Executive Officers and Directors
Justin M Murdock | CEO
Justin Murdock is chief executive officer and executive chairman of the board of NovaRx. He is also senior vice president of investments for both Castle & Cooke and the Dole Food Company. He serves on the executive boards of both companies, as well as their audit and finance committees.
Habib Fakhrai, Ph.D. | President
Dr. Habib Fakhrai is the co-founder of NovaRx, as well as its executive vice chairman of the board, president, chief operating officer, and chief scientific officer. Fakhrai was the first in the world to recognize the importance of blocking immunosuppression in cancer vaccine therapy. He was also the lead scientist in treating a glioma patient for the first time in the world with immunogene therapy. He has held leadership positions in gene therapy research at the UCLA School of Medicine, and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, among other leading centers. Fakhrai is currently on the board of editors of Cancer Gene Therapy. He received his doctorate degrees in human genetics from Michigan State University.
Daniel L. Shawler | Vice President of Operations
Daniel L. Shawler is co-developer of the company’s technology. He is an immunologist and biologist with more than 25 years of experience in clinical investigation. He is listed as an author on more than 45 scientific papers relating to cancer therapy, and has held research positions at institutions such as the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Scripps Research Institute, and UCSD. Shawler is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research, and the American Society of Gene Therapy.
Carin D. Sandvik | Chief Financial Officer
Prior to joining NovaRx, Sandvik worked as an independent financial consultant to biotech companies in the San Diego area. Before this, she served as vice president for finance and administration at Corautus Genetics, Inc. for five years. She also worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers for 12 years, specializing in acquisitions and SEC reporting requirements.
Carissa Schumacher | Director of Corporate Development
Carissa Schumacher is NovaRx’s director of corporate development, and serves the same role at Castle & Cooke. She is also currently managing director of the Real Medicine Foundation. She is a recognized strategic planning consultant in the healthcare industries focused on biotechnology, biomedical venture capital, and medical nonprofit organizational development. She has served as principal to Infostrategies Consulting, and to Medaetas Ventures, a fund focused on cancer prevention research and initiatives. Schumacher earned a BS at Brown University, and received a scholarship to the graduate program at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in the Netherlands, where she studied international economics and business.
Creighton W. Lawhead, MBA | Chief Business Officer
Creighton Lawhead is the chief business officer of NovaRx and has more than three decades of experience in marketing, business development, and investor relations in the healthcare industry. Most recently, Lawhead was senior vice president and chief business officer of GenStar Therapeutics. He has also worked as vice president and head of commercial affairs and investor relations for the Immune Response Corporation. He has also held executive positions at companies such as Eli Lilly & Co., Hybritech, Wyeth, Boehringer Mannheim, and Corning Medical. Lawhead earned his MBA at the University of Massachusetts. He is a decorated veteran, having served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
Elvira Marquez | Director of Quality Assurance
Elvira Marquez joined NovaRx as director of quality assurance, bringing with her more than 15 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical and medical devices industries. Prior to NovaRx, Marquez was responsible for the worldwide development and implementation of quality systems for Biogen-Idec’s commercial and clinical operations. Previously, she worked with Bayer Healthcare’s Biologics division as associate director of product release. She has held QA management positions at Genentech, Genzyme Corp., and Kendall Healthcare. Marquez earned an MBA from Boston University.
Terry Chamberlin | Director of Clinical Affairs
Terry Chamberlin joined NovaRx eight years ago as director of clinical affairs. She has more than 11 years of experience in clinical research as an administrator and clinical monitor. She earned designation as a Certified Clinical Research Associate and is a member of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. In her position at NovaRx, Chamberlin oversees clinical and regulatory functions including study metrics, monitoring, case report form design, and Phase II and III protocols for submission to regulatory agencies and the Institutional Review Board.
Linda Bergen | SPHR, Director of Human Resources and Administration
Linda Bergen has been involved in cancer research and development for more than 20 years, working in administration, human resources, operations, and grant management. Early in her career, Bergen worked at UCSD Cancer Center, transferring thereafter to Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center as its first employee. She worked closely with several start-ups through the UCSD CONNECT program. In the for-profit sector, Bergen managed human relations at Pentech Energy Solutions, and GeneOhm.
