Investors

Mr. Flesher has served as the 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.

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.