Team - Aqur Biosciences

Meet the visionaries behind Aqur

We are pioneering the future of bioscience with a world-class team dedicated to revolutionizing cholesterol management. Our visionary inventors, leading doctors, accomplished scientists, and groundbreaking researchers are driving innovation at the forefront of this critical field.

Our team brings deep expertise in biotechnology and a profound understanding of cholesterol metabolism, blending cutting-edge scientific knowledge with real-world experience.

Many of our experts have held leadership roles in top pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, research labs, and multinational organizations, driving the development of transformative healthcare solutions.

Proven track record of innovation & success.

Our team’s credentials include advanced degrees from prestigious institutions, a proven track record of successfully bringing pharmaceuticals to market, and an unwavering commitment to improving human health. Complementing this scientific excellence is our leadership’s strategic managerial acumen, honed through years of guiding high-impact initiatives in the industry.

A singular mission: transforming cholesterol management.

We are united by a bold mission—to develop a groundbreaking drug that redefines cholesterol management. Committed to improving patient outcomes, we push the boundaries of cardiovascular health to shape a healthier future for millions.

Our team brings deep expertise in biotechnology and a profound understanding of cholesterol metabolism, blending cutting-edge scientific knowledge with real-world experience.

Proven track record of innovation & success.

A singular mission: transforming cholesterol management.

Management Team

Michael A. Fole, MD, MBA

25+ years of experience in wealth & family office management, banking, trading and investments

MD – University of Medicine & Pharmacy Carol Davila, Bucharest

MBA – University of La Verne, California

Jeffrey B. Wolin, JD

25+ years investment banking, corporate transactions, mergers & acquisitions, public filings and
financings

BS – Biomedical and Chemical Engineering – Columbia University

Andy Jennings, PhD

35+ years of pharma and biotech industry (GSK, Takeda, & Structure Therapeutics)

Published in Computational Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Structural Biology, Assay Development,
and Bioinformatics

BSc – Medicinal Chemistry – University of Hertfordshire

PhD in Computational Chemistry and Bioinformatics – The Open University UK

James Hess Leach

40+ years of experience in family office venture capital

Chairman & Senior Managing Director, National Trust, LLC

Chair Emeritus, Rhode Island PBS Foundation & Inductee, Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame

Michel F. Denarie, MBA

37+ years veteran of the pharmaceutical industry

21 years with IQVIA – Senior Principal, Strategic Drug Development – Global COE Lead, Patient Insights – Senior Principal, Commercial Effectiveness

BS – Kogod School of Business, American University

MBA – Darden School of Business – University of Virgina

Board of Directors

Jeffrey B. Wolin, JD

25+ years investment banking, corporate transactions, mergers & acquisitions, public filings and financings

BS – Biomedical and Chemical Engineering – Columbia University

James Hess Leach

40+ years of experience in family office venture capital

Chairman & Senior Managing Director, National Trust, LLC

Chair Emeritus, Rhode Island PBS Foundation & Inductee, Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame

Madison F. Richardson, MD

40+ years board-certified surgeon

Officer, Medical Board of California (1987-1993)

Former Asst. Professor of Surgery, USC & UCLA Medical Schools

Lt. Col., Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (1968-1979)

Valerie Ferguson

40+ years in management

Former Regional General Manager – Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World

Former Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHGLA)

Held senior roles at Loews Hotels Corporation & The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

Amanuel Sima, MD

24+ years board-certified physician

Board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine

Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Board of Pulmonary Medicine, & the American Board of Critical Care Medicine

Scientific Advisory Board

Roland Wandeler, MSc, PhD

15+ years of commercial leadership & general management experience in the pharmaceutical & biotechnology industry

Former Amgen General Manager Germany in Spain & Portugal, & Corporate Vice President & General Manager of Amgen’s US Bone Health & Cardiology Business Unit

MSc & PhD – Chemical Engineering – ETH Zurich

Wayne Paterson

Director & CEO, Anteris Technologies Ltd

Head of Pharmaceuticals (South Korea) & Head of Commercial Operations (China), Roche Pharmaceuticals

President, Merck KGaA Europe, Canada & Australia & Global Head of Cardiovascular Medicine, Merck KGaA (2010-2012)

Jay Horton, MD

Dr. Horton’s characterization of PCSK9 & the protein’s interactions with LDL-R provided the foundation for the development of PCSK9i

Professor of Internal Medicine and Molecular Genetics, Chief of the Division of Digestive & Liver Diseases

Holds the Robert C. & Veronica Atkin Chair in Obesity and Diabetes Research – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Tomi Sawyer, PhD

Inventor of MCR1 agonist NDP-MSH (Scenesse® by Clinuvel) recently approved by the FDA

