About Us

Overview

SCILEX HOLDING COMPANY (Nasdaq: SCLX, “Scilex”), is dedicated to the development and commercialization of non-opioid pain management products. We are uncompromising in our focus to become the global pain management leader committed to social, environmental, economic, and ethical principles to responsibly develop pharmaceutical products to maximize quality of life.

The company’s lead product ZTlido® (lidocaine topical system) 1.8%, is a marketed prescription lidocaine topical product approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the relief of pain associated with Post-Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN), which is a form of post-shingles nerve pain. ZTlido® possesses novel delivery and adhesion technology designed to address many of the limitations of current prescription lidocaine patches by providing significantly improved adhesion and continuous pain relief. Click here for ZTLido’s Important Safety Information and US Prescribing Information.

We have acquired two FDA approved non-opioid pain products, GLOPERBA® and ELYXYB®. GLOPERBA® is indicated for the prophylaxis of gout flares in adults. Elyxyb is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. We launched ELYXYB® in the U.S. in April 2023 and are planning to commercialize GLOPERBA® in 2024.

Our three product candidates are

(i) SP-102 (10 mg, dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel) (“SEMDEXA™”), a novel, viscous gel formulation of a widely used corticosteroid for epidural injections to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica, has received Fast Track Status from the FDA. C.L.E.A.R Trial, a Phase 3 study of SP-102 has been completed and met its primary and secondary endpoints. Currently there is no FDA  approved non-opioid epidural injection to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica;

(ii) SP-103 (lidocaine topical system) 5.4%, (“SP-103”), a next-generation, triple-strength formulation of ZTlido®, has recently completed a Phase 2 trial in acute lower back pain ; planning is underway for a Phase 2/3 trial in chronic neck pain.

(iii) SP-104 (4.5 mg, low-dose naltrexone hydrochloride delayed-release capsules) (“SP-104”), is a novel low-dose delayed-release naltrexone hydrochloride being developed for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

If these product candidates are approved by the FDA, we believe each of them could become the treatment option for their respective indications in the United States.

SCILEX is committed to harnessing the power of revolutionary delivery technologies designed to safely and effectively provide therapies to those who need them the most.

Scilex Pharmaceuticals and Semnur Pharmaceuticals are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Scilex Holding Company.

Leadership

The mission of the Leadership Team is to bolster our proprietary pain management clinical pipeline and technology by employing years of expertise that come with Pain Management Products, Clinical Pipeline, and technology. These seasoned professionals bring SCILEX a type of leadership that is unmatched in the pharmaceutical industry.

Jaisim Shah
Chief Executive Officer & President
Jaisim Shah has over 30 years industry success in leading product development & commercializing innovative therapies and creating companies with documented success in development and commercialization of some of today’s most recognized pharmaceutical brands.

Jaisim Shah has over 30 years industry success in leading product development & commercializing innovative therapies and creating companies with documented success in development and commercialization of some of today’s most recognized pharmaceutical brands.

He is a seasoned life science executive and board director with extensive accomplishments at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, PDL Biopharma, Sorrento, Pfizer/Upjohn, Scilex, and start-ups Elevation and Semnur Pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Shah has been CEO and President of Semnur Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Scilex Pharmaceuticals) since its inception in 2013. He has served as CEO and President of Scilex Holding and Scilex Pharmaceuticals since March 2019 and also serves on the board of directors of Scilex Holding.

Most recently, Mr. Shah served as Chief Business Officer of Elevation Pharmaceuticals where he focused on financing, mergers and acquisitions, and business development. He led the sale of Elevation to Sunovion Pharmaceuticals in 2012. At Facet Biotech and PDL BioPharma, he served from 2000 to 2009 as Chief Business Officer and also held the position of senior vice president of marketing and medical affairs.

During this time, he completed numerous licensing/partnering and strategic transactions including with Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Otsuka, and Biogen Idec. His leadership in marketing and leading the commercial enterprise helped the company make large improvements to meet its profitability potential.

At Bristol-Myers Squibb, as vice president of global marketing from 1997 to 2000, Mr. Shah received the “Presidents Award” for completing one of the most significant collaborations in the company’s history.

