Board Of Directors
David Hale, Executive Chairman
Mr. Hale was appointed Executive Chairman of Biocept in March 2011. He is the Chairman & CEO of Hale BioPharma Ventures LLC, a private company focused on the formation and development of biotechnology, specialty pharma, diagnostic and medical device companies. He was previously President and CEO of CancerVax Corporation from October 2000 through its merger in May 2006 with Micromet, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel biological products for the treatment of cancer, when he became Chairman of the combined companies. He is a co-founder and serves as Chairman of Somaxon Pharmaceuticals and as a director of Santarus, Inc., which are public companies, and as Chairman of SkinMedica, Inc. and as a director of Conatus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and other private companies. Mr. Hale is a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in the founding and/or development of a number of life sciences technology companies. In 1982, after joining Hybritech, Inc., the first monoclonal antibody company, he served as COO, President and then Chief Executive Officer, when Hybritech was acquired by Eli Lilly and Co. in 1986. From 1987 to 1997 he was Chairman, President and CEO of Gensia, Inc., which merged with SICOR to become Gensia Sicor, Inc., which was acquired by Teva Pharmaceuticals. He was a co-founder and Chairman of Viagene, Inc. from 1987 to 1995, when Viagene was acquired by Chiron, Inc. He was President and CEO of Women First HealthCare, Inc. from late 1997 to June 2000, prior to joining CancerVax in October 2000. Prior to joining Hybritech, Hale was Vice President and General Manager of BBL Microbiology Systems, a division of Becton, Dickinson & Co. and from 1971 to 1980, held various marketing and sales management positions with Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation, a division of Johnson & Johnson, Inc.
Claire K. T. Sung Reiss, Chairperson Emerita
Claire is the current Owner and President of Reisung Enterprises, Inc., a commercial real estate development company which specializes in build-to-suit commercial properties especially for high tech and bio tech companies. She is the widow of former board member and biotech entrepreneur Robert Edward Reiss. A woman of faith, she carries on Bob's passion for creating jobs and saving lives. Claire was born and raised in Gui Zhou, China. After migrating to the U.S, she received a B.S. in Chemistry from Mount Marty College, Yankton, S.D. She worked at Saint Luke’s Hospital, NYC as a chemist and has held numerous volunteer teaching positions. She is an avid philanthropist in many fields, especially the San Diego Opera.
Ed Dennis, PhD
Dr. Dennis is Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). He is currently Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Lipid Research and has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences. Dr. Dennis serves on the Scientific Advisory Board and Board of Directors of several private and public companies. He received his BA from Yale University and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.
Bruce E. Gerhardt, CPA
Mr. Gerhardt has been a practicing Certified Public Accountant since 1986. He is also a tax and business advisor providing tax compliance for small businesses and upper income individuals. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Southern California in 1973 and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Ed Neff
Mr. Neff is the CEO for SMAC, a company founded in 1990, which is a world leader and manufacturer in Moving Coil Technology.
Daniel H. Petree, JD
Daniel Petree has over 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, serving in a variety of roles including investment banker, senior operating manager and corporate and securities lawyer. Mr. Petree is a founder and member of P2 Partners, LLC, a boutique investment bank specializing in life science companies. Prior to forming P2 Partners, Mr. Petree held various executive management positions in the life sciences industry, including President and Chief Operating Officer of Axys Pharmaceuticals and Vice President of Business Development at TSI Corporation. He also served as Vice President in the Health Care Group at the investment bank Montgomery Securities. Mr. Petree also serves as director of Cypress Biosciences, Lpath, Inc., and Koronis Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Petree has an AB from Stanford University and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School.
Ivor Royston, MD
Since 1990, Dr. Royston is a founding Managing Partner of Forward Ventures in San Diego, from 1990-2000, he served as founding President and CEO of The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and from 1978 to 1990, he was on the oncology faculty of UC, San Diego. In addition to Hybritech, he was a co-founder of IDEC Corporation in 1986, which merged with Biogen to form BiogenIdec. Dr. Royston has been instrumental in the formation, financing and development of numerous biotechnology companies, including: Applied Molecular Evolution (acquired by Eli Lilly); Corixa (acquired by GlaxoSmithKline); Dynavax; Morphotek (acquired by Eisai), Sequana Therapeutics (acquired by Celera); TargeGen (acquired by Sanofi –Aventis), and Triangle Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Gilead). Dr. Royston’s recent portfolio investments include HemaQuest, LigoCyte (Chairman), and Syndax. Dr. Royston received his B.A. (1967) and M.D. (1970) degrees from Johns Hopkins University and completed post-doctoral training in internal medicine and medical oncology at Stanford University. In 1997, President Clinton appointed Dr. Royston to a six-year term on the National Cancer Advisory Board.
M. Faye Wilson, CPA, MBA; Lead Director
Ms. Wilson has been a principal of Wilson Boyles and Company, a business management and strategic planning consulting firm, since 2003. She served on the board of directors of Farmers Insurance Group of Companies from 1993 through 2001 and the board of directors of The Home Depot, Inc. from 1992 through 2001. Ms. Wilson was also a senior officer of Home Depot from 1998 through 2002. From 1992 until 1998, Ms. Wilson served in several senior management roles at Bank of America Corporation including Chairman of Security Pacific Financial Services and Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer for Bank of America's National Consumer Banking Group. She earned her Masters Degrees in International Relations and Business Administration from the University of Southern California and an Undergraduate Degree from Duke University. She became a certified public accountant in 1961.