PharmaJet partners with pharmaceutical companies to improve their injectable products
PharmaJet’s Needle-free Systems provide increased vaccine effectiveness, a preferred patient and caregiver experience, and a proven path to commercialization. They are also safe, fast, and easy-to-use.
The PharmaJet Tropis® device for intradermal injections received authorization to apply the CE Mark in May 2016. An FDA Master File was established in August of 2017 as a precursor to 510(k) and Tropis received WHO Pre-Qualification (PQS) in June of 2018.
The innovative PharmaJet Stratis® Needle-Free Injector has U.S. FDA 510(k) marketing clearance, CE Mark and WHO PQS certification to deliver medications and vaccines intramuscularly or subcutaneously. In August 2014, the PharmaJet Stratis Needle-free Injector was approved for delivery of an influenza vaccine to deliver needle-free flu shots.
The PharmaJet Team
Wouter Latour, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Latour joined PharmaJet as Chief Executive Officer in 2024. He brings more than 30 years of vaccine and biopharmaceutical industry executive experience to PharmaJet, most recently as CEO, President and Director, and Chairman of the Board at Vaxart, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company developing oral recombinant vaccines based on its proprietary oral vaccine delivery platform. Previous roles include CEO and Director at Trinity Biosystems, Global Strategy and Business Development roles at Novartis Pharma and SmithKline Beecham Biologicals (now GSK Vaccines), and strategic advisor for several mid-size vaccine companies. Wouter holds Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Amsterdam and an MBA from Stanford University.
Heather Callender-Potters
Executive Vice President
Ms. Callender-Potters is one of the co-founders of PharmaJet and has been active in the development and management of the Company since its formation. She has more than 30 years of private equity fund management and international investment experience across multiple jurisdictions, managing individual investments and financial investment consortiums (ING Barings, Enterprise Investors). Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Management from Claremont McKenna College, and an MBA from the Wharton School, at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dan Mallon
Senior Vice President, Corporate Development
Mr. Mallon has 25 years of corporate development experience in the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries, where he has successfully identified market opportunities and stimulated product/business growth. He brings specific expertise in corporate strategy and development, alliance management, product marketing and government contracting. Prior to joining PharmaJet, Dan served in business development leadership positions at Ellume USA, RRD International and Emergent BioSolutions. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology from Miami University, and an MBA in Finance from the University of Maryland.
Shaily Garg
Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Clinical Development
Ms. Garg has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry, with expertise across multiple therapeutic areas (infectious diseases and vaccines, oncology, ophthalmology, gastroenterology, and pain). She has advised biotech and pharmaceutical teams as a senior consultant, most recently as CEO of Exact Clinical Research, supporting emerging companies through successful execution of their clinical programs. Previously, she was Senior Vice President at Vaxart, Inc. where she led clinical development, regulatory affairs and program management, to advance an innovative oral vaccine platform targeting respiratory and infectious diseases. Shaily holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, Davis, and certifications in project management and clinical and regulatory affairs (PMP, CRA, RAC).
Paul LaBarre
Senior Vice President, Global Business Development
Mr. LaBarre has 25 years of Medical Technology experience across the innovation value chain including regulatory, strategy, research, product development, and market analysis. He has held key business development roles at prominent healthcare organizations including UNICEF and PATH, as well as other health innovation organizations. Most recently he was Senior Vice President, Access and Innovation for SightLife, the world’s leading eye bank. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University, a Master of Medical Engineering from the University of Washington, and an MBA from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Troy Chapman
Senior Vice President, Operations
Mr. Chapman has more than 30 years of experience in the medical device industry across the fields of electrophysiology, electrosurgery, embolic coils and radioactive pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining PharmaJet he held engineering and leadership positions at Cardinal Health, ConMed and Covidien where he was responsible for research, development, and manufacturing. Troy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.
Robb Spears
Vice President, Finance
Mr. Spears is a seasoned financial executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning corporate finance, accounting, and enterprise operations. Most recently, Robb served as Controller at PharmaJet, where he led enterprise-wide financial planning, forecasting, and capital allocation. Previously, he held key financial management roles at OPX Biotechnologies and Penton Media, contributing to operational improvements, system enhancements, and long range financial planning initiatives. Robb holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington.
Brent Carpenter
Director, Quality and Regulatory
Mr. Carpenter has more than 30 years of experience in the medical device and in vitro diagnostics industries across the fields of electrosurgery, robotics, fluorescence-guided surgery, and clinical analysis. Prior to joining PharmaJet he held leadership positions at Agilent Life Sciences, Covidien, Medtronic, and Waters Corporation where he was responsible for quality, regulatory affairs, product development, and acquisitions. Brent has a Bachelor of Science degree from the Colorado School of Mines and an MBA from the University of Colorado.
Al Stephan
Chairman
Mr. Stephan was elected Chairman in December 2024. He is a serial entrepreneur and investor, including early skunk-work developments on behalf of some of the largest and most respected global technology companies. Several of the companies he has incubated are focused on health, including flow cytometry, microfluidics for integrated laboratory testing for infectious disease, cancer, and respiratory disease using nucleic acid testing and blood analysis, multispectral imaging of cells, mass spectrometry, and medical devices affecting chronic pain. Al holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington.
Rick Fort, PhD
Vice Chairman
Dr. Fort began his career in the space shuttle program at Kennedy Space Center where he worked in organizational development with a focus on leadership, employee motivation, and total quality management. He then established a Sylvan Learning Center, leading to a leading outsourced admissions center for colleges and universities nationwide, ultimately acquired by Xerox Corporation in 2011. As an active investor and entrepreneur, he has continued to invest in health-related technologies and clean-tech funds and investments, with accompanying board and managerial roles. Rick earned a BA in Psychology from Louisiana State University, an MS in Experimental Psychology from Northeast Louisiana University, and a PhD in Psychology from Walden University.
