Board Committees

Before Ms. Jill Leversage’s retirement in January 2016, she was a senior investment banker with over 30 years of experience in investment banking and private equity. Ms. Leversage held the roles of Managing Director, Corporate and Investment Banking for TD Securities and Managing Director at Highland West Capital Ltd., and currently serves on several public and private company boards, including MAG Silver Corp. and RE Royalties Ltd.

She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia and also a Chartered Business Valuator (ret.) of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators.

Ms. Leversage earned a BComm from the University of Calgary.

Since 2020, Jeffrey A. Bailey has served as Chairman of the Board at Tekla Capital Management, a registered investment adviser, based in Boston, with four, multi-billion dollar, closed-end funds that predominately invest in the securities of public and private healthcare companies. He has also been Chairman of the Board of Aileron Therapeutics since 2017. 

Mr. Bailey has significant pharmaceutical and biotech leadership experience, with expertise in supply chain, commercial, finance, business development, and product development. He has deep experience managing shareholder expectations and company objectives to achieve a successful outcome. Mr. Bailey has held multiple President, Chief Executive Officer, and leadership roles at biotech and pharmaceutical companies where he oversaw improvements in strategic operations and led the organizations through successful acquisitions, including BioDelivery Sciences (2020-2022), Illuminoss (2018-2020), Neurovance (2015-2017), Lantheus Medical Imaging (2013-2015), and Fougera Pharmaceuticals (2011-2012).

From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Bailey served as Chief Commercial Officer at King Pharmaceuticals, where he led more than 750 employees delivering more than $1.5 billion in annual sales. From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Bailey was President and General Manager at Novartis, where he led a 1000-member primary care and specialty pharma team delivering more than $825 million in sales. 

Mr. Bailey began his career in 1984 at the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies where he earned successive leadership roles over the course of 20 years. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.

Dr. Daniel G. Billen has over 40 years of experience in the commercialization of pharmaceutical and biotech products both in Europe and North America. He started with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, first in its Belgian headquarters in cardiovascular global marketing and later launching multiple products in the Canadian market. Dr. Billen joined Amgen as the first General Manager leading their Canadian operations. He moved to Amgen’s headquarters in California to lead the U.S. Commercial Operations and later served as Vice President/General Manager of the combined Nephrology and Inflammation business and Vice President of Global Commercial Initiatives with a focus on the evolving U.S. payer landscape.

Dr. Billen received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Louvain in Belgium.

Dr. Karen Smith is a biotech and pharmaceutical executive, board director and clinical and scientific advisor. Her breadth of experience covers hundreds of clinical trials and over 20 regulatory approvals from multiple global drug and health authorities, including the US, Europe, Australia, Brazil, and Japan, leading to product launches across diverse therapeutic areas including oncology, rare disease, cardiology, dermatology, neuroscience, and anti-infectives. 

In addition to the growth and creation of R&D pipelines, Dr. Smith’s successful record of business development includes acquisitions, divestitures, and partnership deals. 

Over the last 20 years, Dr. Smith has held various President, CEO, and Chief Medical Officer roles. She has built companies from the ground up and is a strong advocate for women in science and diversity in the Boardroom. 

Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership roles at Allergan, AstraZeneca, Jazz Pharma and Bristol Myers Squibb before transitioning to Executive roles in several Biotech and startup companies. 

Dr. Smith currently serves on the boards of Sangamo Therapeutics, Talaris Therapeutics, and Capstan Therapeutics. Previously, Dr. Smith served on the boards of Forward Pharma A/S, Sucampo, Acceleron Pharma, and Antares Pharma, all of which were successfully acquired.

Since 2020, Jeffrey A. Bailey has served as Chairman of the Board at Tekla Capital Management, a registered investment adviser, based in Boston, with four, multi-billion dollar, closed-end funds that predominately invest in the securities of public and private healthcare companies. He has also been Chairman of the Board of Aileron Therapeutics since 2017. 

