Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Strategic, passionate and empathetic executive leader with a deep understanding of Pharmaceutical Development in bringing innovative medicines to patients while executing with a sharp focus to deliver business value for investors. 37 Years of end-to-end pharmaceutical experience, driving pharmaceutical innovations from discovery to commercialization, advancing high-impact drug programs and platforms across broad therapeutic areas, identifying high-value assets & indications, and translating scientific breakthroughs into business opportunities and marketed products. Known for fostering collaboration, efficiently driving execution, and making critical decisions that enhance both innovation and business growth. Adept at balancing technical excellence with a strategic business mindset, seamlessly navigating both large public companies and agile biotech firms. Proven success in leading global teams (US, EU, Asia) to expand pipelines, secure partnerships, and drive corporate growth through innovative discovery, translational medicine, licensing, and business development. Skilled at distilling complex science into clear business opportunities to secure funding and create value for patients, investors, and stakeholders. Key Achievements • 1x CEO, 1x President, 1x Founder, 4x CSO, 2x VP; 6 Pharma/Biotech Co (4 international); 1 global CRO; 3-2500 FTEs • >1000 Investor, analysts & earnings meetings • >$250M raised (public & private) • >100 Business Development (BD) diligences • >100 Pharmaceutical business/R&D collaboration discussions • >10 Clinical & Non-Clinical Translational Research Collaborations • 4 Pharmaceutical partnerships • 2 Company acquisitions • 5 Regulatory Approvals • 3 Commercial Products (Tecfidera®; Zokinvy®; Xolremdi®) • 4 In/Out licensed products (Spinraza®; Fampyra®; Vecabrutinib®; Tovorafenib®) • >170 Patents & Patent Applications • >145 Publications & Conferences • >50 R&D programs (oncology, immunology, neurology, metabolism, diabetes) and rare diseases • ~20 Clinical drug candidates discovered and/or developed for >60 clinical trials • 4 Platform technologies developed (MMPs, Phospholipids, Metabolism, Chemokines) • 6 Investigational Products (Mavorixafor®/Ph 3; BIIB-061/Ph 2; Navarixin®/Ph 2; AMG-222/Ph 2; CT-197; X4P-002) • Responsible for global Pharmaceutical Divisions: Medical Affairs POC with global HCPs, Translational Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Development; Patent & Legal IP, Discovery Biology & MedChem Research, Non-Clinical Safety Pharmacology & Toxicology, DMPK, X-Ray, Molecular Modeling, Global CRO
Transform Therapeutics is an innovative biotech company located in Boston, dedicated to overcoming issues with brain delivery of anti-TfR antibody drugs and the safety concerns (i.e., anemia) that undermine their potential. Transform has created the world's 1st and only proprietary drug delivery technology called BrainFlo that delivers anti-TfR antibodies of all types (Abs, AOCs, ADCs) into brain with unprecedented brain exposures and parenchymal tissue distribution without the risk of anemia. Transform has in its portfolio nearly 40 anti-TfR antibody drug product candidates (NCEs) with exceptional best-in-class brain profiles to treat high unmet-need diseases (neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, CNS autoimmune, CNS cancers and metastases) where high brain exposure is critical and low safety risk of anemia is essential. Our proprietary BrainFlo technology, products, and their therapeutic uses are claimed in 4 Patent Applications with expiry through 2046+ upon grant, not including patent term extensions. If you would like to learn more about our innovative BrainFlo technology and CNS or Cancer products, or to partner or invest with Transform Therapeutics, please reach out via LinkedIn.
