Managing Director and Chief Science Officer

Alexander J. Stokes, Ph.D. Alex Stokes is an Assistant Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Hawaii. Dr. Stokes has an excellent track record of cutting-edge research, established at world-class European and U.S. institutions including Genzyme, Britain’s Imperial Cancer Research Fund, and Harvard Medical School. He has published in leading journals such as Nature. His early career mentors include Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Paul Nurse and Harvard Professor Jean-Pierre Kinet, founder of Synta Pharmaceuticals, AB Sciences S.A, and Managing Partner at iXLife SAS. With degrees in Bioengineering, International Biotechnology and a Ph.D. in Molecular Physiology, this training has positioned him to integrate academic science with real-world goals. He has published 40+ papers. He has an H index of 24 and has been continuously and competitively funded by the NIH, DoD, industry collaborations since 2007. He holds multiple U/.S patents, including “Methods and compositions for prevention and treatment of cardiac hypertrophy” - US20190192508A1, that underpins Makai Biotechnology LLC. He founded our sister company, Practical Biotechnology, in 2018 and led the company’s won the international “Freedom from Cancer’ start-up challenge.

Senior Vice President for IP Strategy

Mr. Edward Jay Wilusz is a pharmaceutical industry executive and registered US patent attorney with over 20 years experience in pharmaceutical asset development, marketing, and licensing. He has led teams of experts with diverse skills to optimize products and exclusivity for over 100 drugs with sales of more than 20 billion dollars for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, US, and several start-up firms. As a Life Sciences consultant, he helps clients merge IP rights, product development, and marketing options. Previously, he led the Life Cycle Management team and associated business development activities for the oncology and multiple sclerosis franchises at Sanofi, US. Prior to his engagement for Sanofi, Mr. Wilusz was vice president of the Novartis global Pharma Intellectual Property group, where he was Head of the US IP site. At Novartis, he set up a network of attorneys to counsel Novartis country office presidents on global patent and licensing matters. Early in his career, he gained experience as a laboratory research group leader and clinical trial monitor. He is admitted to the New Jersey state bar, and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He holds a B.S. degree in biochemistry and an M.S. degree in cell and developmental biology from Rutgers University and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Senior Advisor

David G. Watumull. Mr. Watumull has more than 20 years experience as a biotechnology industry executive, analyst, and investment banker. He is co-founder of Cardax Pharmaceuticals and co-inventor of the Cardax technology. Previously, as CEO of Hawaii Biotech, he led efforts that resulted in more than $25M in investor financing & $30M in federal grant and contract funding. Hawaii Biotech’s dengue vaccine, is under clinical development at Merck. He also started and led a West Nile virus vaccine program at Hawaii Biotech that achieved success in a human proof of concept study.  Prior to Hawaii Biotech, Mr. Watumull worked at Paine Webber as an investment executive, First Honolulu Securities as a biotech money manager, biotech industry analyst, and investment banker, and Aquasearch as Executive Vice president, Finance and Strategic Direction. His clients during his analyst career included the Wisconsin Investment Board, the world's largest biotech investor at that time. While at Paine Webber, Mr. Watumull helped obtain financing for Amgen, Genentech, and Centocor. At Aquasearch, he helped lead a dramatic increase in the company’s public market capitalization.  He was named one of Hawaii's "Ten Who Made a Difference" by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin for 1994. He and/or Cardax have also received several other awards recognizing biotech and small business in Hawaii. Mr. Watumull is also past Vice-Chairman of the Hawaii Science & Technology Council, the industry's trade association in Hawaii.

Mr. Watumull graduated from Punahou School & attended Claremont Men's College (Claremont McKenna), majoring in mathematics, and has lectured at Claremont and the University of Hawaii Shidler College of Business.