Anthony Cerami, PhD, MD(Hon), Founder
Dr Cerami has had a successful career applying detailed biochemical insights into understanding the pathogenesis of disease and translating these discoveries into novel therapeutic products that have wide clinical utility. He received his PhD from The Rockefeller University, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, and has received three honorary doctorates. Dr Cerami was the Dean of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies at Rockefeller University. He established what is now the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.
Dr Cerami has been the inventor or co-inventor of more than 150 issued US patents and hundreds of foreign counterparts, including the anti-TNF monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. Anti-TNF therapies are blockbuster drugs with more than $100 billion in sales. Dr Cerami is also the inventor of the hemoglobin A1c test that is used by people with diabetes worldwide. In addition, he has authored or coauthored more than 500 scientific publications. www.anthonycerami.org
Joe Young, Chief Business Officer and Head of Corporate Development
Mr Young brings more than 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotechnology commercialization experience to Araim including senior executive leadership roles in large pharmaceutical firms and earlier stage startups, and as a successful entrepreneur. He has extensive experience working for and with leading companies and products in the fields of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. At Araim, he is responsible for defining and implementing our strategic roadmap to ensure that our innovation reaches the patient through appropriate partnerships.
Ferdinand Breedveld, MD, Chairman of the Board
Dr Breedveld brings more than 40 years of achievements in clinical research, service to patients, and executive leadership within immunology, rheumatology, and translational medicine. He served as the Head of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands and as President of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), and has also served 10 years at the Drug Evaluation Committee of the Netherlands. In addition, Dr Breedveld has authored more than 900 peer-reviewed scientific papers and received multiple awards, including Honorary Member of EULAR and Master of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).Michael Brines, MD, PhD, Co-founder and Chief Science Officer
Dr Brines received a BS with highest honors in physics and biology from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in neurobiology and behavior from The Rockefeller University. Subsequently, he earned his MD from Yale University and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Following residency, he completed fellowship training in Clinical Investigation, as well as Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at Yale. Dr Brines is board certified in Internal Medicine as well as in Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism.
Dr Brines has been the inventor or co-inventor on numerous US patents and foreign counterparts, and has authored or coauthored more than 100 scientific publications.
Daiva Bajorunas, MD, Chief Medical Officer
Dr Bajorunas brings nearly 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotechnology developmental experience in both operational and executive leadership roles. She has extensive experience leading global product development, including drug (Rx and OTC), device, and dietary supplement/medical food, across multiple disease states and therapeutic areas. She has led development of products across a range of delivery technologies (oral, transdermal, intravaginal, subcutaneous, and inhalation delivery), ensured their regulatory approval (US, EU, and Japan), and optimized them across the entire life cycle, through phase 4. At Araim, she is responsible for all ARA 290 clinical-stage strategic, developmental, and regulatory activities. Rita Kirk, PhD, Vice President of Operations
Dr Rita Kirk joined the Araim team in 2012 as Project Manager, with 14 years of research in cell signaling, cardiovascular disease, and muscle biology and 10 years of pharmaceutical experience. At Araim, she directs the preclinical safety programs, and manages extramural funding, research collaborations, contract research organizations, and consultants. She is responsible for overseeing the management of the clinical and regulatory programs, as well as the manufacturing projects within the company. Dr Kirk received her PhD from New York Medical College and a BS from SUNY Albany. She did her postdoctoral work at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.Kurt Harrington, Vice Presidnet of Commercial Development
Mr Harrington brings 18 years of extensive experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical commercialization and marketing strategies to Araim. Mr Harrington’s broad therapeutic experience and proven track record of success in launching and marketing products in neurology, pain, diabetes, rheumatology, and psychiatry will be instumental in the development of the commercialization strategy for ARA 290.Ann Dunne, BS, PhD, President
Ms Dunne has been the Chief Operating Officer of Araim Pharmaceuticals since 2010. Her diverse scientific and entrepreneurial expertise has been focused on preclinical and clinical studies in the small nerve fiber neuropathy of sarcoidosis and diabetes.Amit Hasija, Chief Financial Officer
Amit Hasija joined Araim as Chief Financial Officer in January 2019, bringing two decades of experience in corporate finance and business development within the health care industry. He was previously Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer at Fulcrum Therapeutics. Prior to Fulcrum, Amit was VP of Sanofi’s Integrated Care Department, a value-based contracting initiative, and also served as VP of the North America Pharmaceutical Business Development team for 5 years. Prior to joining Sanofi, Amit spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, where he executed mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance transactions for healthcare clients. Amit began his career at Merck as a planning and logistics analyst and operations manager. He earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from Drexel University and received an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.