Top row: Erik van den Berg, Peter Verwayen, Jacques Arend,
Bart Wuurman
Bottom row: Markwin Velders, Steve Connor
Chief Executive Officer
Drs. Bart Wuurman has 18 years of International Pharma and Biotechnology Industry experience with Organon, Medeva and Antisoma, where he was Business Development Director and member of the executive team. At Antisoma, Bart was responsible for a $500 million oncology alliance with Roche. In 2003 Bart became CEO of De Novo Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, UK, where he was responsible for the successful restructuring and refinancing of the company.
VP Finance
Peter Verwaijen gained most of his experience during the 16 years that he worked
as controller for Atlas Venture, a transatlantic Venture Fund. More recently
he worked as controller for Glaucus Proteomics, a Dutch biotech start-up company.
VP Research and Development
Markwin Velders, PhD, studied Bio-Medical Sciences and obtained his PhD in Immunology
from the University of Leiden. As Immunologist he joined Loyola University in
Chicago USA where he was appointed research assistant professor. He was department
head of Immunology and product development at two startup biotech companies
and has gained experience as project manager at DPS Engineering and in quality
control at Centocor BV. Markwin Velders has over 40 scientific publications.
VP Corporate Development
Erik van den Berg MSc MBA, has over ten years experience in the pharmaceutical
and biotech industry. During his employment at Organon he was responsible for
the European business development, the European marketing & sales of biotechnology
services and in his last position he was leading the global biotech business
development efforts. Prior to joining Organon, he worked in business and corporate
development with the biotech company IsoTis and as management consultant at
Arthur D. Little. Erik has been involved in the execution of over 20 transactions
and partnerships.
VP Clinical Development
Jacques Arend, MD joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1988, in medical and
clinical development positions. He started at SmithKline Beecham, and then became
international coordinator clinical development with Yamanouchi Pharma’s
European office. He was medical director for Novo Nordisk, where he subsequently
held three international positions as director medical, regulatory and quality
based in Austria, Greece and Switzerland, with responsibility over the largest
geographical region in Novo Nordisk, setting up clinical studies in Europe,
Latin America, Eastern Europe, India, China, South Africa, North Africa and
Gulf region, the Far and Middle East. After his return to The Netherlands Jacques
became medical director for Grünenthal. Most recently he was the medical
director for Kendle’s phase one 50 beds Clinical Pharmacology Unit in
Utrecht. Prior to his positions in the pharmaceutical industry Jacques was a
clinical research physician, followed by a SHO position in Surgery.
VP Pre-Clinical Development
After graduating in microbiology, Steve worked at the Withington Hospital, Manchester
UK from 1978-1985. He then held increasingly senior positions in Cambridge,
UK at Murex Medical Research Ltd, Quantum Biosystems Ltd, Cantab Pharmaceuticals
Research Ltd, Chiroscience R&D Ltd, and Imutran Ltd, a Novartis Pharma company
where Steve was appointed Director of Development. Steve joined pSiMedica Ltd,
a start up company in November 2001 as Director of Development establishing
operational activities across Europe and Asia. Steve joined AM-Pharma as VP
Pre-Clinical Development in July 2007. Steve Connor is an experienced manager
with extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical and biological industries, including
the management of R&D and manufacturing operations for both early and late
phase clinical trial supply. He has wide practical experience of contract product
development and production throughout Europe, Asia and the USA, working in both
large and start-up company environments.