Board of Directors

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.

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.

Peter Greenleaf currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Aurinia.

From March 2018 to April 2019, Peter served as the CEO of Cerecor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Avalo Therapeutics, Inc.). From March 2014 to February 2018, Peter served as CEO and Chairman of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Sucampo was focused on the development and commercialization of medicines to meet major unmet medical needs of patients worldwide and was sold in February 2018 to UK pharmaceutical company, Mallinckrodt PLC. From June 2013 to March 2014, Peter served as CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Histogenics Corporation, a regenerative medicine company. From 2006 to 2013, he was employed by MedImmune LLC, the global biologics arm of AstraZeneca, where he most recently served as President. From January 2010 to June 2013, Peter also served as President of MedImmune Ventures, a wholly-owned venture capital fund within the AstraZeneca Group.

Prior to serving as President of MedImmune, Peter was Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations of the company, responsible for its commercial, corporate development, and strategy functions. He has also held senior commercial roles at Centocor, Inc. (now Jansen Biotechnology, Johnson & Johnson) from 1998 to 2006 and at Boehringer Mannheim (now Roche Holdings) from 1996 to 1998.

Peter previously partnered with Governor Martin O’Malley to chair the Maryland Venture Fund Authority, whose vision was to oversee the implementation of Invest Maryland, a public-private partnership to spur venture capital investment in the state. In addition, he has extensive public and private board experience and has served in leadership roles on both BIO and PhRMA throughout the years. Peter earned an MBA from St. Joseph’s University and a B.S. from Western Connecticut State University.

Peter’s significant executive management, leadership, corporate development, and commercial operations experience in the biopharmaceutical industry enables him to provide valuable insight to our Board of Directors.

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.

Craig Johnson has more than 30 years of experience serving in senior financial management roles and governing corporations, primarily in the biotechnology industry. He has served as a director of Heron Therapeutics, Inc. since 2014 and Odonate, Inc. since 2017.

Mr. Johnson previously served as a director of Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. from 2013 until its acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2024, and as a director of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company from 2013 until its acquisition by Innoviva, Inc. in 2022. He served as a director of Decipher Biosciences, Inc. from 2015 to 2018, as director of Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation from 2011 to 2014, and as a director of Ardea Biosciences, Inc. from 2008 until its acquisition by AstraZeneca PLC in 2012.

Mr. Johnson served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc. from 2004 until its sale to Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. in 2009, and then as Vice President of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. from 2009 to 2010. From 1994 to 2004, he held various positions at MitoKor, Inc., concluding his service as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Operations. Mr. Johnson practiced as a Certified Public Accountant with Price Waterhouse, and he received a B.B.A. degree in accounting from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

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.

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.