Invented ALRN-6924 (Aileron) and Iclusig® (Ariad/Takeda)

Former titles: Distinguished Scientist (Merck), CSO (Aileron), SVP (Ariad) and Sr. Director (Pfizer)

Past President of the American Peptide Society

Nabil G. Seidah, MC, PhD, OQ, PRSC

Discovered & cloned seven (PC1, PC2, PC4, PC5, PC7, SKI-1 & PCSK9) of the nine known enzymes belonging to the convertase family

Author of over 720 peer-review articles & manuscripts

Recipient of Medical Research Council Scientist Award, McLaughlin Medal of the Royal Society of Canada, the Parizeau Prize of the Association Canadienne-Française, the Pfizer Distinguished Cardiovascular-Metabolic Research Jean-Davignon Award, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the “Jacques Genest” Lecturer Award

Michael D. Shapiro, DO

Professor of Cardiology & Molecular Medicine at Wake Forest University

Published extensively in the areas of atherosclerosis imaging, lipid disorders, & preventive cardiology with research focuses on PCSK9 physiology & its impact on lipoprotein metabolism

DO – Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Nicola Ferri, PhD

Professor in Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy

Author of >190 peer-review articles & manuscripts, including “Emerging oral therapeutic strategies for inhibiting PCSK9” published in Atherosclerosis Plus

PhD in “Experimental Pharmacology” & PhD in “Toxicology of Environment and Nutrition” – University of Milan, Italy

Ajoy Basak, MSc, PhD, FIC

Inventor of AQR-008

25+ years of discovery and development of PCSK9, cholesterol regulation & CVD

Adjunct Professor, University of Ottawa, & Affiliate Investigator, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Published 150+ peer reviewed articles on PCSK9 enzymes

David M. Lubman, PhD

Professor Emeritus – University of Michigan Medical School

Director, The Lubman Lab (University of Michigan Medical School) investigating novel biotechnologies

MS – Columbia University

PhD – Stanford University

Bruce Auerbach, MS

20+ years of experience in pharmaceutical drug discovery & early clinical development

Former associate Research Fellow at Pfizer specializing in drug discovery & early clinical development, with a concentration in dyslipidemia & metabolic diseases

MS in Pathology and Comparative Medicine – Bowman Gray School of Medicine – Wake Forest University

Mary G. Sorci-Thomas, PhD

Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Clinical Nutrition- Medical School of Wisconsin

Funded for 33+ years by the National Institutes of Health and for 20 years participated as a Project Leader on an NIH funded Program Project that studied Atherosclerosis and Lipid Metabolism

PhD – Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Robert E. Burrier, PhD

Career technology executive with experience in pharmaceutical research

Participated & led programs resulting in drugs currently on the market including Zetia & Vytorin

RGD at Schering-Plough, Merck KGaA, Eli Lilly, GelTex, and Genzyme

PhD – Boston University, Postdoctoral Fellowship in Comparative Medicine – Wake Forest University

David M. Filsoof, MD

Medical Director of Beverly Hills Cardiovascular

Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at Mayo Clinic

10+ years at Cedars Sinai Medical Center

BA – Emory University

MD – New York Medical College

Doron Eldar

Partner, SBIF VC & Director, Powerhouse Ventures Ltd.

Dynamic & result-focused entrepreneur with 10+ years senior leadership experience

Bachelor’s degree in business – The Open University of Israel

In Memoriam

1951 - 2023

Dr. Joseph A. Cornicelli, PhD, FAHA

We honor the life and legacy of Dr. Joseph A. Cornicelli, a distinguished scientist, a revered mentor, and a cherished friend to all who had the privilege of knowing him.

With over two decades of experience as a Research Fellow at Pfizer Inc., during which he made groundbreaking contributions to drug discovery and development, Dr. Cornicelli left an indelible mark on the healthcare industry.

His extensive career, spanning over 13 years at Charles River Laboratories, where he held leadership positions such as Director of In Vivo Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases and Director of Inflammation Services, and subsequent roles as a consultant, exemplified his expertise in advancing treatments for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

A Fellow of the American Heart Association, Dr. Cornicelli’s research in lipid metabolism and cardiovascular health, including his notable work on gemcabene, has paved the way for innovation and improved patient outcomes.

His numerous publications and invaluable mentorship have inspired generations of researchers in the biosciences. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Cornicelli served as a guiding light to our team. His unwavering support, expert guidance, and warm friendship enriched our journey and shaped our mission.

We will forever remember him for his wisdom, kindness, dedication, and his remarkable sense of humor. His memory will forever be an integral part of our organization, inspiring us to continue the work he passionately believed in.