National Tx Accelerator

Mounia Azzi

Vice President, Corporate Development

As Vice President, Corporate Development, Dr. Mounia Azzi leads a team responsible for advancing adMare’s mission of building companies by developing partnerships with technology innovators and entrepreneurs⁠—namely academic researchers and emerging Canadian life sciences companies. This includes overseeing adMare’s project identification and scientific and commercial evaluation processes, as well as its public affairs and external communications functions.

Most recently, Mounia was the Executive Global Vice President, Corporate Development (and previously Chief Business Officer) at Nexelis. Prior to Nexelis, she was Director, Scientific Affairs at the NEOMED Institute, responsible for the identification and evaluation of new opportunities to complement NEOMED’s prospecting activities. Previously, Mounia was Director of Programs at CQDM, where she was responsible for the evaluation and management of research projects and funding programs. She was also actively involved in business development activities with industry partners. Mounia started her career as leader of the cellular biology group at Bellus Health (formerly Neurochem Inc.), where she was involved in the development of therapeutics targeting Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

Mounia holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) in Paris.

Youssef Bennani

Chief Scientific Officer

As Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Youssef Bennani holds overall responsibility for the scientific direction of adMare, and assisting the Research and Development and Program Development and Partnership teams focus their efforts around areas of interest.

Youssef has a wealth of experience from project inception to clinical work, technology transfer, in-and-out licensing transactions with academic and corporate partners’ R&D units. His work has led to over twenty preclinical and clinical-stage NMEs, out-licensed partnerships; as well as contributions to approved medicines. His governance leadership has contributed to corporate strategy alignment, leading to corporate growth and to nine single-asset and technology spinoff companies.

In addition to his role at adMare, Youssef is currently Managing Partner, Fund III with CTI Life Sciences Fund. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Domain Therapeutics from 2014-2023, and on the Bellus Health Board of Directors from 2017 until the company’s acquisition by GSK in 2023. He has over 25 years experience in pharmaceutical R&D leadership and management, serving most recently as Site Head and Vice President of R&D at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. Prior to this position, he spent several years as Vice President Drug Innovation at Vertex’s Headquarters (Boston – MA). Youssef has also held various positions of increasing responsibility in pharmaceutical R&D at Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories (now Abbvie) and Athersys. His experience spans multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, neurology, infection, inflammation and renal diseases.

Youssef has studied in chemistry (PhD, Université de Montréal), business (MBA, LFGSM – Chicago), and corporate governance (ICD.D, McGill-Rotman Schools of Business).

David Dean

Chief Business Development Officer, Canary Medical

David brings over 20 years of business development and company analysis experience and is currently the Chief Business Development Officer at Canary Medical, a private Vancouver based company focused on “smart” medical implants that have the potential to improve patient outcomes and clinical workflow at a lower cost to payors by using data, machine learning and AI to detect complications sooner than otherwise possible. Prior to Canary, David was the Chief Business Development Officer at Cardiome/Correvio (sold to Advanz Pharma) and prior, David spent well over a decade as a highly awarded sell-side analyst at the largest Canadian independent investment bank in Canada.

David’s experience is centered upon sourcing, identifying, analyzing, valuing, negotiating and then consummating transactions of all forms with Companies and Investors, including in and out-licensing, financings and M&A.

Stephan Gauldie

Scientific Director, Managing Director, Head of Back Bay Canada

Stephan Gauldie is a founding member of Back Bay Life Science Advisors and head of Back Bay’s Canadian Operations. Dr. Gauldie helped build Back Bay’s integrated strategic advisory and investment banking offering for life science companies at every stage. Dr. Gauldie’s role emphasizes commercial assessment and forecasting, strategic franchise-building, M&A and licensing strategy, buy-side diligence, and exit planning with defensible, analysis-driven positioning for venture-backed companies. 

Dr. Gauldie is also a member of Back Bay’s investment banking team, providing forecasting, valuation, market, and scientific analytics in sell-side transactions, buy-side engagements, and financing support. 

He has more than 20 years of experience across drug development research, market analysis, and strategy consulting. Before joining Back Bay, Dr. Gauldie led the Commercial Research Group at Decision Resources. He was a Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, leading teams that covered US and EU-based pharmaceutical companies, as well as CNS/Pain and Immunology therapeutic areas.

