David Kalergis

Biography

David Kalergis is the co-founder of Diffusion Pharmaceuticals Inc., and has served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer since 2004. Under his leadership, Diffusion has grown into a publicly-traded clinical-stage drug development company commercializing a novel proprietary pharmaceutical technology. Clinical trials of Diffusion’s lead compound, trans sodium crocetinate (TSC), began in 2007 with a focus on improved treatments for solid cancerous tumors. TSC in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) was the subject of a successful end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA in 2015, and the Company is now working on the implementation of Phase 3 programs. Before attending graduate school, David worked as an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Government. In 1982, after receiving MBA and JD degrees from the University of Virginia, he was associated with the New York City law firm of Dewey, Ballantine, Bushby, Palmer & Wood, practicing in the areas of corporate finance, public offerings and mergers and acquisitions. In 1991, David became the first private investor in Pharmaceutical Research Associates, Inc. (PRA), a contract research organization providing clinical trials services to international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. PRA went public in 2004 and is now among the world’s largest CROs. David served on PRA’s Board of Directors, and from 1991 to 1994 first as head of Business Development and then as General Counsel. In these capacities he was involved in the planning and implementation of all phases of pharmaceutical clinical trials across a wide range of indications. After leaving PRA, David became associated with the University of Virginia in an initiative to more closely link high-technology industry with research. He met Professor John Gainer and the two launched Diffusion Pharmaceuticals shortly thereafter. David has remained involved with the University’s efforts to encourage the spin-out of new high technology companies. David is a founding director of publicly traded Virginia National Bank, and served on its board until May 2012. While on the Virginia National Bank board, he served on its Audit Committee and as Chairman of its Assets and Liabilities Committee. Other past board service includes the Virginia Biotechnology Association. David graduated from the University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences with a B.A. in Psychology. In 1982 he graduated from the Combined Program of the Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and the University of Virginia School of Law, receiving both J.D. and M.B.A. degrees. David is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Leadership and Strategy in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry program.

Research Interest

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