Lyn Baranowski
Chief Executive Officer
Lyn Baranowski is the chief executive officer of Avalyn Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing targeted medicines for patients with rare lung diseases in need of better therapeutic options. Avalyn currently has two programs in clinical development: inhaled versions of IPF & ILD medicines pirfenidone and nintedanib. With inhaled delivery, Avalyn’s platform promises to fundamentally improve the product profile of the molecules in two ways: by increasing lung exposure at smaller doses than the oral forms, potentially improving efficacy, while decreasing systemic exposure, resulting in improved tolerability / AE profiles.
Lyn has more than two decades of experience leading a vast array of functions in biotech, big pharma, and venture capital firms with a focus in the respiratory therapeutic area. Prior to joining Avalyn, Ms. Baranowski served as chief operating officer at Altavant Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company that successfully built and developed a portfolio of therapies for rare respiratory diseases prior to its 2019 acquisition by Sumitomo Dainippon. Earlier in her career, she served in senior-level corporate development and commercial roles, including vice president of commercial development at Pearl Therapeutics, which successfully developed a portfolio of asthma & COPD medicines prior to its sale to AstraZeneca for $1.15 Billion in 2013; and vice president in a healthcare-focused venture capital firm based in New York. She had previously held roles in business development, marketing and public affairs with Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland and the U.S.
She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from American University. In addition to her role at Avalyn, Ms. Baranowski serves on the planning committee for the American Thoracic Society’s Respiratory Innovation Summit, an annual meeting that unites the innovators, investors, and clinicians who are leading the fight to create powerful new treatments for deadly and crippling diseases of the lungs and airways.
Doug Carlson
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer
Doug Carlson is the chief financial officer and chief business officer of Avalyn Pharma. Mr. Carlson brings over 23 years of experience with a multi-disciplinary background in corporate finance, venture capital, M&A, business development and commercial roles with both large and emerging growth biopharma companies.
Prior to Avalyn, Mr. Carlson served as the CFO and COO of Avenge Bio, a clinical-stage, biotech company focused on developing cell-based immunotherapies. Prior to Avenge, he was the CFO and COO of Ikena Oncology (NASDAQ: IKNA) where he led the company’s $120 million Series B and $144 million initial public offering (IPO). Mr. Carlson previously worked at Collegium Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: COLL) and held numerous roles during his tenure as Vice President of Corporate Development, Business Development and Commercial Operations. At Collegium, he was a member of the management team that led its transformation from a private, clinical-stage company with approximately 15 employees to a publicly traded, commercial business with over 300 employees.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Carlson held senior corporate and business development roles with BTG plc (LSE: BTG, acquired by Boston Scientific), Lundbeck, Inc. (US HQ of H. Lundeck A/S) and Ovation Pharmaceuticals (acquired by H. Lundbeck A/S). Prior to Ovation, Mr. Carlson was an Associate in the healthcare group at Pequot Ventures, the venture capital arm of Pequot Capital Management, Inc. He started his career in the healthcare investing banking group of Cowen & Co. Mr. Carlson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.
Melissa Rhodes, Ph.D., D.A.B.T
Chief Operating Officer
Melissa Rhodes, Ph.D., D.A.B.T is a business operations leader with extensive operational and clinical development expertise in a variety of indications, including respiratory medicines. Dr. Rhodes most recently led metabolic and neurology product development efforts at Kriya Therapeutics. Earlier in her career, she held the position of chief development officer at Aerami Therapeutics and Altavant Sciences, both of which were focused on the delivery of inhaled medicines. Previously Dr. Rhodes managed nonclinical development programs during tenures at Roivant, GlaxoSmithKline and Erimos Pharmaceuticals, where she became adept at evaluating early stage compounds being considered for clinical development. She holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology from Duke University Medical Center and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology.
Howard M. Lazarus, M.D., FCCP
Chief Medical Officer
Howard M. Lazarus, MD, FCCP joined Avalyn Pharma as chief medical officer in 2023, prior to which he was chief medical officer of Altavant Sciences (acquired by Enzyvant). In this role, he was responsible for developing and implementing the clinical development plans for candidates addressing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Earlier, he was a key member of the clinical development and medical affairs team at Boehringer Ingelheim where he worked on the nintedanib idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) program and at Gilead Sciences where he worked on their IPF and PAH portfolios. Prior to his work at Gilead, Dr. Lazarus practiced as a pulmonary and critical care physician at several health facilities, including Oregon Pulmonary Associates in Portland, OR. In that role, he diagnosed and treated patients with complex pulmonary vascular and interstitial diseases such as IPF and PAH.
