Abcuro

Breakthrough Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases & Cancer

Board of Directors

Pruzanski, Mark

Mark Pruzanski is a physician and entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the life sciences. Most recently he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Versanis Bio where he spearheaded the development of novel therapies for obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases until the company’s acquisition in 2023 by Eli Lilly and

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Mark Pruzanski, MD

Chairman of the Board

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Mark Pruzanski, MD

Chairman of the Board

Mark Pruzanski is a physician and entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the life sciences. Most recently he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Versanis Bio where he spearheaded the development of novel therapies for obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases until the company’s acquisition in 2023 by Eli Lilly and Company. Prior to joining Versanis, he founded and was the longstanding Chief Executive Officer of Intercept Pharmaceuticals (ICPT). At Intercept, he pioneered a novel regulatory and development strategy in chronic nonviral liver diseases that resulted in the successful global commercialization of the first-in-class FXR agonist obeticholic acid for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), marketed in more than 40 countries under the brand name OCALIVA™. He also led the effort to establish the regulatory, development and commercial basis for therapies targeting nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which has become a leading reason for liver failure due to the global obesity epidemic. Mark is currently a member of the Board of Directors of several biotechnology companies, the Emerging Company Section of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Mark received his MD from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, a MA degree in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna, Italy and Washington, D.C., and a BA degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Martin, Alex

Alex Martin brings over 30 years of experience building companies and closing transactions in the biopharmaceutical industry. He was most recently Chief Executive Officer of Palladio Biosciences, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company which was acquired by Centessa Pharmaceuticals (CNTA), and previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Realm Therapeutics (RLM) which was acquired by ESSA

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Alex Martin, MBA

Chief Executive Officer

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Alex Martin, MBA

Chief Executive Officer

Alex Martin brings over 30 years of experience building companies and closing transactions in the biopharmaceutical industry. He was most recently Chief Executive Officer of Palladio Biosciences, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company which was acquired by Centessa Pharmaceuticals (CNTA), and previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Realm Therapeutics (RLM) which was acquired by ESSA Pharma (EPIX). He was also Chief Operating Officer of Intercept Pharmaceuticals (ICPT), and Chief Finance Officer of BioXell (BXLN) which was acquired by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals (COPN). He began his career at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals where he held roles of increasing responsibility in marketing and business development and later joined Novartis as Vice President, Global Business Development & Licensing. Alex is an active coach and mentor to other senior executives, and a guest lecturer at Wharton and Columbia Business School on biotech, entrepreneurship, and raising capital. He holds a BA from Cornell University and an MBA from Harvard.

Boyce, Sarah

Sarah Boyce joined Avidity as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors in October 2019. She has more than 25 years of global leadership experience in both pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. Sarah’s tenure at Avidity has been marked by transformative leadership, starting with the company’s successful Series C funding

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Sarah Boyce

President and Chief Executive Officer
Avidity Biosciences

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Sarah Boyce

President and Chief Executive Officer
Avidity Biosciences

Sarah Boyce joined Avidity as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors in October 2019. She has more than 25 years of global leadership experience in both pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. Sarah’s tenure at Avidity has been marked by transformative leadership, starting with the company's successful Series C funding round and IPO. She continues to drive the company’s evolution from a research and development entity to a biopharmaceutical company through the advancement of three therapies into clinical development and the expansion of the broad utility of the company’s proprietary RNA technology. Prior to joining Avidity, Sarah held the position of president and a member of the board of directors of Akcea Therapeutics. She previously held executive roles in business development and global operations for leading life sciences companies including Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Forest Laboratories, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Oncology and Roche. Sarah was named a Healthcare Technology Report Top 25 Biotech CEO in 2022 and has been named one of Fiercest Women in Life Sciences. Sarah currently serves as a member of the board of directors at OmniAb, Inc., Contineum Therapeutics, Inc., and Abcuro, Inc. Sarah holds a BSc (Hons) degree in microbiology from the University of Manchester, England.

Dybbs, Mike

Mike is currently a partner at Samsara BioCapital, where he has worked since March 2017. Prior to joining Samsara, Mike was a partner at New Leaf Venture Partners. Before New Leaf Venture Partners Mike was a principal at the Boston Consulting Group, where he consulted for biotech and pharma clients. Mike currently serves on the

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Mike Dybbs, PhD

Partner, Samsara BioCapital

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Mike Dybbs, PhD

Partner, Samsara BioCapital

Mike is currently a partner at Samsara BioCapital, where he has worked since March 2017. Prior to joining Samsara, Mike was a partner at New Leaf Venture Partners. Before New Leaf Venture Partners Mike was a principal at the Boston Consulting Group, where he consulted for biotech and pharma clients. Mike currently serves on the boards of directors of Nkarta (NKTX), Sutro (STRO), and several private companies, including EnaraBio, Fluent Biosciences, Respira Therapeutics and Ionpath. Mike received an AB in biochemical sciences from Harvard College and a PhD in molecular biology from University of California, Berkeley, where he was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship.

Fang, Ming

Ming Fang is a Managing Director at Redmile Group, LLC, a healthcare-focused investment firm. Prior to joining Redmile in 2016, Ming worked in the healthcare space as an investor at Safeguard Scientifics, a consultant at McKinsey & Company and ZS Associates, and an operator at Gilead Sciences. He received a BA in Computer Science from

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Ming Fang

Managing Director, Redmile Group

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Ming Fang

Managing Director, Redmile Group

Ming Fang is a Managing Director at Redmile Group, LLC, a healthcare-focused investment firm. Prior to joining Redmile in 2016, Ming worked in the healthcare space as an investor at Safeguard Scientifics, a consultant at McKinsey & Company and ZS Associates, and an operator at Gilead Sciences. He received a BA in Computer Science from UC Berkeley and an MBA in Finance and Healthcare Management from the Wharton School of Business.

