Our bold strategy to address under-innovated markets in dermatology is supported by renowned pharmaceutical industry leaders.
John W. Childs
Chairman and Partner
J.W. Childs Associates, LP
John W. Childs is the chairman of J.W. Childs Associates, L.P., a private equity and special situation investment firm founded in 1995, currently focusing on life sciences, real estate, and consumer brand investments. Previously, Mr. Childs was senior managing director of the Thomas H. Lee Company from 1987 to 1995, where he had broad responsibilities for originating, analyzing, negotiating, and managing leveraged buyout transactions, such as Snapple and General Nutrition Company. For 17 years Mr. Childs held various executive positions in the investment area at the Prudential Insurance Company of America, ultimately serving as senior managing director in charge of the Capital Markets Group. Mr. Childs currently is a Director of Realm, LLC, a premium Napa Valley wine company, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Pyramid Biosciences, VeraDermics, OMAX Health and Basin Holdings. Prior to their sale, he was chairman of the boards of Kosta Browne, Sunny Delight and CHG Healthcare Services. He is also on the board of Delta Waterfowl, Waterfowl Research Foundation and the Wild Salmon Center, focusing on wildlife conservation. Mr. Childs served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and has a B.A. from Yale College and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.
Vlad Coric, MD
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Biohaven
Dr. Coric has overseen the dramatic growth of Biohaven from an entrepreneurial start-up into a modern, publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Under his stewardship, Biohaven has focused on discovering, developing and commercializing life-changing therapies that address unmet medical needs. He successfully led the company through its first FDA approval and the launch of Nurtec® ODT (rimegepant; CGRP receptor antagonist) for the acute treatment of migraine, followed by the approval of an expanded indication for Nurtec ODT for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine — becoming the first all-in-one migraine medication for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine.
Capitalizing on the extraordinary patient and shareholder value that Biohaven has built with Nurtec ODT and its CGRP franchise, Dr. Coric spearheaded the acquisition of Biohaven by Pfizer in May 2022 for approximately $13 billion in total consideration. He has positioned Biohaven on its new course continuing its growth trajectory, harnessing its proven drug development expertise and broad therapeutic portfolio comprised of early- and late-stage product candidates targeting neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, including rare disorders, with little or no treatment options. Dr. Coric has more than 20 years of drug discovery and clinical development experience at Yale School of Medicine and Bristol-Myers Squibb prior to leading Biohaven. He earned his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and was an honors scholar in neurobiology and physiology at the University of Connecticut, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree.
Reid Waldman, MD
Chief Executive Officer and Board Member
Veradermics
Dr. Waldman is the Chief Executive Officer of Veradermics. Under his stewardship, he has positioned Veradermics for rapid growth by implementing a differentiated strategy centered on advancing first-in-class therapeutics for under-innovated markets in dermatology. He has also successfully led the company through two equity financings raising proceeds of more than $23M and has advanced Veradermics lead asset, VDMN, an immunostimulatory dissolvable microarray for the treatment of warts into a 150-subject, Phase 2 clinical trial.
Dr. Waldman is a board-certified dermatologist with more than 10 years of clinical experience. Prior to founding Veradermics, Dr. Waldman was a prolific researcher authoring more than 100 publications including a textbook titled “Dermatology for the Primary Care Provider.” He has been the recipient of numerous accolades including the American Academy of Dermatology’s “Excellence in Patient Care” award. He earned his Bachelor of Liberal Arts and his Medical Degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City 6 Year BA/MD Program and completed his dermatology residency with a “Distinction in Clinical Trials” at the University of Connecticut.
Tim Durso, MD
President and Board Member
Veradermics
Dr. Durso is the President of Veradermics heading research and development for the company. Dr. Durso is a board-certified Dermatologist by training with more than 10 years of clinical experience.
Dr. Durso is a recognized expert in innovation for both drug and device domains within the field of dermatology having authored a number of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on a variety of subjects. He has also been awarded national recognition for his work including being named a Resident of Distinction by the DermMentors Foundation and a past Grand Prize Winner of MIT Hacking Dermatology. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame and his Medical Degree summa cum laude from Loyola University Chicago.
Jane Grant-Kels, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Board Member
Veradermics
Dr. Grant-Kels is an internationally renowned dermatologist and dermatology researcher. She has served as the founding Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Connecticut.
She has also been on the board of directors of the Women’s Dermatology Society, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the Association of Dermatology Program Directors. Her research prowess has resulted in her serving as the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Medicine the founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, Deputy Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, and the Associate Editor for Dermatology for the Annals of Medicine. She has published over 475 peer reviewed manuscripts, 157 chapters, guest edited 24 journals, and edited or co-authored 8 books. She has delivered hundreds of invited lectures throughout the US.