Dr. Sherman brings more than 25 years of pharmaceutical experience, specializing in regulatory and clinical strategy, and therapeutic development for rare diseases. He currently serves as Executive Vice President, CMO at Horizon Therapeutics, a global biotechnology company focused on medicines for rare, autoimmune, and severe inflammatory diseases. Dr. Sherman joined Horizon Therapeutics in 2009 from IDM Pharma where he served as Senior Vice President of Research and Development and CMO. At IDM Pharma, he led the clinical, regulatory, and development teams that secured European Commission approval for MEPACT® (mifamurtide), a treatment for non-metastatic, resectable osteosarcoma. Prior to IDM Pharma, Dr. Sherman was Vice President of Clinical Science at Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc., a subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Dr. Sherman was also CMO and Executive Vice President at NeoPharm, Inc., held numerous clinical research and development and medical affairs roles at Searle/Pharmacia, and clinical pharmacology and clinical research and development roles at Squibb/Bristol-Myers Squibb.
He is a member of a number of professional societies, a board member of the Center for Healthcare Innovation (CHI), a member of the board of advisors of the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP), a steering committee member of the FDA sponsored Clinical Trial Transformation Initiative (CTTI), a former board chairperson and now inaugural fellow of the Drug Information Association (DIA), a former member of the Global Genes Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, and involved with the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and the European Organization for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS). He has served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and is a member of the executive committee of the alumni board, an advisory board member of the Stanford University School of Medicine Master of Science in Translational Research and Applied Medicine (MTRAM) program, and a diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Sherman also serves on the boards of directors of Xeris Biopharma Holdings, Inc. and Sorriso Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dr. Sherman received his medical degree from the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and completed an internal medicine internship, residency, and chief medical residency at Northwestern University. His fellowship training was at the University of California, San Francisco, where he was also a research associate at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Joseph Truitt is Chief Executive Officer for and a board member of Biospecifics Technologies Corporation. Prior to joining Biospecifics, Mr. Truitt served as Chief Executive Officer for Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He joined Achillion from Viropharma, Inc. following its acquisition of Lev Pharmaceuticals. At Lev, Mr. Truitt was Vice President of Business Development and Product Strategy, leading the build out of the commercial team and infrastructure in preparation for product launch. He also served as Vice President of Sales and Operations at Johnson & Johnson, where he directed commercial operations for the company’s OraPharma subsidiary. Mr. Truitt served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. He holds a BS in Marketing from LaSalle University and an MBA from St. Joseph’s University.
Frank E. Thomas has served as a member of the Zafgen Board of Directors since June 2014. Mr. Thomas has been the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Orchard Therapeutics since January 2020, a biotechnology company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with rare disorders through innovative gene therapies. Mr. Thomas served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer of Orchard from January 2018 to January 2020. Prior to joining Orchard, Mr. Thomas served as President and Chief Operating Officer of AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded, specialty pharmaceutical company, from 2015 to 2017, and previously served as AMAG’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from 2012 through 2015 and as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from 2011 through 2012. Prior to joining AMAG, he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Molecular Biometrics, Inc., a commercial stage medical diagnostics company, from 2008 to 2011. Prior to Molecular Biometrics, Mr. Thomas spent four years at Critical Therapeutics, Inc., a public biopharmaceutical company, from 2004 to 2008, where he was promoted to President in 2006 and Chief Executive Officer in 2006 from the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He also served on the board of directors of Critical Therapeutics from 2006 to 2008. Prior to 2004, Mr. Thomas served as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Investor Relations at Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., a public biopharmaceutical company. Since July 2017, Mr. Thomas has served on the board of directors of Spero Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded, development-stage biotechnology company. Mr. Thomas was a member of the board of directors of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council from 2007 to 2015. Mr. Thomas holds a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Peter Barrett, PhD, joined Atlas Venture, an early-stage venture capital fund, in 2002, and currently serves as a Partner in the Life Sciences Group. Previously, from 1998 to 2002, he was a Co-founder, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer of Celera Genomics. Prior to Celera, from 1979 to 1998, Dr. Barrett held senior management positions at Perkin-Elmer Corporation, most recently serving as Vice President, Corporate Planning and Business Development. Dr. Barrett currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Perkin-Elmer Corporation and Synlogic, Inc. and several other privately held companies. Dr. Barrett is a Senior Fellow at Harvard Business School and is the Faculty Chair of the Key Advisory Board of the Blavatnik Fellowship Program. Dr. Barrett holds a B.S. in chemistry from Lowell Technological Institute (now known as the University of Massachusetts, Lowell) and a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Northeastern University. He also completed Harvard Business School’s Management Development Program.
Jonathan Leff is a Partner on the Private Transactions team at Deerfield Management Company and Chairman of the Deerfield Institute. Jonathan joined Deerfield in 2013 and focuses on venture capital and structured investments in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining Deerfield, for more than 16 years, Jonathan was with Warburg Pincus, where he led the firm’s investment efforts in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Jonathan has also been active in public policy discussions related to healthcare and medical innovation. He previously served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), and previously led NVCA’s life sciences industry efforts as Chair of NVCA’s Medical Innovation and Competitiveness Coalition (NVCA-MedIC). Jonathan also serves on the Emerging Companies Section Board of the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Jonathan is a member of several not-for-profit Boards, including the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation, Friends of Cancer Research, and the Columbia University Medical Center Board of Advisors. Jonathan received his A.B. from Harvard University, and earned his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Tom Hamilton is the current President, Chief Executive Officer and owner of Construction Forms, Inc. (Con Forms), an industrial manufacturing company based in Port Washington, WI. In addition, he serves as a managing member of FA Life Sciences, an early stage biotech investment company focused on bridging the gap to cure Friedreich’s ataxia. Mr. Hamilton is also a Director and Executive Committee member of the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA). Prior to Con Forms, he was a managing director and strategic advisor to the head of fixed Income, currencies and commodities at Barclays Capital in New York. Mr. Hamilton was responsible for the build out of the Global Securitized Products businesses at Barclays along with Municipal Trading and Investment Banking. Prior to Barclays Tom worked at Citigroup Global Markets and began his career at Salomon Brothers, Inc. in New York.
Carole Ben-Maimon, MD, joined Larimar Therapeutics in December 2016 as the President and Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 25 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry to the company. Most recently, she worked with Deerfield Management Company assisting in the evaluation of investment opportunities in the brand and generic industry. Prior to working with Deerfield, she was President of Global Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Impax Laboratories that was responsible for Impax’s generic business. Dr. Ben-Maimon’s career is further highlighted by leadership roles at several pharmaceutical companies including Barr Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. At Barr Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Ben-Maimon served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the company’s branded female healthcare development business and was also a member of the Board of Directors. During her tenure at Teva, Dr. Ben-Maimon was responsible for R&D and public policy in North America. In addition to her executive roles, Dr. Ben-Maimon currently serves on the boards of two pharmaceutical companies and serves on the board of a not-for-profit hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Ben-Maimon received her BS from the University of Pennsylvania and her MD from Jefferson Medical College. She completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in nephrology.
