KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing small-molecule therapeutics for diseases with significant unmet needs, today announced the appointment of Bilal Arif as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Linea Aspesi as Chief People Officer (CPO), effective October 6, 2025. These leadership additions come at a pivotal time as the company advances the global launch of EKTERLY, its innovative therapy for hereditary angioedema (HAE).
Leadership Strengthening to Support EKTERLY’s Global Launch
“I am pleased to welcome Bilal and Linea to our leadership team as we advance the global launch of EKTERLY,” said Ben Palleiko, Chief Executive Officer of KalVista. “Their expertise in operations and human resources will be instrumental as we deliver on our commitment to people living with HAE. This is an exciting period of growth for KalVista, and their leadership will help ensure we execute with excellence at every level—from manufacturing and supply chain to organizational culture and talent development.”
Bilal Arif, newly appointed COO, will lead KalVista’s global operations, overseeing technical operations, supply chain, manufacturing, and program execution. His role will be critical to ensuring EKTERLY’s commercial readiness and supporting KalVista’s pipeline of next-generation HAE therapies.
“I am excited to join KalVista and collaborate with such a talented and mission-driven team,” said Mr. Arif. “This is a pivotal time for EKTERLY as it transitions from late-stage development to commercial availability. My focus will be on strengthening our operational infrastructure and ensuring that people living with HAE around the world fully benefit from this innovative therapy.”
Linea Aspesi, as the new Chief People Officer, will oversee all aspects of KalVista’s global human resources strategy, including talent acquisition, leadership development, organizational design, diversity and inclusion, and culture.
“I am delighted to join KalVista at this important stage of the company’s growth,” said Ms. Aspesi. “As EKTERLY expands globally, I am committed to shaping people and organizational strategies that will empower our teams and support our long-term vision of improving lives through innovation.”
Extensive Biopharmaceutical and Leadership Expertise
Bilal Arif brings over 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, spanning technical operations, product strategy, and manufacturing in both emerging biotech and major pharmaceutical companies.
Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Operations Officer at Sarepta Therapeutics, where he led large-scale global manufacturing, technical development, and supply chain operations supporting multiple product launches in rare diseases. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Technical Operations at Sarepta.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Arif held senior leadership roles at Momenta Pharmaceuticals as Vice President of Technical Operations, and spent nearly a decade at Shire Pharmaceuticals, where he served in several leadership positions, including Vice President of Product Strategy and Planning and Senior Director of the External Manufacturing Group. His career began as a chemical engineer at Millipore Corporation, followed by leadership roles in contract manufacturing at Altus Pharmaceuticals.
Mr. Arif holds an MBA from Brown University / IE Business School, an M.S. in Biotechnology from Tufts University, and a B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering from McGill University in Canada.
Linea Aspesi joins KalVista with over 25 years of human resources leadership experience across the biopharmaceutical, healthcare, and technology sectors.
Before joining KalVista, she was Chief Administration Officer at Editas Medicine, a clinical-stage gene editing company, where she also served as Chief People Officer. Her leadership helped guide Editas through significant organizational growth and strategic evolution.
Previously, Ms. Aspesi was Chief Human Resources Officer at Forma Therapeutics and Saniona, and Vice President, Head of Human Resources and Office Management, North America at Sobi, Inc.
She also spent a decade at Sanofi Genzyme, holding senior HR roles that supported industrial operations and manufacturing across North America, where she helped lead integration, workforce expansion, and culture transformation initiatives.
Earlier in her career, she held HR positions at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Benchmarking Partners, Inc.
Ms. Aspesi earned her B.A. in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Inducement Stock Option Grants
In connection with their appointments, Mr. Arif and Ms. Aspesi will each receive inducement stock options to purchase 100,000 shares of KalVista’s common stock as an inducement to join the company.
The stock options will be granted under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are considered inducements material to each executive’s employment. The exercise price will be equal to the closing price of KalVista’s common stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on the grant date of October 8, 2025.
The options will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the one-year anniversary of each executive’s start date and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over the following three years, contingent on continued service. Each stock option has a 10-year term and will be subject to the terms and conditions of the KalVista 2021 Amended and Restated Inducement Plan and the applicable stock option agreement.
Looking Ahead
KalVista continues to expand its leadership team as it prepares for the next phase of growth driven by the global commercialization of EKTERLY, a breakthrough therapy designed to transform the management of hereditary angioedema. The appointments of Bilal Arif and Linea Aspesi underscore KalVista’s commitment to operational excellence, patient impact, and a strong, values-driven culture.
“With the addition of Bilal and Linea, KalVista is well-positioned to deliver EKTERLY globally while strengthening the foundation for our future pipeline,” added CEO Ben Palleiko. “Their leadership will help ensure we remain agile, innovative, and deeply aligned with our mission to improve lives for people living with HAE.”
