Member Directory - Executive Committee

Chair: Charles Flexner

Objectives:

  • Create the scientific and programmatic agenda of LEAP to ensure a balanced and objective resource for those engaged in developing LA/ER agents for treatment and prevention of HIV, TB, and Hepatitis B & C.
  • Bring a broad representation including academic experts in LA/ER therapeutic drug development, community representatives, and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) with an interest in supporting this field.
  • Serve as an honest broker to bridge gaps between academia, regulatory agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, and the community.

 

Charles W. Flexner, MD, is the Principal Investigator of the Long Acting/Extended Release Antiretroviral Resource Program (LEAP).

Conflict of Interest: Dr. Flexner reports receiving consulting income from Gilead Sciences, Merck, ViiV Healthcare, Janssen, and Theratechnologies. He also serves on a scientific advisory board for Navigen Corporation, and serves on a data safety and monitoring board for Advarra. He is a co-inventor on six issued patents related to long-acting drug delivery technology for HIV treatment and prevention.

Dr. Abrams is a Professor of Epidemiology and Pediatrics at Columbia University and Senior Director for Research at ICAP.

Conflict of Interest: Has no real or apparent conflicts of interest to report.

Dr. Cohen is President of the Hepatitis B Foundation, leading national and international efforts to eliminate hepatitis B through developing partnerships, capacity and strategies to improve hepatitis B and D screening, vaccination, and linkage to care.

Conflict of Interest: Receives consulting fees (all paid directly to the Hepatitis B Foundation. She represents the Hepatitis B Foundation on community advisory boards for Gilead Sciences, Roche, Arbutus, and GSK. Also, Hepatitis B Foundation receives research and program grants from Gilead Sciences, Genentech, GSK, VBI Vaccines, and Dynavax Technologies.

Lobna Gaayeb manages the Long-Acting Technologies project at the Medicines Patent Pool. She has experience in coordinating international networks and scientific projects.

Conflict of Interest: Has no real or apparent conflicts of interest to report.
 

Dr. Rodney JY Ho is a distinguished professor of pharmaceutics (SOP), adjunct professor of bioengineering (SOM) and is an inaugural presidential entrepreneurial fellow of the University of Washington. 

Conflict of Interest: No disclosures.

Daniel R. Kuritzkes, MD received his BS and MS degrees in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University, and his MD from Harvard Medical School. 

Conflict of Interest: Receives consulting fees from AbbVie, Atea, Decoy, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Jannsen, Merck, Moderna, Roche, Shionogi, ViiV. Receives consulting fees for non CME/CE service from Gilead, and research funding from, Merck, and ViiV. Has an ownership interest in Decoy..

Imelda Mahaka is the Executive Director for Pangaea Zimbabwe AIDS Trust (PZAT). She provides strategic direction, overall oversight, coordination, and support for the implementation of PZAT programs.

Conflict of Interest:

Dr Adeniyi Olagunju is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and a member of the Centre of Excellence for Long-acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, UK.

Conflict of Interest: Has no real or apparent conflicts of interest to report.
 

Andrew Owen is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology and Director of the Centre of Excellence in Long-acting Therapeutics (CELT; www.liverpool.ac.uk/CELT) at the University of Liverpool.

Conflict of Interest: Dr. Owen has reported having potential financial conflicts of interest within the past 12 months, or anticipated within the coming 12 months, with the following entities: Tandem Nano Ltd., Gilead, Assembly Biosciences.

Dr. Kimberly Scarsi is a Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s (UNMC) College of Pharmacy.

Conflict of Interest:Receives grant funding from Viiv Healthcare Organon, LLC.

Kimberly Struble, PharmD, is a Senior Clinical Team Leader in the Division of Antiviral Products at the Food and Drug Administration. 

Conflict of Interest: None disclosed.

David Thomas is Director of Infectious Diseases and the Stanhope Bayne-Jones Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Conflict of Interest: Has no real or apparent conflicts of interest to report.