Baltimore Business Journal

A senior executive with several major biotechnology companies in Maryland has been added to the management team at Alba Therapeutics Corp. The Baltimore biopharmaceutical company said Monday Jeffrey Church was hired as its chief financial officer. We are in the midst of an exciting growth phase, and Jeff's extensive financial, operational, and management experience will be a valuable addition to our team," said Dr. Blake Paterson, chief executive officer for Alba, in a statement. Church brings top-level experience and fiscal management skills to Alba from his former posts. He most recently served as vice president, CFO, treasurer, and corporate secretary at Novavax, Inc.  Before that, he was CFO, treasurer and corporate secretary at GenVec Inc., helping take that company public in December 2000. He will start his new position with Alba on April 23. Alba was founded in 2004. The company's primary research centers on developing a treatment for Celiac disease, a digestive disease that damages the small intestine. People suffering the disease often eat a gluten-free diet. In October 2005, the FDA granted Alba a "fast-track" designation for research and development of a treatment for the disease. In March, the company completed its Phase II study of a treatment.