Prior to working with Bristol-Myers Squibb, Mr. Shah led international marketing for oncology and virology and was global business leader for corporate alliances at Roche from 1991 to 1997 with Genentech and IDEC, and prepared products for worldwide launch and pre-launch at F. Hoffman-La Roche AG in Switzerland.

He has played a key role in the formulation of long-range plans and pre-launch and launch strategies for such brands as Abilify®, Pegasys®, and Rituxan/MabThera®, each of which have generated well over $1 billion in sales. Mr. Shah holds a M.A. in Economics from the University of Akron and a M.B.A. from University of Oklahoma.

Henry Ji, PhD
Executive Chairman
Henry Ji brings 25+ years of experience in the biotechnology and life sciences industry. Dr. Ji has been Chairman of Scilex from March 2019 to present and served as the CEO of Scilex Pharmaceuticals from November 2016 to March 2019.

Henry Ji brings 25+ years of experience in the biotechnology and life sciences industry. Dr. Ji has been Chairman of Scilex Holding from March 2019 to present and served as the CEO of Scilex Pharmaceuticals from November 2016 to March 2019.

Dr. Ji co-founded Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and has served as a director since 2006, as its CEO and President since September 2012, and as Chairman of its board of directors since 2017. Dr. Ji also founded Vivasor Inc. and has served as CEO and President, and as Chairman of its board of directors since 2024.

During his tenure at Sorrento, he has engineered and led a phenomenal growth of Sorrento through acquisition and mergers including Bioserv, Scilex Pharmaceuticals, Concortis Biotherapeutics, Levena Biopharma, LACEL, TNK Therapeutics, Virttu Biologics, Ark Animal Health and Sofusa Lymphatic Delivery Systems. Dr. Ji has served as Sorrento’s Chief Scientific Officer from November 2008 to September 2012 and as its Interim CEO from April 2011 to September 2012.

Prior to Sorrento, he held senior executive positions at CombiMatrix, Stratagene, co-founded Stratagene Genomics, a subsidiary of Stratagene, and served as its President & CEO and a member of the board of directors. Henry Ji received a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and an undergraduate degree from Fudan University.

Suketu D. Desai, PhD
Chief Technical Officer & Senior Vice President
Suketu D. Desai, Ph.D. has 25+ years of experience in the Biologics and Pharmaceutical Industry. Suketu is Chief Technical Officer and Senior Vice President, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls, Regulatory CMC, and Quality Assurance at Scilex Pharmaceuticals (2015 – present).

Suketu D. Desai, Ph.D. has 25+ years of experience in the Biologics and Pharmaceutical Industry. Suketu is Chief Technical Officer and Senior Vice President, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls, Regulatory CMC, and Quality Assurance at Scilex Pharmaceuticals (2015 – present).

Prior to Scilex, Suketu was Vice President of Biologics Development and Manufacturing for biologics drug substance and drug product, technical due diligence and commercial technical operations at Allergan, Inc. (2014-2015), which was acquired by Actavis, plc. Before Allergan, Suketu was a CMC consultant in 2013.

Suketu was Vice President, Biotechnology Technical Operations for biologics drug substance and drug product, analytical, manufacturing and technical due diligence at Cephalon, Inc. (2010-2012), which was acquired by Teva Pharmaceuticals.

During 2007-2010, Suketu was Ception Therapeutics, Inc., Vice President, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls and Quality Assurance responsible for biologics drug substance and drug product development, analytical, manufacturing, quality, regulatory CMC, and technical due diligence for business development. Ception was acquired by Cephalon (2010).

Suketu was Principal Scientist, Process Sciences/Technical Operations for late-stage and commercial biologics drug substance and drug product at Centocor, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary (2003-2006); Assoc. Director, Pharmaceutical and Biologic Formulations at AAI Pharma Development Services (2001-2003); Director/Sr. Manager at Aronex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1996-2001); and Senior Scientist II/I at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, formerly Alcon Labs, Inc., (1992-1996). Suketu has contributed to several commercial biologic products (Botox, Cinquair, Simponi, Remicade, ReoPro, Retavase, and Eprex) and pharmaceutical products (Azopt and Volfenol) and late-stage development products including placulumab, abicipar pegol/DARPin, and Innotox.

