Our Management Team

Jump To:   Alan Shaw, Ph.D.   Edward Arcuri, Ph.D.   Andrew Drechsler   David Taylor, MD   Robert Becker, Ph.D., MBA

VaxInnate’s management team has deep experience in the development, formulation, regulatory approval, manufacturing and marketing of vaccines.

Alan Shaw, Ph.D., President & Chief Executive Officer  

Dr. Shaw joined VaxInnate from the Merck Vaccine Research Division where he was Executive Director of MVD’s Public Policy, Public Health and Medical Affairs Department. Prior to this, he was the Executive Director of Virus & Cell Biology at Merck Research Laboratories, responsible for all the aspects of live virus vaccine research, as well as technical aspects of development and production. His responsibilities covered research and early development of recombinant protein-based vaccines. Dr. Shaw was instrumental in the development of a combination measles-mumps-rubella-varicell vaccine (ProQuad®), a live oral rotavirus vaccine, (RotaTeq®), human papillomavirus vaccine (Gardasil®), and the candidate zoster vaccine (Zostavax®) as well as numerous early-stage experimental vaccines. He has over 15 years of experience in the development, testing manufacturing, and implementation of vaccines in the United States, Europe and in international programs. Prior to joining Merck, Dr. Shaw worked on vaccines for hepatitis B and Plasmodium falciparum as well as cytokines, cell trafficking and natural inhibitors of inteleukin-1 at Biogen, SA in Geneva, Switzerland.

Edward Arcuri, Ph.D., Chief Operations Officer

Dr. Arcuri joined VaxInnate in June 2007 from Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. where he served as Chief Operating Officer. At Emergent, Dr. Arcuri was directly responsible for all development, manufacture and project management activities. Prior to his role at Emergent, Dr. Arcuri held executive positions at MedImmune, Inc. where he was instrumental in the manufacture of RSV disease treatment (Synagis) and viral Flu prevention (FluMist). He has held a variety of executive, scientific and research positions at Aviron, Inc., North American Vaccine, Inc., SmithKline Beecham, Merck & Co., The Helicon Foundation, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Dr. Arcuri graduated with honors with a degree in Biology from the State University of New York at Albany, and he went on to earn both his M.S. degree and Ph.D. in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Andrew Drechsler, Chief Financial Officer

Andrew Drechsler joined VaxInnate in June 2007, from Valera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. where he served as Chief Financial Officer. During his tenure at Valera, he was responsible for the company’s initial public offering and the sale of the company to Indevus Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Drechsler served as Controller for a variety of tech companies, including i-STAT Corporation, HydraWEB Technologies, and BioMatrix. Prior to his corporate biotechnology experience, Mr. Drechsler worked for the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand LLP. Mr. Drechsler graduated magna cum laude from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. Mr. Drechsler also obtained his qualification as a certified pubic accountant in the state of New Jersey.

David Taylor, MD, Chief Medical Officer 

Dr. Taylor, Chief Medical Officer, joined VaxInnate in March 2007 from Salix Pharmaceuticals, where he served as Chief Medical Officer and VP, Medical Affairs. Prior to his role at Salix Pharmaceuticals, he served as Research Professor in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Taylor also brings to VaxInnate extensive vaccine research and infectious disease expertise gained through his 22 years of distinguished service with the U.S. military. During his career with the U.S. Public Health Service and U.S. Army, he served in a number of positions in the Division of Communicable Diseases and Immunology at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), including acting Division Director, Clinical Director, Department of Enteric Infections, as well as founder and first Chief of the Department of Clinical Trials. Dr. Taylor also served at the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangkok, Thailand, and was Director of the Cholera Vaccine Project at the Naval Medical Research Institute detachment in Lima, Peru. He currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Preventative Medicine/Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Adjunct Professor in International Health at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. He is a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners and American Board of Internal Medicine, a Fellow with the American College of Physicians and Infectious Diseases Society of America, and a member of the American Society of Microbiology. Dr. Taylor has authored more than 200 publications and received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School.

Robert Becker, Ph.D., MBA, Vice President, Business Development 

Dr. Becker joined VaxInnate in December 2005 with 15 years of vaccine development and industry experience at Sanofi Pasteur, leaving as a Vice President of Corporate Development. With eight years of business development experience, he has expertise in identifying, assessing, negotiating and managing collaborative product development relationships with large pharmaceuticals, biotechnology companies, academic institutions and government agencies, having secured over 30 technologies and products. Prior to his business responsibilities, Dr. Becker headed the immunology section and a vaccine development project at Sanofi Pasteur. His academic experience included junior facility positions at Loyola University Chicago and University of Illinois Chicago in the field of Immunology. Dr. Becker received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Kansas and his MBA from Columbia University.