Patricia L. Creighton | Head of Regulatory Affairs
Patricia Creighton is NovaRx’s head of regulatory affairs, bringing 11 years of drug development experience with her to the post. She has worked for big pharma including Pfizer, PPD, Sanofi-Aventis, Wyeth, and Amylin Pharmaceuticals. In roles of increasing responsibility, she has led various product development teams through all phases of drug development from investigational new drug applications to product licensure.
Justin M. Murdock, is chief executive officer and executive chairman of the board of NovaRx. He is also senior vice president of investments for both Castle & Cooke and the Dole Food Company. He serves on the executive boards of both companies, as well as their audit and finance committees.
Habib Fakhrai, Ph.D. is the co-founder of NovaRx, as well as its executive vice chairman of the board, president, chief operating officer, and chief scientific officer. Fakhrai was the first in the world to recognize the importance of blocking immunosuppression in cancer vaccine therapy. He was also the lead scientist in treating a glioma patient for the first time in the world with immunogene therapy. He has held leadership positions in gene therapy research at the UCLA School of Medicine, and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, among other leading centers. Fakhrai is currently on the board of editors of Cancer Gene Therapy. He received his doctorate degrees in human genetics from Michigan State University.
Emmet O’Neal III is NovaRx’s Co-Founder and on the Board of Directors for the Company. Mr. O’Neal works as a private investor in Birmingham, Alabama and is actively involved with several other companies in addition to NovaRx. From 1985 to 1994, Mr. O’Neal served as the Chief Executive Officer of O’Neal Steel, Inc., a family-owned metal services center. At the time Mr. O’Neal left the company in 1994, O’Neal Steel was one of the largest privately-held metal services centers in the world. From 1985 until 1989, he served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer after having originally joined the company in 1975 following his graduation from law school. Mr. O’Neal received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina and his J.D. from the University of Alabama.
Edward Roohan is on the NovaRx Board of Directors. He is also the President and Chief Operating Officer of Castle & Cooke, Inc., is on the Board of Directors and Finance Committee for Castle & Cooke, Inc., and is on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee for the Dole Food Company. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the corporate headquarters of Castle & Cooke, Inc., Murdock Realty, LLC and their affiliated companies and is involved in all significant operating descisions, acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and senior personnel matters of the companies. Since being employed by David H. Murdock in 1993, he has worked with senior management to expand and improve the Castle & Cooke family of businesses. Castle & Cooke, Inc., Murdock Realty, LLC, Flexi-Van and their affiliated companies operate under the “umbrella” of Castle & Cooke. The companies’ diversified businesses include the development and ownership of residential and commercial real estate, leasing of transportation equipment, manufacture of brick, clay, and aggregate products, ownership of public warehouses and aviation facilities, and biotechnology therapeutics, diagnostics, and lab space.
Andrew Conrad, Ph.D. in on the NovaRx Board of Directors serves as Chief Scientific Officer to the National Genetics Institute, Global Director of Esoteric Clinical Trials Service for Labcorp, and Chief Scientific Officer to both Castle & Cooke and the Dole Food Company, Inc. To date, the primary focus of his research has been on the effects and manifestations of chronic viral illnesses as measured by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, he has begun to explore the role of gene expression in cancer. This work is conducted in one of the largest PCR laboratories in the world, the National Genetics Institute, which performs over three million PCR reactions per year. In addition, Dr Conrad possesses highly significant regulatory experience. He was Responsible Head and Principle Investigator for CBER FDA License 1582, A Device for the Detection of HIV–1 and HIV-2 in Human Plasma by Polymerase Chain Reaction, and Responsible Head and Principle Investigator for CBER FDA License 1582, A Device for the Detection of HCV in Human Plasma by Polymerase Chain Reaction. FDA approval for both systems, U.S. License No. 1582, was granted on September 18th, 2001. Dr. Conrad also holds three patents: United States Patent 5,780,222. Method of PCR Testing Pooled Blood Samples. LB Peddada, CM Hildebrant, AJ Conrad. Issued July 14th, 1998; United States Patent 6,057,105. Detection of Melanoma and breast Cancer with a Multiple Marker Assay. DSB Hoon, AJ Conrad, P Schmid. Issued May 2nd, 2000; and United States Patent 6,063,563. Modifications to Method of PCR Testing Pooled Blood Samples. LB Peddada, CM Hildebrant, AJ Conrad. Issued May 16th, 2000. Dr. Conrad has been the author of 80 influential scientific papers, many of which have been published in world-renowned journals. He earned his PhD in Cell Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1992 and his B.S. in Neurobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1987.