Dr. Desai received his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ and Master’s in Pharmacology and Bachelor’s in Pharmacy from the University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India.

Dmitri Lissin, MD
Chief Medical Officer & Senior Vice President
Dmitri Lissin currently serves as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs of Scilex/Semnur Pharmaceuticals (2015 – present).

Dmitri Lissin currently serves as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs of Scilex/Semnur Pharmaceuticals (2015 – present).

Prior to Semnur, from 2011-2015, Dmitri was Vice President of Clinical Development at Xenoport, responsible for conduct of multiple clinical research programs in neurology and dermatology.

From 2006-2011 Dmitri directed a clinical research team and served as member of the Executive Committee at DURECT Corporation, designing and executing clinical trials in chronic nociceptive, neuropathic, and acute post-operative pain, which led to successful licensing deals and NDA filings.

From 1998-2006 Dmitri managed various clinical R&D programs at Titan Pharmaceuticals, Aerogen, and Synarc. Dr. Lissin has a broad expertise with proprietary drug-delivery technologies applied to therapeutic products spanning numerous clinical areas including pain and neurological disorders. Most of his experience involves clinical development of novel oral, transdermal, implantable, and injectable formulations containing existing active pharmaceutical ingredients, using 505(b)(2) drug approval pathway.

He has participated in many Pre-IND, End of Phase 1, End of Phase 2, and Pre-NDA meetings, negotiating clinical development programs with the FDA Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia, and Addiction Products (DAAAP), Division of Neurology Products, and Division of Dermatology and Dental Products.

He received his post-doctoral training at the University of California San Francisco, and his medical degree through an exchange program between Russian National Medical University and Harvard Medical School.

Suresh Khemani
Chief Commercial Officer & Senior Vice President
Mr. Khemani brings more than 25 years of global pharmaceutical experience to Scilex, a privately held clinical development and commercial company based in Palo Alto, California.

Mr. Khemani brings more than 25 years of global pharmaceutical experience to Scilex, an innovative revenue-generating company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management products for the treatment of acute and chronic pain company based in Palo Alto, California.

Mr. Khemani has been SVP Chief Commercial Officer of Scilex since March 2019. He manages Scilex sales, sales operations, marketing, market research, and managed care operations, including its U.S. promotional role and interactions with overseas partners, commercial development, and international operations.

In addition to his 25 years of senior management experience in the industry, he successfully launched specialty and large market products including Zelmac / Zelnorm for IBS-D, readiness for Dexpramipexole (dex) in ALS and Parkinson’s Disease, Cubicin, an injectable antibiotic in EU and developed launch plans for Pulminique, an inhaled cyclosporine, for US and EU, and Abilify a $7 billion product. His therapeutic areas include pain, neurology, oncology, immunology, and CV.

He worked prior to Scilex at executive-level positions at Bristol Myers Squibb, Chiron, PDL Biopharmaceuticals, Facet Biotech, and Knopp Biosciences. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Bombay University.

Steve Lincoln
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
Steve Lincoln serves as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer for Scilex Holding Company. Steve has been involved in the biopharma industry for more than 21 years.

Steve Lincoln serves as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer for Scilex Holding Company. Steve has been involved in the biopharma industry for more than 21 years.

Most recently, he was Counsel to the law firm of Brown Gee & Wenger, where his corporate practice included several publicly traded and private biopharma companies. Before that, Steve served in in-house counsel roles at SciClone Pharmaceuticals (acquired by GL Capital), Kosan Biosciences (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb), SuperGen (now Astex Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Otsuka), and Protein Design Labs (later Facet Biotech, acquired by AbbVie).

Steve is a graduate of Brown University and the Boston University School of Law.

Stephen Ma
Chief Financial Officer & Senior Vice President
Stephen Ma has served as the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer since November 2022 and previously served as its Vice President of Finance from January 2022 to November 2022.

Stephen Ma serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President since September 2023. Prior to that, Mr. Ma served as the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President of Finance.

Mr. Ma has more than 15 years of finance and operational expertise across pharmaceuticals and venture backed biotechnology companies. He most recently served as Director of Finance and Operations for Anwita Biosciences, Inc., a clinical stage company, from August 2019 to January 2022.

