Overview
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Variation Biotechnologies, Inc. (VBI) creates intelligent vaccines that learn from nature. Our management and scientific team consists of industry-leading experts that have increased our product pipeline and partnerships.After decades of vaccine research, Variosite™ technology evokes the full power of the immune system by mimicking the body's natural protection to infection. This novel vaccine strategy has potential to revolutionize humanity's fight against Influenza, HIV, Dengue, Marburg, and West Nile virus.
Management TeamDr. Francisco Diaz-Mitoma MD, Ph.D. CEO & Founder
- 20 years of clinical vaccine development experience with Merck, GSK and Chiron.
- Entrepreneurial drive and vision and a dynamic and charismatic leader.
Egidio Nascimento , C.A. , Chief Financial Officer
- 17 years of experience in finance
- CFO for Genome Canada & multiple successful start-ups
Adam Buckley, B.Sc., M.B.A. Director of Corporate Development
- Co-founder and first employee
- Shaped VBI’s early success, closing seed financing and strategic partnerships
Dr. David E. Anderson , Ph.D. VP, Immunology and Co-founder
- Extensive training and publication record in many fields of immunology
- Former faculty member of Harvard Medical School
Sam Baldwin, Ph.D. Director of CMC
- Over 16 years of CMC and drug delivery experience, most recently at Peptimmune and Alkermes
Richard Weltzin , Ph.D. Director of Vaccinology
- Over 17 years of experience at Acambis
Dr. Andrei Ogrel , Ph.D. Director of Vaccine Development
- Over 20 years as a peptide chemist, enabled design of VBI's proprietary immunogens
Lynne Cullen, BScN Director of Clinical Development
- Experienced clinical trials manager for vaccines and infectious disease.
DirectorsDr. Jeffrey Leiden, M.D., Ph.D
Jeffrey Leiden, M.D. Ph.D. has more than 20 years of experience in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors. Dr. Leiden was President and COO of Abbott Laboratories Pharmaceuticals Products Group and a member of the Abbott Board of Directors from 2000-2006. From 1987 until 2000 Dr. Leiden held several academic appointments including Chief of Cardiology at the University of Chicago, the Elkan R. Blout Professor of Biological Sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Leiden has helped to start three biotechnology companies, Vical, CV Therapeutics, and Cardiogene. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Steven Gillis , Ph.D.
Dr. Gillis was a founder and director of Corixa Corp. and served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer since inception and as its Chairman since January of 1999. Corixa was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline in July of 2005. Prior to starting Corixa, Dr. Gillis was a founder and director of Immunex Corp. From 1981 until his departure in 1994, Dr. Gillis served as Immunex’s Director of Research and Development, Chief Scientific Officer, and Chief Executive Officer of Immunex’s Research and Development subsidiary. Dr. Gillis was interim Chief Executive Officer of Immunex Corp. following its majority purchase by American Cyanamid Co. and he remained a member of the Board of Directors until 1997. Immunex was acquired by Amgen Inc. in 2002.
Dr. Gillis is an immunologist by training with over 300 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of molecular and tumor immunology. He is credited as being a pioneer in the field of cytokines and cytokine receptors, directing the development of multiple marketed products including Leukine, (GM-CSF), Prokine (IL-2) and Enbrel (soluble TNF receptor-Fc fusion protein) as well as the regulatory approval of Bexxar (radiolabeled anti-CD20). Dr. Gillis received his B.A. from Williams College in 1975 and his Ph.D. from Dartmouth College in 1978.
Dr. Scott Rocklage , Ph.D.
Dr. Rocklage joined 5AM Ventures in 2003 as a Venture Partner and became a Managing Partner in 2004. Dr. Rocklage has over 20 years of healthcare management experience with strategic leadership responsibilities that have resulted in the successful approval of three U.S. New Drug Applications by the FDA (Omniscan™, Teslascan® and Cubicin®), and entered six drug candidates into clinical trials. Dr. Rocklage has served as Chairman & CEO of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, President & CEO of Nycomed Salutar, President, CEO & Chairman of Nycomed Interventional, and has held various R&D positions at Salutar and Catalytica. Dr. Rocklage currently serves as Board Chairman of Achaogen, Ilypsa, and Miikana Therapeutics, as well as on the Board of WaveRx and the Board of Associates at the Whitehead Institute. Dr. Rocklage received his BS in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and his PhD in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Rocklage is based in the Boston office.
Dr. Francisco Diaz-Mitoma, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Diaz-Mitoma received a PhD in medical sciences from the University of Alberta. The American Society for Microbiology presented him with a Young Investigator Award for his work on the Epstein-Barr virus in immunocompromised patients. Today he continues his research on creating intelligent vaccines for HIV, Influenza, Dengue and other viruses.
Dr. Diaz-Mitoma has been a consultant to numerous pharmaceutical companies in antiviral drug development and has authored more than 100 scientific papers and chapters in textbooks. He serves on several editorial boards, has actively participated in more than 50 antiviral clinical trials and has authored several protocols.
