TEAM
MANAGEMENT
CEO
CMO
VP, Operation
VP and GM, China Operation
VP, Research and Early Development
CEO
Dr. Shen brings more than 20 years of pharmaceutical drug development experience spanning from early discovery to phase 3 clinical trials. Before founding AceLink in 2018, he was Executive Director at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, responsible for small molecule drug discovery and development. He joined BioMarin in 2010 when the company acquired LEAD Therapeutics, a drug discovery company where he served as VP of Drug Discovery Biology. Prior to LEAD Therapeutics, he served as VP of R&D at Applied Biomics, a protein biomarker research and service company that he co-founded. Prior to that, he worked at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, where he served at positions with increasing responsibilities and helped development of oncolytic viruses and gene delivery viral vectors.
Dr. Shen holds B.S. in Physiology from Fudan University, Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from State University of New York at Buffalo, and received post-doctoral training at Princeton University. He has co-authored more than 35 peer-reviewed papers, is a co-inventor in more than 30 issued and pending patents. In 2018, Talazoparib, a cancer drug for which he spent many years of his career both at LEAD and at BioMarin, received marketing approval from FDA.
CMO
Dr. Garovoy is responsible for directing the worldwide clinical activities for all products at AceLink Therapeutics. Dr. Garovoy has over 20 years of experience in the Biopharmaceutical Industry with a successful track record of drug development. Prior to joining the company Dr. Garovoy helped develop Raptiva with XOMA/Genentech and held numerous positions in industry including Vice President of Clinical Science at Xoma, Sr. VP Clinical Development at Hyperion and Chief Medical Officer at Arriva Pharmaceuticals and Medgenics Inc. For the past six years he has been a Clinical Consultant for immunological/inflammatory diseases, metabolic rare diseases and gene therapy to which he has applied his translational medicine knowledge. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Biology at New York University and received his M.D., with honors, at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at New York University, Bellevue Hospital and a Fellowship in Immunology, Transplantation and Nephrology at Harvard Medical School, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. Dr. Garovoy is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He holds medical licenses in New York, Massachusetts, Texas and California. He holds two patents: one for making universal donor cells and the second for psoriasis therapy (Genentech). Dr. Garovoy has published over 200 original articles and chapters and has held multiple teaching positions initially at Harvard Medical School and more recently as a faculty member at UCSF where he was Professor of Surgery, Medicine and Laboratory Medicine.
VP, Operation
Dr. Li has more than 20 years of industry experience in business development and project management in the biotech field. Prior to co-founding AceLink Therapeutics, Dr. Li was a Senior Director of Business Development at Crown Bioscience, a leading translational technology platform company. She was one of the top business executives serving many biotech and pharmaceutical companies for almost 6 years. Before Crown Bioscience, Dr. Li was a Director of Custom Service at Epitomics, a rabbit monoclonal antibody company, later-on acquired by Abcam. At Epitomics, Dr. Li was responsible for the lab operation, project management and account management. Prior to that, Dr. Li also held different scientist positions at Applied Biomics – a proteomics research and service company and at Curagen – a genomics-based target discovery company. Dr. Li received her B.S. in Microbiology from Fudan University, M.S. in Microbiology from Beijing Agriculture University and Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Medicine from Oklahoma State University.
VP and GM, China Operation
Dr. Zheng brings to AceLink an extensive experience in drug research and development. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Fudan University, and earned PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from University of Missouri-Columbia. With a research fellowship from NIH, she completed postdoctoral training at University of Missouri-Columbia, focusing on yeast genetics and cell cycle regulation. She then joined Zen Sun Biological Inc, Shanghai, China, a start-up company focusing on developing new drugs for cancer and cardiovascular disease, acting as Director of R&D, responsible for building Company’s R&D center from ground zero and taking the drug candidate Neuregulin for IND filing. She then took the position of Senior Director of R&D at IgCon Therapeutic, Shanghai, China, a start-up company utilizing the proprietary yeast two hybrid platform and library to identify antibody leads for therapeutic uses and to generate high affinity humanized antibodies. In recent years, she has been working as chief consultant with Rightway Consulting Inc., shanghai, China, specializing in regulatory consultation and medical writing in clinical and health-related areas. Several major accomplishments included Ph3 multi-center efficacy and safety trial reports (kidney disease), Ph4 efficacy and safety study (inflammatory disease), Ph3 clinical trial and NDA Registration package (vaccine).
