Steve Gillis

Dr. Steven Gillis is a managing director with ARCH Venture Partners, joining the firm in 2005. Dr. Gillis is focused on the evaluation of new life science technologies and also on the development and growth of ARCH’s biotechnology portfolio companies. He is a director of Accelerator, Allozyne, Variation Biotechnologies, Surface Logix, PhaseRx, Pulmatrix, and Qwell Pharmaceuticals. He serves as director and chairman of VentiRx Pharmaceuticals, Spaltudaq, and VLST. As a former director and chairman of Trubion Pharmaceuticals (TRBN), he led its acquisition by Emergent BioSolutions in early 2010.

Dr. Gillis was a founder and director of Corixa Corp. and served as the company’s chief executive officer from its inception and as its chairman from 1999 until its acquisition in 2005 by GlaxoSmithKline. Prior to Corixa, Dr. Gillis was a founder and director of Immunex Corp. From 1981 until his departure in 1994, he served as Immunex’s director of research and development, chief scientific officer, and chief executive officer of Immunex’s R&D subsidiary. Dr. Gillis was interim chief executive officer of Immunex Corp. following its majority purchase by American Cyanamid Co. and remained a member of the board until 1997. Amgen, Inc. acquired Immunex in 2002.

Dr. Gillis is an immunologist by training with over 300 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of molecular and tumor immunology. He is credited as being a pioneer in the field of cytokines and cytokine receptors, directing the development of multiple marketed products including Leukine, (GM-CSF), Prokine (IL-2), and Enbrel (soluble TNF receptor-Fc fusion protein), as well as the regulatory approval of Bexxar (radiolabeled anti-CD20). Dr. Gillis received a B.A. from Williams College and a Ph.D. from Dartmouth College.