Laurence N. Charney, 75, has served on our Board since April 2012. Since 2007, Mr. Charney has served as a business strategist and financial advisor to Boards, CEOs and investors. Previously, from 1970 through June 2007, Mr. Charney was a senior audit partner at Ernst & Young, LLP, a registered public accounting firm, retiring as a practice leader in the Americas Quality and Risk Management Group. Mr. Charney currently serves as a director and audit committee chairman of Kenon Holdings Ltd. and Apifany Group, Inc. In addition, Mr. Charney previously served as a director and audit committee member of Pacific Drillings S.A, Marvel Entertainment, Inc., XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd., and Iconix Brand Group, Inc. In addition to his extensive experience on the boards of various corporate entities, Mr. Charney is also very active on the boards of several non-profit organizations. Mr. Charney graduated with a B.B.A. degree from Hofstra University and completed the Executive MBA in Business program at Columbia University. Based on Mr. Charney’s financial industry experience and in-depth understanding of our business, the Board of Directors believes that Mr. Charney has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member of the Board.
Yann Echelard, 58, has served on our Board since November 2012. Dr. Echelard, current Operating Partner at Flagship Pioneering, has over 30 years of research and biopharmaceutical experience. Dr. Echelard holds a Ph.D. from Université de Montréal and has completed post-doctoral studies at Ludwig Institute of Cancer Research in Montreal (McGill University). As a visiting scientist at the Roche Institute and at Harvard University (Developmental Biology), he had a key role in the isolation and characterization of the Hedgehog genes, the first identified vertebrate morphogens. From 1994 to 2010, he progressed through various positions of increasing responsibility at Genzyme Transgenics Corporation and at GTC Biotherapeutics, including Vice President of Research and Development. In 1998, he led the scientific team that first performed goat somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning). Focusing on Corporate Development, Dr. Echelard spearheaded the creation of a collaborative Joint Venture with LFB Biotechnologies in 2006, which was focused on the development of recombinant plasma proteins and monoclonal antibodies. This close collaboration led to the acquisition of GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc. by LFB in December 2010. In January of 2013, Dr. Echelard became the President and Chief Executive Officer of rEVO Biologics, Inc., the successor of GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc., a position he held until April 2018. Since joining Flagship Pioneering, he has successively acted as founding President of Ring Therapeutics, Inc., Cellarity Inc., Laronde, Inc. and a few other Flagship-funded ventures still in stealth mode. Based on Mr. Echelard’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry experience, as well as his extensive management experience, the Board of Directors believes that Dr. Echelard has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member of the Board.
Kenneth Hoberman, 57, has served on our Board since December 2014. Mr. Hoberman is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary of Stemline Therapeutics, Inc. where he is a key member of the founding team. He was instrumental in the company’s financings from early private, including institutional, rounds through the IPO and subsequent follow-on offerings. He has extensive financial, accounting, investor relations, corporate governance and business development experience including M&A, strategic alliances and partnerships both domestic and international. His operational expertise includes regulatory oversight, human resources, manufacturing and clinical development. He was previously Vice President of Corporate and Business Development of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., where he was instrumental in the success of the company. He also helped secure multiple sources of capital including over $200 million in equity investments through public and private offerings. He also initiated and executed a $100 million strategic alliance and originated, negotiated and closed dozens of licensing and operational contracts, helping to grow the company’s market capitalization to over $1 billion. He also led the team that originated, in-licensed, and developed AuryxiaTM, an FDA approved product. Mr. Hoberman currently serves as a director of Nuvectis Pharma, Inc. He received a B.S.B.A. in Finance from Boston University and completed post-baccalaureate studies at Columbia University. Based on Mr. Hoberman’s financial and pharmaceutical industry experience and in-depth understanding of our business, as well as his extensive management experience, the Board of Directors believes that Mr. Hoberman has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member of the Board.
Daniel Hume, 55, has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2015. Mr. Hume is currently a managing partner at Kirby McInerney, LLP. Mr. Hume’s law practice focuses on securities law regulation, structured finance, antitrust, and civil litigation. Mr. Hume is member of the board of directors of Stemline Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: STML), a late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, and National Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: NHLD), a financial services company. Mr. Hume is admitted to the New York State Bar and federal courts around the country, including the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Hume received a B.A. in philosophy and graduated magna cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany, and earned a J.D. from the Columbia University Law School, where he served as Notes Editor for the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law. We believe that Mr. Hume is qualified to serve on our Board of Directors due to his substantial financial and legal experience as well as his experience on several other Boards, some within the pharmaceutical industry.