Isaac Ciechanover, M.D.

EVP, Corporate Development and Chief Business Officer 

Isaac joined us as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Chief Business Officer in June 2024.  

His career has interwoven science, innovation, business, and medicine, encompassing over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, licensing, deal-making, and management. 

Prior to Cytokinetics, Isaac was a partner at Qiming USA Ventures focusing on new company formations. Previously, he founded Atara Biotherapeutics and served as its CEO & President, where he led the IPO and advanced the lead program through Phase 3 development, culminating in its recent approval as the first allogenic cell therapy. 

Earlier in his career, Isaac was a partner in the life sciences practice at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and an executive at Celgene, where he spearheaded the company’s venture capital efforts and led licensing and M&A activities totaling more than $6.7 billion. Additionally, he served as the Global Project Leader for Celgene’s first clinical-stage biologic therapy.    

Isaac holds a B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University, a Master of Philosophy in Epidemiology from Cambridge University, an M.D. from Weill Cornell Medical College, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.  

Isaac lives in the Bay Area with his wife, children, and omnipresent dog, Nutmeg. He can be found enjoying outdoor sports such as cycling and hiking, building Lego sets, and listening to Radiohead.