TheraVida, Inc.

Management

Roger Flugel, PhD
Chief Executive Officer

Roger Flugel joined TheraVida in 2007 as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Flugel is concurrently a Principal with Sanderling Ventures serving in a variety of roles as director, chairman, CEO, and board observer of several portfolio companies. He completed strategic corporate transactions for Kadmus (acquired by Schering-Plough, now Merck), Aderis (acquired by Schwarz Pharma, now UCB), and UltraBridge (acquired by CareCentric). Prior to Sanderling, Dr. Flugel served as the Director of Venture Analysis at HealthCare Ventures and was a Research Associate with the MEDACorp division of the investment bank Leerink Swann. Dr. Flugel was also an early consultant to Microbia (now Ironwood Pharmaceuticals). Dr. Flugel received a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Harvard University, conducting his research in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School.

 

Mehdi Paborji, PhD
Founder, President, and COO

Mehdi Paborji is an executive with over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical product development and management. Prior to founding TheraVida, Dr. Paborji was Vice President of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Irvine Pharmaceutical Services. He also served as Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Development at Theravance, Inc., in South San Francisco, California. Prior to his experience at Theravance, Dr. Paborji spent 16 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS). While at BMS he served in a number of positions within the Pharmaceutical Research Institute. At BMS, he was involved in registration of several commercial products, including Videx (didanosine), Zerit (stavudin), Taxol (paclitaxel), Cefzil (cefprozil), Reyataz (atazanavir), and Orencia (abatacept). Dr. Paborji has a Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry and completed his post-doctoral training in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Kansas. Dr. Paborji is an author or co-author of several publications in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals and an inventor of multiple issued patents.

Kenneth Duchin, PhD
Vice President of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Development

Kenneth Duchin joined TheraVida in January 2011 as Vice President Pre-Clinical and Clinical Development. He spent 16-years at Bristol Myers Squibb where he was Executive Director, Human Pharmacology and was involved in the clinical development of several cardiovascular agents. Dr. Duchin joined IVAX Corporation where he managed the clinical development of a number of proprietary drugs and generic programs. He joined Noven Pharmaceuticals where he directed the Clinical Research Department and was instrumental in the approval of Daytrana (transdermal methylphenidate). He also served as Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacology at Theravance where he was involved in early clinical development of drug candidates for in the areas of urology and gastrointestinal disorders. He has authored more than 30 manuscripts, three book chapters and is an inventor on several patents. He received his Ph. D. in pharmacology from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and did post doctoral training at University of Colorado.

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Board of Directors:

Benjamin McGraw, III, PharmD

Benjamin F. McGraw, III, is the Managing Member, Long Shadows Asset Management, LLC and portfolio manager for Long Shadows Partners, LP. He was previously Chairman, President & CEO of Valentis, Inc., a public biotechnology company. Prior to this, Doctor McGraw was Corporate Vice President for Corporate Development for Allergan, a public pharmaceutical company. Before that, he was an equity analyst and a fund manager at Carerra Capital Management. He began his career in pharmaceutical R&D, holding various positions including Vice-President, Development for Marion Laboratories and Marion, Merrell Dow, both public pharmaceutical companies. Doctor McGraw earned his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences where he also completed a clinical practice residency. He sits on the boards of Ista Pharmaceuticals, a public specialty pharmaceutical company and TheraVida, a private biotechnology company. He was previously on the board of Urigen and was Chairman of TRF Pharma, both biotechnology companies.

Roger Flugel

Roger Flugel joined TheraVida in 2007 as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Flugel is concurrently a Principal with Sanderling Ventures serving in a variety of roles as director, chairman, CEO, and board observer of several portfolio companies. He completed strategic corporate transactions for Kadmus (acquired by Schering-Plough, now Merck), Aderis (acquired by Schwarz Pharma, now UCB), and UltraBridge (acquired by CareCentric). Prior to Sanderling, Dr. Flugel served as the Director of Venture Analysis at HealthCare Ventures and was a Research Associate with the MEDACorp division of the investment bank Leerink Swann. Dr. Flugel was also an early consultant to Microbia (now Ironwood Pharmaceuticals). Dr. Flugel received a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Harvard University, conducting his research in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School.

 

Assad Kazeminy, PhD

Assad J. Kazeminy, Ph.D., CEO and Founder of Irvine Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., has over 30 years of research experience in Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry and has been involved in teaching and management aspects for analytical and quality control laboratories for Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical companies. Dr. Kazeminy has a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Science and Biochemistry and has completed a post doctorate at the USC Medical School, Department of Pharmacology. In addition, Dr. Kazeminy has taught at the University of Southern California and has conducted research at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Kazeminy has extensive knowledge in and is proficient in FDA regulations and various compendia methodologies. He is an active professional in national and local organizations including the United States Pharmacopeia serving as an Expert Committee member. He has made many contributions towards advancing the pharmaceutical sciences, whereby his efforts have been very influential in shaping and reforming current industry standards (most recently, USP Chapter <231>, Heavy Metals).

 

Mehdi Paborji, PhD

Mehdi Paborji is an executive with over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical product development and management. Prior to founding TheraVida, Dr. Paborji was Vice President of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Irvine Pharmaceutical Services. He also served as Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Development at Theravance, Inc., in South San Francisco, California. Prior to his experience at Theravance, Dr. Paborji spent 16 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS). While at BMS he served in a number of positions within the Pharmaceutical Research Institute. At BMS, he was involved in registration of several commercial products, including Videx (didanosine), Zerit (stavudin), Taxol (paclitaxel), Cefzil (cefprozil), Reyataz (atazanavir), and Orencia (abatacept). Dr. Paborji has a Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry and completed his post-doctoral training in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Kansas. Dr. Paborji is an author or co-author of several publications in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals and an inventor of multiple issued patents.

Nasser J. Kazeminy

Mr. Nasser J. Kazeminy is Chairman of NJK Holding Corporation, a privately held investment company founded and owned by him. Between 1980 and 2007, he started and acquired a number of privately held businesses. Many of these businesses have been merged or sold to public companies or remain part of his portfolio. He began his career designing the worldwide logistics and management information system for Honeywell and Control Data Corporation. During his Control Data career, Mr. Kazeminy held executive positions in Field Logistic Services, the Education Group and the Peripherals Group. It was while working for the Peripherals Group that he saw an opportunity that Control Data was not providing for its customers—that of low cost, tax-leveraged leases for the peripheral products. With Control Data's blessing, he left the company to form a leasing business focused initially on the peripheral market. It grew to be the largest privately-held computer leasing company in the United States. Mr. Kazeminy's entrepreneurial leadership has led to the creation of more than 200,000 jobs in a number of industries worldwide. Over 20,000 employees have been directly employed by businesses under Mr. Kazeminy's control.

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Clinical and Scientific Advisors:

Roger Dmochowski, MD

Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Professor of Urology, Vanderbilt University, Tennessee, USA

 

Kyu-Sung Lee, MD, PhD

Department of Urology, Samsung Medical Center

Professor of Urology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea