Fractional CFO, Finance Operations and Transaction Support
The Challenge
A clinical-stage company holding an exclusive license to commercialize a monoclonal antibody therapy required a financial partner capable of operating at the pace and complexity of drug development. The mandate was substantive: build and operate institutional-grade financial infrastructure, lead capital raises, develop the rigorous budgeting and forecasting frameworks necessary to resource a pivotal clinical program, and provide CFO-level strategic counsel across the full arc of the company’s growth.
The Strategy
Helmsman was engaged at incorporation as CFO and embedded finance partner, assuming responsibility for building the financial, administrative, and operational infrastructure from the ground up.
From the outset, Helmsman established the full accounting and corporate framework alongside people operations and IT systems. This early investment in infrastructure was intentional, designed to support not only current operating needs but the scrutiny that institutional capital and regulatory engagement would demand.
With the organizational foundation in place, Helmsman supported the initial capital raise, serving as the primary financial interface with investors and advisors and building the financial models and reporting frameworks that established credibility with early institutional backers. The proceeds funded the program definition phase, during which Helmsman worked closely with scientific and clinical leadership to develop the capital plans, milestone-linked budgets, and resource models required to advance toward a pivotal trial.
As the program evolved, the company made the strategic decision to refocus the indication, a pivot with material implications for the capital plan and investor narrative. Helmsman managed that transition from a financial and operational standpoint, reforecasting the program budget and maintaining investor confidence through the period of change.
The strengthened clinical profile that followed created the conditions for a major strategic collaboration with a global counterparty, closing $85 million in non-dilutive financing.
Helmsman’s contribution to that outcome encompassed the financial strategy, organizational readiness, and operational discipline that a sophisticated global partner requires before committing capital at that scale. The financing provided the foundation to advance through regulatory approval and initiate a Phase 3 clinical trial, with Helmsman continuing to provide financial leadership and operational continuity across each successive milestone.
The Outcome
From incorporation through Phase 3 initiation, Helmsman provided the financial leadership and operational infrastructure that allowed the clinical team to execute without distraction. The company initiated a Phase 3 trial for the monoclonal antibody therapy, supported by $85 million in non-dilutive financing secured through a major global strategic collaboration and an organizational platform built to institutional standard.
The program’s advancement attracted a leading global biopharmaceutical company, and the business was acquired in a transaction that delivered a significant outcome for shareholders. Following closing, Helmsman has continued in an ongoing capacity, supporting the entity through its integration as a subsidiary and maintaining financial and operational continuity within the acquirer’s broader corporate structure.
