Executive Steering Committee
Dr Melanie Lee, Chief Executive Officer
Dr Lee was formerly President of New Medicines and Executive Vice President R&D with UCB, having served as R&D Director at Celltech before its merger with UCB. Dr Lee brings a wealth of drug research and development experience to Syntaxin, through her early academic career at Cancer Research UK (as ICRF), a decade in research with GlaxoSmithKline and her later leadership of biopharmaceutical R&D at Celltech and UCB. Dr Lee also sits as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of BTG plc and has recently joined the Board of Lundbeck as a Non-Executive Director.
Dr Nigel Clark, Chief Business Officer
Over 15 years of commercial and managerial experience in the biotech and pharma industry. Dr Clark was formerly Vice-President of business development at Vernalis and a member of the senior executive committee as well as President, Vernalis Canada. Dr Clark has also held leadership roles at Ribotargets and British Biotech and was co-head of the biotech business unit at Datamonitor.
Dr Phil Boyd, Chief Financial Officer
Over 20 years' broad financial and management experience. Biotechnology exposure as UK Finance Director, Evotec AG and Finance Director at Cambridge Discovery Chemistry Ltd. Prior experience in management consulting and a scientific background.
Dr Jon Court, Chief Development Officer & Research Director
Over 30 years' of pharmaceutical research and development experience. He has held R&D roles with Wellcome and Roche and was the founder and CEO of Fulcrum Pharma plc, an international contract drug development business engaged in global NCE and NBE development.
Dr Richard Jones, Chief Medical Officer
Richard Jones has 20 years' experience as a Physician executive with broad, international project and senior management experience in the pharmaceutical industry holding senior positions at Aspreva, Syngenta, Johnson and Johnson and Hoffman La Roche. His extensive background in drug development in both small molecules and Biologicals cuts across all therapeutic areas and all stages of the drug development process.
Dr Keith Foster, Founder & Chief Technology Officer
Over 25 years of management experience in pharmaceutical R&D, including positions with SmithKline Beecham and Ipsen. An internationally recognised expert in botulinum neurotoxin biology, Dr Foster led the team that developed the proprietary technology that is the basis of Syntaxin, and played a lead role in developing the analgesic application of the technology. He has extensive experience in intellectual property management and development of a patent portfolio.
Dr John Chaddock, Head of Portfolio Management and Strategy Implementation
10 years experience at CAMR where he was instrumental in directing the activities of multi-disciplinary teams focussed toward the development of novel therapeutics based on bacterial proteins. Dr Chaddock has a track record of developing candidate molecules for the selection of pre-clinical studies and expertise in patent management.