Our Team
Executive
Management
Team
A select group of individuals with a cutting-edge set of expert backgrounds, leading the industry towards a safer environment for patients.
D. Lynn Kirkpatrick, PHD
Chief Executive Officer- Background in medicinal chemistry and pharmacology, drug discovery and development
- Co-founded 2 start up companies
- Developed three targeted small molecule oncology drugs from discovery to clinic
- Experience in private and public company raising funds from private, public and government sources
Dave Humphrey
Chief Financial Officer- Extensive experience in entrepreneurial environments
- Multiple equity and debt financing, including IPOs
- Focused on financial infrastructure, internal controls with merger and acquisition strategies
Geoff Birkett
Chief Commercial Officer- Held leadership roles in major Pharma. companies in UK/ Germany/ USA and Global.
- Developed several major central nervous system drugs from phase 2 to launch.
- Launched 5 major market leaders including Prozac, Seroquel, Zomig and Nicorette.
- Extensive biotechnology leadership experience in pain space.
Linda Pestano
Chief Development Officer- Experienced in the design of pre-clinical programs focused on building IND-enabling data packages for lead candidate compounds intended for the treatment or diagnosis of cancer and inflammatory diseases
- PhD in Immunology from Tufts, Postdoctoral Research at Dana Farber, Harvard Medical School
Dr. William Schmidt
Chief Medical OfficerOver 25 years of pharma industry experience, with special emphasis on discovery/development of novel analgesic and narcotic antagonist drugs
Jeffrey Millard, PHD
Chief Operating Officer- Industrial experience in CMC (chemistry, manufacturing, and controls)
- 7 IND submissions (CDER, CBER, and IMPDs); directed CMC efforts from discovery, in-licensing to commercial launch
- PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from University of Arizona
Board of Directors
D. Lynn Kirkpatrick, PHD
Career focused on novel drug discovery and development- Background in medicinal chemistry and pharmacology, drug discovery and development
- Co-founded 2 start up companies
- Developed three targeted small molecule oncology drugs from discovery to clinic
- Experience in private and public company raising funds from private, public and government sources
Dr. Bob Gower
Chair of the Board- Former President, CEO and Chairman of Lyondell Petrochemical Company
- Senior VP Atlantic Richfield Corporation
- VP ARCO Chemical
- Sinclair Oil (acquired by ARCO)
- Founder, President and CEO Carbon Nanotechnologies Inc.
- Founder and Chairman, Ensysce
Andrew Benton
President Emeritus of Pepperdine University- Served as the seventh president of Pepperdine University from 2000–2019
- Past Chair of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities
- Member of the American Bar Association
William Chang
Entrepreneur, Realty Company & Movie executive- CEO Westlake Realty Group and Chairman of Westlake International
- Investor in major sport leagues, movies and biosciences companies.
- USA Rugby BOD
Dr. Adam Levin
Academic and clinical orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins Univ.- Vice Chair of Faculty Development for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Associate Professor of Oncology
- Former Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University
Steve Martin
Experienced Senior Executive and Chief Financial Officer- CFO of Armata Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE: ARMP)
- Former Interim CEO, CFO and senior executive of numerous life sciences companies including AmpliPhi Biosciences, Stratagene, Gen-Probe
- 10 years with Deloitte
Lee Rauch
Experienced CEO and Strategy Advisor- Built successful companies from pre-clinical research to advanced clinical development
- Secured financing for private and public biotech companies, along with multi-billion-dollar sale
- Founding member of McKinsey & Co.’s International Pharmaceutical Practice
Dr. Curtis Rosebraugh
Extensive FDA drug approval experience- Former Director of the Office of Drug Evaluation II at the FDA
- Overseen the development and approval of over 50 new drugs
- Former Deputy Director Office of Nonprescription Products at the FDA
- Experience in the development of abuse deterrent opioid formulations
Clinical Advisory Board
Dr. Lynn Webster
Dr. Webster has dedicated more than three decades to becoming an expert in the field of pain management
Dr. Jeffrey Gudin
Dr. Gudin is Faculty Dept of Anesthesiology/Pain Management, Univ of Miami, and Co-Editor of Practical Pain Management.
Dr. Richard Dart
Dr. Dart is the Director of the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center and specializes in emergency medicine and toxicology.
Dr. William Schmidt
Over 25 years of pharma industry experience, with special emphasis on discovery/development of novel analgesic and narcotic antagonist drugs
Support & Partners