Mr. Bailey has significant pharmaceutical and biotech leadership experience, with expertise in supply chain, commercial, finance, business development, and product development. He has deep experience managing shareholder expectations and company objectives to achieve a successful outcome. Mr. Bailey has held multiple President, Chief Executive Officer, and leadership roles at biotech and pharmaceutical companies where he oversaw improvements in strategic operations and led the organizations through successful acquisitions, including BioDelivery Sciences (2020-2022), Illuminoss (2018-2020), Neurovance (2015-2017), Lantheus Medical Imaging (2013-2015), and Fougera Pharmaceuticals (2011-2012).

From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Bailey served as Chief Commercial Officer at King Pharmaceuticals, where he led more than 750 employees delivering more than $1.5 billion in annual sales. From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Bailey was President and General Manager at Novartis, where he led a 1000-member primary care and specialty pharma team delivering more than $825 million in sales. 

Mr. Bailey began his career in 1984 at the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies where he earned successive leadership roles over the course of 20 years. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.

Dr. Daniel G. Billen has over 40 years of experience in the commercialization of pharmaceutical and biotech products both in Europe and North America. He started with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, first in its Belgian headquarters in cardiovascular global marketing and later launching multiple products in the Canadian market. Dr. Billen joined Amgen as the first General Manager leading their Canadian operations. He moved to Amgen’s headquarters in California to lead the U.S. Commercial Operations and later served as Vice President/General Manager of the combined Nephrology and Inflammation business and Vice President of Global Commercial Initiatives with a focus on the evolving U.S. payer landscape.

Dr. Billen received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Louvain in Belgium.

Dr. Brinda Balakrishnan currently serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Business Development Officer at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., where she leads initiatives on corporate strategy, mergers/acquisitions/licensing, and alliance management. Dr. Balakrishnan’s prior experience includes co-founding a rare disease, ophthalmic biotech company focused on Stargardt Disease. She has also served biopharma clients as a consultant with McKinsey & Company and led various deals in business development at Genzyme.

Dr. Balakrishnan earned a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and chemical engineering and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She earned her M.D. from Harvard Medical School and conducted her medical training in internal medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Mr. R. Hector MacKay-Dunn has over 30 years of practice experience providing legal advice to high-growth public and private companies over a broad range of industry sectors including life sciences and health and technology. He has also advised on corporate domestic and cross-border public and private securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions and international partnering and licensing transactions, and boards of directors and independent board committees on corporate governance matters. Mr. MacKay-Dunn has received numerous awards and recognition from the Canadian legal community.

Mr. MacKay-Dunn has served as a board member or officer with Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Arbutus Biopharma Corp., XBiotech Inc. and QLT Inc., the BC (British Columbia) Tech Association, Lifesciences British Columbia, Genome British Columbia, and Tennis Canada.

Mr. MacKay-Dunn earned a J.D. and B.A. from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Karen Smith is a biotech and pharmaceutical executive, board director and clinical and scientific advisor. Her breadth of experience covers hundreds of clinical trials and over 20 regulatory approvals from multiple global drug and health authorities, including the US, Europe, Australia, Brazil, and Japan, leading to product launches across diverse therapeutic areas including oncology, rare disease, cardiology, dermatology, neuroscience, and anti-infectives. 

In addition to the growth and creation of R&D pipelines, Dr. Smith’s successful record of business development includes acquisitions, divestitures, and partnership deals. 

Over the last 20 years, Dr. Smith has held various President, CEO, and Chief Medical Officer roles. She has built companies from the ground up and is a strong advocate for women in science and diversity in the Boardroom. 

Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership roles at Allergan, AstraZeneca, Jazz Pharma and Bristol Myers Squibb before transitioning to Executive roles in several Biotech and startup companies. 

Dr. Smith currently serves on the boards of Sangamo Therapeutics, Talaris Therapeutics, and Capstan Therapeutics. Previously, Dr. Smith served on the boards of Forward Pharma A/S, Sucampo, Acceleron Pharma, and Antares Pharma, all of which were successfully acquired.

