GAITHERSBURG, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viela Bio today announced the appointment of Chris Nolet to its Board of Directors. Mr. Nolet brings more than 38 years of financial leadership experience in the Life Sciences industry. In his most recent role, he served as the West Region Life Sciences Industry Leader and Partner at Ernst & Young LLP (EY).

“We are pleased to welcome Chris to our Board of Directors,” said Bing Yao, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Viela Bio. “From rapidly growing VC backed start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, Chris has been an integral player in the development and growth of numerous life science companies, in addition to working with federal legislators in support of improving patient access to innovative new therapies. We look forward to his many contributions to Viela as we prepare for the commercialization, if approved, of our lead asset, inebilizumab.”

Mr. Nolet spent 18 years at Ernst & Young, in various roles of increasing responsibility including leading the West EY Life Sciences Industry Group, while also serving as a Director and member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Audit Committee of the California Life Sciences Industry Association (and its predecessor CHI). Previously, he was a member of the Finance & Investment Committee and Emerging Companies Selection of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and was also active in supporting the need for patient access to innovative new therapies. During his time at EY, Mr. Nolet was a member of the Global EY Life Sciences Executive Leadership Group, a member of the EY Americas Advisory Council, and a co-author and editor of EY’s leading Annual Biotechnology Industry Report.

Throughout the course of his career, Mr. Nolet has led the audit engagements for many life science companies, including Amgen, Applied Biosystems, Genentech/Roche, Gilead, Eli Lilly, Allogene Therapeutics and Denali Therapeutics, and has gained extensive experience in capital structuring and other strategic financial transactions.

Mr. Nolet is a CPA (California) and member of the AIPCA and the California Society of CPAs. He served on the School of Accountancy Advisory Board at his alma mater San Diego State University.

About Viela Bio

Viela Bio, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering and advancing treatments for severe inflammation and autoimmune diseases by selectively targeting shared critical pathways that are the root cause of disease.

For more information, please visit www.vielabio.com.