Scientific and Clinical Consultants
Alexander M.M. Eggermont, MD, Ph.D. is clinical consultant to NovaRx. He is a Full Professor of Surgical Oncology and Head of the Department of Surgical Oncology at the Erasmus University Medical Centre - Daniel den Hoed Cancer Centre in Rotterdam. He holds the Chair of Experimental Surgical Oncology endowed by the Dutch Cancer Society and the \'Joseph Maisin Chair\' for Surgical Oncology at the University of Leuven in Belgium. Prof Eggermont is currently President of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and chairs the Committee on Adjuvant Treatment Strategies of the EORTC-Melanoma Group. He has previously served as Chairman of the Division of Clinical Research and as Secretary General and Chairman of the Melanoma Group. Elected to the 2005-2008 Board of ASCO (Surgical Oncology Seat), Prof Eggermont is past Chairman on the International Affairs committee of ASCO, and serves on the JCO Editorial Board, the AACR Centennial Committee, International affairs committee and the Tumor Immunology task Force. He is the current Deputy Editor of Clinical Cancer Research and also serves on the NCI-CTEP advisory board. He is specialized in treatment of Melanoma, Soft Tissue Sarcoma, molecular staging methods, and Regional Cancer Treatment Techniques, such as isolated perfusion of extremities and organs. He has a special interest in adjuvant therapy and tumor immunology. He chairs the EORTC phase III adjuvant trial programme in melanoma and is involved in various vaccination and other new drug phase I-II studies in melanoma. He coordinates the TNF-Isolated Limb Perfusion Programme for Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcomas in Europe. In Rotterdam he directs with Timo ten Hagen, PhD, a preclinical experimental surgical oncology programme that focuses on tumour vasculature and pathophysiology in intravital (confocal) microscopy in tumour window models, and regional application of cytokines, in particular TNF, and genetherapy in various models such as isolated limb and liver perfusion in vivo. He is author and co-author of more than 400 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and monographs.
Andrew Conrad, Ph.D. is clinical design consultant to NovaRx. Dr Conrad serves as Chief Scientific Officer to the National Genetics Institute, Global Director of Esoteric Clinical Trials Service for Labcorp, and Chief Scientific Officer to both Castle & Cooke and the Dole Food Company, Inc. To date, the primary focus of his research has been on the effects and manifestations of chronic viral illnesses as measured by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, he has begun to explore the role of gene expression in cancer. This work is conducted in one of the largest PCR laboratories in the world, the National Genetics Institute, which performs over three million PCR reactions per year. In addition, Dr Conrad possesses highly significant regulatory experience. He was Responsible Head and Principle Investigator for CBER FDA License 1582, A Device for the Detection of HIV–1 and HIV-2 in Human Plasma by Polymerase Chain Reaction, and Responsible Head and Principle Investigator for CBER FDA License 1582, A Device for the Detection of HCV in Human Plasma by Polymerase Chain Reaction. FDA approval for both systems, U.S. License No. 1582, was granted on September 18th, 2001. Dr. Conrad also holds three patents: United States Patent 5,780,222. Method of PCR Testing Pooled Blood Samples. LB Peddada, CM Hildebrant, AJ Conrad. Issued July 14th, 1998; United States Patent 6,057,105. Detection of Melanoma and breast Cancer with a Multiple Marker Assay. DSB Hoon, AJ Conrad, P Schmid. Issued May 2nd, 2000; and United States Patent 6,063,563. Modifications to Method of PCR Testing Pooled Blood Samples. LB Peddada, CM Hildebrant, AJ Conrad. Issued May 16th, 2000. Dr. Conrad has been the author of 80 influential scientific papers, many of which have been published in world-renowned journals. He earned his PhD in Cell Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1992 and his B.S. in Neurobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1987.
