Board of Directors

Vlad Coric, M.D.

MEET OUR CEO

In his over seven years as CEO of Biohaven, Dr. Coric led the company in the pursuit of its bold vision from an entrepreneurial start-up into a modern, publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the mission of advancing novel medications to underserved patients. His leadership translated into dramatic growth for the company, from its initial pre-money valuation of about $6M to the sale of the company for $13B in total considerations. Dr. Coric successfully led the company through its first FDA approval and the launch of Nurtec® ODT (rimegepant; CGRP receptor antagonist) for the acute treatment of migraine. A little more than one year later, Biohaven transformed the migraine treatment paradigm with the FDA approval of an expanded indication for Nurtec ODT for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine — becoming the first all-in-one migraine medication for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine. Biohaven also received approval in Europe and other major markets — advancing its “treat and prevent” migraine therapy to the approximately one billion patients suffering from migraine across the world. Under his leadership, the company also filed an NDA for its second drug candidate, zavegepant, as the first intranasal CGRP antagonist for ultra-rapid relief of migraine. Capitalizing on the extraordinary patient and shareholder value that Biohaven has built with Nurtec ODT and its CGRP franchise, Dr. Coric spearheaded the acquisition of Biohaven by Pfizer in May 2022 for approximately $13 billion in total consideration.

Dr. Coric has positioned Biohaven on its new course continuing its growth trajectory, harnessing its proven drug development expertise, extensive portfolio of clinical-stage assets and robust discovery research capabilities. The pillars of the company’s success — Commitment to Patients, Winning with Science and Creating Shareholder Value — continue to be the foundation of Biohaven’s ongoing growth.

Under Dr. Coric’s stewardship, Biohaven has focused on discovering, developing and commercializing life-changing therapies that address unmet medical needs. The company’s focus on scientific innovation is evidenced in its broad therapeutic portfolio comprised of early- and late-stage product candidates targeting neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, including rare disorders, with little or no treatment options. These include epilepsy, pain and mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In February 2022, Dr. Coric led Biohaven’s acquisition of a novel Kv7 channel targeting platform — adding the latest advances in ion-channel modulation to Biohaven’s neuroscience portfolio.

A proponent of innovation that extends beyond the R&D cycle to all aspects of pharmaceutical operations, Dr. Coric has been instrumental in establishing Biohaven’s agile, digital-centric operating and commercial model. Today, Biohaven is an industry leader in the use of digital tools and technologies to increase patient engagement and enhance the success of its novel treatments. Dr. Coric has also led the expansion of Biohaven to international markets, including the formation of subsidiaries in Ireland and Asia-Pacific.

Dr. Coric has more than 20 years of drug discovery and clinical development experience at Yale School of Medicine and Bristol-Myers Squibb prior to leading Biohaven. Within the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Coric has expertise working across therapeutic areas including neuroscience, virology, oncology and immuno-oncology. During his career, he has been involved in multiple drug development programs, including marketed drugs or filed NDAs such as Nurtec ODT (rimegepant; oral calcitonin related peptide antagonist), zavegepant (intranasal calcitonin related peptide antagonist), Abilify® (aripiprazole; partial dopamine agonist), Opdivo® (nivolumab; anti-PD1), Yervoy® (Ipilimumab; anti-CTLA-4), Daklinza® (daclatasvir; NS5A inhibitor), and Sunvepra® (asunaprevir; NS3 inhibitor).

Since July 2001, Dr. Coric has also continued to serve as an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. He previously served as the inpatient chief of the Yale Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit and the director of the Yale Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Research Clinic. He has served as president of the Connecticut Psychiatric Society. Dr. Coric has authored more than 65 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Coric completed his internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital and residency training at the Yale Psychiatry Residency Training Program, where he also served as the program-wide chief resident for the Yale Department of Psychiatry, and chief resident on the PTSD service at the West-Haven Connecticut Veterans Administration Hospital.

Dr. Coric earned his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and was an honors scholar in neurobiology and physiology at the University of Connecticut, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree. He was named one of the Top 25 Healthcare Technology Leaders of Connecticut for 2022 by The Healthcare Technology Report. He was the recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 Award in the New York region.

Gregory H. Bailey, M.D.

