Meet the Start-ups

Safia K. Rizvi | CEO | CILA Therapeutics

Safia Rizvi is the CEO of CILA Therapeutics and a proven leader in the biopharma industry with more than two decades of experience spanning the entire value chain from drug discovery to commercialization of small molecule vaccines, antibodies, and cell & gene therapy. She leverages her R&D and business expertise and drives success by enhancing pipelines, accelerating regulatory approvals, optimizing reimbursement, and creating value.

She serves on the board of Kermode Biotechnologies and has served in leadership roles in R&D, Corporate Strategy, Marketing, P&L Management, and Consulting at GSK, MedImmune (AZ), UCB, Galderma, and Caravan Biologix. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and Biochemistry and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

In her spare time, she mentors young female leaders. She enjoys cooking, eating, reading yoga and meditation.

CILA THERAPEUTICS

CILA THERAPEUTICS is dedicated to respiratory health and focused on innovative treatments to help patients breathe easily and protect their lungs from irreversible damage. We own 100% of the robust IP portfolio that will generate value for investors and patients through the development of:

1. First-in-class, novel, inhaled therapeutics (de-risked) for the treatment of Airway Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (AOPD) including COPD, Bronchiectasis, severe Asthma, Cystic fibrosis, and more to address a critical unmet need for ~20 million patients in the US and > 200 million globally. Our lead candidate CIL-05 can enter clinical studies in 12 months for our first indication, Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD), an orphan genetic disease. The path to approval is clearly defined after pre-IND meetings with the FDA.

2. A co-therapy platform to improve (3X) the transfection efficiency of nucleic acid therapeutics (RNA, DNA) delivery, increasing the efficacy and safety of these therapeutics for lung diseases, including lung cancer.

CILA is led by an experienced team with a proven track record of developing and commercializing multiple drugs in the U.S., EU, and APAC.