Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> July 5, 2004
JOHN N. BONFIGLIO is Chief Executive Officer of The Immune Response
Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company co-founded by medical pioneer
Jonas Salk and based in Carlsbad, California. Prior to joining The
Immune Response Corporation, Dr. Bonfiglio was Chief Operating Officer
and Executive Vice President for Cypress Biosciences, a San Diego-based
biotechnology firm, from June 2001. While at Cypress Biosciences, he
oversaw the firm's business, clinical, and research and development
efforts for its fibromyalgia drug. Prior to his tenure at Cypress
Biosciences, Dr. Bonfiglio spent four years at Peregrine
Pharmaceuticals, formerly known as Techniclone Corporation, a Tustin,
California-based biotechnology firm focused on cancer treatments. From
1999 to 2001, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer,
raising capital through a series of licensing agreements and equity
financing agreements and created and executed a strategic plan for
refocusing the company on clinical trials and licensing. Dr. Bonfiglio
was Vice President, Technology and Business Development of the company
from 1997 to 1999, and oversaw research and development, clinical and
regulatory affairs, interactions with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration and all product-licensing activities. He also has served
as a Director for Baxter Healthcare Corporation, based in Irvine,
California, as Director of Business Development and Strategic Planning
in the Immunotherapy division and later in the Cardiovascular Surgical
division from 1994 to 1997. Dr. Bonfiglio began his biotechnology career
with positions at Allergan Inc. as a Scientist in 1983, becoming a
Project Director in 1987 and Director of Business Planning in 1991 and
eventually Director of Strategic Marketing for Allergan's worldwide
ocular anti-infective franchise. Profile
that you are developing.
Dr. Bonfiglio: We are a company that's dedicated to developing immune-
based therapies for the
