Shanton Pharma is a clinical-stage biotech company founded in 2016, with a research focus on the unmet needs associated with gout, hyperuricemia, and pruritus. Our team focuses its resources on these important therapeutic areas through advanced and innovative drug research and developmental approaches.
The Shanton team has researched hyperuricemia and gout for many years, resulting in the development of our lead product, SAP-001 for the treatment of refractory and/or tophaceous gout and the prevention of asymptomatic hyperuricemia developing into gout. SAP-001 has been shown in clinical studies to be safe and effective in patients with symptomatic hyperuricemia and gout.
Dr. Li carries more than 25 years of experience in healthcare, and is highly regarded as a strong business leader with extensive experience in creating/turning around businesses in pharma and biotech industries. Dr. Li’s previous positions include the founding CEO of LianBio (Nasdaq: LIAN), CEO of China Biologic Products (Nasdaq: CBPO), leader of Fosun global healthcare investment teams, leader of Warburg Pincus pharma/biotech practice in China, and management positions at GSK China and Eli Lilly. Dr. Li received a Ph.D. in Biology from University of Rochester, an M.B.A. from Kellogg Management School and B.S. from Fudan University.
Dr. Miao has an MD and PhD with years of clinical practice and academic research experience, and over two decades of pharmaceutical industry experience, including in clinical development and medical affairs in multiple therapeutic areas.
Pieter de Ridder is an experienced business development executive with a track record in the international biopharma industry. He has worked for global pharma (Organon, Diosynth) as well as high-growth emerging biotech companies (Synthon) in roles of increasing responsibility. He has negotiated dozens of deals for biotechs with large and midsized pharma, planned impactful product launches, and managed successful alliances. As the founder of a management consultancy, he assisted life sciences startups by writing impactful business plans and negotiating their first deals. Mr. De Ridder earned his bachelor’s degree from Avans Hogeschool in Breda, the Netherlands, and an executive MBA from Duke University – The Fuqua School of Business in Durham, NC.
Dr. Cui has extensive experience in global clinical operations and program management. She has led clinical development programs in a variety of indications including rheumatology, neurology, infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, and metabolic disorders. Dr. Cui has held leadership roles at both the sponsor and the CRO side. She obtained her PhD degree in Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and her BS degree in Biological Sciences at Wuhan University.
Carmen Arencibia is currently the Director of Clinical Operations at Shanton Pharma. Ms. Arencibia has worked in Clinical Operations for both Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology for the past 20 years.
Kenneth Saag received his MD degree from Northwestern University in 1986, did residency and a Chief Resident Year at Northwestern affiliated Evanston Hospital and completed his fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of Iowa, where he also earned an MS degree in Epidemiology. He is currently the Water’s Endowed Professor and Director of the Division of Clinical immunology and Rheumatology and the UAB Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone, and Autoimmunity Center (CAMBAC).
Dr. Saag’s research focuses on the comparative effectiveness and safety of therapeutics, as well as methods to improve the quality of care in gout and osteoporosis. He has published over 400 peer-reviewed manuscripts and authored more than 150 reviews, editorials, and book chapters, and he is the new Deputy Editor of Arthritis and Rheumatology. He has been a successful research mentor, training over 20 post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty.
He has received numerous awards, including the Department of Medicine Research Award, the American College of Rheumatology Research Foundation Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award, the European Calcified Tissue Society Excellence in Research Award, and the University of Iowa School of Public Health Distinguished Alumni Award. He is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians and the American Clinical and Climatological Association and he is an Honorary Member of the European Alliance of Associations For Rheumatology (EULAR). He is a past president of the American College of Rheumatology and of the National Osteoporosis Foundation Board of Trustees.
Robert Terkeltaub, M.D. is Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of California, San Diego. After earning his medical degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, Dr. Terkeltaub completed postdoctoral training in Immunopathology research at Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA. His research concentrates on gout and other forms of crystal deposition disease, gout clinical trials and treatment guidelines and outcomes in the disease, the interfaces of inflammation, uric acid metabolism, and skeletal biology in these disorders. Dr. Terkeltaub has authored or coauthored over 200 original, peer-reviewed journal articles and over 120 invited articles and book chapters. His research is funded by the NIH and VA and industry. He was the sixth Morris Ziff Distinguished Lecturer in Rheumatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and first Malawista Memorial Lecturer at the ACR. Dr. Terkeltaub was co-Editor and first ever Review Articles Editor of Arthritis and Rheumatology, and serves on multiple editorial boards and scientific advisory committees.
Dr Nicola Dalbeth is a consultant rheumatologist and professor of medicine from Auckland, New Zealand. She has been principal investigator of trials for novel therapeutic agents and treatment strategies in gout, and has led international initiatives to define central concepts of the disease, including nomenclature, staging, and response to treatment. She was a member of the core oversight team for the 2020 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Gout Management Guidelines, and a steering committee member on the 2015 ACR/ European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology gout classification project.
At Shanton Pharma our mission is to address the global clinical unmet needs associated with gout, hyperuricemia, and pruritus. Our ultimate goal for gout is to completely eliminate the disease.
We strive to bring innovative new medicines to patients and the medical communities we serve, by focusing on the development and commercialization of our core products.