Gentris Corporation Announces Changes To Board Of Directors

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Gentris Corporation ( www.gentris.com), a global leader in applying genomic biomarkers to clinical studies, announced today that Dr. David J. Drutz will chair the Board of Directors.  Dr. Drutz, who has had a distinguished career in medicine, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and venture capital, joined the Gentris Board a year ago.  Tim Gupton, a highly experienced biopharma entrepreneur, and leader in accounting and finance, has also become a Board member.

Dr. Drutz, a board-certified internal medicine and infectious disease specialist, was formerly Professor of Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.  While in San Antonio, he founded and directed the NSF Center for Cell Regulation, an innovative public-private partnership focused on expanding research opportunities between academia and industry and enhancing local economic growth.

With an interest in commercial translation of new technologies, Dr. Drutz joined Smith Kline & French Laboratories in 1986 as a vice president and managed resources in both drug discovery and clinical research.  In 1990, he joined Daiichi Pharmaceutical Corporation, as the first U.S. employee, and built and managed both its clinical and regulatory areas.  Moving into biotechnology, Dr. Drutz assumed CEO positions at Sennes Drug Innovations ( Houston, TX) and Inspire Pharmaceuticals ( Durham, NC).  In 1999, he became a general partner in Pacific Rim Ventures Co., Ltd., a Japan-based venture capital firm, with subsequent investments in the U.S., Canada, Germany, the U.K., and Japan.

Dr. Drutz recently stepped down after eleven years as chairman of Tranzyme Pharma with the filing of its IPO, having been a co-founder of the company through his partnership in Pacific Rim Ventures.  Tranzyme (NASDAQ: TZYM), Durham, NC, is developing novel therapeutics for GI motility disorders.  He is also a director of two public companies (DARA Biosciences, Raleigh, NC, and MethylGene Inc., Montreal, Quebec, Canada) as well as another private company (Vaxin, Inc.; Birmingham, AL).  In addition, Dr. Drutz is a member of the Genome Canada Science and Industry Advisory Committee (SIAC).  Genome Canada, a not-for-profit organization established in February 2000, is mandated by the Government of Canada to develop and implement a national strategy for supporting large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects throughout the country.

Tim Gupton is a CPA and partner with Hughes, Pittman & Gupton, LLP ( http://www.hpg.com/partners/gupton) and former partner with KPMG.  He has had a broad cross-section of audit, tax, finance, and M&A responsibilities for companies in the biopharma, healthcare services, clinical research, lab services, and medical technology industries.  Mr. Gupton joined KPMG in 1972 and Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP, in 1992, where his practice has been centered on entrepreneurial business ventures, primarily in the life sciences industry.

Mr. Gupton has served as the start-up CFO for seven biopharmaceutical start-ups in the Research Triangle area.  He is currently the CFO for CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, which is developing a new migraine drug.  In addition to launching and managing start-ups, Mr. Gupton was a founder and general partner for Research Triangle Ventures, which is an investor in Gentris.

1 2 3 Next › Last »