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Ivor Royston

Executive Chairman, Board Member, and Entrepreneur

San Diego, California

Overview 

Ivor Royston is an accomplished Executive Chairman and Board Member based in San Diego, California, with a strong background in life sciences and medical diagnostics. He has held key leadership roles in various biotech companies, including serving as President, CEO, and Founder of Viracta Therapeutics, Inc., a NASDAQ listed biotech company, and as Executive Chairman of Geneditor Biologics Corp. Notably, Ivor has successfully led companies through acquisitions and mergers, such as Morphotek being acquired by Eisai, Inc., showcasing his expertise in strategic partnerships and corporate development.

Work Experience 

Sanare Pharmaceuticals Corp

  • Chairman of the Board

    2025 - Current

Xzom

  • Board Member

    2024

Viracta Therapeutics, Inc., a NASDAQ listed biotech company [VIRX]

  • Non-executive Member Board of Directors

    2022 - 2025

    Member of the Science & Technology Committee

  • President, CEO, Founder, and Executive Board Member

    2014 - 2022

    Viracta Therapeutics is a public clinical stage oncology company focused on novel therapies for virus-associated cancers. The lead program is based on a novel targeted therapy with an oral combination drug product, termed NanaVal for cancers containing the genome of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). NanaVal is currently being studied in a late-stage pivotal clinical trial for advanced EBV-positive lymphomas and a Stage 1b/2 clinical trial for advanced EBV-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Geneditor Biologics Corp.

  • Executive Chairman

    2023 - 2025

Biocept, Inc. - Personalized Medicine from a Liquid Biopsy, a NASDAQ listed company [BIOC]

  • Member Board Of Directors

    2010 - 2024

    Biocept is a liquid biopsy company that detects and analyzes both circulating tumor cells and cell free DNA in the blood and bodily fluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid to detect and analyze cancer cells

Syndax Pharmaceuticals - a NASDAQ listed biotech company [SNDX]

  • Member Board Of Directors

    2010 - 2017

    Served on the Nomination & Governance Committee, and Science & Technology Committee

Forward Ventures , a specialized life science venture capital Fund

  • Founding Managing Partner

    1990 - 2017

    Forward Ventures had 5 consecutive LP funds with over $400 million under management. The Fund specialized in early company formation and development in the life sciences.

TargeGen, Inc.

  • Chairman of the Board of Directors

    2002 - 2010

    Targegen was a targeted therapy company that developed the drug fedratinib for treating myelofibrosis. Aquired by Sanofi. Later restructured as Impact Bioscience and then aquired by Celgene/BMS

TargeGen, Inc., a vascular biology-focused biopharmaceutical company, discovers and develops small molecule kinase inhibitors that target.

Raised $113,718,379.00 from CTI Life Sciences Fund, Hambrecht & Quist Capital Management, Chicago Growth Partners, Innovis Investments, Forward Ventures, CDP Capital Technology Ventures, VantagePoint Capital Partners, BB Biotech Ventures, Pappas Ventures and Enterprise Partners.

targegen.com

LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (aquired by Takeda)

  • Chairman of the Board of Directors

    2006 - 2010

    Ligocyte completed development of a norovirus vaccine, and company acquired by Takeda.

Morphotek - acquired by Eisai, Inc

  • Chairman of the Board of Directors

    2004 - 2007

    Improved monoclonal antibody clinical development to novel cancer cell targets. Intimately involved in sale of company to Eisai.

Education 

Articles About Ivor

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