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Sujal Shah
President and CEO of CymaBay Therapeutics
Sujal Shah is a prominent figure in the biopharmaceutical industry, most notably known for his role as President and CEO of CymaBay Therapeutics. Here are some key details about his career and accomplishments:
Professional Background
Sujal Shah served as President and Chief Executive Officer of CymaBay Therapeutics from 2017 until the company's recent acquisition.12 Prior to becoming CEO, he held the position of Chief Financial Officer at CymaBay, playing a crucial role in taking the company public in 2014.2
Education
Shah has a strong educational background in both science and business:
- M.B.A. from Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business
- M.S. and B.S. degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University2
Career Highlights
CymaBay Therapeutics Leadership: Under Shah's leadership, CymaBay Therapeutics achieved significant milestones:
- Stewarded the company through the NDA filing of its lead compound
- Led the company to a successful acquisition by Gilead Sciences for approximately $4.3 billion in 202425
Previous Experience: Before joining CymaBay, Shah had a career in healthcare investment banking:
- Worked for global investment banks Citigroup and Credit Suisse2
Recent Developments
Following the acquisition of CymaBay, Shah has taken on new roles in the industry:
- Appointed as Chairman of the Board at Tvardi Therapeutics in March 20242
- Joined the Board of Directors at Opthea as a Non-Executive Director and Audit and Risk Committee Chair in April 202435
Leadership Style and Achievements
Shah's leadership at CymaBay was marked by resilience and strategic decision-making:
- Successfully navigated the company through a clinical hold on their lead drug candidate, seladelpar, in 2019
- Resisted pressure from activist investors to liquidate the company during challenging times
- Led the investigation that exonerated seladelpar from safety concerns, allowing trials to resume4
Sujal Shah's career demonstrates a strong combination of scientific knowledge, financial acumen, and leadership skills in the biopharmaceutical industry.
