We are AsclepiX

Co-founded by Aleksander S. Popel, PhD and Jordan J. Green, PhD at Johns Hopkins University, AsclepiX is building a company and culture focused on transforming the treatment of disease in ophthalmology and oncology.

To date, anti-VEGF treatment has been the gold standard for treating retinal disease; however, many patients do not have a complete and lasting response with currently approved therapies. In patients who do respond, the short duration of action of these treatments requires the additional burden of recurring and frequent intravitreal injections. There is a need for more efficacious medicines that require fewer injections and reduces the treatment burden for patients.

Our mission is to go well beyond the capabilities of today’s therapies. We do this by translating brilliant scientific discovery into tomorrow’s transformative medicines that have the potential to bring better and dramatically lasting health to people throughout the world.

In ophthalmology, we are initially focused on three of the leading causes of blindness in adults: diabetic macular edema (DME), neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO). In addition to a novel mechanism of action in the treatment of these diseases, we seek to achieve superior efficacy with significantly fewer injections than approved therapies, substantially reducing the treatment burden for patients.

In oncology, we are developing treatments to activate anti-tumor immunity, inhibit metastasis, and enhance efficacy in combination with immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Early results in animal models show inhibition of tumor growth and improved survival in triple-negative breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma and inhibition of metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer.

We are dedicated every day to advancing the clinical development of these novel therapeutics to prove their safety and efficacy in fulfilling significant unmet needs in global healthcare.

Innovation Leaders

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Chief Executive Officer and President

Robert J. Dempsey, MBA

Robert is the Chief Executive Officer and President at AsclepiX Therapeutics. He is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the overall strategy to deliver value to stakeholders and improve patient lives.
ashojaei
CSO, EVP-Clinical Development

Amir Shojaei, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Amir has built a career in life sciences as a leader with over two and a half decades of drug development experience, focused on the clinical development, registration and commercialization of biopharmaceuticals and biologics in multiple therapeutic areas.
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VP, Research & Innovation - Head of Non-Clinical

Niranjan B. Pandey, Ph.D.

Dr. Pandey is Vice President, Research and Development at AsclepiX Therapeutics. Dr. Pandey is responsible for guiding scientific discovery and research of the company.
Jill Final
Director of Finance

Jill Tierney

Jill joined AsclepiX with over 15 years of experience in corporate finance, financial planning and analysis in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
Jordan Green
Founder, Chief Technology Advisor

Jordan J. Green, Ph.D.

Dr. Green is the Founder and Chief Technology Advisor of AsclepiX Therapeutics and responsible for guiding technical directions of the company.
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Founder, Chief Scientific Advisor

Aleksander S. Popel, Ph.D.

Dr. Popel is the Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of AsclepiX Therapeutics and responsible for guiding scientific directions of the company.
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Chief Executive Officer and President

Robert J. Dempsey, MBA

Robert is the Chief Executive Officer and President at AsclepiX Therapeutics. He is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the overall strategy to deliver value to stakeholders and improve patient lives.
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Chairman of the Board AsclepiX Therapeutics Managing Director, Ziff Capital

Steven Altschuler, MD

Dr. Steven M. Altschuler currently serves as Chairman of the Board of AsclepiX Therapeutics, Inc. He also serves as Managing Director-Healthcare Ventures at Ziff Capital Partners.
Ben Askew
Partner, Research and Development, Xontogeny

Ben Askew, Ph.D.

Dr. Askew joined Xontogeny in September 2019 as Partner, Research & Development after a decades long career in the biopharmaceutical industry.
Josh Barer
Managing Director of Hibiscus BioVentures & Barer & Son Capital

Josh Barer

Josh Barer is Managing Director of Hibiscus BioVentures, as well as Barer & Son Capital, LLC which forms, restructures and funds early-stage cutting edge biotechnology companies.
Chris Garabedian
CEO of Xontogeny and Manager, PXV Fund for Perceptive Advisors

Chris Garabedian

Chris Garabedian founded Xontogeny in June of 2016 to support multiple promising technologies from early development through clinical proof of concept.
Jordan Green
Founder, Chief Technology Advisor

Jordan J. Green, Ph.D.

Dr. Green is the Founder and Chief Technology Advisor of AsclepiX Therapeutics and responsible for guiding technical directions of the company.
Sapna Srivastava
Board Member

Sapna Srivastava, Ph.D.

Dr. Srivastava was most recently the Chief Financial and Strategy Officer for Abide Therapeutics (acquired by Lundbeck).
Advisor

David S. Boyer, MD

Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine and Senior Partner at Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group
Advisor

Peter A. Campochiaro, MD

Eccles Professor of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University of Medicine
Advisor

Jeffrey Heier, MD

Co-President-Medical Director, Director of Vitreoretinal Service & Director of Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston
Advisor

Allen Ho, MD

Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Director of Retina Research, Professor of Ophthalmology