Dr. Lazarus earned both a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and a Doctor of Medicine from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His residency in internal medicine was at Boston University Medical Center, and he completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of California, San Diego. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and a member of the American Thoracic and European Respiratory Societies.
Jim Bishop
Senior Vice President, Business Operations
Jim Bishop joined Avalyn as senior vice president, business operations in 2023, prior to which he was senior vice president, business operations of Enzyvant Therapeutics. Mr. Bishop previously held the role of senior vice president, business operations at Altavant Sciences where he led the integration and restructuring of the combination of Enzyvant and Altavant Sciences.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Bishop served in business development, operations and project management roles at multiple biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies including Roivant Sciences, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Cabernet Pharmaceuticals and Oxygen Biotherapeutics. He began his career as a scientist at GlaxoSmithKline. Mr. Bishop earned an MBA from Meredith College and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Pennsylvania State University.
Craig Conoscenti, M.D., FCCP, ATSF
Senior Vice President, Clinical Development
Craig Conoscenti, M.D., FCCP, ATSF joined Avalyn Pharma as senior vice president, clinical development in 2023, prior to which he was executive director and therapeutic area head, interstitial lung disease clinical development and medical affairs of Boehringer Ingelheim. Dr. Conoscenti held roles of increasing responsibility within ILD clinical research during his time at Boehringer Ingelheim and was a key contributor to the development and launch of oral nintedanib for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), scleroderma associated ILD (SSc-ILD), and the other progressive fibrosing ILDs (PFILD). Prior to joining Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr. Conoscenti held various titles and senior pulmonary critical care consultant over 17 years at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, CT.
Dr. Conoscenti earned a Doctor of Medicine from St George’s University and a Bachelor of Science in Physiology from Fordham University. He completed his residency at Hackensack University Medical Center, where he additionally served one year as Chief Medical Resident. Following this, he completed his Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship at Norwalk Hospital/Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Conoscenti is a Fellow of the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians and the European Respiratory Society. He received the Norman S Brady Fellowship where he served sabbatical time at the Brompton Chest Hospital in London.
Michelle Patterson
Senior Vice President, Program Management
Michelle Patterson, MBA, PMP is the SVP of program management at Avalyn. Ms. Patterson brings over 25 years of industry experience, spanning multiple therapeutic areas, product classes, and markets. Most recently, she served as VP of Program Management and NASH program team leader at Intercept Pharmaceuticals where she led the resubmission of the NASH NDA. Prior to Intercept, Ms. Patterson served in senior project leadership roles at both large and small biotech companies including Novan, Roivant Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, and Eli Lilly.
She has led six new drug applications over the last decade and has contributed to three product approvals: Taltz®, Gemtesa®, and Rapivab®. In parallel with these major milestones, she has developed fit-for-purpose portfolio and program management processes and tools to improve the quality and reliability of delivery of drug development programs. She is widely recognized in the industry for her drug development expertise and team leadership. Ms. Patterson expertly manages the delivery of key product portfolio milestones by integrating work across multiple functions including regulatory, pre-clinical, clinical, manufacturing and product development.
Ms. Patterson earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. She is also a certified Project Management Professional.
Stephen Pham, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Product Development
Stephen Pham, Ph.D. is the SVP of product development of Avalyn Pharma. Dr. Pham has 25 years of industry experience in inhalation and ophthalmic products, ranging from product concept through approval and launch.
Prior to joining Avalyn, Dr. Pham served as a full-time consultant for Sunovion Pharmaceuticals where from Phase 2 through NDA submission and review, Dr. Pham was responsible for Lonhala® Magnair® (glycopyrrolate inhalation solution for use with eFlow® Closed System nebulizer) product development for the treatment of COPD. Prior to Sunovion, he was senior director of product development at Elevation Pharmaceuticals where he was responsible for Lonhala Magnair CMC until the Sunovion acquisition in 2012. Previously and while at Dey Laboratories (now Mylan), Dr. Pham was an inventor of Perforomist® (formoterol fumarate inhalation solution) for the treatment of COPD and it’s lead scientist through approval and product launch. Dr. Pham was also an inventor of Bromsite® (brofenac ophthalmic solution) for post-operative ocular inflammation and pain.
Dr. Pham is well-published and holds over 20 published patents in formulation and drug delivery. Dr. Pham has a Ph.D. in pharmaceutics, an M.S. in theoretical chemistry, and a B.S. in chemistry, all from the University of Minnesota.
