Scientific Advisory Board

Darren brings over 25 years of management and research expertise in the life sciences and biotech sector. Darren is CEO of ocular fibrosis drug development company OccuRx and CEO and Managing Director of Certa Therapeutics. Darren is also concurrently the Associate Dean (Innovation and Enterprise) at The University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, where his research expertise lies in progressing pre-clinical novel interventions and developing experimental models of cardiovascular disease. He has published over 200 manuscripts in the field of translational research and novel interventions many of which have had a direct impact on human disease. In 2009, Darren was a recipient of the prestigious TJ Neale award for outstanding contribution to nephrology. He was previously Founder, CEO and Director of Fibrotech Therapeutics, a company that developed orally active anti-fibrotic inhibitors to treat underlying pathological fibrosis in kidney and heart failure, which was ultimately acquired by Shire Plc for a record 75 million USD upfront including milestone payments up to 600 million USD. Darren joined the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund as Venture Partner in 2015.

Jacob George is the Robert W. Storr Professor of Hepatic Medicine at the Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Westmead Hospital and Director of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Services for the Western Sydney Local Health District. He undertakes basic and clinical research on NASH, hepatitis C, liver cancer and hepatic fibrosis. He contributes to investigator-initiated and multicentre international clinical trials on therapeutics for liver diseases, and leads a program of research on viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, host genetics/liver immunology and the epidemiology, prevention and management of liver cancer. His research has a strong translational component, linking laboratory and clinical research. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Hepatology, and is or has been on the Editorial Board of Hepatology, Liver International, Hepatology International and the World Journal of Gastroenterology. He was a past Executive Council member of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver and was on the council of the Gastroenterological society of Australia. He has published over 400 papers, with over >30,000 citations and has an h index of 74

Peter has had a distinguished career in drug development, research, management, and governance, with demonstrated success in large matrix and small entrepreneurial organizations, including those in the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, academia, and healthcare. He is adept at strategic planning, designing and leading complex scientific and drug development programs, recruiting and leading effective executive teams, effecting and managing change efforts, building value, and effective communication. Prior to joining Alacrita, Peter was CEO and CMO of Galectin Therapeutics where he brought a galectin-3 inhibitor, a putative anti-fibrotic drug, from a research compound through development to a phase 3-ready program in NASH cirrhosis and built a pipeline of other indications. Before that in the pharmaceutical industry, he was Senior Vice President and CMO at GlaxoSmithKline where he had responsibility for a broad range of therapeutic areas.

In academic medicine, Peter ran a basic science laboratory program that made fundamental discoveries in liver and intestinal biology, and he served as Chief of Gastroenterology, Chairman of Medicine and CEO of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Health System. He also was President and CEO of Baylor College of Medicine. Peter has a BS degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan, an MD degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine, and a certificate in business leadership for physicians from The Wharton School.

Chris is an experienced pharmaceutical executive with 25 years’ experience in pharma, biotech and academia.

Chris began his career in drug discovery as a medicinal chemist at Pfizer UK. After returning to Australia, he held an academic position at the University of Sydney and then joined Melbourne biotech Cytopia Ltd as Head of Chemistry, and subsequently Research Director. Chris led the discovery of two anticancer drugs that entered clinical trials, including the JAK1/2 inhibitor momelotinib. Cytopia was acquired by YM Biosciences, where he was Chief Scientific Adviser. Gilead Sciences subsequently acquired YM Biosciences in 2013 – principally for rights to momelotinib for the treatment of myelofibrosis. Chris then joined Melbourne’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute first as a Laboratory Head and then as Business Development Manager. Chris was then appointed CEO of anti-cancer start-up company Metabloq Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd. He is currently VP, Drug Discovery and Pharmacology at anti-fibrotic drug development company Certa Therapeutics Pty Ltd and also serves as Chief Commercial Officer and VP R&D at anti-cancer drug development company MecRx. Chris is also a founder and director of ASX-listed anti-cancer and anti-fibrosis drug development biotech Amplia Therapeutics.

Chris has a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Melbourne and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Alan is an independent Drug Discovery consultant and a Medicinal chemist with over 30 years of experience in Research and Development within GlaxoSmithKline. He previously held the position of Vice President and Director of Medicinal Chemistry within the GSK Drug Discovery organisation. Alan has lead strategic, matrix and line functions and has held significant international responsibilities. He has an extensive track record of delivery, across a wide range of therapeutic areas, having played a major role in the discovery of over 30 development compounds, and is a co-inventor of Serevent, a major advance in the treatment of asthma.

Alan is also a member of the founding team, and leads the Discovery program at Pathios Therapeutics, an Oxford based Biotechnology company focused on the development of first in class therapies for autoimmune diseases and immuno-oncology.

Alan has extensive academic interactions and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading. More recently, as an independent consultant, he has been engaged in providing scientific and strategic advice and analysis to major pharma, biotechnology companies, academic groups, capital investment companies and funding bodies on a variety of issues within the drug discovery and healthcare sector. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Boards of several Biotechnology companies and research institutes and was formerly a member of Wellcome Trust and CRUK Research funding committees. He is currently a member of the Parkinson’s Research UK committee.