDERA, a non-invasive skin genomics company with a technology platform he co-invented and developed as an investigator at The Scripps Research Institute. He served as Principal Business Analyst at Amgen, supporting business development, M&A and strategic venture fund transactions. Earlier, he was at Chienna (acquired by OctoPlus) and IsoTis S.A. (acquired by Integra Life Sciences). Tahir has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and is inventor on issued and pending patents. He received BASc and MSc degrees from the University of Toronto. He holds a PhD in Chemical & Biomedical Engineering from a collaborative program between the University of Twente (The Netherlands) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology and Boston Children’s Hospital.
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Holly Schachner, MD
Lead Independent Board Director
Dr. Schachner joined our board of directors in August 2021. Dr. Schachner is SVP, Head of Clinical Development of North Sea Therapeutics. Previously, Dr. Schachner served as the Chief Medical Officer of DoubleRainbow Biosciences, Inc. from August 2021 to May 2022. From September 2020 to April 2021, she served as Senior Vice President, Clinical Science Therapeutic Area Head at MyoKardia, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on therapies for serious cardiovascular diseases, until it was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb. Prior to MyoKardia, Dr. Schachner worked at Allergan plc, a pharmaceutical company, as the Chief Medical Officer of Global Specialty Medicine from March 2019 to July 2020. Prior to Allergan, Dr. Schachner worked at Sanofi, a biopharmaceutical company, including as the US Medical Chair and North America Medical Head, Diabetes & Cardiovascular Business Unit from 2016 to 2019 and Vice President and Head of Cardiovascular Medical Unit, North America from 2014 to 2016. Dr. Schachner holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Michigan, an M.D. from Stony Brook School of Medicine and completed a pediatric residency and pediatric endocrinology fellowship at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.
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John W. Smither
Board Director
Mr. Smither joined our board of directors in January 2022. Mr. Smither most recently served as chief financial officer of Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. Prior to Arcutis, Mr. Smither was chief financial officer for Sienna Biopharmaceuticals. Prior to joining Sienna Biopharmaceuticals, Mr. Smither was interim chief financial officer for Kite Pharma during its integration with Gilead, and prior to that, was chief financial officer at Unity Biotechnology. Earlier, he served as chief financial officer of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. until it was acquired by Allergan for $2.1 billion. Mr. Smither also served in various roles at Amgen, including vice president of finance and administration for Amgen’s European Division, head of internal audit, and executive director of corporate accounting. Prior to joining Amgen, he served as an audit partner at Ernst & Young LLP, a public accounting firm. He also served on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee Chairman of Achaogen, Inc., and currently serves on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee Chair of eFFECTOR Therapeutics. Mr. Smither holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. Mr. Smither is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants and Financial Executives International.
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Brandon Hants
Chief Financial Officer
Brandon is the chief financial officer of AMT where he leads the company’s finance strategy and oversees financial operations. Brandon brings over twenty years of biotechnology experience in various disciplines from both large and small companies. He has held roles in Financial Planning & Analysis, Accounting, Financial Systems, Treasury, Operations Finance, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing. In addition to providing leadership for the Finance and Accounting functions, Brandon oversees all administrative operations for the company. Prior to joining Applied Molecular Transport, Brandon served as Chief Financial Officer at Singulex, an immunodiagnostics company with businesses in life science research, a clinical laboratory and IVD instrumentation. Prior to Singulex, he worked in Business Planning & Analysis at Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics managing manufacturing and supply chain finance for the diagnostics side of the business. Prior to his time at Novartis, Brandon started his career at Genentech where he held various roles in finance, accounting, and product operations functions. Brandon earned his Bachelor’s degree in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.
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Aaron VanDevender, PhD
Board Director
Dr. VanDevender joined our board of directors in November 2016. Dr. VanDevender has served as Chief Executive Officer since December 2020 at Methid, Inc., a biotechnology company. Prior to Methid, Dr. VanDevender served as Chief Scientist and Principal from October 2012 to February 2020 and as Chief Scientific Consultant from February 2020 to August 2020 at Founders Fund, LLC, a venture capital firm. From October 2010 to March 2012, Dr. VanDevender served as a physicist at Halcyon Molecular, Inc., a company focused on DNA sequencing technology. From October 2007 to September 2010, he worked as a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. VanDevender has served on the board of directors of Emulate, Inc., which creates advanced in vitro human models, since June 2018 and on the board of directors of PsiQuantum, a quantum computer company, since September 2017. Dr. VanDevender holds a BS in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PhD in Physics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
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