John E. Leonard, Ph.D. joined NovaRx as the company’s Senior Vice President for Clinical and Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Leonard earned both his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry from California State University, Long Beach. In 1978, he earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of California, Riverside. From 1977 through 1983, he held post-doctoral fellowships in the Department of Biology and, subsequently, the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). From 1983 through 1986, Dr. Leonard was an Assistant Research Biochemist in the Cancer Center of UCSD’s School of Medicine, where he was the recipient of a New Investigator Research Award. In 1988, Dr. Leonard joined IDEC Pharmaceuticals. While with IDEC, he held various positions, including those of Senior Research Scientist and Director of Project Management. In 1993, he was promoted to the position of Senior Director for Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance. He held this position until 1997, when he was again promoted to the position of Vice President for Preclinical Product Development. During the period between 1997 and 2005, Dr. Leonard served in various roles, including as Vice President of Quality Assurance and as Vice President for Product Development. In these positions, he led various product development teams and his responsibilities included due diligence evaluation and partner management of potential in-licensing opportunities. In 2003, IDEC merged with Biogen to form Biogen-IDEC and Dr. Leonard served from 2003 through 2005 as the Vice President and Program Executive for the Tysabri™ development team.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Leonard has authored various sections of several investigational new drug applications and has participated in the launch of three biologic products: Rituxan™ and Zevalin™, both for the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and Tysabri™ for the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis.
Christine White, M.D. is a member of the NovaRx Scientific Advisory Board and a consultant to the company. . Dr. White was with Biogen Idec Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from 1996 to 2005, where she held several senior positions, most recently as Senior Vice President, Global Medical Affairs and played a key role in the clinical development, regulatory affairs and commercialization of Rituxan® and Zevalin®. From 1994 to 1996, Dr. White served as the Director of Clinical Oncology Research at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in San Diego and from 1984 to 1994, Dr. White was on the clinical staff and held various positions at Scripps Memorial Hospitals in La Jolla and Encinitas, California, most recently as Medical Director of Oncology Research and Chair, Department of Medicine. Dr. White serves as a member of the board of directors at Arena Pharmaceuticals, a public company developing products to treat obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, thrombosis and sleep disorders. Dr White also serves on the board of directors at Pharmacyclics, Inc, a public pharmaceutical company developing products to treat cancer, and other diseases and Apoptos, a private biotech company developing products to treat cancer. Dr White serves on the clinical/scientific advisory board for Patrys Inc, a biotech company developing natural human antibodies for the treatment of cancer. Dr. White holds a B.A in Biology and an M.D. from the University of Chicago where she also completed internal medicine residency training. She completed fellowship training at UCSD and the Salk Institute. She is Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. She has authored 59 scientific publications and 161 scientific abstracts and has multiple U.S. and foreign patents awarded.
Andra E. Miller, Ph.D. is currently serving as a consultant to the Company on a variety of manufacturing and product issues. Dr. Miller is currently employed by The Biologics Consulting Group of Bethesda, Maryland, where she serves as the Director of Cell & Gene Therapies. Prior to joining The Biologics Consulting Group, she worked for seven years in the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) as an Expert Microbiologist and Gene Therapy Group Leader. From 1991 to 1993, Dr. Miller worked for the CBER in its Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, where she was a National Research Council Fellow and a member of the Unit on Developmental Biology. Before joining the FDA, Dr. Miller worked for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 1982 to 1991, first as a Biologist in the Molecular Virology and Genetics Unit of the Infectious Diseases branch, and later as a Biologist in the Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Manhattan Ville College and her Ph.D. in Human Genetics from George Washington University.
John C. Gutheil, M.D. is a board certified oncologist who is a company consultant. He assisted the company in the preparation of both the Phase II and Phase III clinical trial protocols for Lucanix™. Dr. Gutheil currently serves as the Vice-President of Medical Research for Favrille, Inc., a publicly-held biotechnology company located in San Diego. Prior to joining Favrille in 2002, Dr. Gutheil served as the Executive Director for Clinical Research and Development at Vical, Inc. During his time at Vical, he oversaw the completion of two registration studies in metastatic melanoma as well as the initiation of additional clinical studies in melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, and head & neck cancer. From 1986 to 1997, he served as the Director of Clinical Research at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in San Diego. In addition, Dr. Gutheil simultaneously held various positions at the University of Maryland Cancer Center, including Director of the Fellowship Program, Director of the Community Physician Outreach Program, and Co-Director of the Neuro-Oncology Program. Over the course of his career, he has published 23 laboratory and clinical review papers as well as six review articles and book chapters. Dr. Gutheil received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego and his M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his internship and residency at the Johns Hopkins University and his Medical Oncology and Hematology training at the University of Maryland Cancer Center.
