Board of Directors

David Horn Solomon has extensive experience in the biotech sector as a CEO and board member, as well as an investor. He is the current CEO of Pharnext (EPA: ALPHA), a French public biotech company developing novel first-in-class therapies for orphan and common diseases with high unmet medical needs, leveraging the company’s artificial intelligence (AI)-based PLEOTHERAPY™ platform. David was previously the CEO of Silence Therapeutics (LON: SLN), a UK-listed biotech company developing RNAi-based therapeutics to treat conditions with a high unmet medical need.

David has also served as the CEO of Akari Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AKTX), Managing Partner at Sund Capital, a specialized Nordic-focused healthcare investment fund, and CEO of Bionor Pharma ASA. From 2008 to 2015, he was CEO of Zealand Pharma A/S (NASDAQ: ZEAL), during which time Adlixin®, the company’s lead product for the treatment of type II diabetes, was approved in the US. Adlixin® is now marketed by Sanofi as a monotherapy and in combination with Lantus as Soliqua®.

From 2003 to 2006, David headed healthcare investments at Carrot Capital Healthcare Ventures in New York City. He is a former member of the board of directors of TxCell SA (acquired by Sangamo in 2018), Onxeo SA (Euronext Paris: ONXEO) and was Chairman of Promosome LLC (La Jolla, CA).

David studied at Weill Cornell Medicine of Cornell University where he earned his Ph.D and served on the faculty of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, both located in New York City.

Huw is the CEO of Evgen Pharma (LON: EVG), UK listed a clinical stage drug development company focussed on the development of sulforaphane-based compounds, a new class of pharmaceuticals. Huw is strategic advisor to Gen 2 neuroscience in Cambridge UK and was formerly Executive Chairman of Chronos Therapeutics in Oxford UK and. During his time at Chronos he extracted the company from Oxford University, raised substantial grant and equity finance and led Chronos’ acquisition of three early research programmes in brain disease from Shire PLC. He was surprised and pleased to have been awarded European CEO of the year 2016/17 for drug discovery by European CEO Magazine, alongside leaders in their sectors from Adidas, Unilever and Spotify. Huw advises Gen 2 Neuroscience in Cambridge, UK. Gen2 has a unique technology targeting dementias and tauopathies and is funded by the UK Dementia Discovery fund.

Previous posts include: NED, then rescue CEO, Ardana PLC; non–executive chairman, Ashbourne Pharmaceuticals; president Europe, CV Therapeutics Inc; SVP, Elan Pharmaceuticals and various roles of increasing responsibility at SmithKline Beecham (GSK). In his varied career he has launched dozens of new medicines in several countries, completed tens of M&A transactions and managed many drug development programmes. Huw holds a PhD in neuropharmacology from the University of Birmingham, he is a passionate SCUBA diver and wine lover but never combines the two.

Gaby is the founder and Managing Director of Wharton Asset Management, a private London based family office specialising in private equity investment in diverse sectors including healthcare and biotechnology. Gaby has over 20 years of experience in finance and investment. He is the co-founder of Ixaka bringing together the licence partner, the investors and management team within Ixaka. He represents the principal shareholders and funders of Ixaka.

Vicente is the co-founder of Ixaka and has over 30 years’ experience of investing in healthcare, real estate and other businesses in Spain and Europe. Vicente is the founder of ESTADISTA, specialising in private equity holdings in diverse sectors including healthcare and biotechnology. Since 2009 he has focused on scientific research, development and innovation in biotechnology, licensing from public institutions a large number of preclinical advanced therapies, drugs and medical devices.

Joe Dupere was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Ixaka in February 2015. Joe has more than 20 years of business development, M&A, operational and research management experience in the biopharmaceutical and investment banking sectors. Prior to Ixaka, Joe was Head of Business Development at Riemser Pharma GmbH, Director of Healthcare Investment Banking at Deutsche Bank and previously Vice President of Healthcare Investment Banking at Bear Stearns. He has been a Senior Scientist in CNS discovery research at Glaxo Wellcome.

Joe received a First Class B.Sc. in Neuroscience from the University of Manchester and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Bristol and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management.