Mark Sirgo, PharmD

Independent Director

Since January 2019 has been CEO and a Director of Aruna Bio, an early stage neural exosome therapeutic company. He previously served as President and CEO of BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. (“BDSI”) from January 2005 until January of 2018, a company he co-founded. While at BDSI he oversaw the FDA approval and commercialization of three products for pain and addiction medicine. Dr. Sirgo has over 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, involving clinical drug development, sales and marketing, business development and executive management. Dr. Sirgo spent 16 years in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility in both clinical development and marketing at Glaxo, Glaxo Wellcome, and GlaxoSmithKline, including Vice President of International OTC Development and Vice President of New Product Marketing. Dr. Sirgo was responsible for managing the development and FDA approval of Zantac 75 while at Glaxo Wellcome, among other accomplishments. From 1996 to 1999, Dr. Sirgo was Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc. (Nasdaq:PPDI), a leading contract service provider to the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Sirgo served on the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Compensation Committee of Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP), a specialty pharmaceutical company specializing in gastrointestinal products from 2008 until its sale to Valeant Pharmaceuticals in 2015. Dr. Sirgo is also Chairman of 9 Meters Pharma (Nasdaq:NMTR), a development stage gastrointestinal company, and Director of BDSI.