Capricor Therapeutics Company Culture

Dr. Leland J. Gershell, M.D., Ph.D., has been the Chief Financial Officer at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. since February 23, 2016 and served as its Principal Financial Officer. Dr. Gershell served as the Chief Financial Officer of Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp., from April 4, 2012 to January 8, 2016 and as its Treasurer from November 2011 to January 8, 2016. Dr. Gershell served as the Managing Director and Senior Analyst at Madison Williams and Company LLC, Research Division, where he provided research on specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. He joined Madison Williams and Company LLC in May 2011 and covered the biotechnology and specialty pharmaceutical sector. He served as a Senior Equity Analyst of Favus Institutional Research, LLC, where he published independent equity research on a variety of therapeutics and medical device companies, based in New York office. He served as a Senior Analyst of Apothecary Capital LLC, where he covered healthcare stocks and was responsible for investments in the therapeutics category. Dr. Gershell began his career in finance at Cowen and Company, LLC, Research Division as a Vice President and Senior Analyst where he spent four years with the biotechnology equity research team and covered biopharmaceutical companies. Dr. Gershell's has 15 years of industry experience includes affiliations with Targent Pharmaceuticals, where he facilitated capital raising and with Vela Pharmaceuticals, where he was responsible for the evaluation of pharmaceutical assets for in-licensing. He is an inventor on Columbia's patents for SAHA/vorinostat, which is marketed by Merck as Zolinza(R) and is the first histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor to receive FDA approval. Dr. Gershell holds Ph.D. and M.D. in Organic Chemistry from the Columbia University and B.A. degree in Chemistry and Asian Studies from Dartmouth College.

Dr. Frank Litvack, M.D., FACC, serves as a Partner and Director of Strategy & Alternative Investments at Pura Vida Investments. Dr. Litvack has been Managing Director of the General Partner of Calmedica Capital LP since 2001. He is also a Founding Partner of Pura Vida Funds LLC. Dr. Litvack is a Co-Founder of Reprise Medical Technologies. He is Co-Founder and Chairman of Entourage Medical Technologies. Dr. Litvack is a Co-Founder and General Partner of Pura Vida Investments LLC, a health care focused Hedge Fund and he serves on several Boards. Dr. Litvack has been an Executive Chairman at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. since 2012. Dr. Litvack has over 25 years of academic and industry experience. He is a serial entrepreneur. He has a wealth of business building experience that ensures Filmaka is anchored in solid business planning and practices. He is an accomplished veteran of the healthcare industry. He co-founded iTherX, Inc. (Alternate Names: itherX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Immusol Inc.) in 1992 and serves as its Chairman. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of Conor Medsystems Inc. since 2003. He founded Fasturn, Inc. and also served as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from 1999 to 2001. He began his career in Academic Medicine. Dr. Litvack has founded and/or operated several healthcare ventures both as the Chairman and/or Chief Executive Officer including Advanced Interventional Systems Inc. (merged with Spectranetics Inc.), Progressive Angioplasty Systems Inc., Conor Medsystems Inc. and Reprise Medical Technologies LLC, a Medtech incubator. He has been the Chairman of V-Wave Ltd. since July 22, 2015. He serves as the Chairman of Filmaka, Inc. and Credence MedSystems, Inc. He served as the Chairman of Conor Medsystems LLC since 2002 and Savacor Inc. since 2001. He serves on number of private boards as well as the Health Care Advisory Board of RAND Corporation. Dr. Litvack has been a Director of iTherX, Inc. since 1992, MedAvail Technologies Inc. since October 2014 and Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. since 2012. He serves as a Director of Cardiovascular Research Foundation, One Lambda, Inc. and ReCor Medical, Inc. He has been a Member of Calmedica International LLC since 1996. He served as a Director at Progressive Angioplasty Systems Inc. from 1989 to 1997. He served as a Director of Fasturn, Inc., TigerText, Inc., Pervasis Therapeutics Inc., Conor Medsystems, LLC and Savacor, Inc. He served as a Director of Nile Therapeutics, Inc. from September 2009 to October 28, 2012. He serves as a Professor of Medicine at UCLA School of Medicine. He holds the rank of Attending Cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center since 1985 and Professor at David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles since 2000. From 1986 to 2000, he served as a Co-Director of the Cardiovascular Intervention Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In conjunction with AIS, he did seminal work developing the first FDA approved excimer laser angioplasty system, earning him special recognition from NASA and an induction into the Space Technology Hall of Fame. In 1979, he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at McGill University and completed his Cardiovascular Fellowship at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles in 1985. He has published extensively and is the recipient of several awards including the Leon Goldman Medical Excellence Award for contributions to the field of biomedical optics and the United States Space Technology and Space Foundation Hall of Fame for pioneering work with the excimer laser. He is a Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases and Interventional Cardiology. Dr. Litvack left full time practice and academics in 2000 to concentrate on entrepreneurial activities. Dr. Litvack holds an Undergraduate and Medical Degree from McGill University.

AJ Bergmann serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.. AJ started at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. in January of 2018. AJ currently resides in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Deborah Ascheim serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.. Deborah started at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. in July of 2015. Deborah currently resides in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Karen Krasney serves as the EVP, General Counsel of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.. Karen started at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. in March of 2012. Karen currently resides in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Jeff Rudy serves as the Vice President of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.. Jeff started at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. in August of 2015. Jeff currently resides in the Greater San Diego Area.

Shane Smith serves as the Vice President of Clinical Operations of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.. Shane started at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. in July of 2014. Shane currently resides in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Sophia Paspal serves as the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.. Sophia started at Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. in September of 2018. Sophia currently resides in the Greater San Diego Area.