Avalyn Pharma Appoints Former Blueprint Medicines CEO Kate Haviland To Its Board Of Directors

Avalyn Pharma Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing inhaled therapies for serious and rare respiratory diseases, announced the appointment of Kate Haviland to its Board of Directors. Ms. Haviland brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, including her time as President and Chief Executive Officer of Blueprint Medicines, where she played a key role in guiding the company’s transition from a discovery-stage organization into a fully integrated commercial biopharmaceutical company.

Lyn Baranowski, Chief Executive Officer of Avalyn Pharma, welcomed the appointment and highlighted the value Ms. Haviland brings to the company’s leadership. She noted that Ms. Haviland’s extensive commercial and strategic experience will be particularly valuable as Avalyn continues to advance its lead drug candidates through Phase 2 clinical trials in pulmonary fibrosis and expand its portfolio of inhaled antifibrotic therapies. Baranowski said Ms. Haviland has a strong track record of helping companies scale their operations and successfully move toward global commercialization, which will be important as Avalyn progresses toward later stages of development and prepares for long-term commercial readiness.

According to Baranowski, Ms. Haviland’s leadership experience and multidisciplinary perspective come at an important moment for Avalyn. As the company continues to develop treatments for pulmonary fibrosis, her insights are expected to support the company’s efforts to improve treatment options and potentially redefine the standard of care for patients living with this serious condition.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms. Haviland said there remains a significant unmet medical need in pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that can be devastating for patients and currently has limited treatment options, many of which are difficult to tolerate. She noted that Avalyn’s approach of delivering therapies directly to the lungs through inhalation offers a promising strategy for improving treatment effectiveness while potentially reducing systemic side effects. Ms. Haviland also said she is excited to support Avalyn’s leadership team as the company advances its pipeline of clinical programs and works toward bringing new treatment options to patients worldwide.

Ms. Haviland most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Blueprint Medicines. Prior to that role, she held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer at the company. She remained with Blueprint Medicines for nearly a decade and played a significant role in the company’s growth and strategic development. 

Her tenure concluded with the company’s $9.5 billion acquisition by Sanofi in 2025. During her time there, she was responsible for overseeing the company’s commercial strategy, business development initiatives, and capital markets activities. She also helped establish and manage several important functions within the organization, including portfolio strategy, corporate development, international expansion, technical operations, and corporate affairs.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Haviland held senior leadership roles at several biotechnology companies focused on developing innovative therapies. These roles included positions at Idera Pharmaceuticals, Sarepta Therapeutics, PTC Therapeutics, and Genzyme, where she gained experience supporting the growth of emerging companies and advancing new treatment approaches.

In addition to her corporate leadership roles, Ms. Haviland is actively involved in several boards and organizations. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at Fulcrum Therapeutics and GC Therapeutics, Inc. She is also an independent Board Director at Bicara Therapeutics and serves on the Board of Directors of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). Outside the life sciences industry, she is a Trustee at the Boston Museum of Science.

Ms. Haviland holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University, where she completed a double major in biochemistry and molecular biology as well as economics. With Ms. Haviland joining its Board of Directors, Avalyn Pharma continues to strengthen its leadership team as it advances its mission of developing innovative inhaled therapies aimed at improving outcomes for patients living with serious respiratory diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis.