Leadership
Proven Success from Molecule to Medicine
Management
Upendra Marathi, PhD, MBA
CEO, Co-founder, & Director
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Upendra Marathi, PhD is a co-founder, investor, and an inventor at 7 Hills Pharma. He has led the development of three novel pain and cardiovascular drugs, including one which has recently been approved by the FDA. He co-developed one of the first genetically modified stem cells to improve bone marrow function in chemotherapeutic patients. As an investor and an entrepreneur, he was involved in the founding and launch of several biotechnology companies. He has helped raise nearly $100 million in equity and non-dilutive funding for these companies. Upendra was a post-doctoral fellow at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Loyola University Chicago. Upendra has an M.B.A. from Rice University and has served as a faculty member.
Lionel Lewis, MA, MB BCh, MD
Chief Medical Officer
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Lionel is an experienced solid tumor trialist who has worked on 40 Phase I trials, and led 10 first-in-human studies including immune checkpoint inhibitors. Currently he leads the Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC) Phase-I group, and is Director of the Dartmouth Cancer Center Clinical Pharmacology Shared Resource. He is also the current Executive Director of the American Board of Clinical Pharmacology and the vice chair of the Pharmacogenetics and Population Pharmacology (PPP) committee of the Alliance of Clinical Trials in Oncology, an NCI intergroup. He has served on and chaired several DOD and NIH study section panels. He has published more than 190 peer reviewed manuscripts in the field of clinical pharmacology and has edited/co-authored several textbooks in the field.
Rob Bent, MA, MBA
Chief Financial Officer
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Rob is an experienced entrepreneur and operational leader. He holds BS and MS degrees in Food Science from the University of Florida and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. After completing graduate research characterizing a novel inhibitor of enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables, Rob joined Virginia Dare, a leader in the flavor industry, as a wet lab product developer. After completing his MBA, Rob moved out of the lab to manage Virginia Dare’s beverage business. Rob later co-founded and served as Chief Product Officer for Som Sleep, developing its flagship dietary supplement from concept and spearheading its commercial scale-up and successful nationwide launch.
William Schary, PhD
VP Clinical and Regulatory Affairs
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Bill has extensive experience as a development, clinical and regulatory scientist and biopharmaceutical industry executive. He is a former clinical reviewer for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has served in senior roles in global clinical and regulatory functions with Abbvie Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., and has held executive management positions at a number of biotech companies. He has designed and successfully executed drug development plans resulting in the acceptance of global dossiers for investigational products, including approval of more than 20 drug and medicinal products across multiple therapeutic areas. He also established the procedures and managed operations of a Phase 1 clinic unit as well as coordinated efforts at academic and commercial research centers for implementation of new drug development and new drug regulatory and quality assurance programs.
Siddhartha De, PhD
VP Research & Development
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Siddhartha has been deeply involved with the preclinical development of the 7 Hills drug portfolio and its preparation for clinical readiness. He earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 2001 from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, during which he elucidated the role of different H1 histone variants in the architecture of chromatin in the cell nucleus, and the functional consequence of this chromatin organization on nuclear processes, such as transcription, replication, and recombination. After his Ph.D., he worked at the University of Virginia for his post-doctoral research work, where he focused on the role of estrogen and androgen receptors in cancer, and at Luna Innovations to kick-start different Department of Defense (DoD)-funded programs to address homeland defense and counter bioterrorism. For the next several years, he worked for the drug discovery and development operations at Eurofins Advinus, where he headed in vitro Pharmacology and the CNS therapeutic area, and led several programs to clinical candidacy. Additionally, he has extensive experience in Project Management and Business Development, representing outlicensing strategy, partnerships, and contract services.
Nicole Gallegos, MBA, PMP
Senior Director of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs
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Nicole has over 25 years of industry experience in Clinical Operations, Regulatory, Program Management, and Clinical Data Management bringing extensive expertise from working with large pharma, small to midsize biotech, and contract research companies over her career. She contributed significantly to several successful oncology approval submissions, including approvals in both adult and pediatric leukemias, adult melanoma, and head and neck cancers. Over the past 16 years she has led global clinical operations, primarily in early phase oncology and rare disease. Nicole is an experienced leader with strong knowledge of clinical operations, regulatory data requirements, clinical trial process, and quality management. She received her MBA from Belmont University in Nashville, TN with a concentration in Health Care Management, and received her certificate in Project Management in 2002. Prior to her graduate work she received a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in pre-medicine from the University of Texas San Antonio.
Additionally, Nicole has served on the non-profit boards of Boerne Education Foundation and San Antonio Tech Boosters, both non-profit organizations supporting education fundraising, entrepreneurial mentoring, and educational initiatives within the south-central Texas community.
