SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Makucell, Inc., a life science company dedicated to the development, manufacture and distribution of non-prescriptive topical products formulated to address the challenges of aging skin, today announces the appointment of Kevin J. Scanlon, Ph.D., to its Board of Advisors. Dr. Scanlon’s multifaceted career includes three start-up companies, pharmaceutical industry senior management and academic medicine. He is the founder and current CEO of International BioScience, (www.internationalbioscience.com) a company organized to integrate the creative knowledge of science with the core disciplines and strategies of business development to advance the diagnosis and treatment of human disease. Dr. Scanlon has worked with the governments of Ireland, China and New Zealand to create innovation based upon intellectual property at universities in these countries. At the UCLA Anderson School of Management, he is a faculty advisor in the FEMBA Global Access Program, expanding students’ understanding of the life science industry. Dr. Scanlon is the Chairman of the Pasadena Angels Investment Group and is an executive member of the Los Angeles Network of the Tech Coast Angels.
“Kevin brings a unique skill-set and professional expertise to our Board of Advisors — a combination of serious science, senior management experience and entrepreneurial creativity,” noted Dr. Lawrence Rheins, Makucell’s President and CEO. “He has an extraordinary track record of leading new companies with novel products to financial success. His deep understanding of our core science and entrepreneurial experience will help judiciously guide Makucell’s strategy and tactics as we maneuver through the complexities and challenges of launching products currently in our development pipeline.”
Dr. Scanlon added, “I am looking forward to working closely with the Makucell management team and my colleagues on the Board of Advisors, Dr. Catherine Mackey and Mr. Bill Eigner. I perceive that Makucell’s technology, Asymmtate™, and science-based products of the Renewnt™ brand are at the forefront of the skin care industry. The company is well-positioned to leverage its intellectual property to create a true competitive advantage, not only in skin care but other personal products as well.”
Dr. Scanlon was the CEO/Co-Founder of Melanoma Diagnostics, acquired by Myriad in 2010, and a Vice President at Berlex/Schering AG, where he was responsible for the development of medical products for diagnostics and small molecule projects in Europe, Asia and the US.
Dr. Michael Kahn, Makucell co-founder, Board Chairman and distinguished researcher at the Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research of the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, commented, “Makucell welcomes Dr. Scanlon to our Board of Advisors. His background in biochemistry and gene therapy along with his molecular pharmacology training and career focus on start-up companies make him an excellent fit with Makucell. His years of leadership commercializing life sciences intellectual property through new companies will add value as Makucell continues to create and market products using our proprietary technology platform.”
Dr. Scanlon received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of London and his post-doctoral training in molecular pharmacology at the Yale School of Medicine. He was both a Leukemia Society of America Fellow and Leukemia Scholar. For the past 15 years, he has been a reviewer and committee chairman for the National Institute of Health (NIH). He is co-editor of the journals Cancer Gene Therapy and the Internet Book of Gene Therapy for Cancer Therapeutics, has co-authored more than 135 original scientific articles, edited nine medical books and holds seven patents. In Ireland, Dr. Scanlon is a member of numerous advisory boards, most notably, the National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology, the European Biotechnology Institute, and the Faculty Advisory Board of Dublin City University. He is the Vice Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Program.
About Makucell
Makucell Inc. (www.Makucell.com) is a life science company dedicated to the development, manufacture and distribution of non-prescriptive topical products formulated to address the challenges of aging and photo-damaged skin. Based on scientific research at the Eli & Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Makucell’s products are formulated to enhance the skin's appearance, making it stronger and more youthful-looking. The company’s new proprietary technology, Asymmtate™, works with an individual’s own skin stem cells to maintain cellular differentiation which decreases with aging. Makucell has a full portfolio of products in its pipeline directed toward improving the appearance of skin, hair and nails which use the Asymmtate™ core technology platform.