COMPANY INFO
  THE OPTIMER TEAM
  BOARD OF DIRECTORS
  SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD



Michael N. Chang, Ph.D.


Michael N. Chang is a co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Dr. Chang has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer since our inception in November 1998 until May 2010. Before joining Optimer, Dr. Chang was the Chief Scientific Officer of NuSkin Enterprises, Inc., a NYSE listed direct selling company based in Utah. Dr. Chang joined NuSkin Enterprises upon its acquisition of Pharmanex, Inc., a natural healthcare company, which he co-founded and where he was employed since January 1995 as Senior Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Science Officer. Before Pharmanex, Dr. Chang worked for 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry, at Merck & Co, Inc., a publicly traded research driven pharmaceutical company, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., which is now Sanofi-Aventis, a publicly-traded pharmaceutical company, and ArQule, Inc., a development stage oncology company. Dr. Chang holds 35 US patents and more than 60 publications. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry from Fu-Jen University in Taiwan, a Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from Brandeis University and post- doctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT.

Anthony E. Altig


Anthony E. Altig has served as a director since November 2007. Mr. Altig is the Chief Financial Officer of Biotix Holdings, Inc. a company that manufactures microbiological consumables. From December 2004 to June 2007, Mr. Altig served as the Chief Financial Officer, of Diversa Corporation (subsequently Verenium Corporation), a publicly-traded company developing specialized industrial enzymes. Prior to joining Diversa, Mr. Altig served as the Chief Financial Officer of Maxim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company, from 2002 to 2004. In addition to these and other corporate positions, Mr. Altig served as a consultant to the biotechnology and technology industry during his tenure at both Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLP, and KPMG, LLP. In addition, Mr. Altig serves as a director and chair of the Audit Committee for MultiCell Technologies, Inc., a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company and OccuLogix, Inc. dba TearLab Corporation, a publicly-traded health care company focused on evidence-based ophthalmic devices for the diagnosis and treatment of age related eye diseases. Mr. Altig received a B.B.A. degree from the University of Hawaii.

Mark Auerbach


Mark Auerbach has served as a director and chairman of the audit committee since June 2005. Over the last 17 years, Mr. Auerbach had served as directors for several companies. From January 2006 through March 2010, Mr. Auerbach served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Neuro-Hitech, Inc., an early stage pharmaceutical company specializing in brain degenerative diseases. From June 2007 through August 2009, he served as a director for Collexis, a company which develops knowledge management and discovery software. From July 2007 through February 2009, Mr. Auerbach also served as director for RxElite Holdings, Inc., a company which develops, manufactures, and markets generic prescription drug products in specialty generic markets. From September 2003 through October 2006, Mr. Auerbach served as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors for Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of generic pharmaceuticals and the parent of Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. From 1993 to 2005, Mr. Auerbach served as Chief Financial Officer of Central Lewmar LLC, a national fine paper distributor. Mr. Auerbach received his B.S. degree in accounting from Rider University.

Joseph Y. Chang, Ph.D.


Joseph Y. Chang, Ph.D. has served as a director since November 1998. Dr. Chang is the Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Nu Skin Enterprises, a publically traded personal care and nutritional supplement company. Dr. Chang served as the President of Pharmanex, Nu Skin Enterprises' nutritional supplement division, from April 2000 to February 2006. Dr. Chang served as Vice President of Clinical Studies and Pharmacology of Pharmanex from 1997 until April 2000. From 1994 to 1997, he was the President and Chief Scientific Officer of Binary Therapeutics, Inc., a development stage company in the biotechnology industry. From 1981 to 1991, Dr. Chang was a research executive at Wyeth Research, a research-based pharmaceutical products company and formerly known as Wyeth-Ayerst Research, and Aventis Pharma, now Sanofi-Aventis. Dr. Chang received a B.S. degree from Portsmouth University and a Ph.D. degree from the University of London.

Peter E. Grebow, Ph.D.


Peter E. Grebow, Ph.D. has served as a director since February 2009. Since February 2005, Dr. Grebow has served as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Technical Operations at Cephalon, Incorporated. Prior to his current position, Dr. Grebow served as the Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business Development and Senior Vice President, Drug Development at Cephalon. Prior to joining Cephalon, he was Vice President, Drug Development for Rorer Central Research; a division of Rhône-Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceuticals Inc., from 1986 to 1990. Dr. Grebow earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University, a Masters of Science in Chemistry from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Physical Biochemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Pedro Lichtinger


Pedro Lichtinger recently joined Optimer May 2010 with more than 30 years of global business experience in the pharmaceutical and animal health industries. Pedro Lichtinger previously served as an executive of Pfizer, Inc. from 1995 to 2009, most recently as President of Pfizer’s Global Primary Care Business Unit, where he oversaw operations in North America, Europe, Korea, and Australia with revenues of $23 billion, 15,000 employees, and more than 60 development projects. Prior to this position, he served as Pfizer’s Area President in Europe overseeing all pharmaceutical products including primary care, oncology, specialty and generic. Prior to this position he served as Pfizer’s President of Global Animal Health Business, and Regional President Europe Animal Health. Before joining Pfizer, he was an executive of Smith Kline Beecham, last serving as Senior Vice President Europe Animal Health. Mr. Lichtinger holds an MBA degree from the Wharton School of Business and an Industrial Engineering degree from the National University of Mexico. Mr. Lichtinger currently serves on the board of directors of BioTime, Inc., a publicly-traded biotechnology company focused on blood plasma volume expanders and regenerative medicine.

Robert L. Zerbe, M.D.


Robert L. Zerbe, M.D. has served as a director since December 2009. Dr. Zerbe currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and President at QuatRx Pharmaceuticals, a private biopharmaceutical company he co-founded in 2000. Prior to QuatRx, he served as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Clinical Research and Development at Parke-Davis, during which time he oversaw the successful development programs for Lipitor®, Neurontin®, and other products. Prior to joining Parke-Davis, he held a variety of research and development positions, including Vice President of Clinical Investigation and Regulatory Affairs at Eli Lilly and Company in the U.S. and U.K. Dr. Zerbe also serves on the board of directors of A.P. Pharma, Inc. and Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. Dr. Zerbe earned his medical degree at Indiana University and received his post graduate training in internal medicine, endocrinology and neuroendocrinology at Indiana University and the National Institutes of Mental Health.