Board of Directors
Carlos V. Paya, MD, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since March 2017 and as board chair since May 2020. Dr. Paya brings to the Board over 19 years of senior executive experience in the large, mid-cap, and small-cap biopharmaceutical industries, combined with a prolific scientific background and a track record of leading high-impact innovation. Dr. Paya previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a board member of Immune Design Corp., a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on oncology, from May 2011 until its acquisition by Merck & Co., Inc. in April 2019. He previously served as President of Elan Corporation, a pharmaceutical corporation later acquired by Perrigo Company, from 2008 to 2011. Before joining Elan Corporation, Dr. Paya was at Eli Lilly & Company from 2001 to 2008 as Vice President of Lilly Research Laboratories. From 1991 to 2001, Dr. Paya was Professor of Medicine, Immunology, and Pathology and Vice Dean of the Clinical Investigation Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Paya currently also serves on the board of directors of Mallinckrodt plc. He received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Madrid and underwent postdoctoral training at the Institute Pasteur in Paris.
Gerhard F. Burbach joined our board of directors in January 2013. From January 2006 to September 2014, Mr. Burbach served as president, chief executive officer, and director of Thoratec Corporation (NASDAQ: THOR), a company that develops, manufactures, and markets proprietary medical devices used for circulatory support. In addition, from 2004 to February 2013, Mr. Burbach served as a member of the board of directors of Digirad Corporation (NASDAQ: DRAD), a company focused on diagnostic imaging products. From April 2005 to January 2006, Mr. Burbach served as president and chief executive officer of Digirad Corporation. From July 2003 to April 2005, he served as president and chief executive officer of Bacchus Vascular, Inc., a developer of catheter-based medical devices. From January 2001 to July 2003, he served as chief executive officer of Philips Nuclear Medicine, a division of Philips Electronics, and, before its acquisition by Philips, worked for four years for ADAC Laboratories, most recently as president. Mr. Burbach also spent six years with the management consulting firm of McKinsey & Company, Inc., where he was most recently a senior engagement manager in the firm’s healthcare practice.
Laura M. Clague joined our board of directors in October 2018. Ms. Clague has served as Chief Financial Officer of Travere Therapeutics, Inc. (formerly known as Retrophin) since November 2014. Ms. Clague has over 30 years of experience as a financial executive, and oversees Travere accounting, finance, IT and facilities functions. Previously, Ms. Clague served as Chief Financial Officer of the San Diego and Ohio operations of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., after its acquisition by Bristol-Myers Squibb and subsequent divestiture to AstraZeneca. Prior to the acquisition, Ms. Clague was the Vice President, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of Amylin for 10 years, when she also served as the Chief Financial Officer of Amylin's collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company. Earlier, Ms. Clague held financial roles at Sony Electronics, Inc., Cubic Corporation and KPMG. Ms. Clague currently serves on the board of directors of LRAD Corporation. Ms. Clague is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California, and received a B.S. in Business Administration from Menlo College.