Nada Elsayed, PhD, MBA
Director of Manufacturing
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Nada is an experienced professional holding several graduate degrees including a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering, both from the University of South Florida and most recently a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Louisiana State University Shreveport. She has over a decade of diverse experience in pharmaceutical drug product research and development as a scientist and project manager focusing on small molecules starting with formulation through commercial GMP drug product supply. Additionally, Nada has experience in hospital turnkey management leading several multimillion-dollar projects.
Nancy Ladner
Controller
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Nancy has over thirty years’ experience in accounting, and business administration in biotech, furniture manufacturing, insurance/brokerage, international steel distribution and financial management industries. Her expertise includes the establishment and management of administrative and accounting functions in both start up and existing operations. She also has extensive experience with DAPRA, CPRIT, SBIR and NIH grant accounting.
Board of Directors
Joseph Bailes, MD
Director and Advisor
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Joseph is a medical oncologist with substantial experience in legislation, public policy and advocacy, as well as the business aspects of the practice of oncology and medicine. Dr. Bailes has served in various executive leadership capacities for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), including terms as President, Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, and Chair of the ASCO Government Relations Council. He has also served as the Executive Vice President of Clinical Affairs for US Oncology, Inc. Dr. Bailes received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas.
Stephen A. Bent
Director
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Steve is a retired partner with Foley & Lardner LLP. He was a member of the Chemical, Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Practice and the Health Care and Nanotechnology Industry Teams. He is the founder and a former co-chair of the Life Sciences Industry Team. Stephen counseled clients on intellectual property disputes and the legal issues associated with pharmaceutical and biotechnology asset valuation and management, venture capital, licensing and technology transfer, and corporate acquisitions. He was a principal in the firm’s China initiative.
Kala Marathi, MBA
Co-founder and Director
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Kala is the Managing Director of the Cougar Venture Fund, a Lecturer in Venture Capital Investing at the University of Houston, and COO of Skypoint Capital, an investment firm that focuses on income producing assets. She has more than 20 years of operating and financial experience.
In her role as Managing Director of the Houston Angel Network, Kala has facilitated over $30M in investments in 85 deals and co-founded the Texas Halo Fund. Kala was a founding member of Reliant Energy Net Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Reliant Energy. At Reliant, she led several smart grid pilots and technology initiatives, and launched a subsidiary called Texas Star Energy. She also has extensive experience in strategy and corporate finance with such firms as Continental Airlines and Chase.
Kala has served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Lyceum and the National Association of Women MBAs (Houston Chapter), and served as co-chair of the HX Cybersecurity Technology Committee. Kala has B.A. in Japanese and Economics from Wellesley College, and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Upendra Marathi, PhD, MBA
CEO, Co-founder, & Director
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Upendra Marathi, PhD is a co-founder, investor, and an inventor at 7 Hills Pharma. He has led the development of three novel pain and cardiovascular drugs, including one which has recently been approved by the FDA. He co-developed one of the first genetically modified stem cells to improve bone marrow function in chemotherapeutic patients. As an investor and an entrepreneur, he was involved in the founding and launch of several biotechnology companies. He has helped raise nearly $100 million in equity and non-dilutive funding for these companies. Upendra was a post-doctoral fellow at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Loyola University Chicago. Upendra has an M.B.A. from Rice University and has served as a faculty member.
Scientific Advisory Board
Darren Woodside, PhD
SAB Chairman, Co-founder, Collaborator
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Darren is a co-founder, investor, and an inventor of 7HP technology. He is an experienced pharmaceutical executive and immunologist. As the Associate Director of Drug Discovery, Biological Sciences at Encysive Pharmaceuticals, he directed drug discovery efforts targeting cell adhesion molecule signaling and function. Dr. Woodside is an author of numerous peer reviewed publications, and has been a Principal Investigator on a number grants from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Woodside has served on a number of Editorial Review Boards, including Nature Journal Genes and Immunity, and review panels for the NIH. He has a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Peter Vanderslice, PhD
Co-founder, Collaborator
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Peter is a co-founder, investor, and an inventor of 7HP technology. He is an experienced pharmaceutical executive that has identified and developed four clinical stage compounds, managed joint ventures, and helped raise $100 million in equity financing at Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He has translated numerous approaches targeting cell adhesion molecules into pharmaceutical development programs. Dr. Vanderslice has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications focusing on the biological function and therapeutic targeting of cell adhesion and trafficking. The extensive experience in cell adhesion is critical to validating the 7HP lead compounds for use in hematologic cancers, and stem cell transplant and other indications. He has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin.
Jeffrey K. Actor, PhD
Advisor
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Jeff is a Professor and Master Educator at the McGovern Medical School of the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, TX. He has high expertise in immunology of tuberculosis disease, designing vaccines and therapeutics to reduce Tubercuolsis related pathology. He received multiple grant awards from the National Institutes of Health focusing on molecules to modify inflammation. Dr. Actor has authored immunology texts, and over 100 peer reviewed publications examining immune response to pathogenic infections. He serves on NIH vaccine review panels, and on journal Editorial Boards, including Frontiers (Immunology) and International Immunopharmacology. He earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Massachusetts, and completed post-doctoral training at NIAID. He has been a scientific advisor for biotech since 1995.