VP, Research and Early Development
Dr. Babcock has 18 years of pharmaceutical industry experience leading drug development and exploratory research projects. Much of his professional career focused on the role of glycolipid in disease. At Elan Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Babcock applied genetic, histopathology, and cell biology approaches to better understand the connections between lysosomal dysfunction, glycolipid metabolism, and Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Babcock then joined BioMarin where he worked on several small molecule drug development projects targeting glycolipid enzymes including glucosylceramide synthase (GCS), ceramide galactosyl transferase(CGT), and acid ceramidase (AC).
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Shen brings more than 20 years of pharmaceutical drug development experience spanning from early discovery to phase 3 clinical trials. Before founding AceLink in 2018, he was Executive Director at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, responsible for small molecule drug discovery and development. He joined BioMarin in 2010 when the company acquired LEAD Therapeutics, a drug discovery company where he served as VP of Drug Discovery Biology. Prior to LEAD Therapeutics, he served as VP of R&D at Applied Biomics, a protein biomarker research and service company that he co-founded. Prior to that, he worked at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, where he served at positions with increasing responsibilities and helped development of oncolytic viruses and gene delivery viral vectors.
Dr. Shen holds B.S. in Physiology from Fudan University, Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from State University of New York at Buffalo, and received post-doctoral training at Princeton University. He has co-authored more than 35 peer-reviewed papers, is a co-inventor in more than 30 issued and pending patents. In 2018, Talazoparib, a cancer drug for which he spent many years of his career both at LEAD and at BioMarin, received marketing approval from FDA.
Dr. Cynthia Cai is an executive and investor with over twenty-five years of experience in the healthcare and life science industry. Extensive experience in equity investment, board membership, marketing, and business development. In-depth understanding of global biotech and life science business, widely recognized as having a unique ability to bridge collaboration between scientists and businesses, between the eastern and western cultures.
Dr. Cai is the founder and president of Tharton Consulting, which provides investment and management consulting services. She is also a venture partner of Viva BioInnovator, an equity investor in biotech innovation with novel solutions to cross multiple therapeutic areas. Before that, she served as senior advisor to Northern Light Venture Capital, led its healthcare investment effort in the United States. Previously Dr. Cai had progressive leadership roles with Agilent Technologies, as global associate vice president of marketing, she was responsible for its billion-dollar Chromatography, Automation, and Mass Spec. business.
Dr. Cai serves on the board of directors for Spectral MD (London: SMD), Arthrosi Therapeutics, F5 Therapeutics, AceLink Therapeutics, Exarta Therapeutics, and Amberstone Biosciences. She is also a member of the board for the Science History Institute in Philadelphia.
Dr. Cai earned a B.A. and M. Eng. from Tsinghua University in Beijing, received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts, and an MBA from The Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Li has more than 20 years of industry experience in business development and project management in the biotech field. Prior to co-founding AceLink Therapeutics, Dr. Li was a Senior Director of Business Development at Crown Bioscience, a leading translational technology platform company. She was one of the top business executives serving many biotech and pharmaceutical companies for almost 6 years. Before Crown Bioscience, Dr. Li was a Director of Custom Service at Epitomics, a rabbit monoclonal antibody company, later-on acquired by Abcam. At Epitomics, Dr. Li was responsible for the lab operation, project management and account management. Prior to that, Dr. Li also held different scientist positions at Applied Biomics – a proteomics research and service company and at Curagen – a genomics-based target discovery company. Dr. Li received her B.S. in Microbiology from Fudan University, M.S. in Microbiology from Beijing Agriculture University and Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Medicine from Oklahoma State University.
Dr. Post is the Chief Scientific Officer of Vivace Therapeutics and Virtuoso Therapeutics and a member of the board of directors, bringing more than three decades of pharmaceutical experience spanning companies of all sizes. Before joining Vivace in 2016, he served as chief scientific officer of BioMarin, a publicly held biopharmaceutical firm with a focus on rare diseases. He joined BioMarin when the company acquired LEAD Therapeutics, a drug discovery company where he was a co-founder and served as CSO. He was responsible for inception as well as subsequent development of talazoparib until it was sold to Medivation by BioMarin. Positions prior to LEAD included senior vice president of research and development for Onyx Pharmaceuticals and vice president of discovery research for Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Post and Dr. Shen have worked together at three different companies (Onyx, LEAD, BioMarin) since 2000.
