Leadership
Erez AminovChairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Erez Aminov is an experienced biotechnology consultant and investor. Since 2023, he has been the CEO & Chairman of the Board at Mira Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ), initially joining the company as a consultant in 2022. His invaluable contributions and strategic acumen led to his rapid promotion to CEO. Before ascending to leadership at Mira Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Aminov established Locate Venture Corp in September 2021, committing himself to advancing and supporting early-stage biotech startups.
Mr. Aminov embarked on his journey in the biotech consulting sector in 2021, a move that marked the beginning of a career characterized by influential consulting roles with various biotech companies. With over two decades of experience, he has cultivated a robust skill set tailored to meet the biotech industry's unique challenges, including creating strategic alliances and guiding startups toward growth and prosperity.
Mr. Aminov earned a B.A. in Accounting from Touro University in New York, which helped shape his financial insight. At Mira Pharmaceuticals, he leads through informed decision-making, an essential attribute in navigating the nuances of the public sector. Drawing on his years of experience in financial expertise, he instills confidence in his ability to guide a publicly traded company through the complexities of the market.
Mr. Aminov embarked on his journey in the biotech consulting sector in 2021, a move that marked the beginning of a career characterized by influential consulting roles with various biotech companies. With over two decades of experience, he has cultivated a robust skill set tailored to meet the biotech industry's unique challenges, including creating strategic alliances and guiding startups toward growth and prosperity.
Mr. Aminov earned a B.A. in Accounting from Touro University in New York, which helped shape his financial insight. At Mira Pharmaceuticals, he leads through informed decision-making, an essential attribute in navigating the nuances of the public sector. Drawing on his years of experience in financial expertise, he instills confidence in his ability to guide a publicly traded company through the complexities of the market.
Itzchak Angel, PhDChief Scientific Advisor
Itzchak Angel is an accomplished executive in the pharmaceutical industry, with over 40 years’ experience guiding medical, pharmaceutical, drug and business development in both large and emerging companies. Since 2005, he has been President and CEO of Angel Pharmaceutical Consulting & Technologies (A.P.C.T.) where he assists pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, individuals, medical staff, hospitals, technology transfer companies, investors, university researchers and research teams in variable aspects of drug development. In this role, Dr. Angel provides strategic and operational guidance on issues related to ethical drug development to a wide range of clients, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical professionals, hospitals, technology transfer organizations, investors, and research teams. His expertise spans a variety of therapeutic areas and pharmacological families and extends across the drug development process–from research, preclinical and clinical phases, to marketing. In addition, Dr. Angel advises on regulatory affairs, business development, and organizational planning.
Dr. Angel’s journey in the sciences began with his education at the Tel-Aviv University, where he earned his B. Sc, and M.Sc. degrees in Biology in 1979 and 1980, taking part in a special curriculum for outstanding students. He further studied at the Hamburg University, Germany, obtaining a Ph.D. in Neurochemistry in 1982. His postdoctoral research took him to the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, where he pursued his research in Neurobiology. For numerous years, he was Head of Pharmacology at Synthelabo (Sanofi-Aventis, Paris, France) where he participated in the research and development of drugs such as Xatral (alfuzosin), Ambien (zolpidem), and Mizollen (mizolastine). Some of Dr. Angel's previous executive roles include President and Chief Executive Officer of the stem-cell company Accellta (Haifa, Israel) and Vice President for Research and Development at Proteologics Ltd, Galmed Pharmaceuticals, and D-Pharm Biopharmaceuticals (Rehovot, Israel), where he was involved in research and advanced development in several areas such as stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s’ Disease, Parkinson’s disease, metabolic disorders, psoriasis, and various cancers.
Dr. Angel has effectively established discovery, research, and development teams and projects, bringing several pharmaceutical drugs to market. As an excellent communicator and negotiator, Dr. Angel has led international projects and worked closely with high-profile regulatory, government, and industry leaders.
Dr. Angel is the author of over 100 book chapters, papers, abstracts, and patents. Outside of his professional work, he is a passionate painter, music lover, and avid traveler who speaks several languages.