Prior to that, from May 2016 to August 2019, he served as Sr. Director of Finance and Controller for Semnur Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the clinical and commercial development of innovative products that meet the needs of pain management practitioners and their patients,which was acquired by the Company in March 2019.

Prior to that, he served as Controller for Globavir and part of the management team that worked on its IPO process. He also served as the Controller for Ardelyx, which went public in 2014. Prior to that, Mr. Ma served in various finance positions at PDL BioPharma and Hyperion Therapeutics.

Mr. Ma began his career with more than 10 years in high technology companies and has a wealth of experience in finance, strategic planning, commercial launching, debt financing, public offerings and M&A transactions. Mr. Ma holds a B.S. in Finance and M.A. in Economics from San Jose State University.

Elaine K Chan, PharmD
Executive Director and Head of Medical Affairs
Dr. Elaine Chan heads Medical Affairs at Scilex, since 2022. Prior to joining Scilex, Dr. Chan was Senior Director at Genentech Inc (a member of the Roche group), one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, from 2009 to 2021, where she held wide-ranging roles in Medical Affairs, Business Operations and Strategy, Pharmacovigilance, Marketing and new product planning.

Dr. Elaine Chan heads Medical Affairs at Scilex, since 2022. Prior to joining Scilex, Dr. Chan was Senior Director at Genentech Inc (a member of the Roche group), one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, from 2009 to 2021, where she held wide-ranging roles in Medical Affairs, Business Operations and Strategy, Pharmacovigilance, Marketing and new product planning. While at Genentech, Dr. Chan was involved in the development and launch of several market-leading brands, including Gazyva (Obinutuzumab) and Susvimo (Ranibizumab injection for Ocular Implant).

Dr. Chan has over a decade of experience working at small-midsize biotech companies, including PDL BioPharma (now Abbvie) and Chiron (now Novartis International AG), where she led Marketing and Product Strategy for Phase 3 Molecules in Hepatology and Lung Transplantation, two niche and underserved markets. Dr. Chan participated in four product pre-launches, two as leads (Terlipressin and Tenecteplase), and has a proven track record of delivering successful outcomes for patients and stakeholders.

Dr. Chan holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she received extensive training in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Gigi DeGuzman
Senior Executive Director and Chief of Staff
Gigi DeGuzman is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in human resources, operations management, facilities management, event planning, executive coordination, and administrative operations.
Gigi DeGuzman is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in human resources, operations management, facilities management, event planning, executive coordination, and administrative operations.  She has played a significant role over the years, working in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, medical aesthetics, high-tech, and solar firms. 
 
Gigi has demonstrated leadership and expertise throughout her career.  She is now Scilex Holding’s Senior Executive Director & Chief of Staff.  Before joining Scilex Holding, Ms. DeGuzman became the Business Office Manager at Semnur Pharmaceuticals in 2016, a pain treatment specialist pharmaceutical firm acquired by Scilex Holding in March 2019. 
 
Gigi accelerated her career by taking on more essential engagements at Scilex Holding.  Strategic leadership, operational efficiency, and unrelenting excellence have defined her time at Scilex Holding.  Her experience in executive coordinating, event planning, facility operations, and building a dynamic human resources environment has yielded results. She has pursued studies in hospitality/tourism, facilities management, and human resources. 
Mike Ciaffi
National Sales Director
Mike has over 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry. Mike currently serves as the National Sales Director at Scilex Holding Company. Mike joined Scilex in 2018 as a Regional Business Director to build a sales team to launch ZTLido (Lidocaine Topical System) 1.8%.

Mike has over 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry.  Mike currently serves as the National Sales Director at Scilex Holding Company. Mike joined Scilex in 2018 as a Regional Business Director to build a sales team to launch ZTLido (Lidocaine Topical System) 1.8%.  Mike was appointed Area Business Director in 2019 and National Sales Director at Scilex in 2020.

Prior to Scilex, Mike spent 18 years with Purdue Pharma in sales, field sales training and development, and sales leadership roles earning multiple awards during his tenure at Purdue. Mike successfully led sales teams through multiple product launches in the non-opioid and opioid pain space as well as an OTC line of products. Mike’s most notable therapeutic areas of experience include Pain Management, Dermatology, Rheumatology, Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, and Gastroenterology. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Delaware Valley College.

