Investors

Mr. Flesher has served as the President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Novus Therapeutics, Inc. since the acquisition of Otic Pharma, Ltd. by Novus Therapeutics (formerly Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) in May 2017.  Prior to the acquisition, Mr. Flesher served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors for Otic Pharma, Ltd. from 2015 to 2017.  Mr. Flesher has over 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience and has been closely involved with several successful drug development programs that have resulted in multiple product approvals and commercial launches in the U.S. and Europe.  Prior to Otic Pharma, Mr. Flesher served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Chief Business Officer, and other executive management roles at Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from 2006 to 2015.  Mr. Flesher previously served in various sales, marketing, and clinical development roles at InterMune, Inc., Amgen, Inc., and Eli Lilly and Company from 1995 to 2006.  Mr. Flesher earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Purdue University and studied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr. Turkel has served as the Chief Development Officer of Novus Therapeutics, Inc. since the acquisition of Otic Pharma, Ltd. by Novus Therapeutics (formerly Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) in May 2017.  Prior to the acquisition, Dr. Turkel served as Chief Development Officer for Otic Pharma from 2015 to 2017.  Dr. Turkel has more than 30 years of combined clinical practice and drug development experience and is currently responsible for leading all preclinical, clinical, regulatory, quality and pharmaceutical development functions at Novus.  Dr. Turkel has successfully led global development project teams resulting in multiple registrations of new drug treatments around the world.  Prior to Otic Pharma, Dr. Turkel held several R&D leadership positions at Allergan, Inc., including Vice President of Clinical Development for Neurology, Urology, and Pain, Vice President of Global Medical Affairs, and other positions from 1998 to 2015.  Prior to Allergan, Dr. Turkel served as Director of Drug Development, Regulatory Affairs and Data Management at Cypros Pharmaceuticals from 1995 to 1998.  Dr. Turkel’s industry tenure also includes past positions at IVAC Corporation, California Clinical Trials, and Siemens Infusion Systems as well as many years as a hospital based critical care pharmacist.  Dr. Turkel holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of the Pacific, an MBA from the University of California, Irvine, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Business from Capella University.

Mr. Kuwahara has over 25 years of finance and operations experience, primarily within the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Novus Therapeutics, Mr. Kuwahara served as Vice President of Finance at Espero Pharmaceuticals, a private pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of cardiovascular products. Prior to Espero, Mr. Kuwahara served in multiple roles, most recently as Corporate Controller at Avanir Pharmaceuticals, a public pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of central nervous system products (acquired by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals). Prior to Avanir, Mr. Kuwahara served as Assistant Corporate Controller at Questcor Pharmaceuticals, a public specialty pharmaceutical company (acquired by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals). Mr. Kuwahara is a member of the Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Audit Committee, for Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on rare and orphan diseases. Mr. Kuwahara holds a B.B.A. with emphasis in accounting from the University of Hawaii and is a certified public accountant in California and Hawaii.