Management
Donald Picker, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Picker is chief operating officer of Archer Biosciences. Prior to joining Archer, Dr. Picker led the Biomedical Division of Johnson Matthey, where his group was responsible for the discovery and initial clinical development of Carboplatin, a major drug in cancer treatment. During his tenure, the team also discovered and advanced the development of Satraplatin and Picoplatin, two oral platinum drugs still in clinical development. Dr. Picker went on to Genta. Inc. as executive vicepresident of research and development, where he was responsible for establishing the cancer program and bringing Genesense into the clinic, the first antisense IND submitted to the FDA. He went on to become the President of LXR Biotechnology, which focused on apoptosis inhibitors in the CNS and cardiovascular therapeutic areas. As CEO of Synergy Pharmaceuticals he brought a hepatitis drug into clinical development and built a cancer company that was merged into Callisto Pharmaceuticals. As executive vicepresident of research and development at Callisto he licensed in other cancer programs and brought two drugs into clinical development. Dr Picker was also a founder of Xenimics, a DNA diagnostic company and FermaVir, an infectious disease company recently merged into Inhibitex.
Dr. Picker completed a doctorate in organic chemistry, and after post-doctoral studies at the University of Washington and Schering was a scientist at the Institute for Cancer Research and SmithKline.
Sandra Silberman, M.D., Ph.D.
Consultant
Dr. Silberman began her career in clinical development at Pfizer, Inc., where she initiated the Company's first program in clinical oncology and oversaw the introduction of Tarceva™ into clinical trials. She then served as senior director for Novartis Clinical Research, where she led the global development of Gleevec™, a highly innovative drug and the first targeted therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Dr. Silberman subsequently joined Eisai Medical Research as vice president and global therapeutic area head (Oncology), a role in which she advanced six novel compounds into Phases I through III in clinical development. Following this she served as the chief medical officer for Tapestry Pharmaceuticals, creating and implementing a global clinical trial development program for their proprietary oncology drug. As an independent industry consultant over the years, Dr. Silberman has advised Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Imclone, Roche, and GPC-Biotech in their various oncology programs.
Dr. Silberman completed a B.A., Sc.M. and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Health and School of Medicine, respectively; and an M.D. from Cornell University Medical College. She completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at the Brigham & Women's and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and was an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She has numerous publications and is named on several patents in the cancer drug development field, including novel anti-tubulin agents for advanced solid tumors. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Hematology.