Dr James Campbell

Dr James Campbell brings to Prescient a solid track record as a scientist and commercial executive. Dr. Campbell has more than 25 years of international biotechnology research, management and leadership experience and has been involved in the creation and/or transformation of multiple successful Australian and international biotechnology companies.

He is currently Chair of AusBiotech, Australias peak biotechnology industry association, and was formerly CEO of Patrys Limited, a company that developed novel antibody therapeutics for oncology.

He was previously the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Chemgenex, which was acquired by Cephalon for $230 million in 2011. His responsibilities ranged from IP management to licensing and business development and as a member of the executive team, he helped steer and transform the company from a $10 million research based entity to a company with completed clinical trials and regulatory dossiers submitted to the FDA and EMA before its $230 million sale.

Dr Campbell also has experience advising private biotechnology companies in the US and New Zealand with capital raisings and partnering negotiations.

Dr Allen Ebens

Allen Ebens, Ph.D. brings over twenty four years of drug development experience in oncology and hematology, beginning in drug discovery at Exelixis before moving to Genentech where over 11 years he worked from concept to clinic across multiple therapeutic platforms including antibodies, small molecule drugs, antibody-drug conjugates, and T cell recruiting antibodies. Dr. Ebens was recruited from Genentech to establish oncology discovery research at Juno Therapeutics (a CAR-T pioneer), and served as Senior Director, Immune Oncology at NGM Biopharmaceuticals.

He is currently Chief Scientific Officer of Vera Therapeutics. Dr. Ebens’ scientific contributions include numerous peer-reviewed publications of original research, a significant patent portfolio, and the advancement of nine discovery projects from initial concept to clinical development for multiple targets including one marketed therapeutic. He completed his PhD at UCLA and postdoctoral training at UCSF.

Melanie Farris

Ms Farris is an experienced non-executive director, governance, risk and communications professional in the listed, public and not-for-profit sectors, possessing a strong track record in the planning, delivery and oversight of strategic corporate, funding, governance and risk projects across industries including life sciences, investment, agriculture, not-for-profit and music industry marketing.

With extensive senior executive tenure including as chief governance and risk officer, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, group company secretary, senior risk and sustainability advisor, prior roles include with Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX), Factor Therapeutics Limited (ASX: FTT), Invion Limited (ASX: IVX), Menzies Research Centre, HRH The Prince of Wales’s Office, Global Asset Management, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, and The Prince’s Foundation.

Melanie holds a Bachelor of Communication (Public Relations), and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance. She is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia, a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute (UK) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Dr Ellen Feigal

Dr Feigal is currently a Partner and Head of the Biologics practice at global life sciences advisory firm, NDA Partners LLC, where she leads efforts in designing and executing product development and regulatory strategies in the areas of cell therapies, medical imaging, hematology and oncology. She is also adjunct faculty at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, where she teaches FDA drug law and medical research ethics and law.

Dr Feigal was formerly Senior Vice President overseeing research and development with the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a world-leading research foundation working to accelerate development of new disease modifying treatments and cures for patients with chronic diseases; Executive Medical Director, Global Development at US biotech company Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN); Vice President of Clinical Sciences at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, and directed the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis at the National Cancer Institute.

Dr Feigal serves as a Board member for Xencor Inc (NASDAQ: XNCR) a biotechnology company developing engineered antibodies and cytokines for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. She is also a Director of NextCure (NASDAQ: NXTC) a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing new immunotherapies to treat cancer.

Dr Feigal holds an M.D. from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. She completed an internal medicine residency at Stanford University and a hematology oncology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr Gavin Shepherd

Dr Shepherd is an accomplished medical professional with 25 years of experience in medicine and a proven track record in driving success in various specialist consulting businesses. After completing his medical qualification at Flinders University, he completed specialist training as a consultant Occupational and Environmental Physician with a fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. He graduated dux of his Graduate Diploma in OH+S at Adelaide University and he completed his GAICD qualification in 2011. He is a serial Australian biotech investor and a non-executive director of Lateral Pharma Pty Ltd.