Shawn Barney

Allostera Pharma Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has developed an entirely new class of drugs, called Allosteramers™. Allosteramers™ have three main properties: 1) they are “allosteric”, meaning they do not bind to the same site as traditional drugs, potentially providing better safety, efficacy and an entirely new set of patentable intellectual properties, 2) they can have predictable and consistent drug properties, and 3) they are designed to be orally available. Using its Module X technology platform, Allostera has developed a pipeline of seven novel Allosteramers™ against different targets primarily focused on inflammation and autoimmunity including APG2305, a drug inhibiting the IL23 receptor, one of the most important targets in the autoimmune disease field. APG2305 has demonstrated oral activity in animal models of autoimmune diseases.

Argos Therapeutics, Inc. was a biopharmaceutical company. It engages in development and commercialization of individualized immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases based on its proprietary technology platform called Arcelis. The firm's product include AGS-003 for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and other cancers; and AGS-004 for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus. The company was founded by Bruce A. Sullenger, Eli Gilboa, John A. Irick and Ralph M. Steinman on May 8, 1997 and was headquartered in Durham, NC.

The Copernicus Group, Inc. operates as a independent institutional review board which ensures the rights and welfare of human research subjects are protected. The firm's board reviews research protocols and study-related information, as well as investigator qualifications and resources to assure regulatory compliance. It also provides various board meetings; initial, continuing, and expedited reviews; promptly communicated board decisions; online submission and tracking capabilities; continuing review reminders; education and training resources; and translation services. The company was founded by Sharon Hill Price in July 1996 and is headquartered in Durham, NC.

Trimeris, Inc. develops therapeutics for viral diseases. It is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of viral disease. The core technology platform of fusion inhibition is based on blocking viral entry into host cells. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Durham, NC.

Part of GSK Plc, Smithkline Beecham Holdings Corp. produces and distributes pharmaceutical products and dental healthcare products. The company is based in Wilmington, DE.

Cogent Healthcare is the industry leader in developing and managing hospital medicine programs nationwide. They align with dozens of hospitals to integrate hospitalist programs that best serve inpatient care needs and achieve goals of quality, safety, efficiency and service. They deliver superior quality care through thought leaders, evidence-based clinical standards and innovative technologies. Its programs are tailored to the individual needs of its clients to help them meet their clinical, operational and financial objectives. For more than a decade, Cogent has been at the forefront of the hospital medicine sector, driving innovation and delivering quality care. Their vision to transform the nation's healthcare delivery system has not only fueled its own growth, but also played a leading role in the development of what has become the fastest-growing movement in medical history. Their leadership in the industry gives them the experience, resources and the ability to help hospitals and hospitalists achieve their goals. This is more than a business for them. It is a passion. And its hospital partners benefit from it through exceptional care, the most valuable inpatient management services in the industry and its constant innovation in all that they do.