Leadership
Adam R. Craig, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A. is President. Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Medical Officer of CTI BioPharma. He is a physician and experienced biopharmaceutical industry leader with extensive expertise in corporate strategic operations and governance, investor relations and financing; U.S. and EU regulatory engagement; and medical affairs and hematology and oncology research. Prior to CTI, Dr. Craig was Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of Development of Sunesis Pharmaceuticals and Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Chemgenex Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which was acquired by Cephalon/Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2011. He also served as a Product Development Reviewer for the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas. Dr. Craig earned his Medical Degree from Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, University of London, a Ph.D. in Molecular Oncology from Leeds University in the U.K. and an M.B.A from The Open University Business School (U.K). Dr Craig completed post-graduate training in Paediatrics, Neonatology, and Paediatric Oncology and is a Member of both the Royal College of Physicians (London) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
David H. Kirske is Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of CTI BioPharma. He previously served as CTI’s Principal Financial and Accounting Officer. Mr. Kirske is a finance, accounting and investor relations leader for public and emerging growth private companies primarily in the biotechnology industry, as well as in technology and manufacturing. His financial management experience includes overseeing finance, accounting, operations and capitalization in debt and equity. Prior to CTI Mr. Kirske served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Helix BioMedix where he managed all financial and administrative activities. Previously, he was the Treasurer and Corporate Controller for F-5 Networks and Redhook Brewery, where he managed corporate and international entities and was part of the management teams that led and executed each company’s successful initial public offerings. Earlier, he held a controllership position at Cray Computer. Mr. Kirske holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Puget Sound.
James K. Fong is Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer of CTI BioPharma. He previously served as CTI’s Senior Vice President, U.S. Commercial Operations and E.U. General Manager. Mr. Fong is an experienced leader in global commercial strategy and operations. At CTI, he has led the launch and commercialization efforts for VONJO™. Previously he led the U.S. commercialization efforts for ZEVALIN® (acquired by Spectrum Pharmaceuticals) and U.S. and commercialization of PIXUVRI® (acquired by Servier). Prior to CTI, Mr. Fong was National Sales Director at CV Therapeutics, where he led a 250-person sales team in the successful launch of RANEXA® and also held the positions of Director of Marketing, Sales Operations and Training. He also held roles of increasing responsibility at Daiichi Sankyo and Pharmacia Upjohn, primarily focused on sales leadership and market access across the therapeutic areas of oncology, metabolic and cardiovascular. He received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
John P. Volpone is Executive Vice President, Chief of Staff at CTI BioPharma. Previously, he served as CTI’s Senior Vice President, Strategic Operations. He is an experienced biopharmaceutical leader in strategic business partnerships, licensing, regulatory engagements and commercialization. Mr. Volpone led the global strategy for the development and commercialization of PIXUVRI® (acquired by Servier), as well as for pacritinib. Prior, Mr. Volpone was Regional Lead, West Coast Search and Evaluation, for Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), where he coordinated evaluation, diligence and negotiations for interactions with potential licensees across all therapeutic areas for opportunities originating on the West Coast. He was also Director of Business Development and Alliance Management for ZymoGenetics, a publicly traded company acquired by BMS. There, he led multiple alliances with ZymoGenetics’ strategic partners, including Novo Nordisk and Merck Serono, and built and led the deal team with BMS that led to a $1 billion licensing deal and the eventual acquisition of ZymoGenetics. Mr. Volpone has a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington and an M.B.A from Seattle University.
Jennifer A. Smith, Ph.D. is Senior Vice President, Biometrics at CTI BioPharma. She is a pharmaceutical development leader in data management, statistical programming, biostatistics, and clinical operations group and regulatory interactions, including new drug application (NDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) filings in oncology and Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) and Committee of Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) oral explanations. Prior to CTI, Dr Smith served as Vice President, Biometrics at Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, where she built and led the biometrics team and provided leadership in their development program in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Prior, Dr. Smith held a number of roles including Senior Director, Biometrics at BiPar Sciences in support of their PARP inhibitor program primarily in breast, lung and ovarian cancer; Director, Biometrics at Geron Corporation, where she supported the regenerative medicine and oncology areas; and Director, Biostatistics at Pharmacyclics, primarily focused on oncology. Dr. Smith received a B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, an M.A. in Psychology from Stanford University, an M.S. in Statistics from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Neuropsychology from Stanford University.
Adam R. Craig, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A. is President. Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Medical Officer of CTI BioPharma. He is a physician and experienced biopharmaceutical industry leader with extensive expertise in corporate strategic operations and governance, investor relations and financing; U.S. and EU regulatory engagement; and medical affairs and hematology and oncology research. Prior to CTI, Dr. Craig was Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of Development of Sunesis Pharmaceuticals and Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Chemgenex Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which was acquired by Cephalon/Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2011. He also served as a Product Development Reviewer for the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas. Dr. Craig earned his Medical Degree from Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, University of London, a Ph.D. in Molecular Oncology from Leeds University in the U.K. and an M.B.A from The Open University Business School (U.K). Dr Craig completed post-graduate training in Paediatrics, Neonatology, and Paediatric Oncology and is a Member of both the Royal College of Physicians (London) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Laurent Fischer, M.D. has served as a Director on CTI BioPharma’s Board of Directors since July 2017 and was appointed Chairman in September 2017. He is Chief Executive Officer of Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. and serves as a Senior Advisor on the Frazier Healthcare Partners’ Life Sciences team. Prior, Dr. Fischer was appointed Senior Vice President, Head of the Liver Therapeutic Area at Allergan following the acquisition of Tobira Therapeutics, for up to $1.6bn where he was Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Fischer was previously Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jennerex, Inc., a company with a first-in-class oncolytic immunotherapy for liver cancer acquired for $150 million by Sillajen. He was Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ocera Therapeutics and held senior positions at DuPont-Merck, DuPont Pharmaceuticals and Hoffmann-La Roche in liver disease, virology and oncology. Dr. Fischer received his undergraduate degree from the University of Geneva and his M.D. from the Geneva Medical School in Switzerland.