Dr. Post holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Wu founded Cenova Capital in 2010, one of the earliest healthcare sector-specific GPs in China. Prior to Cenova, Dr. Wu co-founded Shanghai Genomics in 2001, one of the earliest and most successful life science company in China. The company was the first China biotechnology company listed on a major international stock exchange (2007 in TSE), and successfully developed a billion-dollar drug (pirfenidone) in China. Dr. Wu was a recipient of the prestigious ‘National Outstanding Young Scientist Award’ in 2002 from the Chinese National Science Foundation. He also made important contributions in the field of immuno-oncology and has published over thirty high-quality research papers in professional journals, including Science and Nature.
Dr. Wu received his Ph.D. degree in Immunology from University of California, San Francisco, and majored in Clinical Medicine in Shanghai Fudan University Medical School.
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Garovoy is responsible for directing the worldwide clinical activities for all products at AceLink Therapeutics. Dr. Garovoy has over 20 years of experience in the Biopharmaceutical Industry with a successful track record of drug development. Prior to joining the company Dr. Garovoy helped develop Raptiva with XOMA/Genentech and held numerous positions in industry including Vice President of Clinical Science at Xoma, Sr. VP Clinical Development at Hyperion and Chief Medical Officer at Arriva Pharmaceuticals and Medgenics Inc. For the past six years he has been a Clinical Consultant for immunological/inflammatory diseases, metabolic rare diseases and gene therapy to which he has applied his translational medicine knowledge. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Biology at New York University and received his M.D., with honors, at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at New York University, Bellevue Hospital and a Fellowship in Immunology, Transplantation and Nephrology at Harvard Medical School, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. Dr. Garovoy is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He holds medical licenses in New York, Massachusetts, Texas and California. He holds two patents: one for making universal donor cells and the second for psoriasis therapy (Genentech). Dr. Garovoy has published over 200 original articles and chapters and has held multiple teaching positions initially at Harvard Medical School and more recently as a faculty member at UCSF where he was Professor of Surgery, Medicine and Laboratory Medicine.
Henry Hulter, MD is Emeritus Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) at UCSF with an academic research career centered in renal acid-base transport, electrolyte transport and divalent ion and bone metabolism in animal models and in clinical studies. He has served as a consultant in drug discovery and development to numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in nearly every organ indication. He received his AB degree at Princeton and MD degree and internal medicine residency training at Johns Hopkins with nephrology training at Tufts New England Medical Center.
Dr. Post is the Chief Scientific Officer of Vivace Therapeutics and Virtuoso Therapeutics and a member of the board of directors, bringing more than three decades of pharmaceutical experience spanning companies of all sizes. Before joining Vivace in 2016, he served as chief scientific officer of BioMarin, a publicly held biopharmaceutical firm with a focus on rare diseases. He joined BioMarin when the company acquired LEAD Therapeutics, a drug discovery company where he was a co-founder and served as CSO. He was responsible for inception as well as subsequent development of talazoparib until it was sold to Medivation by BioMarin. Positions prior to LEAD included senior vice president of research and development for Onyx Pharmaceuticals and vice president of discovery research for Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Post and Dr. Shen have worked together at three different companies (Onyx, LEAD, BioMarin) since 2000.
Dr. Post holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Michigan.
Adam Shaywitz, MD, PhD is the Chief Medical Officer at BridgeBio Gene Therapy (BBGT), which is part of the larger BridgeBio Pharma portfolio focused on finding and developing novel treatment approaches for genetically driven disease. BBGT is developing gene therapy treatments for a range of monogenic rare diseases including Canavan disease, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, TMC1-related hearing loss and tuberous sclerosis. Prior to joining BridgeBio Adam worked at BioMarin Pharmaceutical where he led clinical programs aimed at treating a broad range of rare diseases including Sanfilippo Syndrome (MPS III), achondroplasia, endocrinologic disorders, Morquio A syndrome and other lysosomal storage disorders. Before joining BioMarin Adam spent four years at Amgen in their early clinical development group, focused on advancing promising diabetes and metabolism agents into the clinic. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard Medical School, and subsequently went on to pursue a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. Adam currently serves on the Board of Directors at Cure Sanfilippo Foundation.