Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Rivus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced on Wednesday that it has named Tom O'Neil as chief financial officer (CFO) and Erin Lavelle as an independent member of its board of directors.

In the new role, O'Neil will be responsible for heading the finance, accounting and corporate strategy functions for the company, while Lavelle is to head the establishment of the company's Audit Committee.

O'Neil has over 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, from start-ups through large public companies. He has worked as CFO for Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, Protagonist Therapeutics, Arcadia Biosciences and Sorbent Therapeutics. O'Neil has served as a consultant to Sorbent and a number of life sciences and technology companies. He has also been vice president of finance and administration at ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and Nodality.

Lavelle has over 25 years of strategic and operational leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Previously Lavelle worked as chief operating officer and chief financial officer at ProfoundBio. Lavelle also served as the chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Eliem Therapeutics.