Management Team
Peter D. Suzdak, PhD: President & CEO
Dr. Suzdak is co-founder of Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Suzdak is a Research and
Development Executive with more than 17 years experience in U.S. and European based
Pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Suzdak has held multiple positions in the Pharmaceutical
industry over the past 17 years. Dr. Suzdak has established multiple highly successful
Research and Development organizations which have resulted in the filing of 14 IND’s and
3 NDA/sNDA’s. Dr. Suzdak co-founded Artesian Therapeutics, a cardiovascular focused
drug discovery company, as President/CEO and raised $15M in venture capital financing. In
October 2005, Artesian Therapeutics was acquired by Cardiome Pharma. Prior to joining
Artesian Therapeutics, Dr. Suzdak was most recently at Guilford Pharmaceuticals from 1995
to 2002. During his tenure as Vice President of Research, then Senior Vice President of
Research and Development, Dr. Suzdak was responsible for all Pharmaceuticals Drug
Discovery, Preclinical Development and Clinical Development activities at Guilford. Dr.
Suzdak was responsible for establishing an integrated Drug Discovery and development
function at Guilford and building an extensive technology and intellectual property platform
around multiple novel biological targets.
Prior to joining Guilford, Dr. Suzdak held various positions at Novo-Nordisk A/S in
Copenhagen Denmark from 1988 to 1995, including Director of Neurobiology Research. Dr.
Suzdak was involved in multiple Drug Discovery and Development collaborations with
major Pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and Europe, including Abbott which resulted in
the successful discovery, clinical development, approval and marketing of the novel anti-
epileptic Gabatril®. Prior thereto, Dr. Suzdak was a Pharmacology Research Associate in
the Clinical Neuroscience Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, in
the laboratory of Dr. Steven M. Paul from 1985 to 1988. Dr. Suzdak received his Ph.D. in
Pharmacology from the University of Connecticut and a B.S. in Pharmacy from St. Johns
University.
Reza Mazhari, Ph.D.: Vice President, Research & Pharmacology
Dr. Mazhari is co-founder of Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Mazhari has more than 10 years
of experience in the field of cardiovascular biology and physiology, in the areas of
congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, cardiac electrophysiology, and
computational biology. Most recently, Dr. Mazhari at his position as the Director of
Cardiovascular Physiology at Artesian Therapeutics, a cardiovascular focused drug
discovery company, played a crucial role in taking two lead heart failure drug programs
through pre-clinical stages of development up to IND. Prior to joining Artesian in 2003, Dr.
Mazhari served as a research assistant professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
at Johns Hopkins University, after completing a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral
fellowship in the division of cardiology. Dr. Mazhari is co-author of numerous peer-
reviewed scientific articles and serves as a reviewer to numerous cardiovascular
scientific journals. Dr. Mazhari currently holds a part-time position as an adjunct assistant
professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Mazhari holds a B.S. and a Ph.D.
in Bioengineering from University of California, San Diego.
Vincent J. Kalish, Ph.D.: Vice President, Medicinal Chemistry
Dr. Kalish has worked for 18 years in positions of increasing responsibility in the
pharmaceutical industry. Prior to Cardioxyl, Dr. Kalish oversaw the medicinal chemistry
activities at Artesian Therapeutics. Prior to that, Dr. Kalish was the Senior Director,
Medicinal Chemistry at Guilford Pharmaceuticals where he had strategic responsibility for
all drug discovery programs. Prior to that, Dr. Kalish held various positions at Agouron (co-
inventor of Virocept) and Idun (co-inventor of a caspase clinical candidate). Dr. Kalish’s
research has resulted in 25 peer reviewed publications, 32 US issued or WTO published
patents, 5 clinical candidates and 1 marketed product. Dr. Kalish received his BS from
Rutgers and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Penn State with Professor Steven Weinreb;
Postdoctoral studies were conducted at Notre Dame.
Richard P. Schwarz Jr., Ph.D.
Dr. Schwarz is an expert in the discovery and development of cardiovascular therapeutics,
and will oversee the clinical development activities of Cardioxyl. He has 26 years of
experience in the pharmaceutical/ biotechnology industry and in government service. His
career focus is the development of new cardiovascular therapeutics. Prior to Cardioxyl, Dr.
