Dr. Erich Platzer, M.D. – Chairman of the Board; HBM Partners
Dr. Erich Platzer has over 10 years of operating experience in product development and marketing. Previously, he served as Head of Strategic Marketing Oncology at Roche, where he was responsible for various strategic corporate partnerships. Dr. Platzer has many years of direct clinical experience as a physician and researcher. He was a member of the team that purified G-CSF (Neupogen). Dr. Erich Platzer graduated from the Medical School of the University of Erlangen, where he also received his PhD.
Reinhard J. Ambros, Ph.D. – Managing Director, Novartis BioVenture Fund
Reinhard J. Ambros has extensive experience in corporate finance and in the pharmaceutical sector. Prior to being appointed Managing Director of the Novartis BioVenture Fund in August 2005, he held the position of Head of Group Strategic Planning for Novartis Corporate Finance. Previously, he was responsible for post merger integrations at Novartis. Dr. Ambros has also held the position as Global Head of Business Development and Licensing for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases at Novartis Pharma. Before that, he was in leadership positions for key development projects at Novartis and Roche. Dr. Ambros has a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry and pharmacology, as well as focused postdoctoral training in clinical pharmacology.
Peter Feinstein – General Partner, BioVentures Investors
Mr. Feinstein co-founded BioVentures Investors in 1999. He has advocated for, participated in and championed the biotechnology industry for over 26 years. Mr. Feinstein has advised a broad range of life science companies on public offerings, mergers, limited partnerships, private placements, and start-ups. He pioneered the approach of establishing valuation based on scientific and business achievements prior to product sales. Prior to co-founding BioVentures Investors, Mr. Feinstein founded the leading biotechnology communications firm, Feinstein Kean Healthcare. The firm was sold to the WPP group in 1999, after building a stellar reputation and a unique blend of services to support the development of biotech companies and the marketing of biopharmceutical products. Clients included Genzyme, Biogen, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, Abiomed, Novartis, Sepracor and others.
Shaun A. Kirkpatrick – President & CEO, Research Corporation Technologies
Shaun Kirkpatrick has over twelve years experience managing venture investments and technology development programs in the fields of cancer, inflammation, metabolic disease and neurological disorders, and technology platforms related to biotherapeutics and antibodies. As President and Chief Executive Officer of Research Corporation Technologies in Tucson, Ariz., Kirkpatrick oversees RCT's BioVentures investments, technology development programs and special licensing programs in North America, Europe and Australia. Mr. Kirkpatrick is also a member of the operations board for the Critical Path Institute, an institute formed with the FDA, SRI International and the University of Arizona to accelerate the development of safe human therapeutics. Kirkpatrick received his master's degree in international economics and science/technology in international relations from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C., and Bologna, Italy. He graduated summa cum laude from The University of Arizona in Tucson with a dual major in economics and biology.
Fred Middleton – General Partner, Sanderling Ventures
Fred Middleton has over twenty years experience in the biotechnology and biomedical industries in both corporate management and as an institutional investor. Mr. Middleton joined Bob McNeil in late 1987 as a General Partner at Sanderling. Fred was part of Genentech’s original management team, where he served as Vice President of Finance, Administration, Corporate Development, as well as Chief Financial Officer. While at Genentech, Fred completed over $200 million in corporate partnering and institutional funding transactions, including the Company's initial public offering in 1980. In 1984, Fred founded Morgan Stanley Ventures, serving as managing general partner of an institutional fund raised to sponsor R&D funding arrangements at leading technology companies in the biomedical sciences and information technology fields. Mr. Middleton earned a BS in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971 and an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School in 1973.
S. Edward Torres – Managing Director, Lilly Ventures
Ed Torres has over 17 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and venture capital businesses. Prior to his role in Lilly Ventures, Mr. Torres had a diverse set of experiences throughout the domestic and international pharmaceutical businesses, including operational finance, planning, M&A, business development and global marketing roles. As the founding CFO of Lilly Argentina, Mr. Torres was part of the management team that built a successful and profitable business there. He received a BA from Creighton University and an MBA from the University of Michigan Business School, where he was a Consortium Fellow.
Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., F.A.C.P. – Co-Founder and VP, Medical Affairs; Professor, University of Arizona
Dr. Von Hoff is a co-founder of Cylene and provides leadership in the clinical development arena for the Company. Dan is one of the world’s most experienced and respected clinical oncologists and oncology drug developers, having conducted national clinical trials with more than 140 new anti-neoplastic and biologic agents (more than any other investigator). Dan has served as Director of the Arizona Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine at The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, the President of the American Association for Cancer Research, and a Member of the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute. He has served on the FDA’s Oncology Advisory Committee and the board of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his patient care, teaching accomplishments and clinical investigation, including most recently the 2003 Bull Award, presented by the University of Michigan Cancer Center, the 2003 Block Award, presented by Ohio State University, and The Weinberg Award, presented by the Dana Farber Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School.
William G. Rice, Ph.D. – President and Chief Executive Officer
Biographical detail provided under Management Team.
