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Dajun Yang, Ph.D., is the Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer of Ascentage Pharma. Dr. Yang has dedicated his career to the research on apoptosis and innovative drug R&D for nearly 30 years. In 2009, he co-founded Ascentage Pharma and made major breakthroughs in the research of development of precision drugs targeting apoptosis and autophagy dual-channel regulation. Ascentage Pharma is the only company in the world that researches and develops innovative drugs targeting all of these pathways. Ascentage Pharma currently has eight potential “First-in-class†or “Best-in-class†innovative drug candidates in Phase I/II clinical developments in China, the United States and Australia. Dr. Yang has undertaken nearly ten National Science and Technology Major Projects such as the National High-tech R&D Program (the “863 Programâ€) and the Major Innovative Drug Developments program. The team led by Dr. Yang has won multiple awards such as the Major Innovation Team of Suzhou and Jiangsu, the First Jiangsu Innovation Competition Team Award, and the R&D Achievement of the Year 2017 from the BayHelix Group. Dr. Yang is the recipient of the 2018 “Dushu Lake Prize†for the Most Influential Leader in Drug R&D, an award widely recognized in the field drug R&D. Dr. Yang was the president of Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association-USA from 2005 to 2006 and has concurrently served as professor and Ph.D. supervisor at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, vice director of the Drug R&D Specialty Committee of China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association, and part-time researcher in Pharmaceutical Innovations at Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Yang is the author or co-author of 92 publications and the inventor of 14 patents. He was a co-founder, chief staff writer and editor for two national magazines in China, namely “Chinese Medical Students†and “Family Doctorsâ€. Nowadays “Family Doctors†has a monthly publication volume of over one million and it has the mission to promote both healthcare and a healthy lifestyle in China.
Dr. Shaomeng WANG, Ph.D., is the co-founder of Ascentage Pharma and has been appointed as its chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board since 2010. Dr. Wang joined the University of Michigan in July 2001 as a tenured faculty and is currently a Warner-Lambert/Parke Davis Professor in Medicine at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he also serves as the co-director of the experimental therapeutics program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (the Rogel Cancer Center) and director of the Michigan Center for Therapeutic Innovation. Dr. Wang was also appointed as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry since 2011, and was re-appointed to the same role in 2015.
Dr. Wang obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Peking University in July 1986. He received his Ph.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University in Chemistry in the United States in January 1993.
Dr. Simon Dazhong LU, Ph.D., MBA, has more than 18 years of experience in the investment and consulting business. He is a Managing Director of SIDC Fund Management Company Ltd., a China-based private equity fund manager. From January 2008 to July 2009, Dr. Lu served as the Managing Director and a member of the investment committee of CEL Partners, a private equity firm. From September 2002 to December 2007, he was a partner of Shanghai Newmargin Ventures, a venture capital management company. Dr. Lu has also served as a securities analyst at China International Capital Corporation Limited, and as a financial analyst at Scotiabank in Toronto, Canada. Early in his career, he worked as an auditor and audit and business consulting supervisor at Arthur Andersen in Shanghai and Chicago. Dr. Lu graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from Nankai University, his Master of Business Administration from McGill University in Canada, and Ph.D. in Economics degree from Nankai University.
Dr. Zheng YIN, Ph.D., is the Executive Director and Manager of Sany. Innova (Beijing) Investment Management Co. Since August 2018, he has been serving as the Executive Director and Manager of Sany. Innova (Beijing) Investment Management Co., Ltd. He joined SDIC Fund Management Co., Ltd. as Executive Director and then Managing Director responsible for the pharma/biotech sector between August 2016 and July 2018. Prior to that, Dr. Yin worked as Vice Dean (July 2009-November 2011) and then Dean (November 2011-April 2015) of the School of Pharmacy at Nankai University. He also served as a professor at Tsinghua University. Earlier, Dr. Yin worked as Principal Scientist at Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases Pte. Ltd., and as a research scientist at S*Bio Pte. Ltd. Dr. Yin obtained a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Science from Nankai University. He obtained his Doctoral degree in Chemistry from National University of Singapore.
Mr. Wei REN has over 15 years of legal experience covering onshore and offshore securities issues, China-related mergers & acquisitions and foreign investment. He is a Partner at Jingtian & Gongcheng and has been with the firm since 2003. Mr. Ren has been a Director of Beijing Dongcheng District State-owned Assets Administration Commission since January 2018. Mr. Ren obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics both from Peking University. He has been qualified to practice law in China.
Mr. Changqing YE has over 25 years of experience in professional accounting, financial advisory and investment. Mr. Ye obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in July 1992, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom in November 1999. Mr. Ye has been a Certified Public Accountant of the PRC since December 1994.
Known for in research in biomarkers for early detection and therapy and profiled by TIME magazine in 2001 as one of America’s best in science and medicine, Dr. Sidransky is a leading expert in oncology and precision medicine widely respected in the biopharmaceutical industry. Dr. Sidransky is currently the Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Research Division at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology; and Professor of Oncology, Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Urology, Genetics, and Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Sidransky is also serving as a member on the Scientific Advisory Boards of numerous professional organizations and institutions, including the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the U.S. Having authored over 550 peer-reviewed publications, contributed 45 cancer reviews and chapters, and invented 28 biotechnology patents, Dr. Sidransky is one of the world’s most highly cited researchers in clinical and medical journals.
Dr. Sidransky has accumulated immense industry experience and exceptional expertise, not only in scientific research, but also in business operations, corporate governance and investment strategies. Dr. Sidransky is a founder of a number of biotechnology companies such as Champions Oncology (Nasdaq; CSBR). Previously, Dr. Sidransky was Vice Chairman of ImClone Systems Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing oncology care, until its acquisition by Eli Lilly. Dr. Sidransky is also a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Israel Biotech Fund. Furthermore, Dr. Sidransky is a highly-experienced board member, after having served as a director on the boards of Galmed Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: GLMD), Orgenesis (Nasdaq: ORGS), Advaxis (Nasdaq: ADXS), and Ayala (Nasdaq: AYLA).