Biography

Andre Boulet has a vast experience in drug development, regulatory affairs, market access, financing and reorganization in the pharmaceutical and biotech fields. A seasoned entrepreneur, he stands out by combining his strengths in applied science, business and finance.

Most recently, he restructured PurGenesis Technologies, a Botanical Drug Company. He raised more than $34M in private equity, completed phase 1 and phase 2 ulcerative colitis clinical program for the company`s flagship product PUR0110 as well as a complete line of anti-aging products for women. He established a strategic alliance with a large US-based organic farm in order to supply raw material used for extraction of PurGenesis’ flagship product.

Before he joined PurGenesis, he was member of SIPAR, a $400M private investment firm. Prior to SIPAR, Dr Boulet was partner at BioCapital LP (« BioCapital ») (1996-2002), a Canadian biotech venture capital company. At BioCapital, he was responsible for investment strategy, deal development, analysis, valuation and negotiation of selected investments in private and publicly held companies. BioCapital had substantial success during his association with them: from 1997 to 2001 (when the fund was wound up), the company had a 19.75% return (IRR) for each unit holder.

Throughout his career, he acquired an international expertise in drug development, regulatory affairs and health economics within Hoechst Marion Roussel, Marion Merrell Dow Canada and Laboratoires Nordic (now Sanofi). While he was doing clinical research, his work lead to the approval of Cardizem CD^® for the Canadian and Australian markets.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of Montreal Heart Institute’s Technology Transfer Corporation (Innovacor). He also sits on the Board of Directors of Folia Biotech, a start-up biotech company developing a vaccine adjuvant with the papaya virus. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Biology from University of Quebec in Trois-Rivieres, a Master’s Degree in experimental medicine/immunology-immunochemistry as well as a PhD in physiology-endocrinology from Laval University in Quebec City. He also did a post-doctorate training at University of Pennsylvania (USA) in biochemistry-biophysics and a training program in Health Economics at York University (UK).

Among many awards and honors, he was, in 2010, elected as a member of Standford Who’s Who registry of Executives. He received the Ortho Pharmaceutical award for basic research, on two consecutive years, in 1986 and 1987; received Graduate Student Fellowship (1987-88) and Postdoctoral training Grants (1988-90) both from FRSQ. He was Faculty member of the American Society of Hypertension in 1993 and served on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Cardio Renal CRADA Steering Committee from 1994 to 1996, assessing the potential use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data for the approval of new antihypertensives. He is the author or co-author of over 75 manuscripts related to basic and clinical research, finance and health-economics. He is the co-author of one patent on PurGenesis`cosmetics products.

Research Interest

Veterinary medicine including Bacterial & Viruses induced diseases, Parasitology, Pharmacology & Toxicology; Immunology; Applied agriculture economics; Public Health & Hygiene

Biography

Helmy Yacout is a Professor of Animal Nutrition, By-Products Department, Animal Production Research Institute (APRI), Egypt, over 29 years of experience in animal nutrition especially in Rumen microorganisms' activity and utilization of agricultural by-products. He supervised over than 25 Master and PhD Thesis in Animal Nutrition and he is the author or co-author of over  60 scientific manuscripts related to animal nutrition, improve efficiency of rumen microorganisms fermentation, ruminant production and utilization of by-products. He has shared in national programs and projects financed by FAO, UNDP and EC. He had a broad professional experience through visiting institutions in more than 7 European countries, India and Pakistan and more than 5 Arab countries. He joined many International workshop and conferences in Africa, UK, Spain and SAK as well in Egypt. He is a member of Egyptian Society of Nutrition and Feeds, Egyptian Rural Agribusiness and Environment Development Association (ERADA – NGO), and Arab Society of Animal Wealth (ASAW), Egypt.

Research Interest

Animal Nutrition with Special reference to Rumen Micro-organisms and Ruminal Kinetics, Utilization of Agricultural and Industrial By-Products and Yeast and fungi researchs.