Hafler, Jason P. , PhD

Jason P. Hafler is the Managing Director of Sanofi Ventures. Prior to joining Sanofi in 2014, Jason was the Director of Corporate Development at RaNA Therapeutics, a company co-founded by his previous firm Atlas Venture. While at Atlas, Jason was an Associate in the Life Sciences group. Previously, he was a Flagship Ventures Entrepreneurial Fellow,

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Jason P. Hafler, PhD

Managing Director, Sanofi Ventures

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Jason P. Hafler, PhD

Managing Director, Sanofi Ventures

Jason P. Hafler is the Managing Director of Sanofi Ventures. Prior to joining Sanofi in 2014, Jason was the Director of Corporate Development at RaNA Therapeutics, a company co-founded by his previous firm Atlas Venture. While at Atlas, Jason was an Associate in the Life Sciences group. Previously, he was a Flagship Ventures Entrepreneurial Fellow, and consulted for the technology transfer company at the University of Cambridge while performing his doctoral research. Before his time at Cambridge, Jason was an analyst at JSB Partners LP, an investment banking firm.  Jason’s active investments include Abcuro, Amathus Therapeutics, Escient Pharmaceuticals, Expansion Therapeutics, Glycomine, Q32 Bio, ReCode Therapeutics, Rome Therapeutics and Navitor Pharmaceuticals. Jason graduated with honors from Bowdoin College and holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

Park, Michele

Michele Park joined NEA in 2021 as an investor on the Healthcare team focused on the biopharma space. Prior to NEA, Michele was an investor at Clarus Ventures (now Blackstone Life Sciences). Previously, she spent time in biotechnology research analyst roles at Credit Suisse and Piper Jaffray. Michele received her PhD in molecular biology from

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Michele Park, PhD

Partner, New Enterprise Associates

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Michele Park, PhD

Partner, New Enterprise Associates

Michele Park joined NEA in 2021 as an investor on the Healthcare team focused on the biopharma space. Prior to NEA, Michele was an investor at Clarus Ventures (now Blackstone Life Sciences). Previously, she spent time in biotechnology research analyst roles at Credit Suisse and Piper Jaffray. Michele received her PhD in molecular biology from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and completed her dissertation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She holds a BA in molecular biology from Princeton.

Shah, Rajeev

Rajeev Shah has been a Managing Partner at RA Capital Management since 2004. Raj is active in both public and private investments in companies developing drugs, medical devices, diagnostics, and research tools. He is also active in the firm’s outreach efforts, speaking frequently both at industry events and in classrooms.  He previously worked as a

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Rajeev Shah

Managing Partner, RA Capital Management

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Rajeev Shah

Managing Partner, RA Capital Management

Rajeev Shah has been a Managing Partner at RA Capital Management since 2004. Raj is active in both public and private investments in companies developing drugs, medical devices, diagnostics, and research tools. He is also active in the firm’s outreach efforts, speaking frequently both at industry events and in classrooms.  He previously worked as a Senior Project Leader at Altus Pharmaceuticals, a spin-off company of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, where he assessed business processes and implemented system solutions across all areas of science. Rajeev is currently a member of the board of directors of the public companies Solid Biosciences, Black Diamond Therapeutics and Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, as well as of a number of private biotechnology companies. He holds a BA from Cornell University, where he majored in Chemistry.

Cashdan, Jonah

Jonah Cashdan joined Bain Capital Life Sciences in 2018. Prior to joining Bain Capital, he worked at J.P. Morgan in their healthcare investment banking group, evaluating and executing strategic alternatives including M&A and debt/equity financings for clients across the pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech sectors. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Jonah studied synaptic physiology and sensory system

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Jonah Cashdan

Observer
Principal, Bain Capital Life Sciences

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Jonah Cashdan

Observer
Principal, Bain Capital Life Sciences

Jonah Cashdan joined Bain Capital Life Sciences in 2018. Prior to joining Bain Capital, he worked at J.P. Morgan in their healthcare investment banking group, evaluating and executing strategic alternatives including M&A and debt/equity financings for clients across the pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech sectors. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Jonah studied synaptic physiology and sensory system development in various labs at Georgetown University. He graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown University receiving a BS in Neurobiology.

Knowles, Julius (Jay)

Jay Knowles joined Mass General Brigham Ventures in 2014 as a Partner. Previously, Jay was Chief Executive Officer of X-BODY Biosciences, which was acquired by Juno Therapeutics.  Prior to X-BODY, he was at Novartis in charge of the Platforms team for Strategic Alliances, responsible for global technology and drug discovery collaborations. Jay was also President

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Julius (Jay) Knowles

Observer
Partner, Mass General Brigham Ventures

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Julius (Jay) Knowles

Observer
Partner, Mass General Brigham Ventures

Jay Knowles joined Mass General Brigham Ventures in 2014 as a Partner. Previously, Jay was Chief Executive Officer of X-BODY Biosciences, which was acquired by Juno Therapeutics.  Prior to X-BODY, he was at Novartis in charge of the Platforms team for Strategic Alliances, responsible for global technology and drug discovery collaborations. Jay was also President of Novalar Pharmaceuticals, Vice President of Business Development at Novacea, and Director, R&D Planning at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He represents Mass General Brigham Ventures on the boards of Apres Therapeutics, Keros Therapeutics, SwanBio Therapeutics, and Triplet Therapeutics. Jay earned his MBA in Finance from Wharton Business School, an MSc in Chemistry from UC Berkeley, and a BA with Distinction in Chemistry from Carleton College.

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