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Executive Officers

Vimal Mehta, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

Dr. Vimal Mehta is the Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors…

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Richard I. Steinhart

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Steinhart brings significant financial and strategic experience in the biotechnology and medical…

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Frank D. Yocca, Ph.D.

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Yocca is an accomplished R&D executive and scientist with extensive experience leading global biopharmaceutical companies…
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Vincent J. O’Neill M.D.

Executive Vice President, Chief of Product Development and Medical Officer

Dr. Vince O’Neill has significant expertise in therapeutic and diagnostic product development. He joined BioXcel Therapeutics in 2017…

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Javier Rodriguez

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary

Mr. Rodriguez has over 20 years of extensive strategic and legal  experience within the biopharmaceutical…

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All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
Copyright © 2023 BioXcel Therapeutics Inc. All Rights Reserved. US-IGA-2300177

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Vimal Mehta, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

Dr. Vimal Mehta is the Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of BioXcel Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BTAI), a biopharmaceutical company utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to develop transformative medicines in neuroscience and immuno-oncology. He has more than 25 years of leadership in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Dr. Mehta successfully built and led innovative drug discovery and development companies that have helped bring novel therapies to market to address major unmet medical needs and positively impact the lives of patients, caregivers, and clinicians.

In 2006, Dr. Mehta co-founded BioXcel LLC, which pioneered the application of big data analytics and machine learning-based AI integrated with drug-development expertise. In 2017, he co-founded BioXcel Therapeutics as a spinout and led the company’s Initial Public Offering in 2018. He has now raised approximately $500 million in capital to support the company’s R&D and commercial efforts. Through his leadership, BioXcel Therapeutics has built a unique AI-based drug discovery and development capability and advanced from first-in-human clinical trials to FDA approval of IGALMI™ and commercial launch in under four years. Developed as BXCL501, IGALMI™ is a proprietary, sublingual film formulation of dexmedetomidine approved for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar I or II disorder in adults.

In 2022, Dr. Mehta led strategic financing agreements of $260 million with Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. and Qatar Investment Authority to support the company’s commercial activities for IGALMI, expand clinical development of BXCL501 — including a pivotal Phase 3 program for acute agitation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease as well as the at-home use of BXCL501 for acute agitation in bipolar and schizophrenia patients — and advance additional neuroscience and immuno-oncology clinical programs. He also led the formation of OnkosXcel Therapeutics as a subsidiary of BioXcel Therapeutics to develop transformative medicines in oncology.

Dr. Mehta has been recognized for healthcare leadership, including New Haven Biz naming him in its “Power 25 Healthcare 2022” list of leaders for “making strides developing treatments for cancer and agitation in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.” Also in 2022, the Healthcare Technology Report ranked Dr. Mehta among the top 25 healthcare technology leaders in Connecticut. In addition, BioXcel Therapeutics was named Therapeutics Company of the Year for 2022 in the annual BioTech Breakthrough Awards, while the Hartford Business Journal recognized the company among area “healthcare heroes.”

In addition to his roles at BioXcel Therapeutics, Dr. Mehta is Chairman of the Board and CEO of BioXcel LLC and serves on the Board of several other companies. Earlier in his career, he worked for several leading pharmaceutical companies in senior-level business-development capacities. He was also Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, USA. 

Dr. Mehta holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Delhi, India and completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in chemistry at the University of Montpellier, France.

Richard Steinhart

Richard I. Steinhart

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Richard Steinhart brings significant financial and strategic experience in the biotechnology and medical device industries. Prior to joining BioXcel Therapeutics, Richard served as Vice President and CFO at Remedy Pharmaceuticals, Inc., until it sold its only asset, CIRARA, to Biogen for $120M plus earn-outs. Prior to joining Remedy Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Steinhart served as an independent consultant to biotechnology and medical device companies. Previously, he was the Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of MELA Sciences. 

Prior to joining MELA Sciences, Mr. Steinhart held a variety of senior-level positions at Forest Street Capital/SAE Ventures, a boutique investment banking, venture capital, and management consulting firm focused on healthcare and technology companies, Emisphere Technologies, Inc., and CW Group, Inc., a venture capital firm focused on medical technology. He began his career at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Steinhart is a member of the Board of Directors of Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Atossa Genetics, Inc. He holds B.B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from Pace University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

Frank Yocca

Frank D. Yocca, Ph.D.

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Frank Yocca is an accomplished R&D executive and scientist with extensive experience leading global biopharmaceutical companies. He has wide-ranging expertise in leading high-performing, world-class teams in drug discovery and development whose efforts have resulted in a number of prominent neuroscience products including Buspar®, Serzone®, Abilify®, and Heltioz®. Dr. Yocca has held leadership roles at AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb. He is a recognized scientific leader in the neuroscience community, a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science, and a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. He has 45 referred articles, 96 abstracts, and 65 invited presentations. In 2023, the Healthcare Technology Report listed him among the top healthcare technology leaders of Connecticut. 