Sumant Rajendran
Executive Director of Marketing
Sumant Rajendran heads up the Marketing department and brings over 20 years’ experience to Scilex. He has been at the company since mid-2019 and has overseen the growth of our marketed portfolio from one product (ZTlido) to three (with the addition of Elyxyb and Gloperba).

Sumant Rajendran heads up the Marketing department and brings over 20 years’ experience to Scilex. He has been at the company since mid-2019 and has overseen the growth of our marketed portfolio from one product (ZTlido) to three (with the addition of Elyxyb and Gloperba). Besides this, Sumant is closely involved in advancing our clinical portfolio in a rational manner to set our pipeline products up for commercial success.

Sumant is the architect of the novel ZTlido campaign (“the perfect partner to gabapentinoids”) that has helped spark rapid brand growth from 2023, and of the impending Gloperba launch campaign (“precision, lowered dosing of colchicine”).

His industry experience spans both biologics and small molecules, at companies large (Amgen), mid-sized (Eisai) and small (Depomed); and therapeutic areas including Pain, Oncology, Metabolic Disease, Rheumatology and Dermatology. He has worked on best-in-class products such as Enbrel (etanercept) and Aloxi (palonosetron), as well as lead and grown multiple specialty products, including Pain brands such as Gralise (once daily gabapentin) and Zipsor (diclofenac potassium).

Sumant was selected and recognized by PM360 magazine in 2021 as an “Elite Strategist” in the pharmaceutical industry. Sumant holds an MBA from the University of Southern California, an MS from the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan and BS from Loyola College, Chennai, India.

Board of Directors

Henry Ji, PhD
Executive Chairman
Henry Ji brings 25+ years of experience in the biotechnology and life sciences industry. Dr. Ji has been Chairman of Scilex from March 2019 to present and served as the CEO of Scilex Pharmaceuticals from November 2016 to March 2019.

Henry Ji brings 25+ years of experience in the biotechnology and life sciences industry. Dr. Ji has been Chairman of Scilex from March 2019 to present and served as the CEO of Scilex Pharmaceuticals from November 2016 to March 2019.

Dr. Ji co-founded Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and has served as a director since 2006, as its CEO and President since September 2012, and as Chairman of its board of directors since 2017. Dr. Ji also founded Vivasor Inc. and has served as CEO and President, and as Chairman of its board of directors since 2024.

During his tenure at Sorrento, he has engineered and led a phenomenal growth of Sorrento through acquisition and mergers including Bioserv, Scilex Pharmaceuticals, Concortis Biotherapeutics, Levena Biopharma, LACEL, TNK Therapeutics, Virttu Biologics, Ark Animal Health and Sofusa Lymphatic Delivery Systems. Dr. Ji has served as Sorrento’s Chief Scientific Officer from November 2008 to September 2012 and as its Interim CEO from April 2011 to September 2012.

Prior to Sorrento, he held senior executive positions at CombiMatrix, Stratagene, co-founded Stratagene Genomics, a subsidiary of Stratagene, and served as its President & CEO and a member of the board of directors. Henry Ji received a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and an undergraduate degree from Fudan University.

Jaisim Shah
Chief Executive Officer & President
Jaisim Shah has over 30 years industry success in leading product development & commercializing innovative therapies and creating companies with documented success in development and commercialization of some of today’s most recognized pharmaceutical brands.

Jaisim Shah has over 30 years industry success in leading product development & commercializing innovative therapies and creating companies with documented success in development and commercialization of some of today’s most recognized pharmaceutical brands.

He is a seasoned life science executive and board director with extensive accomplishments at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, PDL Biopharma, Sorrento, Pfizer/Upjohn, Scilex, and start-ups Elevation and Semnur Pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Shah has been CEO and President of Semnur Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Scilex Pharmaceuticals) since its inception in 2013. He has served as CEO and President of Scilex Holding and Scilex Pharmaceuticals since March 2019 and also serves on the board of directors of  Scilex Holding.

