David Bearss

October 30, 2023

Dr. David J. Bearss is an experienced entrepreneur and drug developer with 20 plus years’ experience in the academic and industry settings. He is an expert in small molecule drug development and in the use of genetic model systems in drug discovery and has deep experience in translational research focused on drug development and the use of genetic markers to predict drug sensitivity. Dave has discovered 16 compounds that have had INDs accepted and moved forward in clinical development and has been a founder of eight biotech companies.

Prior to becoming Halia’s Chief Scientific Officer in January 2021 and CEO in March 2022, Dave was the CEO of Tolero Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma in 2017. He also served as Chief Scientific Officer at Montigen Pharmaceuticals prior to it’s acquisition by SuperGen Inc., and stayed on as Chief Scientific Officer at SuperGen to have oversight on early drug discovery and development. He was the founding Co-Director of the Center for Investigational Therapeutics at the Huntsman Cancer Institute; Associate Professor in the Department of Oncological Sciences at the University of Utah; and Associate Professor of Physiology & Developmental Biology at Brigham Young University. Dave received a PhD in cellular biology from University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX.