Daniel R. Vlock, MD – Founder, CEO

Dr. Vlock brings extensive pharmaceutical industry and academic experience in pharmaceutical drug development. Previously, Dr. Vlock held senior-level medical and research positions at GPC Biotech, Inc., Pharmacia Corporation, Ethicon Endo-Surgery (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson Company), and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he was involved in the development of numerous oncology drugs, medical devices and drug-device combinations. While at Pharmacia he ran the Celebrex Oncology Group.  That group ran 2 large international cancer prevention trials (over 3500 patients) and was also responsible for the successful approval of Celebrex for the treatment of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, a life-threatening pre-cancerous condition.  This was the first drug ever approved for cancer prevention. While at other companies he ran programs which successfully developed and introduced 2 monoclonal antibodies into clinical trials.  Prior to moving to industry, Dr. Vlock was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Yale University School of Medicine where he led laboratory and clinical programs in tumor immunology.

Dr. Vlock received his A.B. from Cornell University and an M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine. He completed a research fellowship in clinical immunology at Baylor College of Medicine, an internship and medical residency at Temple University Hospital and a senior medical residency and fellowship in medical oncology at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Gerald B. Pier, PhD – Founder, Scientific Advisory Board Chair

Dr. Pier’s research interests focus on the definition of protective immune mechanisms relevant to bacterial infection that can lead to the development of vaccines and passive immunotherapies, along with basic studies on mechanisms whereby bacterial pathogens cause infections.  He has over 170 peer-reviewed publications and more than 20 patents.  He has had 3 successfully partnerships with pharmaceutical companies that were an outgrowth of his research.  His laboratory has produced panels of fully human monoclonal antibodies derived originally from circulating B cells of vaccinated or infected individuals. These are being developed for use in passive therapy of both P. aeruginosa and S. aureus/S. epidermidis infections.  His laboratory was responsible for the development and pre-clinical assessment of F598, the antibody that is being developed by Alopexx.

Dr. Pier received his B.S. from University of the Pacific and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of California, Berkeley, CA. After completing a post-doctoral Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research he joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School. He currently is a Professor of Medicine in the field of Microbiology and Genetics.

Walter W. Simmers – Legal Counsel

Mr. Simmers is a corporate attorney who practices in corporate finance and securities law for high technology and emerging growth companies particularly in telecommunications, software and bio-technology. He is a member of the University of Connecticut Health Center Institutional Review Board, and has served on statewide boards and commissions for housing, transportation and business matters.

Mr. Simmers earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.  He is a partner at the law firm of Pepe and Hazard in Hartford, Connecticut.