Fe Pharmaceuticals Team & Advisory

Dr. Weickert has been developing drugs, devices and startup companies for 31 years, many in the anti-infective therapeutic area. He has co-founded and/or led startups as CEO of Pacylex Pharmaceuticals, illumiSonics, Sonescence, and SEA Medical Systems, CBO of Strategent Life Sciences, Corium, and Therashock, COO of Greenfire Bio and Ohm Oncology, VP of development at SciDose and Auspex. At startups, he raised Seed through Series C capital and established partnerships worth more than $180 Million. He has extensive experience developing anti-infectives, as CEO of Sonescence, a Phase 2 stage drug delivery startup addressing skin and soft tissue infections including involving MRSA, as Senior Program Executive at Nektar where he set up an anti-infectives business unit and directed the flagship anti-infective product from inception through Phase 2, as CBO of Therashock developing a new theory and therapy for sepsis, and as an advisor or consultant for companies like Pulmatrix, Taris, and Lightline. Michael has prepared over 40 business plans including for the Nobel Prize winner Dr. Luc Montagnier and has driven product development from pre-clinical through Phase III/NDA. He obtained Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations for anti-infective products in the US and EU. Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, he was at the National Cancer Institute at NIH. He received his Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Heaton brings a 30-year career in pharmaceutical discovery, development, and translational studies. He serves as CSO to the Cure JM Foundation, and most recently served as the CEO and President of Heaton-Brown Life Sciences and Novogen North America. Dr. Heaton, ushered several oncology compounds from the laboratory through Phase I, II and III clinical trials. He was also a board member at joint venture start-up with Yale, CanTx. Dr. Heaton is the senior author on over 100, globally granted-patents, covering a wide range of molecular architectures and diseases and has published multiple papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Heaton received his doctorate from James Cook University of North Queensland, his MBA from Melbourne Business School, and completed a sabbatical at Imperial College, London.

Bob Miller is a Partner at CFOs2GO and co-Lead of their Healthcare and Life Science business. Bob served as CFO and sometimes COO for two decades, developing deep experience in raising funds and commercializing technologies. He deals with the complex integration of the regulatory, clinical, reimbursement, manufacturing, sales and marketing requirements for launching medical products and quickly growing revenue. He was CFO of GAF Corporation and Treasurer of Mead Corporation, both multi-billion-dollar companies. Having lost his mother to cancer early in life, he recognized how making treatments available could help people and families live more fulfilling lives. He now focuses on funding and commercializing unique and effective medical technologies. Bob earned his degree in economics and industrial engineering from Stanford and received his MBA from Columbia.

Dr. Ang has over 10 years’ experience in synthetic chemistry. Since 2016, Trisha has been the lead research chemist and directly involved with the synthetic aspects for streamlining the DIBI polymer process for cGMP industrial-scale production. Her work improved the yield and safety profile of the synthesis of DIBI’s critical metal chelating monomer leading to an unprecedented 74% process improvement by developing a two-step synthesis from originally five steps. Dr. Ang is co-inventor to a corresponding 2017 patent (WO2018035613A1). Trisha has also been project manager at Chelation Partners Inc. and on other independent research projects. Dr. Ang earned a master’s degree at the University of Toronto and received her Ph.D. degree in chemistry at Queen’s University.

Dr. Weickert has been developing drugs, devices and startup companies for 31 years, many in the anti-infective therapeutic area. He has co-founded and/or led startups as CEO of Pacylex Pharmaceuticals, illumiSonics, Sonescence, and SEA Medical Systems, CBO of Strategent Life Sciences, Corium, and Therashock, COO of Greenfire Bio and Ohm Oncology, VP of development at SciDose and Auspex. At startups, he raised Seed through Series C capital and established partnerships worth more than $180 Million. He has extensive experience developing anti-infectives, as CEO of Sonescence, a Phase 2 stage drug delivery startup addressing skin and soft tissue infections including involving MRSA, as Senior Program Executive at Nektar where he set up an anti-infectives business unit and directed the flagship anti-infective product from inception through Phase 2, as CBO of Therashock developing a new theory and therapy for sepsis, and as an advisor or consultant for companies like Pulmatrix, Taris, and Lightline. Michael has prepared over 40 business plans including for the Nobel Prize winner Dr. Luc Montagnier and has driven product development from pre-clinical through Phase III/NDA. He obtained Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations for anti-infective products in the US and EU. Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, he was at the National Cancer Institute at NIH. He received his Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin.

Mr. Drage was the original seed investor in Fe Pharmaceuticals and has invested multiple times since the founding. Following a career in M&A focused on selling to strategic buyers, he founded, grew, and successfully exited several businesses before becoming a full-time venture capitalist in 2005. Currently he does equity investing through Heroiq Capital where the primary criteria for investing is “Number of lives positively impacted”. Since 2015 he has also provided venture debt through Runway Finance Group. James is a graduate of INSEAD’s Master’s in Change program and also studied at Royal Roads and Dalhousie Universities. His interest in Fe Pharmaceuticals came after his eldest daughter almost died from an antibiotic resistant septic shock infection. Thankfully she recovered but the experience showed him the great need for solutions in the areas of antimicrobial resistance, sepsis and others that Fe Pharma is working to solve.