John “Spike” Buckley
Mr. Buckley is a commercial real estate developer with investments spanning the US and Canada, focused on enabling and impactful technology. He is an active angel investor in a variety of businesses and spends a significant amount of time on global initiatives focused on addressing the environment, climate change and promoting fair democracy. Spike is the Founder and Board member of The Spike Center for Sustainability Education at the University of Colorado, and is also an active board participant for several foundations. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Colorado.
Kate de Wolff
Ms. de Wolff, CPA, has been an executive officer with the Hearthstone Group of Companies since 2001 and is involved in all aspects of financial, investment and operational decision making for the numerous Hearthstone entities. She began her career with Deloitte in Toronto in 1988 and subsequently transferred to their office in Geneva, Switzerland. Ms. de Wolff then went on to serve as CFO in the film industry for a decade starting in Nice, France and continuing into Vancouver in 1995.
Markus Pedriks
Mr. Pedriks is an active investor and entrepreneur, including Managing Partner of Baring Communications Equity (private equity closed end fund covering the Central and Eastern Europe and CIS regions). Skilled in operational leadership, sales and marketing, his areas of focus have primarily been in Europe and North America, in health, media, telecommunications, entertainment, and real estate. Markus holds a BA in Economics from McGill University, and an MBA from IMD, Lausanne, and is actively completing his PhD in Conflict Management from the University of Maimi.
David Saintsing, M.D.
Dr. Saintsing has spent the past 25 years in emergency medicine and longevity health. He is a specialist whose role spans from practicing physician to member of the Board of Directors of CarePoint Health, a 100% physician owned practice spanning a variety of health specialties and 600+ physicians. His private practice, Ikigai Health Institute, focuses on applying advanced diagnostics with a root-cause approach to uncover hidden health risks to create tailored strategies for aging and peak wellness. Dr. Saintsing is an avid athlete, and angel investor across technology companies. David holds a BS degree from Wake Forest University, an M.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, and specialized in emergency medicine at Jefferson Health.
Praful Shah, PhD
Dr. Shah is an international angel investor, with expertise in research and drug development, focused on minority-led and medical device companies. Previously he held leadership roles with Marion Labs and Myogen (acquired by Gilead), where he led product development for a pulmonary arterial hypertension drug. Praful began his career in medicinal chemistry at Pfizer Central Research, focused on synthesis of new peptide drugs. He has been a member of several boards, including the Alliance for Collective Action, the Rockies Venture Club, Investors Circle, and the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade. Praful holds a BS in chemistry from Pace University, and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Kansas.
Meet the subject matter experts that will assist the company to demonstrate how our delivery technology improves the performance of vaccines and therapeutics.
Infectious Diseases SAB
Cornelia Dekker, M.D.
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Emerita, Stanford University School of Medicine
- Former Vice President, Clinical Research and Medical Affairs, Chiron Vaccines
- Former Medical Director, Stanford-LPCH Vaccine Program
James Merson, Ph.D.
Chief Virology Officer, Stealth Oncology Company
- Former SVP and CSO, Vaccine Immunotherapeutics Research Unit, Pfizer
- Former Global Therapeutic Area Head, Infectious Diseases, Janssen
Jonathan Nguyen-Van-Tam
Independent consultant
- Public health trained physician and former Medical Director, Sanofi Pasteur MSD
- Former Clinical Advisor – UK Covid -19 Vaccines Task Force
- Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer, UK Government
Bali Pulendran, Ph.D.
Co-Director, Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University, and Violetta L. Horton Professor of Pathology, and of Microbiology and Immunology
- World renowned immunologist, and a pioneer of System Biology Approaches to predict the efficacy of vaccines, and decipher new correlates of protection against infectious diseases
- Author/co-author of 260+ publications
Brian Ward, MDCM
Professor of Infectious Diseases/Microbiology, McGill University
- Former Medical Officer, Medicago Inc.
- Director of the McGill Vaccine Study Center
- 30+ years of translational research at McGill University
Oncology SAB
Michael Gibson, M.D., Ph.D., FACP
Director, Translational Research for Esophago-Gastric Cancer (EGC) at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC)
- Associate Professor of Medicine at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Osler Medical Residency and Medical Oncology Fellowship, Johns Hopkins Hospital and PhD, Clinical Investigation (Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health)
Stephanie Mazzei, MSc
Founder and Director, OncoLogic Inc.
- Global Oncology Strategy Advisor
- Serial Entrepreneur and Board Leader
- Former Change Agenda Leader, Global Oncology Business Unit, Eli Lilly and Company
Douglas McNeel, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine, Director, Solid Tumor Immunology Research, Co-Director, University of Wisconsin Prostate SPORE, UW Carbone Cancer Center
- Genitourinary medical oncologist with expertise in prostate cancer
- Laboratory and clinical translational research focus on anti-tumor vaccines
- Specific laboratory focus on DNA vaccines and mechanisms of tumor immune resistance
James Merson, Ph.D.
Chief Virology Officer, Stealth Oncology Company
- Former SVP and CSO, Vaccine Immunotherapeutics Research Unit, Pfizer
- Former Global Therapeutic Area Head, Infectious Diseases, Janssen
Patrick Ott, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Director, Melanoma Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
- Clinical and Translational Investigator, Immunotherapy Trials, Personalized Cancer Vaccines