| The Team: |
Robert Buckheit, Ph.D.,
Director of Research and Development:
|
| Dr. Buckheit
has been intimately involved in the preclinical
development of anti-infective and anti-cancer agents
since 1989, with a focus on agents for use against HIV.
|
| Prior to 2004,
Dr. Buckheit developed and managed infectious disease
and cancer research programs for commercial, academic
and government clients at Southern Research Institute
and TherImmune Research Corporation. |
| In 2004, Dr.
Buckheit founded ImQuest BioSciences, a scientific
contract research and development laboratory located in
Frederick, Maryland. ImQuest BioSciences has significant
expertise in the development of therapeutic and
preventative agents for the treatment of infectious
diseases (HIV, hepatitis viruses, respiratory viruses,
herpes viruses, enteric viruses, bacterial and fungal
organisms) and cancer in partnership with their
academic, government, biotechnology and pharmaceutical
company clients, as well as through in-licensing of
novel technology for development. ImQuest performs all
preclinical studies required for IND submission and
supports the initial clinical trials to define the
safety and efficacy of newly emerging products. ImQuest
specializes in the development of agents which inhibit
novel therapeutic targets, as well as the development of
topical microbicides. |
| Over the past 20 years, Dr. Buckheit has
managed a variety of multi-million dollar and
technically complex federal contracts, hundreds of
programs with virtual and small biotechnology companies,
research programs with pharmaceutical industry companies
and collaborative programs with academic investigators.
Dr. Buckheit's experience with anti-infective and
anti-cancer evaluations includes more than 500,000 small
molecules and biologics, and his work has resulted in
over 130 publications in the peer reviewed literature.
|
| Dr. Buckheit
will direct the research and development of Arisyn’s
portfolio of compounds as a component of the scientific
research performed by the scientific team at
ImQuest. |
| |
Karen Watson, M.S., Project
Manager :
|
Ms. Watson
graduated from Hood College in Frederick, MD with a B.A.
in Biology in 1996 and with a Master's Degree in
Biomedical Science in 2006. She joined ImQuest
Biosciences in February 2004 and has worked as an
integral component of the anti-infective research team
lead by Dr. Robert Buckheit since 1996, managing
ImQuest’s topical anti-infective preventative
development programs for academic, government, and
commercial clients. Ms. Watson has significant
experience in the technical performance of antiviral,
anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal assays involving
cell-based and biochemical assays and is currently the
project manager for the day to day operation of
government and commercial sponsored virucidal and
topical microbicide programs. Ms. Watson's Master’s
thesis project from Hood College involved studies on the
mechanism of antiviral resistance, fitness and
compensation. Ms. Watson will be responsible for
coordination and oversight of Arisyn’s therapeutic
development programs.
Shayne C. Gad,
Ph.D., DABT, ATS,
Regulatory Consultant:
Dr. Gad has more than 30 years
of broad based experience in toxicology, drug and device
development, statistics and risk assessment, with
specific expertise in neurotoxicology, in vitro
methods, inhalation toxicology, immunotoxicology, and
genotoxicology. A past president of the
American
College
of Toxicology and the
Roundtable of Toxicology Consultants and the recipient
of the 2008 ACT Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Gad has
authored or edited 39 books, 48 independent chapters and
more than 300 papers and abstracts in the above fields.
Dr. Gad has contributed to
and has meaningful personal experience with
IND (87 successfully filed to
date), NDA, BLA, ANDA, 510(k), IDE, CTD, dietary
supplement and PMA preparation. Dr. Gad is fully
experienced with the design, conduct, analysis, and
reporting of preclinical and clinical safety and
pharmacokinetic studies for drugs, devices combination
products and dietary supplements, and with regulatory
submissions associated with them.
Dr. Gad will direct the
pre-IND and IND
submissions for Arisyn’s lead therapeutic
candidates.
|
Eric Zucco, M.B.A.,
President :
|
| Mr. Zucco has
over twenty years of business management experience in a
variety of senior management and executive positions and
has been responsible for sales, strategic planning,
operations, technology, regulatory compliance, and
financial performance across a broad range of leadership
roles. After undergraduate work at the United States
Naval Academy, Mr. Zucco received a BS in Business
Management from Purdue University in 1984 and an MBA
from Pepperdine University in 1995. |
| In 1991, Mr.
Zucco founded Zucco Enterprises Inc., a software and
business services consulting company specializing in
Human Capital Management and Supply Chain applications.
Zucco Enterprises Inc. has provided services to a host
of well known and highly respected companies in
manufacturing, retail, telecommunications, technology,
and healthcare. Mr. Zucco has expertise in software
programming and development and is a technician and
instructor certified in a variety of relational database
applications. |
| In addition to
his years of experience in the healthcare industry, Mr.
Zucco has five years of experience in companies
specializing in the development of therapeutics and
biotechnology products and was instrumental in
identifying and leading the negotiations to acquire
Arisyn's current portfolio from the University of
Arizona Foundation. Mr. Zucco is an active investor in
the drug development and biotechnology industry,
predominantly with companies that focus on highly novel
strategies to combat infectious disease and
cancer. |
| |
|
Member of the Frederick Innovative Technology Center