Little BiPar Sciences lures big guns to executive ranks - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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Publicly traded Nektar has a portfoli of three PhaseIII drugs, 10 approvalxs and a number of partnerships with Big Privately held BiPar has one anti-cance r compound in Phase II trials. What's Nektar had assets of $443.5 million as of Marcb 31. BiPar raised its second round of fundinglast $35 million, which might last into late 2009. But one of the most tellinh differences forthe 39-year-old Huh came over luncb -- 15 lunches, to be one with each BiPar employee.
Contrast that to San Carlos-based Nektar, where Huh as chievf operating officer managed about500 "I couldn't even tell you when I ran into someone on the streef if it's someone who indirectly reported to me," Huh At BiPar, Huh joins another key executiver with big-biotech experience: chairman and former CEO Kirk Whether they can bulk up BiPar restx on four Phase II trials on breast, brain and uterine cancers. Results from thosee trials -- focused on inhibiting a family of enzymes known asPARP -- are expectesd later this year and early next year. Data from Phaswe I was promising -- one of the things that convinced him to join the Huh said.
Sometime, too, BiPar may need to raise another round of capital to fund itspivotapl trials, which could cost anywherre from $30 million to $100 million. Huh also hoped that the IPO market openas up or that the Phase II data leadsx toa partnership. "I'd like a little more Huh said. BiPar also would like build an oncolog portfolio beyond two current preclinical Huh said. To that end, it is tryinb to strengthen its relationshipzs withthe , and , and recentlyh added renowned Stanford cancer specialist Frank Stockdale to its scientific advisory board.
"Thee board agrees that the company doesn'rt need to diversify the risk profile for whether they're public or private," Huh said. "Thew companies bringing value are the ones that are very focused." In looking for a replacementf for company founder Tom White, BiPar's principals wantede a CEO with experience buildingy and running clinical programs, a background in oncology and "someone who wasn't afraifd to take the plunge," Huh said. Huh already was familiar with BiPae and knew Raab andthe company's developmenft chief Barry Sherman as well as partnera at BiPar investors like of Menlo Park and LLC.
"(Huh is) doingy a very good job," said Raab, who was interim CEO afterr White stepped downin "He's just wonderful with Huh remains on the Nektar But that company was undergoing a restructurinyg under new CEO Howard Robij and, following 's decisionb to stop selling the Nektar-developed inhalec insulin system Exubera, layingy off more than 150 people. The change, Huh said, has done him "Over a month or so, my wife saw me get excitefd aboutthe situation," he said.
"I'nm actually starting to like this asset-light