Kirk Dornbush

Mr. Kirk Dornbush has a biotechnology career spanning 15 years. In 2003, Kirk co-founded Iconic Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of a new drug candidate licensed from Yale University, called ICON-1. ICON-1 is a FVIIa-based recombinant protein that targets Tissue Factor, for the treatment of a variety of diseases including wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and cancer.

During his tenure as CEO, he was responsible for all areas of the company including, clinical operations, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, finance, human resources, grant writing and other general and administrative matters. Kirk managed a team of consultants and contractors who designed and implemented all pre-clinical toxicology and efficacy studies to support the company’s first IND filing, developed a cGMP manufacturing process, designed and implemented an 18 patient, Phase 1 study in patients with wet AMD. Kirk was responsible for all corporate financial matters including fundraising, payroll, payables, preparation of financial statements and annual budgets, and management of annual financial audits. From inception through April 2014, Kirk raised approximately $43.0 million in individual and venture financing for Iconic.

In April 2014, Kirk negotiated and closed Iconic’s $20M Series B, venture-backed financing. Concurrent with the Series B financing, Kirk hired William L. Greene, M.D. as the company’s Chief Executive Officer and moved the company to South San Francisco, CA. He remained as the company’s President and COO, helping to launch the company’s first research and development laboratory, negotiate corporate contracts including office leases, clinical trial agreements and CRO master service agreements, manage the diligence associated with its $50M Series C financing. He participated in the design, initiation and recruitment of an 88 patient, Phase 2a study in patients with wet AMD, and helped initiate a Phase 1 study in patients with Uveal Melanoma, manage further development of the manufacturing process and manage a variety of financial, general and administrative matters.

Kirk retired from the company at the end of 2016 and remains on the Iconic Therapeutics’ BOD. In 2017, Dornbush joined Coagulant Therapeutics, Inc. and Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder.