Bucking trends.
Backed by experience. 

We’re developing therapies to reverse the debilitating consequences of damage to the brain and spinal cord to restore independence and improve lives.

Leadership

  • Travis Stiles, PhD - CEO, Co-founder, Chairman of the Board

    For more than a decade, Dr. Travis Stiles has exclusively studied the mechanisms underlying regenerative failure in the CNS. His work led to the discovery of a novel therapeutic target for the promotion of neuronal tissue regeneration after CNS damage and disease. To best translate his work into viable therapies, Dr. Stiles co-founded Novoron Bioscience early in 2014.

    Dr. Stiles earned a PhD in Biomedical Science from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), an MA in Exercise Physiology from the University of the Pacific, and a BA in Exercise Science from Willamette University. He has been recognized as a top innovator by groups such as J&J and Biocom and has been awarded over $3 million in federal grants. In addition, Dr. Stiles has served on multiple scientific review boards for the National Institute of Health and recently completed a four-year Federal Advisory Committee appointment to the Scientific Merit Review Board subcommittee for Regenerative Medicine in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

  • David Weiner, MD - Executive Chairman

    Dr. Weiner has over 20 years of experience in the discovery and clinical development of novel therapeutics for neurological disease. David started his career at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, formerly led EMD Serono’s global early clinical development activities in neurology, has served as CMO and Interim CEO for Proteostasis Therapeutics Inc. (Yumanity), and most recently as CMO at Lumos Pharma. David received his MD from the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, SUNY at Buffalo, and was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda.

  • Ryan McMillian - CFO, Financial Strategy & Business Development

    Ryan McMillian is a seasoned CFO with over two decades of experience in the biotech and life sciences industries, specializing in strategic financial planning, capital allocation, and business development. As Managing Director of RM Consulting LLC, he has successfully raised over $250 million in funding for various ventures, including a $72 million Series A for an oncology-focused biotech firm. Ryan has a proven track record in driving company growth, reducing financial burn, and enhancing corporate value, making him a pivotal asset for any organization.  Ryan earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University, and an MBA from Northeastern University.

  • William Hoekstra, PhD - Drug Discovery & Development

    Dr. Hoekstra has worked in pharmaceutical R&D as a medicinal chemist, CMC team leader, and intellectual property coordinator for more than 30 years. He has provided drug discovery platform innovation and development leadership toward the advancement of clinical stage assets, most recently as Sr. Vice President of Chemistry at Artizan Biosciences. Prior to Viamet, he served as Sr. Vice President of Medicinal Chemistry at Viamet Pharmaceuticals Inc. Dr. Hoekstra has co-authored over 100 publications, holds 80 issued U.S. patents, and has presented several invited lectures. He received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Hope College. He subsequently earned his Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry from Emory University.

  • Lynne Mayman, MS, PMP, NPDP - Pre-Clinical Development & Project Management

    Lynne Mayman is a highly accomplished drug development professional with extensive experience in program and project management, particularly within the neurological and pharmaceutical sectors. With a robust background that includes directing pipeline development programs and managing cross-functional teams at companies such as Apricus Biosciences and Ambit Biosciences, Lynne has demonstrated a strong capability to lead complex projects through various stages of clinical development. Lynn receive her B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from UC – San Diego, and subsequently earned her M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington.

Advisory Board

  • Dr. Miguel de los Rios — Business Advisor

    Miguel de los Rios, PhD is trained in protein engineering and polymer biophysical chemistry and is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of both Endeavor Biomedicines and RIFT Biotherapeutics. He’s also Vice President of Research and Development at Sevion Therapeutics, a publicly traded therapeutics company with a focus in oncology and autoimmune disorders. Previously, Miguel founded Chimeros, Inc., a venture-backed biologics therapeutic company. At Chimeros, he served as both the CEO as well as the CSO from 2003-2011 and was the inventor of the company’s core technologies.

  • Dr. Rivka Kreitman — Business Advisor

    Dr. Rivka Kreitman is a proven biopharmaceutical executive, with over 35 years of broad academic and pharma experience. Dr. Kreitman had a successful career in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, with 26 years of experience at different roles spanning the entire drug development spectrum: preclinical pharmacology, clinical studies, project management, regulatory affairs, and R&D. As the Head of Global R&D, Dr. Kreitman oversaw the development of multiple MS drugs.

  • Dr. Revere Kinkel — Scientific Advisor

    Revere Kinkel, MD, is Director of the multiple sclerosis program at UCSD Health and leads the program’s clinical, research, and educational efforts within the Department of Neurosciences. Dr. Kinkel is an internationally recognized expert in MS with extensive experience in MS clinical trials. Prior to UCSD, Dr. Kinkel also served as Medical Director of the Mellen Center for Multiple at Cleveland Clinic, Division Chief for the section of demyelinating diseases at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. In 2013, Dr. Kinkel received the Walter Cove Award for Innovation from the Accelerated Cure Project for his work in MS.

  • Dr. Robert Eastlack — Scientific Advisor

    Robert Eastlack, MD, is the Director of Spine Research at Scripps Clinic and Associate Director of San Diego Spine Fellowship at San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders. Dr. Eastlack is a spinal surgeon with over 15 years of experience in surgical management of spinal cord injury patients. His experience in human spinal cord injury case management, as well as spinal cord injury clinical trials, make Dr. Eastlack an invaluable asset to the Novoron team.

  • Dr Jeffrey Goldberg

    Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg — Scientific Advisor

    Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD is professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University. Dr. Goldberg received his BS (magna cum laude) from Yale University and his MD and PhD from Stanford University, where he made significant discoveries about the failure of optic nerve regeneration. He was named the 2010 Scientist of the Year by the Hope for Vision foundation and received the Cogan award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in 2012.

  • Bryn Martin

    Dr. Bryn Martin - Scientific Advisor

    For the last 20 years, Bryn Martin, PhD, has studied cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diseases, diagnostics, and therapeutics. He is considered a leading expert on targeted CSF drug delivery. Dr. Martin has published 65+ peer-reviewed papers in the field and served as Principle Investigator for research funded by National Institute of Health (NIH), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), industry, and foundations within the field. He currently serves as Vice President of Research, Drug Delivery and CSF Sciences for Alcyone Therapeutics and Adjunct Associate Professor of Mechanical, Chemical, and Biological Engineering at University of Idaho.