Dr. Bailey has spent the last 15 years as an entrepreneur, executive and financier in the health care sector. He is currently Chairman of the Board at Portage Biotech Inc. and has served on the Board of Directors for 16 public companies. He is a former director and financier of Medivation Inc. (MDVN: NASDAQ) and co-founder of Ascent Healthcare Solutions, VirnetX Inc internet security (VHC: AMEX) and Duramedic Inc., a medical products company. Prior posts within the investment and financial services sector included serving as Managing Director of Gilford Securities Inc., Managing Director of Knightsford Bank Corp, Senior Managing Director positions at Viscogliosi Brothers and the LXV Prosperity Fund, founder and General Manager of the ABN Private Equity Fund, co-foundeer of EuroAmerican Mercantile Bancorp, and co-founder and CEO of V-Fund Investments, Ltd. Dr. Bailey received his Medical Degree from the University of Western Ontario before practicing for ten years as an emergency room Physician.

John W. Childs

Mr. John W. Childs serves as the Chairman and Partner of J.W. Childs Associates, L.P., a private equity firm. He co-founded J.W. Childs Associates in 1995. Prior to founding J.W. Childs Associates, Mr. Childs was Senior Managing Director of the Thomas H. Lee Company from 1991 to 1995. In this capacity, he had broad responsibilities for originating, analyzing, negotiating and managing leveraged buyout transactions for the THL funds. For seventeen years prior to joining THL, Mr. Childs was with the Prudential Insurance Company of America where he held various executive positions in the investment area, ultimately serving as Senior Managing Director in charge of the Capital Markets Group. He is currently Chairman of Sunny Delight and a director of Kosta Browne, Esselte, Mattress Firm, WS Packaging and SIMCOM. Prior to its sale, he was Chairman of the Board of CHG Healthcare Services. Mr. Childs has a B.A. from Yale University and a M.B.A. from Columbia University.

Julia P. Gregory, MBA

Ms. Gregory formerly served as President and CEO of Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. from 2009 until July 2012, and as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer of Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from 2000 to 2008. While at Five Prime and Lexicon, she led transactions for several strategic partnerships including those with GlaxoSmithKline, Human Genome Sciences, Genentech, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. She was the Chief Financial Officer of Lexicon during its $220 million initial public offering and was involved in the creation of Lexicon’s $500 million private equity investment plan with Invus, LLP. Most recently, Ms. Gregory served as Chief Executive Officer at ContraFect Corporation from November 2013 through April 2016, and as a Member of the Company’s Board of Directors from April 2014 through March 2016. Prior to her appointment as CEO, she served as ContraFect’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from July 2012 to November 2013. Ms. Gregory is also Chairman and CEO of the biotechnology financial and management advisory firm Isometry Advisors, Inc. Ms. Gregory also has twenty years of investment banking experience, starting at Dillon, Read & Co. and subsequently at Punk, Ziegel & Company, where she served as the head of investment banking and head of its life sciences practice. Ms. Gregory has also served on the Board of Directors at The Global TB Alliance for Drug Development, Clinipace Worldwide, and the Institute for the Study of Aging, a private foundation for Alzheimers. She is currently a Director at Iconic Therapeutics, and the Sosei Group Corporation. Ms. Gregory attained a Masters of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and earned her B.A. at the George Washington University.

Michael T. Heffernan

Mr. Heffernan is a seasoned biopharmaceutical leader with over 25 years of commercial experience. Mr. Heffernan is a pharmacist and began his career at Eli Lilly and Company where he served in numerous sales and marketing roles. Mr. Heffernan most recently served as Founder and CEO of Collegium (Nasdaq: COLL), and remains Chairman of its Board of Directors. Mr. Heffernan has been an advisor, investor and board member in a number of biopharmaceutical and healthcare services companies. His recent board memberships include: TyRx (sold to Medtronic), PreCision Dermatology (sold to Valeant), Ocata Therapeutics (sold to Astellas), and Veloxis (Sold to Asahi Kasei). He is also currently Chairman of the Board of Carisma Therapeutics and of Indalo Therapeutics and is a member of the board of Akebia Therapeutics (AKBA) and Trevi Therapeutics (TRVI).

Douglas Gray Esq.

Douglas Gray is a partner at the global law firm of Locke Lord LLP and is co-chair of the firm’s Life Science Practice Group focusing on medical device, pharmaceutical and healthcare related companies, technologies and products. He has worked with the Biohaven team since its founding. Douglas is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and has been since 2007, he was named a Super Lawyer since 2011 and has been listed in the Corporate Law section of The Best Lawyers in America for 2010 through 2019 including the 2014-15 Providence Corporate Law “Lawyer of the Year.” Douglas has been deeply involved with non-profit organizations, he is the co-chair of his firm’s Pro Bono Committee and was the Pro Bono Partner for 2013 for the Providence office. In addition, Douglas has received Martindale Hubbell’s highest rating of AV.