Dr. Yocca holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Manhattan College, as well as an M.S. in Pharmacology and a Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology from St. John’s University.

Vincent J. O’Neill M.D.

Executive Vice President, Chief of Product Development and Medical Officer

Dr. Vince O’Neill has significant expertise in therapeutic and diagnostic product development. He joined BioXcel Therapeutics in 2017 as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, later Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, and played an instrumental role in the Company’s SERENITY I and II trials of BXCL501, which contributed to the FDA approval of IGALMI™ (dexmedetomidine) sublingual film for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia and bipolar I or II disorder in adults. He also led the Company’s immuno-oncology program and the successful human proof of concept trials for BXCL701, an investigational, orally administered systemic innate immune activator for the treatment of refractory forms of prostate cancer. In 2022, he became Senior Vice President and Chief Research & Development Officer of the Company’s wholly owned OnkosXcel Therapeutics subsidiary. 

Prior to joining BioXcel Therapeutics, Dr. O’Neill held senior leadership roles at several leading global pharmaceutical companies, including Sanofi, Genentech, and GlaxoSmithKline. Most recently, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Mirna Therapeutics and Exosome Diagnostics. He was instrumental in the expanded approvals of Genentech’s oncology therapeutics, Avastin® and Tarceva®. At GSK, he oversaw the signal transduction discovery unit and led the first IND application and clinical trial of the MEK inhibitor, MEKINIST®.  Dr. O’Neill has authored several peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. He received his M.D. and B.Sc. in Molecular Pathology from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and is a member of the Royal College of Physicians.

 
Rodriguez_Javier

Javier Rodriguez

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary

Javier Rodriguez has over 20 years of extensive strategic and legal experience within the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining BioXcel Therapeutics, he served as Chief Legal Officer at Indivior PLC, where he oversaw legal affairs, data privacy compliance and corporate governance matters for the company, which has operations in over 40 countries. Prior to joining Indivior, he held roles of increasing responsibility at Reckitt Benckiser LLC, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Berlex, Inc. Mr. Rodriguez began his legal career as a litigation associate at Thelen Reid Priest, LLP in New York City.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, a Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania.

The information provided on this site is intended for use by healthcare professionals practicing in the US. The dissemination of this information may be subject to different medical and regulatory requirements in other countries. This web site is intended to help healthcare professionals practicing in the US find scientifically balanced, evidence-based information about Bioxcel Therapeutics drugs, submit a question, ask for field medical follow-up, and explore links to professional and patient support resources.

Chetan

Chetan D. Lathia, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President and Head of Translational Medicine Clinical Pharmacology and Regulatory Affairs

Dr. Chetan Lathia has more than 30 years of experience in clinical pharmacology, translational medicine nonclinical development, and regulatory affairs at both large and small biopharma companies. He has co-led over 25 Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and 10 New Drug Applications (NDAs)/Biologics License Applications (BLAs) in the United States and Europe. He led BioXcel Therapeutics’ regulatory strategy and development of Igalmi™ from IND to NDA approval in 3.5 years and has led the regulatory team to eight IND submissions. In addition to presenting development/regulatory strategy at meetings with drug regulators, he has made presentations to the Special Advisory Group (SAG) of the European Medicines Agency, an advisory meeting held by Taiwanese regulators, and at meetings with Chinese and Japanese regulators. Dr. Lathia has also delivered presentations to the FDA on invitation from the agency’s Office of Clinical Pharmacology. 

Prior to joining BioXcel Therapeutics, Dr. Lathia served as Vice President and Head of Clinical Pharmacology at Intarcia Therapeutics, where he led the pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD), immunogenicity, and bioanalytical strategy. Earlier, he served as Executive Director, Clinical Pharmacology at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, leading the global clinical and nonclinical PK/PD, pharmacometrics, and bioanalytical functions. Dr. Lathia also served as Global Head, Oncology Biomarkers and Pharmacokinetics, and as Global Clinical Pharmacology Leader for Nexavar® at Bayer. In addition, he was Senior Research Associate at Parke-Davis Research, where he was the DMPK & Clinical PK functional leader for the oncology and cardiovascular therapeutic areas. Dr. Lathia earned a doctorate in Pharmacokinetics from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, with a gold medal in Pharmacology from L M College of Pharmacy, India.

Robert Risinger, M.D.

Chief Medical Officer, Neuroscience

Dr. Rob Risinger has extensive experience leading clinical development from first in human through Phase 1-4 clinical trials to create a successful commercial product. His expertise includes designing and executing high quality translational studies within Phase 1 and 2 that provide insight and rapidly navigate development to successful registration trials. Prior to joining BioXcel Therapeutics, Dr. Risinger served as Vice President of Clinical Development at NeuroRx Pharmaceuticals and Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development, at Alkermes. In addition, he held roles of increasing responsibility at Bristol Myers Squibb, Ortho-McNeill Janssen Medical Affairs, and Johnson & Johnson. He also served as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and as Staff Psychiatrist as a Major in the U.S. Air Force. 

Dr. Risinger has a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from Allegheny College and M.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.