John W. Kozarich, PhD – Chairman

John W. Kozarich, PhD, has served as a director since March, 2003. Dr. Kozarich is Chairman and President, and a Director of ActivX Biosciences. From 1992 to 2001, Dr. Kozarich was vice president at Merck Research Laboratories, where he was responsible for a number of research programs. Dr. Kozarich is also a biotechnology professor at the Scripps Research Institute, and previously held faculty positions at the University of Maryland and Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Kozarich earned his BS in chemistry from Boston College, his PhD in biological chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard.

Jason Aryeh

Jason Aryeh has served as a Director since October, 2006. Mr. Aryeh is Founder and General Partner of JALAA Equities, LLP, a private hedge fund focused on the Biotechnology and Specialty Pharmaceutical sector. Mr. Aryeh actively serves as both a Special Advisor to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) for Drug Discovery, and as Honorary Chairman of the New Mexico Chapter of the CFF. Mr. Aryeh received his AB with honors in economics from Colgate University.

Steven J. Burakoff, MD

Steven Burakoff is a director of the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he also serves as professor of medicine and professor of oncological sciences. Prior to his appointment at Mount Sinai, he was the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor, New York University School of Medicine; Director, New York University Cancer Institute; and Director, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Burakoff graduated from Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Science degree, received his Master’s degree from Queens College, and his M.D. from Albany Medical College. Previously, Dr. Burakoff was Chair of Pediatric Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; the Margaret M. Dyson Professor of Pediatrics at the Harvard Medical School, and also received an Honorary Master’s of Science Degree from Harvard University. He was the recipient of the first Harvard Medical School Excellence in Mentoring Award. He was also the Ted Williams Senior Investigator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and he also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He has been an Editor and Associate Editor for numerous journals and author of more than 300 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Todd C. Davis

Todd C. Davis is a Managing Director of Cowen and a Principal and Founder of Cowen Healthcare Royalty Partners (CHRP). Previously, Mr. Davis was a Partner at Paul Capital Partners, where he oversaw investments for the Paul Royalty Funds. Prior to that, Mr. Davis was a Partner at Apax Partners. Mr. Davis has extensive healthcare operating experience, having worked in business development and general management at Elan Pharmaceuticals, and in sales and marketing at Abbott Laboratories. He is a former U.S. naval officer and holds a BS in mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

John L. Higgins

John L. Higgins is President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. Prior to joining Ligand, Mr. Higgins served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration and Corporate Development, of Connetics Corporation, a specialty pharmaceutical company acquired by Stiefel Laboratories in December 2006. Before joining Connetics, he was a member of the executive management team at BioCryst Pharmaceuticals. Currently, he serves as Director on the Boards of Comentis and BioCryst where he is also Chairperson of its Audit Committee. Prior to BioCryst, Mr. Higgins was a member of the healthcare banking team of Dillon, Read & Co. Inc., an investment banking firm. Mr. Higgins serves as a director of numerous public and private companies. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colgate University with an AB in economics.

David M. Knott

David M. Knott is Chief Investment Manager of Knott Partners Management and Dorset Management. Mr. Knott has more than three decades of experience in investing. He began his career at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where he became a Vice President in their retail/small institution division. He left in 1983 to join Mandrakos Associates as a General Partner and Analyst with responsibility for the firm’s investments in the energy and financial services industries.  Mr. Knott was also in charge of most of the firm’s short selling activities. In late January of 1987, he founded Knott Partners.  Mr. Knott has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the Wharton School. 

Stephen L. Sabba, MD

Dr. Sabba has been a leading Research Analyst and Bio Fund Manager for Knott Partners Management, an investment fund company, since November, 2006. Previously he was a Partner and Director of Research with Kilkenny Capital Management, a Chicago-based hedge fund. Prior to that, Dr. Sabba was Director of Research at Sturza’s Medical Research, and previously was a gastroenterologist and internist in private practice at Phelps Memorial Hospital in North Tarrytown, New York. He received his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine, and completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in New York City. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors at Cornell University.