Schwarz oversaw the clinical development activities at Artesian Therapeutics. Since 1998,
Dr. Schwarz has been the founder and President of a strategic consulting firm, CV Ventures,
LLC. Prior to that, Dr. Schwarz held the positions of: Vice President, Clinical Development
and Regulatory Affairs at Texas Biotechnology Corporation (developed Argatoban); Senior
Director, Clinical Development at Astra USA; Global Director of the Cardiovascular Clinical
Development Program at the Sterling Research Group, Sterling Drug, Inc. (developed
milrinone); Deputy Chief, Extramural Cardiology Branch, at the NIH. Dr. Schwarz has
planned and directed numerous research programs in cardiovascular therapeutics,
including studies of inotropic agents and neurohormonal modulators in CHF, and studies of
thrombin inhibitors, IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and thrombolytic agents in acute coronary syndromes.
He has served as an adjunct faculty member at two medical schools, and his bibliography
lists over 50 publications and two books.
Doug Cowart, Pharm D., FABCP, RAC
Dr. Cowart has 25 years of experience as a clinical researcher/clinical trialist, and will
oversee the regulatory affairs and drug development activities of Cardioxyl. He has been
involved in clinical program design, strategic planning, corporate operations and
pharmaceutical business activities. Prior to Cardioxyl, Dr. Cowart oversaw the regulatory
activities at Artesian Therapeutics. Dr. Cowart has been previously employed by Sigma Tau
Pharmaceuticals, MediFacts, and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. His experience has been
gained through a career encompassing positions in academia, private business, major
pharmaceutical companies and the contract clinical research arena. Dr. Cowart is board
certified in Clinical Pharmacology, with broad expertise in Cardio-Renal Medicine. He has
planned and initiated over 50 clinical studies in phases I-IV. He has served U.S. and foreign
companies as a liaison with the Food and Drug Association as well as the EMEA. He has
both US and international clinical trial expertise, and has lead large-scale clinical
development programs. He has specific extensive expertise in the development of
therapies for acute and chronic heart failure, hypertension, pulmonary arterial hypertension,
atrial arrhythmias, antianginal agents, diuretics and in therapies for the treatment of patients
with undergoing hemodialysis. He has published his work in major peer reviewed journals.
Peter D. Suzdak, PhD: President & CEO
Dr. Suzdak is co-founder of Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Suzdak is a Research and
Development Executive with more than 17 years experience in U.S. and European based
Pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Suzdak has held multiple positions in the Pharmaceutical
industry over the past 17 years. Dr. Suzdak has established multiple highly successful
Research and Development organizations which have resulted in the filing of 14 IND’s and
3 NDA/sNDA’s. Dr. Suzdak co-founded Artesian Therapeutics, a cardiovascular focused
drug discovery company, as President/CEO and raised $15M in venture capital financing. In
October 2005, Artesian Therapeutics was acquired by Cardiome Pharma. Prior to joining
Artesian Therapeutics, Dr. Suzdak was most recently at Guilford Pharmaceuticals from 1995
to 2002. During his tenure as Vice President of Research, then Senior Vice President of
Research and Development, Dr. Suzdak was responsible for all Pharmaceuticals Drug
Discovery, Preclinical Development and Clinical Development activities at Guilford. Dr.
Suzdak was responsible for establishing an integrated Drug Discovery and development
function at Guilford and building an extensive technology and intellectual property platform
around multiple novel biological targets.
Prior to joining Guilford, Dr. Suzdak held various positions at Novo-Nordisk A/S in
Copenhagen Denmark from 1988 to 1995, including Director of Neurobiology Research. Dr.
Suzdak was involved in multiple Drug Discovery and Development collaborations with
major Pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and Europe, including Abbott which resulted in
the successful discovery, clinical development, approval and marketing of the novel anti-
epileptic Gabatril®. Prior thereto, Dr. Suzdak was a Pharmacology Research Associate in
the Clinical Neuroscience Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, in
the laboratory of Dr. Steven M. Paul from 1985 to 1988. Dr. Suzdak received his Ph.D. in
Pharmacology from the University of Connecticut and a B.S. in Pharmacy from St. Johns
University.
Reza Mazhari, Ph.D.: Vice President, Research & Pharmacology
Dr. Mazhari is co-founder of Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Mazhari has more than 10 years
of experience in the field of cardiovascular biology and physiology, in the areas of
congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, cardiac electrophysiology, and
computational biology. Most recently, Dr. Mazhari at his position as the Director of
Cardiovascular Physiology at Artesian Therapeutics, a cardiovascular focused drug
discovery company, played a crucial role in taking two lead heart failure drug programs
through pre-clinical stages of development up to IND. Prior to joining Artesian in 2003, Dr.
