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Dr. William Comer has been in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries for over 50 years, directing efforts at every phase from discovery to commercialization. Currently, he is Founder, President and CEO of NeuroGenetic Pharmaceuticals, Inc. From 1961-1991 he was employed by Mead Johnson & Co. which was acquired by Bristol-Myers; he was responsible for discovery and worldwide clinical development of pharmacodynamic agents and was President of Pharmaceutical Research and Licensing until the merger in 1990 to become Bristol-Myers Squibb, when he became Senior Vice President of Strategic Management. He managed the discovery and development of more than 10 blockbuster products. From April 1991 until November 1999 he was President and CEO of SIBIA Neurosciences, which became publicly traded in May 1996 and was acquired by Merck in November 1999. In March 2000, Dr. Comer was a Founder and Chairman of the Board of NeuroGenetics, Inc. (renamed TorreyPines Therapeutics in 2005), serving as Interim CEO until April 2002, and was appointed Chairman Emeritus and Senior Advisor until resigning in February 2009.

Dr. Comer has served as a Board Director for Trega Biosciences (formerly Houghten Pharmaceuticals) 1993-1996, Epimmune (formerly Cytel Corporation) 1994-2005, Board Chairman of Prescient Neuropharma 2000-2002, a Board Director for Tetragenex Pharmaceuticals (formerly Innapharma) 2001-present, TRACON Pharmaceuticals 2007-2010, and Scientific Board of Nativis 2007-2011. He also serves or has served on the Boards of UCSD Foundation 2000-2006, UCSD Cancer Center 1992-present, UCSD Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry 1992-2006, Dean’s Advisory Board for UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy 2005-present, La Jolla Institute of Molecular Medicine 2000-2007, and has served on the California Governor’s Council on Biotechnology, California Breast Cancer Research Council, BIOCOM Board, and several national and divisional offices of the American Chemical Society including Chairman of Medicinal Chemistry. He received a B.A. in Chemistry from Carleton College in 1957 and an Alumni Achievement Award in 1997, plus a PhD in Organic Chemistry and Pharmacology from the University of Iowa in 1961.