Leader and Officer of X4 Pharmaceuticals • Drove discovery and development of X4 products, programs, and pipeline (Leukocyte dysregulation, Infections, Immunology, Cancers), IND-enabling studies, Translational Medicine studies (Phase 2), exploratory analyses of clinical samples (Phase 1-3); and drove business discussions re product opportunities to investors & Pharma companies • Functional Responsibilities: Research, Translational Medicine, Safety Pharmacology & Toxicology, and appointed Medical Affairs-HCP liason • Extensive engagements with HCPs, clinicians, academic collaborators, regulators and government agencies (FDA, NIH, EU), KOLs, pharmaceutical companies, investors and analysts • Obtained FDA approval of Xolremdi® for WHIM Syndrome (EMA approval pending) • Led Translational Medicine studies in Phase 2 clinical trials (leukocyte functions, stem cell analysis) in Chronic Neutropenia patients treated with Mavorixafor (currently enrolling global Ph 3 trial) • Developed next-generation, brain-penetrant, orally-bioavailable CXCR4 antagonist X4P-002 for various diseases and discovered LCM product X4P-003 and dual BTK-CXCR4 antagonist for cancers • Led identification of next therapeutic indications & strategic growth opportunities for Mavorixafor and brain-penetrant X4P-002 • Conducted in-licensing discussions & diligence evaluations with Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies to support X4 pipeline expansion and corporate growth • Contributed to >1000 investor/analyst meetings and earnings calls (Analysts included Piper Sandler, Cantor-Fitzgerald, H.C. Wainwright & Co. and Stifel) • Raised $240M (in partnership with CEO, CFO and CMO) from major investors including Bain Capital Life Sciences and Lincoln Park Capital
Leader & Officer of CoMet Therapeutics • Transformed the metabolic company from single-asset single-disease to building a drug product pipeline and platform, and creating investable business opportunities in broad diseases using novel pantetheine-based Acyl-CoA drug molecules • Obtained Series A financing (BioInnovation, Inkef, Sofinnova, Canaan) • Developed metabolic-signature therapeutic platform (OCR, ECAR) of patient samples; Developed a novel platform to rewire metabolism of immune cells (i.e., Macrophages, T-cells, others) and induce an immunoregulatory response (+/- immune cell differentiation, proliferation, polarization and/or cytokine expression) for potential therapies in diseases of dysregulated immunometabolism, cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases • Led a team of 12 scientists and >25 CROs to discover metabolic modifiers for inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) disorders (MMA, PA, FAO, others) and broader disease applications (Parkinson’s, ALS, cancers, inflammation, autoimmune, muscle degeneration, leukocyte dysregulation) • Advanced multiple drug candidates into development including CT-197 and CT-056 • Numerous Patent Applications filed • CoMet Therapeutics acquired by VectivBio; Ironwood Pharmaceuticals
Founder & Officer of Transform Therapeutics • Created company to discover small molecule bispecific antagonists for cancer and immunology targets (IDO, TDO, A2A, A2B, CXCR2) using Computer Aided Drug Design (CADD) & Structure Based Drug Design (SBDD); CRO outsource model (>8 CROs) • Technology subsequently applied to discovery of dual BTK-CXCR4 antagonists for lymphomas and GBM (Patent Applications: WO2023183652A1 and PCT/US2023/016451) • Led partner discussions with IBM to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based therapeutic platform using Transform Therapeutics’ proprietary drug design algorithm and IBM’s Watson & Drug Discovery Division • Identified selective, next generation CXCR2 antagonists to prevent MDSC-mediated immune suppression and promote activated T-cell proliferation in tumors Clinical advancement pended Phase 2 human clinical trial results of Navarixin® in combination with Keytruda® for the treatment of cancer (Merck 2020)
Leader and Officer of ChemPartner • Recruited as President to strategically re-brand ChemPartner as a leading global CRO (International CRO; HQ in Shanghai) dedicated to life science • Led company and its ~2500 employees to successfully execute the pharmaceutical needs of its >650 pharma and biotech client partners worldwide) • Drove business growth goals of the Company (annual revenue >$100M) • Recognized by pharmaceutical companies worldwide for promoting collaborative partnerships and scientific excellence • Led the company of over 2500 scientists in all areas of R&D research • All research conducted was proprietary to the partner companies and hence details are not disclosed here