Board of Directors

Michael Moore, PhD, DSc
Chairman

Dr. Moore is currently Chief Executive Officer and Director of PIramed Ltd, a UK-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule drugs targeting members of the PI3 kinase super-family for cancer and other therapeutic indications. He is also Associate Professor at the Brunel Institute of Cancer Genetics and Pharmacogenomics, a post he has held since 1997. Prior to joining PIramed, he held several progressive positions at Xenova Group plc (1988-2003), including Chief Scientific Officer and Research Director. He also acted as Chairman for Phogen (2001-2003), a joint venture between Xenova and Marie Curie Cancer Care. Dr. Moore received a tenured Cancer Research Campaign Special Appointment (1980), was named Honorary Reader in Immunology and Oncology by the University of Manchester Medical School (1986), and was Editor-in-chief for the British Journal of Cancer (1983). Dr. Moore received his PhD (Faculty of Pure Science) and DSc (Faculty of Medicine) from Nottingham University and has more than 150 scientific publications.

Elizabeth Corsi, PhD, MBA
Director

Dr. Corsi, formerly the President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of EXIMIAS Pharmaceutical Corporation, is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of VALEXIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. Prior to joining EXIMIAS, she was Senior Vice President, US Operations for Dupont-Merck Pharmaceuticals with P&L responsibility for the US business. Dr. Corsi has also held various senior management positions with Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and Schering-Plough International. She began her pharmaceutical industry career at Lederle Laboratories where she spent nine years and held a series of positions with increasing responsibilities, including the senior department head for marketing and business development. Dr. Corsi is a registered pharmacist, and earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy/Science and an M.B.A. from Pace University. She has been the recipient of numerous achievement awards, including Distinguished Alumni at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy.

Michael J. Berendt , PhD
Director

Dr. Berendt is the President and CEO of Aegera Therapeutics. Prior to joining Aegera, he served as managing director of Research Corporation Technologies (RCT), a US-based technology investment and management company, and AEA Investors Inc., where he focused on growth equity investments in life sciences companies. Previously Dr. Berendt was Senior Vice President of Research for the Pharmaceutical Division of Bayer Corporation. He is currently a director of Waters Corporation and has served on the board of directors of numerous other life sciences companies. Dr. Berendt received a doctoral degree in medical microbiology and immunology from Hahnemann University.

John Dietrich , PhD
Director

Dr. Dietrich joined Ventrus Biosciences in April 2007, where he currently serves as Vice President, Clinical Operations. From 2000 to 2007, Dr. Dietrich was Vice President of Research and Development at VIVUS, Inc., prior to which he was Vice President of Research and Development at Cellegy Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Dietrich served as Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Allelix Biopharmaceuticals between 1991 and 1999. In this position, he was responsible for all aspects of drug discovery and development. Before joining Allelix, he held management positions at Chemex and Revlon Health Care. Dr. Dietrich received his PhD in pharmacology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Luc Marengère, PhD
Director

Dr. Marengère is a Managing General Partner of VenGrowth Capital Partners Inc., and has successfully led the management of the VenGrowth Advanced Life Sciences Fund including the implementation of the investment strategy. Dr. Marengère possesses extensive sector-specific transactional experience and is experienced at providing companies with strategic input on financing and partnerships. Prior to joining VenGrowth, he was Partner and Co-President of the Advisory Board at CDP Capital - Technology Ventures (formerly CDP Sofinov), and an Investment Manager at MDS Capital Corp. He has also served on the Board of Directors of several biotechnology companies. Dr. Marengère holds a Ph.D. in Medical Biophysics and Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto.

Niclas Stiernholm, PhD
Director

Dr. Stiernholm is also the Chief Executive Officer of TTI. He joined TTI from YM BioSciences where he acted as Executive Vice President and CSO. While there, he led the company's in-licensing efforts and built a broad pipeline of clinical oncology products. He also played a significant role in the success of YM's initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2002. Dr. Stiernholm started his career as a member of Allelix Biopharmaceuticals' business development office. He received his Ph.D. degree in immunology from the University of Toronto, where he also completed his postdoctoral studies.

Hemanth Varghese , PhD
Director

Dr. Varghese is Assistant Vice President, Venture Investments for JovInvestment Management Inc. where he acts as investment manager to the Canadian Medical Discoveries Fund and BC Medical Innovations Fund. Prior to joining JovInvestments, he was the Director of Pre-clinical Imaging & Corporate Development at the Robarts Research Institute where he managed corporate partnerships in the pharmaceutical and diagnostics sectors. Dr. Varghese has a strong track record in the commercialization of novel Canadian healthcare technologies, and has structured corporate deals with a number of international life science companies. Dr. Varghese earned his doctorate in Medical Biophysics at the University of Western Ontario and is the author of several peer reviewed publications in the field of experimental oncology.

Ela Borenstein, BSc, MSc, MBA
Director

Ms. Borenstein has over 19 years of consulting, management and entrepreneurial experience in the Biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining BDC, she was Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Product Strategy for Celmed BioSciences. Ela has a very diversified background being responsible for the development and implentation of regulatory strategies, managing drug and medical device development activities, and key involvement in product acquisition and M&A activities including multi-disciplinary teams involved in both areas of research and product development, and clinical study programs. Ela holds a B.Sc., Chemistry Honours from University of Western Ontario; an M.Sc., in Pharmacology from University of Toronto and an M.B.A. in Bio-Industries from UQAM.