Tag Archive for: BioTech and Pharma

Seema Kumbhat, MD, joins Hospira as Medical Director, Device Development – Clinical Decision Support

Life Science Partner recruits former Vice President, Medical Affairs at McKesson Provider Technologies

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Seema Kumbhat, MD to Hospira to become Medical Director, Device Development – Clinical Decision Support.

Hospira is a $5 B global specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company based in Lake Forest, Illinois.   In this new role, she will be responsible for the customer-relations and the clinical-insights into Hospira’s increasingly sophisticated drug delivery systems.

Kumbhat comes well prepared for the role, as she has led clinical teams and customer relationships in the leading healthcare IT companies.  As Vice President of Medical Affairs at McKesson Provider Technologies, Kumbhat served as the key clinical liaison across large healthcare systems and physician practices for the company.

Earlier, Kumbhat served as Enterprise Clinical Manager and Physician Consultant for GE Healthcare IT Solutions where she managed a team of content experts in software configuration for specific clinical specifications.  She joined industry directly from her surgical residency program to help EPI Systems develop their surgery, anesthesia and enterprise medical record systems.

“Kumbhat is articulate and passionate about making healthcare IT solutions that serve the physicians and hospital-based caregivers with efficiency and real-world solutions,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, President of Life Science Partner.  “Her broad background as a physician liaison and her direct experience in the field of product development and customer support will be a great asset to the Medical Device team at Hospira”

Kumbhat earned her Bachelor of Science Degree (Magna cum Laude) from the University of Miami and her Medical Degree with Research Distinction in Surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

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Tom Vanden Boom to join the Hospira as Global Pharmaceuticals Vice President of Biologics R&D

Life Science Partner recruits former Director of the Biologics Manufacturing Launch Teams at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Tom Vanden Boom, PhD, a senior biopharmaceutical executive in the development, manufacturing and commercial launch of biologic products.

Hospira is a global specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company that develops, manufactures and markets products that help improve the safety, effectiveness and costs of patient care.

In his most recent role at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Vanden Boom was responsible for leading the Biologics Manufacturing Launch Teams for global technical operations manufacturing and supply chain activities supporting the commercial launch of all new biologic products for the company.   Prior to his tenure at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Vanden Boom served as the Department Head of Biological Development at Abbott Laboratories.  In his new role at Hospira, he will provide strategic and technical leadership for the company’s drive to develop biosimilars drugs for some of the world’s blockbuster biological drugs.

“Vanden Boom is a talented strategic leader with an established track record of building highly successful teams and managing complex biological projects,” noted Tom Callaway, President of Life Science Partner.  “His considerable technical and business expertise in the development of biopharmaceuticals will serve Hospira well in its mission to become a global leader in providing biosimilar versions of the world’s most critical biological drugs.”

Vanden Boom earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and a Masters in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  He received his PhD in Microbiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  There, he also completed a post-doctoral in Molecular Genetics.

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Steve Lundy Joins the MicroPhage as Chief Executive Officer

Life Science Partner recruits former Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Vermillion.

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Steve Lundy, a top commercial executive in early-stage diagnostics companies, to MicroPhage, an early-stage company based in Longmont, Colorado. 

Using its proprietary bacteriophage-based technology, MicroPhage is developing rapid assays for the direct identification and drug susceptibility of deadly bacterial strains such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).

Most recently, Lundy was the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Vermillion, where he helped lead the company’s transformation from life sciences to a clinical diagnostics business model.

Lundy previously served as Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for GeneOhm Sciences.  He led the launch of the IDI-MRSA(TM) assay, the first nucleic-acid based test to be cleared by regulatory agencies to replace conventional microbiological culture by directly testing the clinical specimen. GeneOhm was acquired by BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) in 2006.

“Lundy is a seasoned diagnostics industry leader who understands the market and the opportunity,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, President and Founder of Life Science Partner.  “He brings an unsurpassed depth of experience in infectious disease  diagnostics from GeneOhm to capitalize upon MicroPhage’s novel platform for MRSA detection.”

Lundy received his Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.

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Max Wallace Joins Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2) as Chief Executive Officer

Life Science Partner recruits senior biotechnology entrepreneurial and Co-Founder and Chairman of North Carolina Innovation Foundation.

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Max Wallace, a biotechnology CEO and innovative leader, to lead Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, Inc.

ABC2 is a not-for-profit organization established in 2001 with a for-profit mindset and a singular focus: to hasten the discovery of a cure for brain cancer.  Founded by the Case , the ABC2 has an entrepreneurial model of identifying and funding critical research into brain cancer and catalyzing interdisciplinary collaboration works.

Wallace shares the ABC2 passion for using a not-for-profit model for pushing forward new drug development – particularly to treat diseases ignored by big pharma companies due to low prevalence and smaller markets.

Max Wallace is Chief Executive Officer of TheraLogics, an early-stage biopharmaceutical company based on technology developed by Dr. Albert Baldwin at the University of North Carolina.  He previously co-founded and served as President of Trimeris, a public biopharmaceutical company that created and brought to market the world’s first entry inhibitor, establishing a new class of drugs for HIV/AIDS and other viral diseases.  He also founded and developed several other biopharmaceutical companies, including Sphinx Pharmaceuticals Corporation (now a division of Eli Lilly & Co); SARCO (now a part of PPD/Pharmaco); and Cogent Neuroscience.

