Led by CEO and Founder Peter B. Heifetz, Ph.D., and Chairman Cam Garner, the OrPro team has brought multiple therapeutics through to commercialization and founded and grown through exit over a dozen public and private companies.
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Cam Garner
Board Chairman
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Cam Garner is a pharmaceutical executive with over 40 years of diverse experience in the healthcare industry ranging from diagnostics and devices to pharmaceuticals. He was part of the senior management team that built Hybritech, Inc. After facilitating the acquisition of Dura Pharmaceuticals, in 1989 for $5 million, Mr. Garner served as chief executive officer and chairman until the company was sold in November 2000 for $1.8 billion to Elan Corporation. During his tenure at Dura, annual revenues grew from $2 million to more than $300 million. In addition to OrPro, Mr. Garner has founded and co-founded numerous specialty pharmaceutical companies in San Diego including Alastin Skincare, Cadence Pharmaceuticals, DJ Pharma, Elevation Pharmaceuticals, Evoke Pharma, Kalyra Pharmaceuticals, Meritage Pharma, Neurelis, SkinMedica, Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Tokalas, Verus Pharmaceuticals, Xcel Pharmaceuticals, Zavante Therapeutics, and Zogenix. Mr. Garner currently also serves as chairman of Evoke, Kalyra, OrPro, and Zogenix. He is also chairman-elect and serves on the executive committee of UCSD Moores Cancer Center in San Diego. Mr. Garner earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Wesleyan College and an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College.
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Peter B. Heifetz, Ph.D.
Director, OrPro President and CEO
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Peter Heifetz, Ph.D. has over 25 years senior R&D management and discovery/development experience in biotech and biopharma focused on the IP – R&D – business interface and has held chief scientific officer and corporate development positions at venture-backed companies Rincon Pharmaceuticals Inc, GreenFuel Technologies, and ERA Biotech SA. Dr. Heifetz began his industry career at Ciba-Geigy Biotechnology Research in RTP, North Carolina and held positions of increasing responsibility with Novartis Corporation (NYSE:NVS) and the Novartis Research Foundation, then transitioned to the global life sciences company Syngenta Corporation (NYSE:SYT) after its spinout from Novartis. At Syngenta Dr. Heifetz led world-wide R&D for Syngenta Biopharma and was head of consumer health at the Syngenta Torrey Mesa Research Institute (TMRI) in San Diego prior to becoming a fellow at Diversa Corporation (NASDAQ:DVSA) following its merger with TMRI. Dr. Heifetz received BS, MS and PhD degrees from Duke University with concentration in genetics and biochemical engineering, and earned a certificate in innovation management from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is inventor or co-inventor on over 100 issued US and international patents and published patent applications and has authored over two dozen peer-reviewed scientific publications.
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Cooper Collins
Director
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Cooper C. Collins, MBA, serves as the managing partner and chief investment officer of MagnaSci Venture funds and as an advisor to a number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. He is a founder of Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Incorporated (PTX: NASDAQ), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on branded, generic, and OTC products. Mr. Collins was a member of the Pernix board of directors from 2007 to 2014 and served as president and chief executive officer from 2008 to 2013. Mr. Collins also serves as a board member for Oncternal Therapeutics and TherapeuticsMD, Incorporated (TXMD:NYSE MKT).
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Jacki Johnson, Ph.D.
Director, OrPro Clinical Development Planning Advisor
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Marie Jacqueline (Jacki) Johnson, Ph.D. is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years experience in the biotechnology industry. She was a founder of biotechnology companies FeRx Inc. and Signal Pharmaceuticals, and was a key member of Amylin Pharmaceuticals’ original scientific team. Dr. Johnson has a proven track record of building solid management teams and leading organizations with capabilities covering the full breadth of drug development including finance, business development, R&D, cGMP manufacturing, regulatory and global clinical development. Dr. Johnson served as chairperson of Rincon Pharmaceuticals, Inc and president, chief executive officer and director of FeRx. She recently cofounded Sydnexis Inc. and serves as chief operating officer. Dr. Johnson received her Ph.D. in genetics from Stanford School of Medicine and completed her post-doctoral training at the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences.
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James Weil
Director
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Mr. James A. Weil has been the president of INSL-X Products Corporation since 1979 and consults for NY Fuel Distributors, LLC. In addition to OrPro he also serves as a board director of DioGenix, Inc. Mr. Weil gained experience in all areas of general management and product development during his career at Stevens Paint, which he later acquired and renamed INSL-X prior to leading its sale to Berkshire Hathaway. He is a member of National Paint and Coatings Association and as outgoing chairman received the prestigious George Baugh Heckel Award in 2009. Mr. Weil has been involved in philanthropic work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Gilda’s Club of Westchester, where he was awarded the coveted Red Door for his time as a member of the board of directors and for exceptional service and funding of their programs for patients and survivors of cancer. He has also served on the board of trustees of Boston University’s School of Communications. Mr. Weil received his BS Degree in communications from Boston University in 1972.