ShangPharma Innovation Names Founding Executive-In-Residence Team

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, California, June 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ShangPharma Innovation (SPI) announced the appointment of Peter DiLaura, Ravi Kiron MBA PhD, Krishna Kodukula PhD, and Robert Wild PhD to its founding Executive-In-Residence (EIR) team.

The EIR team will provide ShangPharma Innovation with expert advice on business, scientific, and strategic development of biomedical initiatives, including the identification and assessment of novel opportunities for early-stage equity investments and new venture incubator tenants at SPI's South San Francisco facility. They will also participate in the negotiation and management of collaborations, licenses, and partnerships.

Mr. DiLaura is a life sciences executive based in San Francisco, CA. He currently advises a number of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and investors, and was CEO of Second Genome, a pioneering microbiome therapeutics company, from seed financing through clinical development. Previously, Mr. DiLaura held a range of executive roles in the systems biology company Ingenuity Systems (Qiagen), with responsibility for commercial operations, sales and marketing, product strategy, and corporate development. He was also a Consultant at The Wilkerson Group, providing strategic consulting to biotech, pharma, medical device, and diagnostic companies and investors. He holds a BS in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Kiron, based in San Jose, CA, is an experienced pharma/biotech executive with decades of experience from early drug discovery through late-stage clinical development, intellectual property, regulatory strategy and product commercialization. Dr. Kiron has consulted for dozens of life sciences companies, founded and led multiple new ventures, was an EIR at SRI Ventures, and serves currently on many company and non-profit boards. Dr. Kiron has also held operational & executive roles at Pfizer and J&J/Alza in cardiovascular and oncology R&D and strategic business development. He has a wide breadth of hands-on experience negotiating and executing partnerships, mergers and acquisitions (WLA, PHA, biotechs), and has extensive global networks. Previously, he was a faculty member at Cornell University Medical College and at University of Rhode Island. Dr. Kiron earned BS and MS degrees from the University of Mumbai, a PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Dr. Kodukula, based in Princeton, NJ, is a pharmaceutical professional with decades of experience in the industry and non-profit sectors, in research and business roles. Previously, he was Executive Director, Strategic Development at SRI Biosciences (Stanford Research Institute); Site Head and Founder of SRI Shenandoah Valley; Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Sarnoff Corporation; in leadership/founder roles at Pyxis Technology Solutions and Small Molecule Therapeutics; and in research scientist positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Hoffmann-LaRoche. Dr. Kodukula has served on many boards, including several gubernatorial appointments, and has been listed as one of 50 most influential business leaders in Virginia. Dr. Kodukula received undergraduate and graduate degrees at Andhra and Utkal Universities in India, and did postdoctoral work at the Indian Institute of Science and Roche Institute of Molecular Biology.

Dr. Wild, based in San Diego, CA, is a seasoned R&D executive with almost 20 years of broad biotech/pharma industry experience in drug discovery and development, spanning both small molecules and biologics. He currently advises a number of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and investors. Dr. Wild has contributed to the advancement of numerous clinical development candidates, including four FDA-approved oncology therapeutics. Dr. Wild previously served as CSO and Senior VP Research at Ignyta; CSO Oncology Research at Eli Lilly; Senior Director at OSI (Astellas); and as a research scientist at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sugen. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Minnesota. 

Dr. Walter H. Moos, CEO of ShangPharma Innovation, commented, " Our EIR colleagues greatly strengthen our global leadership capabilities. With their successful entrepreneurial, biotech and pharma experience, and global executive-level relationships, they will help us expand and manage our innovation practice in all phases of biomedical R&D. We anticipate naming additional leaders to our team in the near future."

ShangPharma Innovation facilitates and accelerates drug discovery, focusing on both therapeutics and technology platforms, and offers funding, incubator space, and other support to its collaborators, partners, and tenants. This includes sponsoring proof-of-concept research at academic and major medical centers, research institutes, and seed-stage start-ups, leading to industry collaborations and venture capital financing.

---

FOR MORE INFORMATION              

ShangPharma Innovation, Inc.

www.ShangPharmaInnovation.com
[email protected]   

SOURCE ShangPharma Corporation