Steven M. Toler

Targacept, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company, which is engaged in the design, discovery and development of a new class of drugs to treat multiple diseases and disorders of the nervous system by selectively targeting Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors, or NNRs. NNRs are found on nerve cells throughout the human nervous system and serve as key regulators of nervous system activity. Targacept was founded by J. Donald deBethizy, Merouane Bencherif, William S. Caldwell and Patrick M. Lippiello on March 7, 1997 and is headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC.

Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. It focuses on discovering and developing cellular immunotherapies for cancers and orphan inherited blood disorders. The firm uses its proprietary chemical induction of dimerization that controls components of the immune system in real time. Its product candidates include BPX-601, BPX-603, and Rivo-cel (rivogenlecleucel, formerly known as BPX-501). The company was founded by Kevin M. Slawin and David M. Spencer on July 14, 2004 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.