Mary Laughlin, MD
Advisor
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Mary is a Board Certified Hematologist / Oncologist with expertise in immune based cancer therapeutics including development, conduct and filing of global early and late stage hematology and solid tumor malignancies clinical trials, with focus on innovative advanced biologics and cellular immuno-oncology therapeutics including antibody drug conjugates (ADC), T cell redirecting bispecific antibodies, autologous / allogeneic CAR-T and TCR engineered innate (NK, gamma delta) and adaptive (T cell) products. She established the Cleveland Cord Blood Center in 2008 in conjunction with the growing role of stem-cell rich umbilical cord blood for transplantation in patients with life-threatening disorders such as leukemia, lymphoma and immune system disorders. Dr. Laughlin, who performed one of the world’s first successful umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants on an adult leukemia patient in 1995, launched the public cord blood bank with the commitment to serve the unmet needs of a diverse population.
Robert Kramer, PhD
Advisor
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Robert has 24 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry and is the former Head of Oncology Discovery Research at both Bristol-Myers Squibb and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of the Johnson & Johnson group of companies. He has been responsible for enabling the transition of 35 drugs from discovery into the clinic. Rob championed immunotheraphy at Bristol-Myers Squibb, resulting in the acquisition of Medarex, Inc. in 2009 and its portfolio of immune therapeutics that included Ipilimumab and Nivolumab. He received his PhD in pharmacology from the University of Vermont and undertook his post doctorate studies at the US National Cancer Institute. Rob held an Assistant Professorship at the Harvard Medical School.
Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD
Advisor
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Lisa H. Butterfield, Ph.D. is a Consultant and Advisory Board Member in cancer immunotherapy. She was a Distinguished Scientist in Discovery-Oncology at Merck Research Labs in South San Francisco (2023-2026). Her focus at Merck was solid tumor immune-oncology, cancer vaccines and biomarkers. She was formerly the Vice President, Research and Development at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), and an Adjunct Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, University California San Francisco. At PICI, she supported cell therapy initiatives and clinical trial biospecimen and biomarker projects. Her academic research has been focused on cancer vaccines and cellular therapies. She was a member, then Chair of the FDA Cellular, Tissues and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee. Dr. Butterfield was previously Professor of Medicine, Surgery, Immunology and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh (2003-2018) and Director of the Hillman Cancer Center Immunologic Monitoring biomarker lab as well as the cGMP Cellular Products Laboratory. She has a PhD in Biology from UCLA, followed by postdoctoral fellowships in Cellular Immunology and Cancer Gene Therapy also at UCLA. She was the first female President of the Society of Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC, 2017-2018) and a member of the SITC Executive Committee (2015-2020). She led the Immunology Reference Lab for the ECOG-ACRIN NCI cooperative group (2006-2018) and collaborated on biomarker studies in many clinical trials. She has published >200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, reviews and book chapters, and mentored over 20 students and postdocs. She co-leads the SITC Women’s Leadership Institute and was a co-Editor of the SITC textbook “Cancer Immunotherapy: Principles and Practice” 1st and 2nd editions.
Scott K. Pruitt, MD, PhD
Advisor
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Dr. Scott K. Pruitt is a physician scientist with over 40 years of experience in the fields of immunology, cancer immunotherapy, and surgical oncology. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from Harvard College, his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, completed his general surgical residency at Duke Hospital, and obtained his doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology from Duke University. Initially as a research fellow and resident, and then as a faculty member and practicing surgical oncologist at Duke University and the Durham VA Medical Center, Dr. Pruitt provided patient care, taught medical students and residents, and led a grant-supported laboratory conducting translational research in cancer immunotherapy.
Upon retiring from Duke in 2013, Dr. Pruitt joined Merck’s Experimental Medicine Division before moving to Oncology Early Development in 2015, where he developed and directed the Keynote-158 Keytruda basket trial, with this work culminating in the FDA approval of Keytruda in MSI-H cancer, the first tumor type-agnostic approval of any cancer therapeutic, as well as multiple additional approvals in additional indications, including in tumor mutational burden high tumors. He also led the clinical team that gained FDA approval of Keytruda in cervical cancer, the first approval of any PD-1/PD-L1 blocker in gynecologic cancer. He then led a section in Early Oncology for two years, overseeing the early phase development of multiple compounds. He then was chosen to lead the Translational Oncology team where he was responsible for biomarkers and companion diagnostic development for all Merck oncology trials. He retired from Merck in April 2025 and is now a pharmaceutical industry consultant.