About Abvance

  • Founded in 2016 around breakthrough research exclusively licensed from from Vanderbilt University

  • Company stage: pre-clinical.

  • Strong IP portfolio
  • Rapid path to clinic and market for lead asset ABV100

  • Deeply experienced team in diabetes, metabolism, and drug development

Meet Our Team

David Maggs, MD FRCP
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

Dr. Maggs is a life science executive and endocrinologist with over 30 years of academic and industry experience. He graduated from Guys Hospital (UK), completed postgraduate studies at University of Nottingham, and held fellowship and faculty appointments at Yale School of Medicine. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK) and holds an adjunct faculty position at UT Health, San Antonio. His industry experience includes leadership positions at Warner Lambert, Pfizer, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, GI Dynamics, Fractyl Health and, recently, Becton Dickinson. Over this span, he has worked on multiple pharmacological platforms (small molecule and peptide), and device programs, targeting rare and common diseases.
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Steve Daly
Steve Daly
Chief Operating Officer

Steve has more than 30 years of experience in commercialization and product development, including 18 years in diabetes and metabolism. He has held executive and commercial leadership positions at companies working in the diabetes space including Modular Medical, Adocia, Halozyme, and Amylin Pharmaceuticals. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University with MBA studies at the University of Florida.

Soumitra Ghosh, PhD
Co-founder and Scientific Advisor

Soumitra Ghosh is a co-founder of Abvance Therapeutics, Avexegen Therapeutics, and Aquros Bio, biotech start-ups focused on diabetes, GI indications and urological disorders, respectively. His experience includes senior R&D leadership positions at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Bristol Myers Squibb and MitoKor, where he led research programs for the development of small molecule, peptide and protein-based drug candidates for the treatment of metabolic diseases and CNS disorders. He received his MS and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago and conducted his post-doctoral work at the Rockefeller University.
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Edward Raskin, JD
Counsel and Strategic Advisor

Ed is a managing director and life science attorney with Life Sci Associates and the co-founder and member of executive team at Beta Bionics, the inventors of the “bionic pancreas” dual and single hormone system. Previously, Ed served as outside counsel to several medical device and biotech companies. He obtained his J.D. and Certificate in ESG and Sustainable Capitalism from UC Berkeley School of Law, B.A. in Political Science from UC Irvine, and a graduate of the Corporate Director program at Harvard Business School. Ed is admitted to the bar in CA and MA.

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Gibb Clarke, MBA
Chief Financial Officer

Gibb is a serial innovator and seasoned executive with 20+ years in medical technology, remote AI diagnostics, and 20+ years of financial & investment experience. He has raised over $400M in investment capital from sources including angel, VC, strategic (public & private), and public/private funds. Most recently, Gibb served as CFO for Beta Bionics and currently serves as Chairman for Uphill Medical, a neurovascular early-stage company. Previously, Gibb served as Co-founder and CEO of Blockade Medical (acquired by Balt Medical), Co-founder & COO of Pulsar Vascular (Acquired by JNJ), and served 8 years of active-duty service in the USMC.

Veena Rao, PhD, MBA
Strategic Advisor

Veena Rao is an experienced commercial and technical leader with over 25 years of experience in the areas of drug development, med tech, medical devices, and digital health. She is currently President and Chief Business Officer of Portal Instruments, a clinical-stage, needle-free drug delivery company. Prior to Portal, Veena served as the Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Corporate Development & Strategy at Beta Bionics.

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Scientific Board of Advisors

John Beals, PhD

Pharmaceutical Protein Chemist
Former Distinguished Research Scientist at Eli Lilly

Bruce Bode MD
Bruce Bode, MD

Atlanta Diabetes Associates
Clinical Associate Professor, Emory University GA

john buse
John Buse, MD

Chief, Division of Endocrinology
University of North Carolina

Alan Cherrington
Alan Cherington, PhD

Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Jacquelyn A. Turner and Dr. Dorothy J. Turner Chair in Diabetes Research, Medicine
Vanderbilt University

Zan Fleming, MD

Executive Chairman & Founder of Kinexum, Exsulin, Tolerion
Former FDA official

Jay Skyler, MD
Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, & Psychology, in the Division of Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism, Department of Medicine

University of Miami
Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.