Member Article

Leading pharmaceutical executive Dr. Robert Karr joins Verseon’s Board of Directors

FREMONT, Calif.—Leading pharmaceutical executive and biotech entrepreneur Dr. Robert W. Karr was recently elected as a Non-Executive Director of Verseon, a California-based pharmaceutical company. Dr. Karr had been a member of Verseon’s Scientific Advisory Board, and has helped shape Verseon’s four drug programs in anticoagulation, diabetic macular edema, hereditary angioedema, and oncology. Dr. Karr’s considerable experience across the drug discovery and development process (discovery, preclinical and clinical), as well as his experience in fundraising and partnerships with pharmaceutical companies will be particularly valuable to Verseon as they move their first drug candidates into the clinic in early 2018.

“I am excited to join Verseon’s Board of Directors,” said Dr. Karr. “I have supported the Company since its early years because I recognized the potential impact of Verseon’s disruptive platform on drug discovery. The recent results across the Company’s pipeline, and in particular the progress toward clinical trials, show that Verseon is realizing this potential. I look forward to working with Verseon’s interdisciplinary team.”

Dr. Karr held a range of senior management roles in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, including Senior Vice President of R&D Strategy at Pfizer, President of Idera Pharmaceuticals, and Vice President of R&D Strategy for Warner-Lambert and G. D. Searle. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and served as faculty member at both the University of Iowa College of Medicine and Washington University School of Medicine. He received his M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Adityo Prakash, Chief Executive Officer at Verseon, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Bob Karr to Verseon’s Board of Directors. For many years he has helped shape Verseon’s drug programs as a member of our Scientific Advisory Board, and we are excited that he has now agreed to serve as a Non-Executive Director. Verseon is entering a significant period as we prepare to advance some of our drug programs into clinical trials. With his wealth of experience and unique understanding of the global pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Karr will provide valuable leadership and strategic insight.

For more information about Dr. Karr, please see his Bloomberg profile: http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=22579628&privcapId=29643

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by VPR .