David Scheer
Chairman of the Board, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals
Mr. Scheer, President of Scheer & Company, Inc., has 25 years of experience in the life sciences with activities in venture capital, corporate strategy, and transactional advisory services. In venture capital, Mr. Scheer has been involved in the founding and has been a member of the Boards of Directors of ViroPharma, Inc., OraPharma, Inc.,(now a unit of Johnson & Johnson), Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., (of which he was Chairman, and now a unit of Pfizer, Inc.), Sopherion Therapeutics, Inc (of which he was Chairman), Tengion, Inc. (of which he is Chairman), and Aegerion Pharmaceuticals (of which he is Chairman). He has led engagement teams from Scheer providing corporate strategic advisory services to a broad range of publicly- and privately-held companies. Mr. Scheer has also led or played a significant role in a series of transactions involving corporate alliances, licensing arrangements, divestments, acquisitions and mergers in the life sciences. He is also a member of the Advisory Board to the Harvard Malaria Initiative and of the Leadership Council for the Harvard School of Public Health. He received his A.B. cum laude from Harvard College, and an M.S. from Yale University.
Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr., M.D., D.Phil
Dr. Gotto has been Dean of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Provost for Medical Affairs, Cornell University, since January 1997. He was Chairman and Professor of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Methodist Hospital from 1977 through 1996 and former J. S. Abercrombie Chair, Atherosclerosis and Lipoprotein Research from 1976 to 1996. He is Past President, International Atherosclerosis Society, Past President, American Heart Association, a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Jason Fisherman, M.D.
Dr. Fisherman has served as a member of our board of directors since December 2005. Since 1994, Dr. Fisherman has worked at Advent International, a global private equity firm where he is a Managing Director, specializing in biotechnology and emerging pharmaceutical investments. Previously, Dr. Fisherman served from 1991 to 1994 as Senior Director of Medical Research at Enzon, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. From 1989 to 1991, Dr. Fisherman served as a Senior Investigator at the National Cancer Institute, where he managed the clinical development of a number of oncology drugs. Dr. Fisherman serves as a member of the board of directors of several life science companies, including Torrey Pines Therapeutics, Inc. and Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Fisherman holds a B.A. from Yale University, an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Michele Ollier
Michèle Ollier has served as a member of our board of
directors since October 2007. Dr Ollier is a Life
Science partner at Index Ventures which she joined in
February 2006. From January 2003 to January 2006, Dr
Ollier was Director of Investment in Life Sciences at
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners in Paris. From
1987 to 2003, Michèle Ollier held various positions
relating to strategy, development and commercialization
of pharmaceutical products at several biotechnology and
pharmaceutical companies including International CNS
Product Manager at Sanofi from 1987 to 1989, Lipid
Lowering Agents Group Director at Bristol Myers Squibb
France from 1989 to 1992, International Oncology
Director at Rhone Poulenc Rorer/RPR Gencell from 1994 to
2000 and International Vice President Reproductive
Health at Serono from 2000 to December 2002. Michèle
Ollier holds a Medical Degree from Paris-Ouest
University (France) and a Minor in Business from ISSEC (ESSEC
group).
Alison deBord
Alison joined Alta in 2001 to focus on Life Sciences investments for the Alta BioPharma team. Prior to Alta, she was a Senior Associate in Robertson Stephens' Life Sciences Investment Banking Group with primary responsibilities for the execution of corporate finance transactions including IPOs, follow-on equity and convertible preferred offerings. Previously, she was an Associate in Robertson Stephens' equity research group where she analyzed and helped take public emerging growth medical technology companies. She began her career in the business development group at Geron, a biotechnology company. She earned a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Colgate University.
Gerald Wisler
President and CEO, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals
Jerry Wisler has been in the pharmaceutical industry for 23 years, serving in executive positions at both Merck and Novartis. His career has been marked by successfully commercializing important brands, including Zocor®, Pepcid®, and Diovan®, as well as strategic excellence, leadership, innovation, and a deep scientific understanding. During each of his marketing assignments, the brands under his responsibility enjoyed strong growth, fueled by a focus on understanding the anticipated future evolution of the therapeutic area and his efforts to capitalize upon the change. Jerry also has extensive experience and demonstrated leadership in Managed Care and other key commercial functions.
During his tenure at Merck, Jerry also played a leadership role for the strategic and operational planning process for Merck US Human Health, and served a key role on various US and Global operating committees.
After practicing pharmacy for 3 years (while returning to post-graduate school for a MBA in finance), Jerry joined Merck in 1983. During his 20 year career at Merck he was involved in a variety of functions and had a strong track record of success. In 2003, Jerry left Merck to join Novartis as a Vice President in Marketing, with responsibilities for the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Franchise. Jerry left Novartis in September, 2004 to begin to work with Scheer and Company on the evaluation of AEGR 733 and the development of strategic plans for its clinical program and commercialization, and the formation of Aegerion.
David A. Arkowitz
Mr. Arkowitz has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2007. Since April 2007, Mr. Arkowitz has served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer of Advanced Magnetics, Inc., where he is responsible for all finance, treasury, business development and investor relations functions. Previously, Mr. Arkowitz served from 2003 to 2007 as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he helped lead the company's successful initial public offering and played an integral role in the establishment of essential infrastructure and key governance and business processes to support the company's growth and commercialization of its first product. From 1990 to 2003, Mr. Arkowitz worked at Merck & Co., Inc., where he held positions of increasing responsibility, including Vice President & Controller for Merck's U.S. Human Health Division, Controller for the Merck Research Laboratories and Vice President, Finance and Business Development for Merck's Canadian subsidiary. Mr. Arkowitz serves as a member of the board of directors of ImpactRx. Mr. Arkowitz holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Brandeis University and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.