“Max is a dynamic leader who knows how to bring a team together and motivate them around a common goal,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, founder and president of Life Science Partner.  “He will bring his exceptional entrepreneurial instincts and innovative not-for-profit expertise together to provide the visionary and strategic leadership needed to fulfill ABC’s important mission.”

Wallace received his Bachelors degree Duke University and earned his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville, Florida.

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Steve Hamburger, PhD, joins Exoxemis, Inc. as Vice President, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs

Life Science Partner recruits former Oncology Regulatory Officer for Johnson & Johnson, Pharmaceutical and Research & Development.

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Steve Hamburger, a global regulatory and drug development executive, to Exoxemis, Inc.

Exoxemis is an early-stage biopharmaceutical research and development company focused on prevention and treatment of serious infections and the significant and growing problem of microbial drug resistance.  The company’s myeloperoxidase (MPO) technology is a versatile platform that can be leveraged into multiple product areas, including medical, biodefense, industrial, veterinary, disinfectant, and agricultural applications.

In Hamburger’s most recent role at J & J, he was responsible for a cross-functional regulatory and drug development team and served as a global regulatory officer for the Oncology and Hematology division.  His portfolio included the key biologic PROCRIT.  Previously, he served in a similar role as the strategic and operational leader for the anti-cancer drug DOXIL.  Prior to his tenure at J & J, Hamburger was Senior Regulatory Research Scientist, Oncology and US Regulatory Affairs for Eli Lilly and Company.

“Steve is an experienced regulatory strategist with a broad therapeutic background in the pharmaceutical industry including the areas of infectious diseases, cardiology and oncology,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, founder and president of Life Science Partner.  “He’s a passionate and self-directed individual with a long track record of successful interactions with key global health authorities that will greatly benefit Exoxemis’ platform and opportunity.”

Hamburger received his Bachelor of Science degree in General Science and Biochemistry from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.   He earned a Master of Science in Biology from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana and his PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the Indiana University School of Medicine.

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Charles Deignan joins the Metastatix, Inc. as Chief Financial Officer

Life Science Partner recruits former VP of Finance & Administration and Principal Accounting Officer of AtheroGenics, Inc.

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Charles Deignan, an experienced pharmaceutical finance executive, to Metastatix, Inc.

Metastatix is an emerging pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing effective, convenient and safe small-molecule drugs for a broad portfolio of indications including cancer, HIV infection and inflammation. The company’s initial focus has been on the CXCR4 receptor, a critical mediator of cellular and chemical trafficking.

Deignan was most recently Vice President of Finance & Administration and Principal Accounting Officer for AtheroGenics, Inc., an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel pharmaceutical products for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.

In this role, he was responsible for all areas of finance and accounting, as well as risk management, information systems and human resources for the company.  Previously, Deignan was Division Controller for AAI Pharma, Inc. in Wilmington, North Carolina where, among other financial responsibilities, he directed the financial reporting related to the company’s IPO.

“Deignan is a proven, roll-up-your-sleeves financial executive who understands the challenges of an early-stage company,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, founder and president of Life Science Partner.  “In addition, he brings many other skill sets to the company with his demonstrated experience in human resources, information technology and clinical trials contracting and management.”

Metastatix recently raised a $35M Series B round from a nationally recognized group of venture investors including Frazier Healthcare Ventures, HIG Ventures, SROne, Aruna, and Georgia Venture Partners.

Deignan earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Boston University’s School of Management and is a Certified Managerial Accountant.

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Blaine Knight to join the Southern Research Institute as Vice President of Drug Discovery

Life Science Partner recruits former Vice President, Globalization Projects and Preclinical Development for GlaxoSmithKline

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Blaine Knight, an experienced scientist and drug discovery executive, to the Southern Research Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Southern Research Institute is an independent, not-for-profit center for scientific research providing innovative leadership in scientific discovery, drug development, engineering, aerospace, materials, environmental and energy research, chemical and biological defense, and homeland security.   

With a focus on the discovery and advancement of new, small-molecule therapeutics from the design stage to the clinic, Southern Research Institute’s Drug Discovery Research Division has accomplished innovative research in the areas of cancer, infectious disease and neuroscience.

Most recently, Knight was the Vice President, Globalization Projects and Preclinical Development for GlaxoSmithKline, where he developed a strategy for establishing R&D facilities in Asia and identified opportunities for outsourcing and innovative science from discovery to proof of concept from the American and European GSK sites in Asia.   Knight has held several executive positions at GSK within the Discovery Research Directorate including VP, Strategic Alliances; VP, Screening Sciences; and VP, Systems Research.  Prior to his roles at GSK, he held leadership positions in the Biochemistry Division at Glaxo Wellcome and in the Division of Molecular Sciences at the Glaxo Research Institute.