Jacki Jenuth

Partner, Lumira

With over 20 years of life science, IT and business development executive-level experience, Jacki is a key member of the senior management team with responsibilities that include financial analysis, industry intelligence, proactive sourcing of deals, structuring deal terms and fund raising initiatives in North America. Jacki has a strong reputation for providing the focus, clarity and cohesion required to drive projects from efficient inception to effective completion.

Jacki focuses on early stage companies developing new therapeutic drugs in a variety of indications and also within the digital health health space. In addition to her investment activities, Jacki also directs all aspects of Lumira Ventures’ information technology initiatives having developed a world class venture capital analytics platform.

Jacki has published several scientific articles and two book chapters, and is the recipient of three major academic research awards.

Frédéric Lemaître Auger

Vice President, Investments

As Vice President, Investments, Dr. Frédéric Lemaître Auger leads adMare’s investments and manages its portfolio companies. He brings more than 20 years experience in life sciences investment management, including extensive health sciences venture capital expertise gained through his prior involvement with Accel-Rx, Desjardins Venture Capital, and CDP Capital – Technology Venture (Sofinov), where he was involved in both biopharmaceutical and medical device deals. In his career, Frédéric was also engaged in project-based investments, as well as developing licensing and spin-off opportunities at MSBi Valorisation (now Axelys). He currently serves on the board of directors of Find Therapeutics, KalGene and Specific Biologics. Notable exits include Inhibitex, Enobia Pharma, Tranzyme and Inversago.

Frédéric holds an MBA in Finance and International Management from HEC Montréal, a MSc in organic chemistry, and a PhD in polymer physical chemistry, both from Université de Montréal.

Joseph Mancini

Vice President, Research 

As Vice President, Research, Dr. Joseph Mancini plays a central role in leading adMare’s R&D team and the strategic development and advancement of adMare’s pipeline of drug development projects to support the building of strong Canadian life sciences companies. Joe brings more than 30 years of experience in drug discovery to the role, and is responsible for overseeing the biology and pharmacology efforts at both adMare’s Montreal and Vancouver Innovation Centres.

Prior to joining adMare in 2020, Joe spent 20 years at Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, where he was responsible for developing novel therapies to treat inflammation, diabetes, and obesity – including being key in the discovery of VioxxTM and ArcoxiaTM, and the Biology Lead for a PDE4-inhibitor for Asthma, and for four INDs and human proof-of-concept trials.

Following his tenure at Merck, Joe joined Vertex Pharmaceuticals where, as Head of Pharmacology and Biology Project Leader, he led the Pharmacology group and a team that developed a therapy to treat Crohn’s disease (licensed to Takeda), as well as initiated new programs in ADPKD and a rare muscular disease.

Joe has been an Adjunct Professor at one of Canada’s top research universities, Montreal’s McGill, since 2000, and is credited with 94 publications and seven patents. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from McGill University.

Dave Rogers

Vice President, Intellectual Property & Legal Affairs

Dr. Dave Rogers joined adMare (then CDRD) as its Intellectual Property Director in January, 2011.

He has been involved in biotech patent law, particularly US patent law, since completion of his graduate research work. In 2000, he joined the San Francisco law firm of Flehr, Hohbach, Test, Albritton & Herbert LLP, which was later acquired by Dorsey and Whitney LLP. While working in San Francisco for Dorsey, he qualified as a patent agent before the US Patent and Trademark Office. In 2005, Dave relocated to Dorsey’s Vancouver office, continuing to work closely with the San Francisco and Palo Alto offices to advise US and Canadian biotech clients on patent matters.

Dave has a background in biochemistry, chemistry, immunology, and neurobiology, and his IP experience includes patent drafting, patent prosecution, portfolio evaluation and development, patent analysis and opinion work (freedom to operate, invalidity, and non-infringement) and IP due diligence for licensing and financing.

Dave received a PhD from the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University, and a JD from the University of British Columbia.

Florence Rozen

Scientific Director, Private Equity and Impact Investing, Fonds de solidarité FTQ

Florence Rozen is the Scientific Director, Private Equity and Impact Investing with the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, a labour sponsored/development capital fund based in Montreal. There since 2009, she is responsible for scientific due diligence for all potential investment opportunities within the Fonds’ life science group. She is also responsible for monitoring the group’s biotech company portfolio, which covers areas such as oncology, rare diseases, as well as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, all in different stages of development. Prior to her 24 years in the venture capital industry (including the seed financing arm of MDS Capital where she held similar responsibilities), she has done research in the fields of endocrinology and oncology. She holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from McGill University.