Kevin Tang is the President of Tang Capital Management, LLC, a life sciences-focused investment company he founded in 2002. Kevin founded Concentra Biosciences, LLC in 2023 and has since served as its Chairman. In 2015, he founded Odonate Therapeutics, Inc. and has since served as its Chairman. From 2014 through its acquisition by Innoviva, Inc. in 2022, Kevin was Chairman of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company. He co-founded Heron Therapeutics, Inc. in 2013 and served as its Chairman through 2020. From 2009 through its acquisition by Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2010, Kevin was a director of Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co. In 2006, he co-founded Ardea Biosciences, Inc. and served as a director through its acquisition by AstraZeneca PLC in 2012. From 2001 to 2008, Kevin served as a director of Trimeris, Inc. From 1993 to 2001, he was a research analyst at Deutsche Banc Alex Brown, Inc., an investment banking firm, and most recently was a Managing Director and head of the firm’s Life Sciences research group. Kevin received a B.S. degree from Duke University.

Dr. David R. W. Jayne has been Professor of Clinical Autoimmunity in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge since 2017. Dr. Jayne is a medical advisor to UK, U.S. and EU regulatory bodies, patient groups, and professional organizations. His work has been published in more than 500 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and reviews. He was elected the first President of the European Vasculitis Society in 2011 and co-chairs the EULAR task force on lupus nephritis. Dr. Jayne’s research includes investigator-initiated international trials and the introduction of newer therapies in vasculitis and SLE with collaborators on five continents. In 2021 he received the European Renal Association award for outstanding contribution to nephrology.

Dr. Jayne received his MB BChir in Surgery and Medicine from Cambridge University. He received postgraduate training at several London hospitals and Harvard University. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and Edinburgh, and the Academy of Medical Science. He is a certified nephrologist and an Honorary Consultant Physician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK.

Mr. R. Hector MacKay-Dunn has over 30 years of practice experience providing legal advice to high-growth public and private companies over a broad range of industry sectors including life sciences and health and technology. He has also advised on corporate domestic and cross-border public and private securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions and international partnering and licensing transactions, and boards of directors and independent board committees on corporate governance matters. Mr. MacKay-Dunn has received numerous awards and recognition from the Canadian legal community.

Mr. MacKay-Dunn has served as a board member or officer with Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Arbutus Biopharma Corp., XBiotech Inc. and QLT Inc., the BC (British Columbia) Tech Association, Lifesciences British Columbia, Genome British Columbia, and Tennis Canada.

Mr. MacKay-Dunn earned a J.D. and B.A. from the University of British Columbia.

Before Ms. Jill Leversage’s retirement in January 2016, she was a senior investment banker with over 30 years of experience in investment banking and private equity. Ms. Leversage held the roles of Managing Director, Corporate and Investment Banking for TD Securities and Managing Director at Highland West Capital Ltd., and currently serves on several public and private company boards, including MAG Silver Corp. and RE Royalties Ltd.

She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia and also a Chartered Business Valuator (ret.) of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators.

Ms. Leversage earned a BComm from the University of Calgary.

Kevin Tang is the President of Tang Capital Management, LLC, a life sciences-focused investment company he founded in 2002. Kevin founded Concentra Biosciences, LLC in 2023 and has since served as its Chairman. In 2015, he founded Odonate Therapeutics, Inc. and has since served as its Chairman. From 2014 through its acquisition by Innoviva, Inc. in 2022, Kevin was Chairman of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company. He co-founded Heron Therapeutics, Inc. in 2013 and served as its Chairman through 2020. From 2009 through its acquisition by Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2010, Kevin was a director of Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co. In 2006, he co-founded Ardea Biosciences, Inc. and served as a director through its acquisition by AstraZeneca PLC in 2012. From 2001 to 2008, Kevin served as a director of Trimeris, Inc. From 1993 to 2001, he was a research analyst at Deutsche Banc Alex Brown, Inc., an investment banking firm, and most recently was a Managing Director and head of the firm’s Life Sciences research group. Kevin received a B.S. degree from Duke University.