3/4/2026, 6:38:12 AM
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — March 4, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Tivic Health Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:TIVC) has appointed Michael K. Handley as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Handley succeeds Jennifer Ernst, who is stepping down after serving as CEO since 2016.
Ernst will support the company through the transition as Tivic focuses on the high-growth Biopharma sector. The company will concentrate on late-stage immunotherapies and the launch of its contract biomanufacturing subsidiary, Velocity Bioworks. Handley’s experience in life sciences and commercialization is expected to guide Tivic’s growth.
Handley has over two decades of executive leadership in the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries. He has experience in regulatory landscapes and commercial launches. He has helped with the U.S. approval and commercialization of seventeen products, generating billions in revenue. His early career was at Amgen and Genentech.
Handley is an advocate for innovative immunotherapies that use immune modulation for disease mitigation.
Sheryle Bolton, Chair of the Board of Tivic Health Systems, said Handley’s strategic vision and operational depth will be indispensable as the company transitions toward late-stage immunotherapies and broader biopharma opportunities. She thanked Ernst for her leadership.
Handley said he is honored to lead Tivic as it focuses on high-growth biopharma opportunities and late-stage assets like Entolimod. He said the company is positioned to deliver value to patients and stakeholders by leveraging its strengths and integrating advanced biomanufacturing through Velocity Bioworks.
Ernst said she is proud of what the company has accomplished and looks forward to its continued growth and impact.
Tivic Health Systems, Inc. is a late-stage immunotherapeutics company. Its lead drug candidate, Entolimod, is in late-stage development to treat ARS. Entolimod is a TLR5 agonist that activates an innate immune pathway to prevent cell death in the bone marrow and epithelial tissues affected by radiation and age. Tivic’s pipeline includes Entolimod to treat Neutropenia and lymphocyte exhaustion, as well as Entolasta, an immunologically optimized variant of Entolimod for chronic applications.
Velocity Bioworks, Tivic’s subsidiary, is a full-service CDMO based in San Antonio, Texas. Tivic uses Velocity Bioworks’ manufacturing capabilities to advance its drug pipeline, expecting lower costs, accelerated manufacturing outcomes, and supply chain security.
Entolimod is a novel Toll-like Receptor 5 (TLR5) agonist that triggers NF-kappaB pathway signaling, activating anti-apoptotic and cell protective mechanisms. Entolimod for Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) has been the subject of trials under the FDA’s Animal Rule and has shown robust survival rates, enhanced gastrointestinal tract recovery, and improved hematopoiesis in animal models.
Source: Tivic Health Systems