Dr. Angel’s journey in the sciences began with his education at the Tel-Aviv University, where he earned his B. Sc, and M.Sc. degrees in Biology in 1979 and 1980, taking part in a special curriculum for outstanding students. He further studied at the Hamburg University, Germany, obtaining a Ph.D. in Neurochemistry in 1982. His postdoctoral research took him to the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, where he pursued his research in Neurobiology. For numerous years, he was Head of Pharmacology at Synthelabo (Sanofi-Aventis, Paris, France) where he participated in the research and development of drugs such as Xatral (alfuzosin), Ambien (zolpidem), and Mizollen (mizolastine). Some of Dr. Angel's previous executive roles include President and Chief Executive Officer of the stem-cell company Accellta (Haifa, Israel) and Vice President for Research and Development at Proteologics Ltd, Galmed Pharmaceuticals, and D-Pharm Biopharmaceuticals (Rehovot, Israel), where he was involved in research and advanced development in several areas such as stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s’ Disease, Parkinson’s disease, metabolic disorders, psoriasis, and various cancers.
Dr. Angel has effectively established discovery, research, and development teams and projects, bringing several pharmaceutical drugs to market. As an excellent communicator and negotiator, Dr. Angel has led international projects and worked closely with high-profile regulatory, government, and industry leaders.
Dr. Angel is the author of over 100 book chapters, papers, abstracts, and patents. Outside of his professional work, he is a passionate painter, music lover, and avid traveler who speaks several languages.
Michelle Yanez, MBAChief Financial Officer, Secretary, and Treasurer
Michelle Yanez has been our Chief Financial Officer since April 2023, prior to which she served as our Corporate Controller since May 2022. Ms. Yanez is a senior financial executive with over 25 years of experience in public and privately held biotech, pharmaceutical, and life science companies. Ms. Yanez’ experience includes a broad range of responsibilities in a highly complex and regulated market. She also brings deep corporate governance experience through her work with corporate boards, including audit and finance committees.
Since June 2024, Ms. Yanez also serves as Chief Financial Officer for Telomir Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: TELO), a pre-clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, focused on the development of a novel small molecule therapeutic intervention against age-related inflammatory conditions, such as hemochromatosis and osteoarthritis, as well as for post-chemotherapy health problems. From May 2002 until its acquisition in April 2022, Ms. Yanez held various leadership positions at BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BDSI). In her role, she led financial offerings, managed due diligence for product acquisitions and financings and managed finance documents and filings for the tender offer, leading to the acquisition of BioDelivery Sciences in April 2022.
Ms. Yanez also serves as a non-employee director of Inhibitor Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: INTI), a publicly traded pharmaceutical development company focused on therapeutics for certain cancers and non-cancerous proliferation disorders, since December 2022. Ms. Yanez is also Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Santander Pharma Consulting, a privately held life sciences consulting firm that provides business development and commercial strategy services to pharmaceutical, medical device, and life science companies offering guidance throughout all stages of commercial development, from inception to product launch, since February 2024.
Ms. Yanez earned her B.A. in Business Management from University South Florida and further distinguished her acumen with an MBA in Strategic Leadership from Rutgers School of Business, Cum Laude.
Since June 2024, Ms. Yanez also serves as Chief Financial Officer for Telomir Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: TELO), a pre-clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, focused on the development of a novel small molecule therapeutic intervention against age-related inflammatory conditions, such as hemochromatosis and osteoarthritis, as well as for post-chemotherapy health problems. From May 2002 until its acquisition in April 2022, Ms. Yanez held various leadership positions at BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BDSI). In her role, she led financial offerings, managed due diligence for product acquisitions and financings and managed finance documents and filings for the tender offer, leading to the acquisition of BioDelivery Sciences in April 2022.
Ms. Yanez also serves as a non-employee director of Inhibitor Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: INTI), a publicly traded pharmaceutical development company focused on therapeutics for certain cancers and non-cancerous proliferation disorders, since December 2022. Ms. Yanez is also Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Santander Pharma Consulting, a privately held life sciences consulting firm that provides business development and commercial strategy services to pharmaceutical, medical device, and life science companies offering guidance throughout all stages of commercial development, from inception to product launch, since February 2024.
Ms. Yanez earned her B.A. in Business Management from University South Florida and further distinguished her acumen with an MBA in Strategic Leadership from Rutgers School of Business, Cum Laude.