James S. Shannon

James S. Shannon, M.D., MRCP (UK) has been one of our directors since February 2010.  Dr. Shannon is trained in Medicine and Cardiology. He received his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Queen’s University of Belfast and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (UK). He has more than 20 years experience at senior levels of the pharmaceutical industry and until his retirement in 2008 was Global Head of Drug Development for Novartis Pharma AG based in Basel, Switzerland.  He entered the pharmaceutical industry in 1987 joining Sterling Winthrop working initially in Europe and subsequently in the USA, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in the management of Research and Development ultimately serving as Senior Vice-President, Clinical Development. Following the acquisition of Sterling in 1994 he joined Sandoz in Basel as Head of Drug Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Shannon held a number of significant positions in Novartis including Head of the Integration Office for R&D overseeing the creation of the Novartis R&D groups from those of Ciba and Sandoz and also Head of the Cardiovascular Strategic Team where he oversaw the design and implementation of the clinical trial program for Diovan. Subsequently he was appointed Global Head of Project Management before being appointed Global Head of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs in 1999, a position that he held until 2005 when he was appointed to Head Pharma Development.  Currently Dr. Shannon also serves on the boards of Biotie Therapies, Cerimon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Circassia Holdings Ltd., Endocyte Inc. and Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc.