MISSION
APT's mission is to develop an effective treatment that will safely prolong pregnancy, allowing babies more time to develop in the womb. Treatment with the TAC-PE will potentially extend the duration of pregnancy, thereby reducing the risk of lifelong disabilities in babies resulting from prematurity and IUGR.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
APT has several patents either granted or pending that cover a broad range of apheresis technology for the treatment of preeclampsia. Dr. Henry Smith and Dr. James Smith, the inventors of the technology, are the first individuals to propose the removal of sFlt-1 using an apheresis method for the treatment of preeclampsia.
The Company holds exclusive rights to the following intellectual property (partial list):
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US 20100247650 A1 - Treatment for pre-eclampsia in pregnant women using targeted apheresis
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62/602,816 - Apheresis to treat high blood pressure in pre-eclampsia and hypertension (patent pending)
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62/605,128 - Targeted apheresis to remove harmful substances from blood (patent pending)
APT’s founders continue to innovate new technologies and have additional patents pending (unpublished). APT believes that its innovative device designs and associated trade secrets will provide APT with an enduring competitive edge.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
James Smith, Ph.D.
President / CEO
Dr. Smith has over fifteen years of experience in regulatory affairs and the development of novel technologies from concept through commercialization. He is experienced in all aspects of regulatory affairs, quality and data management systems, supervision of R&D, development of new product specifications, and with evaluating and registering medical drug and device product lines. Dr. Smith obtained his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of California, Irvine.
Henry Smith, Ph.D.
Chairman of the Board
Dr. Smith has over forty years of experience in the healthcare industry. He was the co-founder of several biotechnology companies and medical laboratories including NanoSmart Pharmaceuticals, Epinex Diagnostics, Allied Biotechnology International, and Associated Reference Laboratories. Earlier, he held senior management positions in medical reference laboratories including Specialty Labs and BioScience Laboratories. Dr. Smith received his training in Immunology from the University of Leeds School of Medicine in England. Throughout his career he has maintained an active interest in developing novel immunoassays and immunotherapies for autoimmune disease and cancer.
Dan Thiel
Vice President, Business Development
Mr. Thiel has over ten years of experience in the biotechnology industry providing services in business development, fund raising, corporate finance, investor relations, strategic planning, marketing and public relations for early-stage development companies. Mr. Thiel received his B.S. in Business from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a concentration in international business at Universidad de Las Americas in Puebla, Mexico.
Jacqueline Y. Morales
Vice President, Operations
Jacqueline has over ten years of experience in the biotechnology sector supporting new product development. She has expertise in designing, auditing, and implementing ISO quality systems at small and large organizations, preparing domestic and international regulatory filings, managing clinical laboratory operations, and overseeing marketing and corporate communications projects. Jacqueline holds a professional certificate in Medical Product Development and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with a minor in Business Management from the University of California in Irvine.
ADVISORS
Nihar R. Nayak, DVM, Ph.D.
Dr. Nayak is currently an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Research) and the Director of Translational Research in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine. After receiving DVM and PhD degrees from India, Dr. Nayak obtained his postdoctoral training from the Oregon Health and Science University, Portland. Previously, he has served as an Assistant Professor in a School of Veterinary Medicine in India, a Staff Scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center, and a Senior Scientist at Stanford University. Dr. Nayak has received several research awards, including the Lalor Foundation postdoctoral fellowship, the Andrew Mellon Foundation Junior Investigator Award, the NIH BIRCWH award, and the Preeclampsia Foundation Vision Grant Award. One of his major research goals is to understand vascular complications during pregnancy, particularly in preeclampsia, and to develop novel therapies for preeclampsia.
Anne Garrett, MA, CFRE
Anne Garrett, a preeclampsia survivor herself, is a passionate advocate of safe pregnancy in the United States and worldwide. She co-founded the Preeclampsia Foundation in 1999 and served as executive director and board chair until 2005. As the first non-profit and patient advocacy group for preeclampsia in the US, the Preeclampsia Foundation has brought awareness and increased visibility to preeclampsia as a leading cause of prematurity and maternal/fetal death. Ms. Garrett co-founded five other nonprofits, and served as the founding executive director of the Microsoft Alumni Foundation. She writes about maternal health issues for the Huffington Post under her pen name "Anne Addison". In 2011, Anne began working with Jennifer Binkley Carney on Unexpected, a documentary about maternal near-miss and death in the US. The film project blossomed into a public advocacy movement called the Unexpected Project. The Unexpected Project hosts survivor summits, and has over one thousand members on Facebook. The documentary work is ongoing.
Vijay Mahant, M.S., Ph.D.
Dr. Mahant is a scientist and an entrepreneur with 30 years of experience in immunology and molecular diagnostics. He has held executive positions and founded/co-founded a number of diverse diagnostic companies. Dr. Mahant has developed more than 35 products generating multi-million dollars in revenue and is an experienced inventor, with 25 issued patents and 15 patents pending. He has also worked closely with several medical institutions such as the Mayo Clinic to develop a novel diagnostic TSH test, and Long Beach Memorial Hospital to set up a molecular diagnostic laboratory. Dr. Mahant graduated from Loughborough University of Technology (UK) and received his second post-doctorate from University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Anderson, TX).