Irina A. Antonijevic, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Antonijevic is a seasoned drug developer with over 20 years of experience in drug development, with a focus on neurologic and psychiatric disorders. She has worked in large and small pharma and biotech organizations and multiple different patient communities. She has brought novel drugs with different mechanisms of actions and different modalities from discovery through preclinical development into clinical trials. Prior to her industry career, Dr. Antonijevic completed her residency training in psychiatry, psychotherapy as well as neurology at the renowned Clinic of the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Germany, where she also directed her own clinical research into the neurobiological underpinnings of neuropsychiatric disorders.

In 2001, Dr. Antonijevic embarked on an industry career, with the objective to develop novel, more targeted, better-understood and safe medicines for high unmet needs in the field of neuropsychiatry. Starting as Core Clinician for Central Nervous System Disorders at Schering AG, now Bayer, she took roles with increasing responsibilities, from Lundbeck Research USA, to CHDI, a privately funded, not-for-profit biomedical research organization devoted exclusively to Huntington’s disease, a life shortening, inherited neurodegenerative disease, to Sanofi Genzyme, where she was head of Early Development Multiple Sclerosis, Neurology and Ophthalmology. Subsequently, she took on a role as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at vasopharm GmbH, a Germany based private company developing a novel drug for severe traumatic brain injury, followed by a role as VP of Translational Medicine and Development at Wave Life Science, before taking on the role of CMO and then subsequently also Head of R&D at Triplet Therapeutics, where she has led development of a novel therapeutic approach for repeat expansion disorders such as Huntington’s disease, spinocerebellar ataxias and Myotonic Dystrophy. In July 2022, Dr. Antonijevic took on the role of CMO at EveryONE Medicines, a start-up biotech company dedicated to creating a path for approval and commercialization of individualized precision therapeutics for rare genetic disorders.

Dr. Antonijevic obtained her PhD in basic neurophysiological research from the University of Edinburgh, UK. She is a board-certified psychiatrist and received her venia legendi from the Berlin University, Germany. She has been a member of the supervisory board of 4SC AG since 2012, and of Paion AG from 2017 through early 2022.

Robert J. Hugin

Mr. Hugin was instrumental in the strategic growth and global expansion of Celgene during his 19-year tenure until it was ultimately acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2019 for a total equity value of approximately $74 billion. Until his retirement in 2018, he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors, serving as Executive Chairman from 2016 to 2018. Under his leadership, Celgene saw unprecedented results across all facets of the company and grew by over $30 billion in market capitalization. He is a noted health expert, who advocated for the importance of business development collaborations, innovations in science and improved patient access. Mr. Hugin currently serves as a Director of Chubb Limited, Member of the Board of Trustees of Princeton University and Chair of The Darden School Foundation, University of Virginia. Additionally, Mr. Hugin is currently Chair of the Board of the Garden State Initiative, a nonpartisan research and educational organization focused on economic issues in New Jersey. He is a longstanding Member of the Board of Trustees of Family Promise, a national non-profit network assisting homeless families, and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Mr. Hugin is past Chairman of the Boards of The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Healthcare Institute of NJ. Prior to joining Celgene, Mr. Hugin was a Managing Director with J.P. Morgan & Co. Inc. Mr. Hugin received an AB degree from Princeton University in 1976 and an MBA from the University of Virginia in 1985. He also served as a United States Marine Corps infantry officer during the intervening period.

Kishen Mehta

Mr. Mehta has approximately 15 years of experience in the financial industry and is currently a Portfolio Manager at Suvretta Capital Management, LLC, responsible for its healthcare-focused investment strategy, Averill, which attempts to identify companies that are disruptive to the healthcare industry. Previously, Mr. Mehta served as a strategic advisor to Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, where he advised the company on various business development, capital structure and communication strategies. Mr. Mehta also had roles as a portfolio manager at Surveyor Capital, a Citadel LLC strategy, where he managed a portfolio focused on global small, mid and large-capitalization biotechnology, pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, medical device and healthcare services companies. Prior to Surveyor, Mr. Mehta was an analyst at Adage Capital where he evaluated and participated in numerous mezzanine and pre-IPO private healthcare investments. Mr. Mehta held a similar role at Apothecary Capital and started his career as a mergers and acquisitions analyst at Evercore Partners, where he focused on life sciences. Mr. Mehta graduated from New York University with a degree in finance and accounting.