“Blaine is a strong and talented scientist with global understanding of the process of discovery,” noted Cindi Roberts, vice president of Life Science Partner.  “He will successfully build upon the Institute’s considerable platform and further enhance their reputation as one of the nation’s premier drug discovery organizations.”

Knight received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and earned his Doctorate in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland in College Park.  Blaine completed his National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.

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Carol Gallagher joins the Metastatix, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer

Life Science Partner recruits former SVP, Corporate Development and Commercial Affairs of Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Carol Gallagher, an experienced biotechnology and pharmaceutical executive, to Metastatix, Inc. 

Metastatix is an emerging pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing effective, convenient and safe small-molecule drugs for a broad portfolio of indications including cancer, HIV infection and inflammation.  The company’s initial focus has been on the CXCR4 receptor, a critical mediator of cellular and chemical trafficking.

Gallagher was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Commercial Affairs for Anadys Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company committed to the development and commercialization of small-molecule medicines for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cancer, where she was responsible for commercial and portfolio leadership, business development and strategic planning. 

Earlier, Gallagher was Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Planning for the CancerVax Corporation where she successfully led all aspects of commercial planning and product development for the launch of a Phase III oncology product and the alliance with Serono Pharmaceuticals.  Throughout her career, Gallagher held leadership positions at Biogen Idec, Agouron/Pfizer, Amgen and Eli Lilly and Company.

“Carol is a well networked and experienced marketing and commercialization executive in the field of biotechnology drug development for oncology markets,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, founder and president of Life Science Partner.  “We welcome her to our hometown of Atlanta where she’ll lead Metastatix’ broad portfolio platform through all phases of building a world class biotechnology company.”

Metastatix recently raised a $35M Series B round from a nationally recognized group of venture investors including Frazier Healthcare Ventures, HIG Ventures, SROne, Aruna, and Georgia Ventures Partners.

Gallagher earned her undergraduate degree from the College of Arts and Sciences at Vanderbilt University and received her Doctor of Pharmacy and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Kentucky.

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Edward Cannon to join the AerovectRx Corporation as Chief Executive Officer

Life Science Partner recruits former CEO of AdipoGenix, Inc.

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Ed Cannon, an entrepreneurial pharmaceutical executive, to AerovectRx Corporation. 

AerovectRx is an early-stage aerosol therapeutic development company capitalizing upon its unique AeroCell™ disposable drug cartridge to improve patient compliance, eliminate multi-user cross contamination, and deliver a wide variety of vaccine and therapies.   Licensed from the Centers for Disease Control, the delivery platform has the potential to improve vaccines, pulmonary drugs, and lung-delivered therapeutics for systemic diseases.

Cannon was the founder and CEO of AdipoGenix, Inc., an early stage biopharmaceutical company utilizing a novel drug discovery technology to isolate fat precursor cells and identify small molecule drug candidates that treat obesity and its co-morbidities.  He was responsible for building a management and scientific team, creating strategy around the technology platform, and raising capital for the company.  Earlier, Cannon was the founding CEO of Elixir Pharmaceuticals, where he successfully led the team through Series A and B funding and three major discovery programs, each with a lead series of compounds.  In addition, Cannon was co-founder of Dyax Corporation where he was president of the therapeutics and diagnostics division.

“Ed is the consummate start-up biotech executive who understands the complexity of drug discovery and development, while executing on fundraising and business development activities,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, founder and president of Life Science Partner.  “Working with founder Matthew Kim, Cannon will move the company’s platform to create new aerosol therapeutics through partnerships and the company’s own molecules.”

Cannon will build a start-up team overseeing research and product development, clinical and regulatory, operations and sales and marketing.

Cannon received a Bachelor of Science degree, a Masters in Statistics and Computer Sciences and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Georgia.  He completed his postdoctoral training in Molecular Immunology at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

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Jeffrey Gross, PhD, joins Angiotech Pharmaceuticals as Vice President of Engineering

Life Science Partner recruits former Group Director, Biologics Research and Development of Medtronic Sofamor Danek.

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Jeffrey Gross, PhD, former Group Director of Biologics R & D at Medtronic Sofamor Danek in Memphis, Tennessee, as Vice President of Engineering. 

Angiotech is the world leader in the emerging field of drug-eluting medical devices and biomaterials.   With an accelerated program to integrate pharmaceutical and biologically active materials to improve its products, Gross will lead the discovery team to capitalize upon Angiotech’s considerable intellectual property portfolio to create breakthrough products.

In Jeff’s previous role at Medtronic, he led large multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers in the development of heart valves and, more recently, in innovative, next-generation biological products for spine and cranial surgeons.

“Jeff has a broad cardiovascular product background and is well-grounded in biological and mechanical medical device development,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, founder and president of Life Science Partner.  “He knows how to lead cross-functional teams across multiple technologies to bridge the combination product development divide successfully.”

In his role as Vice President of Engineering, Jeff will provide strategic and tactical direction for engineering R & D across multiple complex device platforms within numerous sites and divisions of Angiotech.  His teams will bridge the continuum from product concept through design review phases, and pilot manufacturing and transfer.

Jeff earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and his M.S in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Houston.   He received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering (Biofluid Mechanics) from the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee.

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