A. Franklin Rice, M.B.A.
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Rice is a 25-year veteran of the biotech industry and has held increasingly responsible positions in business development, finance, and senior management since 1989. During that time he has raised an aggregate of over $100 million in financings through the sale of equity and debt securities, and corporate development transactions including two mergers and acquisition, multiple strategic alliances and technology license transactions, and multiple awards of non-dilutive research funding. Mr. Rice was one of the first employees at VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: VSTA), one of the world’s first embryonic stem cell companies, during which time he held various management positions including Vice President of Business Development, Senior Vice President of Finance, and Chief Financial Officer, and oversaw the company’s Series A, B and C round private placements and its ‘going public’ transaction in 2011. Prior to VistaGen, Mr. Rice was Vice President of Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology for Bechtel Group (San Francisco) and Senior Director of Business Development for Genencor International (Palo Alto, CA) following its successful spin-out from Genentech. Mr. Rice holds a bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson University, and business degrees from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also serves on the board of directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California and is member of the the advisory board of the American Diabetes Association Silicon Valley Chapter.
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Rice is a 25-year veteran of the biotech industry and has held increasingly responsible positions in business development, finance, and senior management since 1989. During that time he has raised an aggregate of over $100 million in financings through the sale of equity and debt securities, and corporate development transactions including two mergers and acquisition, multiple strategic alliances and technology license transactions, and multiple awards of non-dilutive research funding. Mr. Rice was one of the first employees at VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: VSTA), one of the world’s first embryonic stem cell companies, during which time he held various management positions including Vice President of Business Development, Senior Vice President of Finance, and Chief Financial Officer, and oversaw the company’s Series A, B and C round private placements and its ‘going public’ transaction in 2011. Prior to VistaGen, Mr. Rice was Vice President of Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology for Bechtel Group (San Francisco) and Senior Director of Business Development for Genencor International (Palo Alto, CA) following its successful spin-out from Genentech. Mr. Rice holds a bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson University, and business degrees from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also serves on the board of directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California and is member of the the advisory board of the American Diabetes Association Silicon Valley Chapter.
Randall B. Murphy, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer, Co-Founder and Director
Prior to co-founding Epalex, Dr. Murphy was senior vice-president at Medkura Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical development company. From 1978-2000, Dr. Murphy was a tenured faculty member at New York University and an adjunct faculty member at Cornell University Medical College in chemistry, neuroscience, and biological psychiatry. Beginning in 2000, he became active as an entrepreneur in the biotechnology/biopharmaceuticals industry, having co-founded several companies, including Achillion Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ACHN), which is now public, and Marinus Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: MRNS), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on epilepsy which raised more than $70 million in venture financing and is now also a public company. Dr. Murphy is an expert in discovery medicinal chemistry and early to late-stage pharmaceutical development. He is the youngest graduate of the University of Southern California and is a recipient of the Presidential Fellowship from New York University. Dr. Murphy holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of more than 180 research publications and is an inventor on 15 issued patents.
Chief Scientific Officer, Co-Founder and Director
Prior to co-founding Epalex, Dr. Murphy was senior vice-president at Medkura Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical development company. From 1978-2000, Dr. Murphy was a tenured faculty member at New York University and an adjunct faculty member at Cornell University Medical College in chemistry, neuroscience, and biological psychiatry. Beginning in 2000, he became active as an entrepreneur in the biotechnology/biopharmaceuticals industry, having co-founded several companies, including Achillion Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ACHN), which is now public, and Marinus Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: MRNS), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on epilepsy which raised more than $70 million in venture financing and is now also a public company. Dr. Murphy is an expert in discovery medicinal chemistry and early to late-stage pharmaceutical development. He is the youngest graduate of the University of Southern California and is a recipient of the Presidential Fellowship from New York University. Dr. Murphy holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of more than 180 research publications and is an inventor on 15 issued patents.
Enrique J. Carrazana, M.D.
Director
Dr. Carrazana has served on our Board of Directors since January 2016. Dr. Carrazana also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Marinus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MRNS), and the Scientific Advisory Board of Aeromics LLC. Previously, Dr. Carrazana held various clinical development leadership roles. He is the former Chief Medical Officer of Acorda Therapeutics, Inc, and the former Vice President, Global Head Development Established Medicines Franchise at Novartis. Dr. Carrazana is a board-certified neurologist with more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and clinical practice. He has presented and published a wide range of research on various neurology topics, with an emphasis on epilepsy. Dr. Carrazana hold an M.D. from the Harvard Medical School, completed residency training in neurology and fellowship training in neurophysiology at the Harvard Longwood Neurology Program, and served on the faculty of the Department of Neurology of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Director
Dr. Carrazana has served on our Board of Directors since January 2016. Dr. Carrazana also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Marinus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MRNS), and the Scientific Advisory Board of Aeromics LLC. Previously, Dr. Carrazana held various clinical development leadership roles. He is the former Chief Medical Officer of Acorda Therapeutics, Inc, and the former Vice President, Global Head Development Established Medicines Franchise at Novartis. Dr. Carrazana is a board-certified neurologist with more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and clinical practice. He has presented and published a wide range of research on various neurology topics, with an emphasis on epilepsy. Dr. Carrazana hold an M.D. from the Harvard Medical School, completed residency training in neurology and fellowship training in neurophysiology at the Harvard Longwood Neurology Program, and served on the faculty of the Department of Neurology of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Edward C. Gomez, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-Founder
Dr. Gomez is professor and chairman emeritus of the Department of Dermatology and former Associate Dean for Clinical Educational Affairs at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. He has served as Western Regional Chief of Staff in the Department of Veterans Affairs and as Medical Director of Key Pharmaceuticals. He holds an A.B. degree from the Johns Hopkins University and M.D. and Ph.D. (Biochemistry) degrees from the University of Miami. He is an active investor in technology and pharmaceutical companies.
Co-Founder
Dr. Gomez is professor and chairman emeritus of the Department of Dermatology and former Associate Dean for Clinical Educational Affairs at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. He has served as Western Regional Chief of Staff in the Department of Veterans Affairs and as Medical Director of Key Pharmaceuticals. He holds an A.B. degree from the Johns Hopkins University and M.D. and Ph.D. (Biochemistry) degrees from the University of Miami. He is an active investor in technology and pharmaceutical companies.
Adrian Rich
Secretary
Mr. Rich is a partner in the emerging companies practice at Dorsey & Whitney, LLP in Palo Alto, CA. Prior to joining Dorsey, Mr. Rich was associated Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati. He has over a decade of experience advising and representing early stage life sciences companies and has served as a trusted advisor through every stage of a company’s development including formation, financing, acquisitions and public offerings. Mr. Rich has extensive experience with private and public securities offerings, university and competitive licensing, strategic arrangements, joint ventures, incubators, and fund formation. Mr. Rich holds a B.A. (with Departmental Honors) in economics and a B.S. in biomedical engineering both from Johns Hopkins, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Secretary
Mr. Rich is a partner in the emerging companies practice at Dorsey & Whitney, LLP in Palo Alto, CA. Prior to joining Dorsey, Mr. Rich was associated Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati. He has over a decade of experience advising and representing early stage life sciences companies and has served as a trusted advisor through every stage of a company’s development including formation, financing, acquisitions and public offerings. Mr. Rich has extensive experience with private and public securities offerings, university and competitive licensing, strategic arrangements, joint ventures, incubators, and fund formation. Mr. Rich holds a B.A. (with Departmental Honors) in economics and a B.S. in biomedical engineering both from Johns Hopkins, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
