Board Chair

Mark Pruzanski, MD

Mark is a physician entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in life sciences. Most recently he served as Chairman and CEO of Versanis Bio where he spearheaded the development of novel therapies for obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases until its acquisition in 2023 by Eli Lilly and Company.

Prior to Versanis, he was founder and CEO of Intercept Pharmaceuticals where he led the successful global commercialization of the first-in-class FXR agonist obeticholic acid for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) – marketed in more than 40 countries under the brand name OCALIVA™. He also established the regulatory, development and commercial basis for therapies targeting obesity-related nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Mark is Chair of biotechnology companies Corteria Pharmaceuticals and Abcuro. He is also a board member of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). He received his M.D. from McMaster University, a Masters in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and a degree in Political Science from McGill University.