David Parkinson, M.D. has served as a Director on CTI BioPharma’s Board of Directors since June 2017. Dr. Parkinson is President and Chief Executive Officer of ESSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior, he was a Venture Partner at New Enterprise Associates, Inc. Dr. Parkinson also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Nodality, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the biological characterization of signaling pathways in patients with malignancy; Senior Vice President, Oncology Research and Development at Biogen Idec, where he oversaw all oncology discovery research efforts and the development of the oncology pipeline; and Vice President, Oncology Development at Amgen and Vice President, Global Clinical Oncology Development at Novartis. Dr. Parkinson served as Chief of the Investigational Drug Branch and then as Acting Associate Director of the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) at the National Cancer Institute. He is past Chairman of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Biologics Advisory Committee and past Member of the FDA Science Board, and he is a recipient of the FDA’s Cody Medal. Dr. Parkinson earned his M.D. from the University of Toronto. He completed his internship, Internal Medicine residency, and Hematology Fellowship at Royal Victoria Hospital at McGill University in Montreal, and a research fellowship at New England Medical Center at Tufts University.
Ms. Diane Parks, M.B.A., has served as a Director on CTI BioPharma’s Board of Directors since August 2021. She has more than 30 years of commercial experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. As Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Commercial at Kite Pharma (acquired by Gilead for $11.9 billion), Ms. Parks led the launch and “go to market” strategic planning and execution for YESCARTA®, the first CAR-T therapy for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma. As Vice President, Head of Global Marketing at Pharmacyclics (acquired by AbbVie for $21 billion), she oversaw the development and execution of all marketing strategies, as well as data insights to inform commercial decision making, for IMBRUVICA® for the treatment of Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. At Amgen, she led the nephrology and hospital sales teams and launched three products, including for colorectal cancer and idiopathic thrombocytopenia, in the academic hospital market. In a variety of roles at Genentech (acquired by Roche for $46.8 billion), including Senior Vice President, Specialty Biotherapeutics and Managed Care, she led sales, marketing, and other commercial operations activities and launched multiple products. Currently, Ms. Parks serves on the Board of Directors of Calliditas Therapeutics AB, Soligenix, TriSalus Life Sciences, Kura Oncology, and the Lymphoma Research Foundation. She holds a B.S. from Kansas State University and an M.B.A from Georgia State University.
Mr. Perry has been a director of CTI BioPharma since January 2016. Mr. Perry is the President of BVF Partners L.P. (“BVF Partners”) and portfolio manager for the underlying funds managed by the firm. BVF Partners is a private investment partnership that has focused on small-cap, value-oriented investment opportunities for more than 20 years. Mr. Perry joined BVF Partners in December 1996 and has been a successful lead investor in dozens of transactions and has positively influenced corporate direction for numerous biotechnology companies during the course of his career. In February 2017, Mr. Perry was appointed to the board of directors of Xoma Corporation, a public company. Mr. Perry is also a co-founder and director of Nordic Biotech Advisors ApS, a venture capital firm based in Copenhagen, Denmark. He holds a B.S. degree from the Biology Department at the College of William and Mary. Mr. Perry brings extensive management consulting experience and experience investing in biotechnology companies to the Board.
Mr. Metzger joined CTI BioPharma’s board in January 2017. Mr. Metzger is currently Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company. Mr. Metzger also serves on the boards of Tarveda Therapeutics, Inc. and Northern Westchester Hospital, Northwell Health. Mr. Metzger served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Regado Biosciences, Inc., a former publicly traded biotechnology company, where he oversaw the company’s successful merger with Tobira Therapeutics, Inc. in 2015 and acted as an advisor to Tobira during its subsequent sale to Allergan in 2016. Previously, Mr. Metzger served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Mersana Therapeutics, a privately held biotechnology company developing novel antibody drug conjugate therapies for cancer, and in senior Business Development positions including leading mergers and acquisitions at Forest Laboratories, Inc. Mr. Metzger served as Vice President, Corporate Development at Onconova Therapeutics, Inc., and was a Managing Director at MESA Partners, Inc., a venture capital firm. Mr. Metzger holds a B.A. from The George Washington University and an M.B.A. in Finance from the New York University Stern School of Business.
Reed V. Tuckson, M.D., F.A.C.P. has served on CTI BioPharma’s Board since September 2011. Dr. Tuckson serves as the Managing Director of Tuckson Health Connections, a private consulting company. Previously, his career accomplishments include a long tenure as Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs for UnitedHealth Group; Senior Vice President, Professional Standards, for the American Medical Association; President of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles; Senior Vice President for Programs of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation; and Commissioner of Public Health for the District of Columbia. At the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Tuckson serves on the Clinical Center Research Hospital Board, and he is an elected Member of the National Academy of Medicine where he is active on many committees. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Adverum Biotechnologies; The Henry Schein Company; the Alliance for Health Policy; and Academy Health, among others. Dr. Tuckson received his B.S. from Howard University and M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s General Internal Medicine Residency and Fellowship Programs.