Mazhari served as a research assistant professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
at Johns Hopkins University, after completing a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral
fellowship in the division of cardiology. Dr. Mazhari is co-author of numerous peer-
reviewed scientific articles and serves as a reviewer to numerous cardiovascular
scientific journals. Dr. Mazhari currently holds a part-time position as an adjunct assistant
professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Mazhari holds a B.S. and a Ph.D.
in Bioengineering from University of California, San Diego.
Vincent J. Kalish, Ph.D.: Vice President, Medicinal Chemistry
Dr. Kalish has worked for 18 years in positions of increasing responsibility in the
pharmaceutical industry. Prior to Cardioxyl, Dr. Kalish oversaw the medicinal chemistry
activities at Artesian Therapeutics. Prior to that, Dr. Kalish was the Senior Director,
Medicinal Chemistry at Guilford Pharmaceuticals where he had strategic responsibility for
all drug discovery programs. Prior to that, Dr. Kalish held various positions at Agouron (co-
inventor of Virocept) and Idun (co-inventor of a caspase clinical candidate). Dr. Kalish’s
research has resulted in 25 peer reviewed publications, 32 US issued or WTO published
patents, 5 clinical candidates and 1 marketed product. Dr. Kalish received his BS from
Rutgers and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Penn State with Professor Steven Weinreb;
Postdoctoral studies were conducted at Notre Dame.
Richard P. Schwarz Jr., Ph.D.
Dr. Schwarz is an expert in the discovery and development of cardiovascular therapeutics,
and will oversee the clinical development activities of Cardioxyl. He has 26 years of
experience in the pharmaceutical/ biotechnology industry and in government service. His
career focus is the development of new cardiovascular therapeutics. Prior to Cardioxyl, Dr.
Schwarz oversaw the clinical development activities at Artesian Therapeutics. Since 1998,
Dr. Schwarz has been the founder and President of a strategic consulting firm, CV Ventures,
LLC. Prior to that, Dr. Schwarz held the positions of: Vice President, Clinical Development
and Regulatory Affairs at Texas Biotechnology Corporation (developed Argatoban); Senior
Director, Clinical Development at Astra USA; Global Director of the Cardiovascular Clinical
Development Program at the Sterling Research Group, Sterling Drug, Inc. (developed
milrinone); Deputy Chief, Extramural Cardiology Branch, at the NIH. Dr. Schwarz has
planned and directed numerous research programs in cardiovascular therapeutics,
including studies of inotropic agents and neurohormonal modulators in CHF, and studies of
thrombin inhibitors, IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and thrombolytic agents in acute coronary syndromes.
He has served as an adjunct faculty member at two medical schools, and his bibliography
lists over 50 publications and two books.
Doug Cowart, Pharm D., FABCP, RAC
Dr. Cowart has 25 years of experience as a clinical researcher/clinical trialist, and will
oversee the regulatory affairs and drug development activities of Cardioxyl. He has been
involved in clinical program design, strategic planning, corporate operations and
pharmaceutical business activities. Prior to Cardioxyl, Dr. Cowart oversaw the regulatory
activities at Artesian Therapeutics. Dr. Cowart has been previously employed by Sigma Tau
Pharmaceuticals, MediFacts, and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. His experience has been
gained through a career encompassing positions in academia, private business, major
pharmaceutical companies and the contract clinical research arena. Dr. Cowart is board
certified in Clinical Pharmacology, with broad expertise in Cardio-Renal Medicine. He has
planned and initiated over 50 clinical studies in phases I-IV. He has served U.S. and foreign
companies as a liaison with the Food and Drug Association as well as the EMEA. He has
both US and international clinical trial expertise, and has lead large-scale clinical
development programs. He has specific extensive expertise in the development of
therapies for acute and chronic heart failure, hypertension, pulmonary arterial hypertension,
atrial arrhythmias, antianginal agents, diuretics and in therapies for the treatment of patients
with undergoing hemodialysis. He has published his work in major peer reviewed journals.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 | |  | |  | |  |
| Copyright 2007 Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All rights reserved. |