Most recently, Mr. Shah served as Chief Business Officer of Elevation Pharmaceuticals where he focused on financing, mergers and acquisitions, and business development. He led the sale of Elevation to Sunovion Pharmaceuticals in 2012. At Facet Biotech and PDL BioPharma, he served from 2000 to 2009 as Chief Business Officer and also held the position of senior vice president of marketing and medical affairs.

During this time, he completed numerous licensing/partnering and strategic transactions including with Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Otsuka, and Biogen Idec. His leadership in marketing and leading the commercial enterprise helped the company make large improvements to meet its profitability potential.

At Bristol-Myers Squibb, as vice president of global marketing from 1997 to 2000, Mr. Shah received the “Presidents Award” for completing one of the most significant collaborations in the company’s history.

Prior to working with Bristol-Myers Squibb, Mr. Shah led international marketing for oncology and virology and was global business leader for corporate alliances at Roche from 1991 to 1997 with Genentech and IDEC, and prepared products for worldwide launch and pre-launch at F. Hoffman-La Roche AG in Switzerland.

He has played a key role in the formulation of long-range plans and pre-launch and launch strategies for such brands as Abilify®, Pegasys®, and Rituxan/MabThera®, each of which have generated well over $1 billion in sales. Mr. Shah holds a M.A. in Economics from the University of Akron and a M.B.A. from University of Oklahoma.

David Lemus
Director
Dave Lemus joined as our Director in April 2022. Mr. Lemus was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Ironshore Pharmaceuticals Inc. and serves on the board of directors of Silence Therapeutics, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and Biohealth Innovation, Inc.

Dave Lemus joined as our Director in April 2022.

Mr. Lemus was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Ironshore Pharmaceuticals Inc. and serves on the board of directors of Silence Therapeutics, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and Biohealth Innovation, Inc.

Previously, Mr. Lemus stepped down from Medigene AG’s board of directors to serve as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer. Preceding this position, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Sigma Tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to this, he was Chief Financial Officer and executive VP of MorphoSys AG for more than 13 years, taking the company public in Germany’s first biotechnology initial public offering.

Mr. Lemus received a M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received a B.S. from the University of Maryland. Mr. Lemus is a Certified Public Accountant in the USA, licensed in the State of Maryland.

Dorman Followwill 
Director
Dorman Followwill was Senior Partner of Transformational Health at Frost & Sullivan, a business consulting firm involved in market research and analysis, growth strategy consulting and corporate training across multiple industries from 2016 to September 2020.

Dorman Followwill was Senior Partner of Transformational Health at Frost & Sullivan, a business consulting firm involved in market research and analysis, growth strategy consulting and corporate training across multiple industries from 2016 to September 2020.

Prior to that time, he served in various roles at Frost & Sullivan, including Partner on the Executive Committee managing the P&L of the business in Europe, Israel and Africa, and Partner overseeing the Healthcare and Life Sciences business in North America, since initially joining Frost & Sullivan to help found the Consulting practice in January 1988.

Mr. Followwill has more than 30 years of organizational leadership and management consulting experience, having worked on hundreds of consulting projects in 38 countries, encompassing all major geographies, across all industry sectors whilst focusing on Healthcare and Life Sciences.

He has performed strategic analyses related to the imperative of growth for clients such as Bayer, Novartis, Merck, GE Healthcare, Siemens, Philips, IBM and HP, Inc., and has assisted Fidelity in making Healthcare investments off its balance sheet. His professional opinion and industry insight has been sought by key media outlets including U.S. News and World Report, the BBC, Pharma Times, and CNBC in London. He obtained his B.A. from Stanford University in The Management of Organizations in 1985.

Alexander Wu, PhD
Director
Yue Alexander Wu is co-founder and CEO of Cothera Bioscience, Inc., a translation medicine and precision therapeutics company. He was previously President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer of Crown Bioscience International, a leading global drug discovery and development solutions company, which he co-founded in 2006, until 2017.

Yue Alexander Wu is co-founder and CEO of Cothera Bioscience, Inc., a translation medicine and precision therapeutics company.

He was previously President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer of Crown Bioscience International, a leading global drug discovery and development solutions company, which he co-founded in 2006, until 2017.

