Leslie Chong | CEO & Managing Director
Ms Chong has 24 years of oncology experience in Phase I – III of clinical program development, including leadership role involvement in two marketed oncology products. She was previously Senior Clinical Program Lead at Genentech, Inc., in San Francisco. Genentech is widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful biotech companies with a strong oncology franchise including the best-selling breast cancer drug Herceptin.
Paul Hopper | Executive Chairman
Paul has over 25 years experience in the biotech, healthcare & life sciences sectors. Focussed on start-up and rapid growth companies, he has served as either Founder, Chairman, non-executive director, or CEO of more than fifteen companies in the US, Australia and Asia. Previous and current Boards include Imugene, Radiopharm Theranostics, Chimeric Therapeutics, Viralytics, Prescient Therapeutics, and Polynoma. His experience covers extensive fund raising in US, Australia, Asia and Europe, and he has deep experience in corporate governance, risk and strategy. He also has many years experience in providing corporate advice and guidance, financial analysis and management of companies of differing sizes and financial circumstances.
Jakob Dupont | Non-Executive Director
Dr. Jakob Dupont is a renowned expert in the fields of oncology, immunology, immune-oncology, and cell therapy. He has long-standing and deep experience in developing therapies and programs dedicated to addressing high unmet medical needs. Dr. Dupont serves as Global Head of Research & Development for Atara Biotherapeutics a leader in T cell therapy targeting cancer and autoimmune diseases. Dr. Dupont also serves on the Board of Directors for Apexigen Inc. and the Scientific Advisory Board for Ambrx Biopharma. Dr. Dupont has helped a number of companies advance to value creating events including 4 IPOs, a number of successful fund raisings, and 4 significant big pharma partnerships.
Kim Drapkin | Non-Executive Director
Kim Drapkin has over 25 years of experience working with private and publicly traded biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including building and leading finance functions, raising capital, and leading strategic financial planning. In addition to Imugene, Ms. Drapkin currently serves on the board of directors at Acumen Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ABOS) where she chairs the audit committee and is a member of the compensation committee. Most recently, Ms. Drapkin was CFO at Jounce Therapeutics since its inception, playing a key role in building Jounce’s financial infrastructure. Prior to joining Jounce, Ms. Drapkin owned a financial consulting firm where she served as the interim chief financial officer for numerous early-stage biotechnology companies. Previously, Ms. Drapkin was chief financial officer at EPIX Pharmaceuticals. Prior to EPIX, Ms. Drapkin spent ten years in roles of increasing responsibility within the finance organization at Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Ms. Drapkin began her career in the technology and life sciences practice at PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP. Ms. Drapkin holds a B.S. in accounting from Babson College.
Lesley Russell | Non-Executive Director
Dr Lesley Russell has more than 25 years of international operational and leadership experience with a number of established and emerging pharmaceutical companies across multiple therapeutic areas including oncology and haematology. Her experience has been gained at a number of leading companies including, Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN), Eli Lilly (NASDAQ: LLY), US Bioscience/Medimmune Oncology, Cephalon Inc (NASDAQ: CEPH), Teva Pharmacaeuticals (NASDAQ: TEVA), TetraLogic and Innocoll Holdings Plc. Dr Lesley Russell is currently a Non-executive Director of AMAG Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMAG), Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ENTA) and Sojournix a privately held biotechnology company. Dr. Lesley Russell was a non-executive director of Endocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc until its acquisition by Novartis in December, 2018.
Jens Eckstein | Non-Executive Director
Dr Jens Eckstein is an established international venture investor and active mentor of life science entrepreneurs and start-up teams. Jens is currently Managing Partner of Apollo Ventures a venture firm focusing on age-related diseases and health span. Before joining Apollo he was president of SROne for eight years. SR One is the corporate venture capital arm of global pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline which invests in emerging life science companies pursuing innovative science with significant impact on medical care and patients.
Dr Eckstein brings more than 15 years of venture capital funding of earlier-stage biopharmaceutical companies, technology transfer, operational and research management experience in drug discovery and biotechnology. He holds several issued patents and has authored over 25 scientific publications. He earned his Doctorate, summa cum laude, in Biological Chemistry in at the University of Konstanz and Harvard University.