Dr. Anne-Marie Duliege is Deputy Director at the Gates Foundation where she leads the Malaria team’s efforts to advance the development of antimalarial interventions, including drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies. She joined the foundation in 2023. Anne-Marie has more than 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical and nonprofit sectors, including as a senior executive. Most recently, she served as Chief Medical Officer at PanCAN, an advocacy organization serving patients with pancreatic cancer. She has extensive experience in infectious diseases and immunology and has long been associated with many aspects of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Anne-Marie serves on the board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (stem cell research) and Global Strategies (access to health care in developing countries). She received her M.D. degree and certification in pediatrics from Paris Medical School, an M.S. in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health, and an M.S. in biostatistics from Paris Medical School. She continues to practice pediatrics as an adjunct clinical assistant professor at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford.

Dr. Nivaggioli is CEO of Avicena Group where she raised more than $160M NIH funding for neurodegenerative diseases (ALS, Huntington and Parkinson’s), moving the programs from Phase I to III and then successfully licensed the programs. She founded CN Partners, LLC, a private equity fund investing in a broad range of healthcare and high-tech companies. She was also CEO of Peninsula Skincare labs, a dermaceutical company and partnered the products with several overseas pharmaceutical companies and was CEO of QuRetino, a dermatology company that developed drugs for acne vulgaris. She started her career at Gillette and then Oral-B developing consumer products. She received her Ph.D. in Bioorganic Chemistry from University of Toronto and completed her postdoctoral research at MIT.

Robert Klein III has been engaged in government affairs and medical research advocacy for nearly two decades. He is President and as a Board Member of Americans for Cures, he led programs to educate state and national leaders on the impact of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), and the critical need for public funding to develop emerging areas of the biological and medical sciences, engaging with Governors, Attorney Generals, Secretaries of State, Treasurers, US Congressional Committee staff, Major Publication Editorial Boards, Professional and Commerce Organization Boards, and members of the US Senate and House of Representatives. Mr. Klein was President, Campaign Manager, Board Member, and Treasurer of California Proposition 14: The California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Initiative of 2020. The initiative provided $5.5 billion in additional bond funding to CIRM, to accelerate the development of improved therapies and cures for chronic disease and injury. Robert received the World Stem Cell Summit 2021: Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action and Leadership Award, and first ever Presidential Recognition for Civic Contributions from the President and Executive Board of the International Society of Stem Cell Research in June, 2023. Robert is currently Vice President of Governmental Affairs and an Asset Manager for Klein Financial Corporation, which has developed, financed, and/or asset managed over $8 billion in large scale mixed-income multifamily housing. He serves as a Board Advisor and Policy Consultant to The Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT), and is a Board Member of 21st Century Alliance, a policy non-profit focused on solving California’s housing, education, and fiscal challenges. Robert earned Magna Cum Laude honors in Political Science at the University of Southern California and the University of California San Diego.

Robert Klein II is a stem cell advocate. He initiated California Proposition 71, the $3 billion bond measure which establishing the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), of which Klein was the Chairman of the Governing Board and is now Chair, Emeritus. CIRM has funded research resulting, to date, in over 100 human trials and over 3,400 peer reviewed published medical discoveries. In 2020, Mr. Klein was Chairman of the successful California Prop 14 bond initiative campaign, which provided CIRM with an additional $5.5B in funding. He is currently Chairman of the Americans for Cures Action Network (formerly California Stem Cell Research & Cures Initiative) and is Chairman and President of the Klein Financial Corporation Klein Financial Corporation, which has developed, financed, and/or asset managed over $8 billion in large scale mixed-income multifamily housing. Bob has received numerous awards for his public service, including, 1) Time Magazine honored Bob as “one of the World’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year” for 2005; 2) Scientific American named Bob one of “The Scientific American 50” as a leader shaping the future of science in November 2005; 3) Research!America honored Bob with the Gordon & Llura Gund Leadership Award in March 2010 for his work in patient advocacy; 4) The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) awarded Bob their “Biotech Humanitarian Award” at their International Conference in 2010 for his work in authoring the “California Stem Cell Research and Cures” Initiative (Prop 71 from 2004) and Chairing the Governing Board of CIRM; and, 5) The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) awarded Bob with their inaugural “ISSCR Public Service Award” in 2011 for his outstanding contribution of public service to the field of stem cell and regenerative medicine. Bob has a Bachelor of Arts in History with Honors from Stanford University and a Juris Doctorate from Stanford Law School. He retired from the United States Air Force after attaining the rank of Captain.