From 2004 to 2006, Dr. Wu was Chief Business Officer of Starvax International Inc. in Beijing, China, a biotechnology company focusing on oncology and infectious diseases. From 2001 to 2004, Dr. Wu was a banker with Burrill & Company where he was head of Asian Activities.

Dr. Wu has served as a director of CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASI) since June 2013 and Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. since August 2016. Dr. Wu received his Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology and his MBA from University of California at Berkeley.

He earned an M.S. in Biochemistry from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and his B.S. in Biochemistry from Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Jay Chun, MD, PhD
Director
Jay Chun, M.D., Ph.D., has served as the Chief of Neurosurgery and Director of the Atlantic Health Spine Center at Overlook Medical Center at Atlantic Health System since September 2015.

Jay Chun, M.D., Ph.D., has served as the Chief of Neurosurgery and Director of the Atlantic Health Spine Center at Overlook Medical Center at Atlantic Health System since September 2015.

Dr. Chun has served as a member of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board since August 2021 and previously served as a member of Celularity, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: CELU) Scientific Advisory Board from September 2020 to January 2023.

Dr. Chun completed his M.D. and Ph.D. at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. His neurosurgical residency was completed at the University of California at San Francisco, followed by specialization in the discipline of complex and minimally invasive spine surgery at Emory in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Chun is board certified and specializes in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery as well as artificial discs. While a member of the Columbia University faculty from June 1995 to June 1997, Dr. Chun worked in the field of biotechnology.

He has received many honors including Medical Research Fellowships from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), working with the late Nobel Laureate Marshall Nirenberg.

He received his Ph.D. with Richard Axel, a recipient of the 2004 Nobel Prize. In honor of his stem cell research,he received the NIH Individual National Research Service Award.

Annu Navani, MD
Director
Dr. Navani has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Comprehensive Spine and Sports Center since 2008, a leader in interventional and multidisciplinary spine, musculoskeletal, and orthopedic care. Over the last decade, she has scaled her solo practice into a large multispecialty group with more than twenty service lines operating across multiple state-of-the-art centers in Northern and Southern California.
Dr. Navani has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Comprehensive Spine and Sports Center since 2008, a leader in interventional and multidisciplinary spine, musculoskeletal, and orthopedic care. Over the last decade, she has scaled her solo practice into a large multispecialty group with more than twenty service lines operating across multiple state-of-the-art centers in Northern and Southern California.
In 2022, Dr. Navani sold the practice to a private equity group and now serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Boomerang Healthcare, which has nearly thirty locations in California. Since 2003, Dr. Navani has also served as an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Pain at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Additionally, she has been the Medical Director at Le Reve Regenerative Wellness, a center for cutting-edge regenerative and wellness solutions, for more than a decade. Dr. Navani completed her Anesthesiology residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and her Fellowship in Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis. She is board-certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology, Interventional Pain by the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians, and Regenerative Medicine by the American Board of Regenerative Medicine.
Dr. Navani serves on the board of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, The Ortho Biologic Institute Networks, and the Latin American Pain Society. She has extensive publications in multidisciplinary pain management and has authored several national guidelines, including those on opioids, interventional spine procedures, and biologics. Dr. Navani is a global authority on healthcare trends, including digital health, technology innovations, and applied biologics.

Our Culture

We’re not just your average pharmaceutical company. We’re a different breed altogether. Ours is a passionate team of talented people working together to make a difference in the world of pain management. Our team-spirited approach ensures a collaborative, engaged, and focused atmosphere where we push thinking further, fostering innovation and fervently pursuing viable solutions for patients and providers through groundbreaking technologies.

We believe in the “law of science” and that we’re all entitled to live healthy and pain-free lives—because we’re patients, too. We don’t just seek answers. We seek THE answer.

about us

Mission

Our mission is to advance non-opioid therapeutic options to treat acute and chronic pain in patients with greatest unmet needs. SCILEX is committed to harnessing the power of revolutionary delivery technologies designed to safely and effectively provide therapies to those who need them most.

about us

Vision

We are uncompromising in our focus to become the global pharmaceutical leader in pain management through social, environmental, economic, and ethical principles.

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Values

    • Responsibility / Excellence
    • Accountability / Diversity
    • Integrity / Quality