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Montana BioScience Alliance Elects New Chairman and Board Members
[September 14, 2017]

Montana BioScience Alliance Elects New Chairman and Board Members


The Montana BioScience Alliance recently elected three new board members and appointed new board member, Stan Abel, President and Chief Executive Officer of SiteOne Therapeutics, to serve as the chairman of the organization's board of directors. Also elected to serve on the Board of the Montana BioScience Alliance are Jay Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inimmune and Tim Layton, Senior Manager of State Government Affairs of Genentech.

"Montana is home to a growing biotechnology community that is developing innovative therapeutics and technologies with the potential to improve and save lives," said Mr. Abel, "I am honored to serve as Chairman of the Montana BioScience Alliance and look forward to carrying on the vision and leadership of our outgoing Chairman, Don Beeman."

Mr. Stan E. Abel, Board Chairman

Stan E. Abel is President and Chief Executive Officer of SiteOne Therapeutics, an early-stage biotechnology company developing non-opioid therapeutics for acute and chronic pain. Mr. Abel's background includes successfully leading complex development-stage life science companies, identifying and in-licensing promising new drug candidates, raising more than $100M in capital to fund operations, and establishing strategic partnerships and transactions with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Mr. Abel served as Chief Executive Officer of Corthera, Inc., from October 2007 through the successful sale of the company to Novartis in February 2010. Prior to joining Corthera, Mr. Abel was a founder and Chief Financial Officer of Cerexa, Inc. from its inception in July 2005 through the successful sale of the company to Forest Laboratories in January 2007. Prior to Cerexa‚ he was the Chief Financial Officer of Peninsula Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from January 2003 through the sale of the company to Johnson & Johnson in June 2005.

Earlier in his career‚ Mr. Abel spent four years at Eli Lilly and Company within the finance and strategy organizations. He also held a variety of financial leadership positions during his nine years at DowBrands‚ Inc., a wolly-owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. Mr. Abel received a B.S. in business from Indiana University (News - Alert) and an M.B.A.‚ with honors‚ from the University of Chicago.



Dr. Jay Evans, Board Member

Jay Evans is a Research Professor in the Division of Biological Sciences and Director of the proposed Center for Translational Medicine at the University of Montana. Prior to joining the DBS Faculty at the University of Montana, Dr. Evans worked in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry for 15 years at GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines (formerly Corixa Corporation) where he held various positions including Senior Scientist, Investigator and Project Leader. While at GSK Vaccines, Dr. Evans worked on the discovery and development of novel vaccines, adjuvants and immunotherapeutics. Dr. Evans completed is Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital working HIV immunology, stem cell transpllantion and lentiviral-based gene therapy systems. Dr. Evans holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Oregon State University and a B.S. in biology from Pacific Lutheran University.


Dr. Evans is also the President and CEO of Inimmune, a biotech company in Missoula, MT focused on the discovery and development of new immunomodulatory therapeutics for treatment of allergic diseases, upper respiratory tract infection, topical treatment of skin diseases and other diseases targeted through innate immune receptor activation or inhibition.

Tim Layton, Board Member

Tim Layton is a Senior Manager of State Government Affairs for Genentech. Mr. Layton is responsible for legislative outcomes affecting health polices for Genentech in seven Northwest states. Prior to joining Genetech, Mr. Layton spent seven years with the Washington State Medical Association where he was responsible for overseeing the association's legal, regulatory and legislative activities. Mr. Layton has a JD and Masters of Public of Administration from Syracuse University in New York. Mr. Layton spent the early part of his career practicing corporate law at two large internationally recognized firms in New York City and Washington, D.C. Mr. Layton now resides with his wife and three kids in Olympia, WA.

Mr. Layton has been at Genentech since 2013 when he joined Genetech's State Government Affairs team. He is in charge of all interactions on behalf of Genentech with state legislators, executive branch officials and state agencies and is responsible for legislative outcomes affecting health policies in seven Northwest states. As part of State Government Affairs, he works cross-portfolio with Genentech regionally based field teams and the larger Government Affairs team on issues of importance to Genentech. Mr. Layton is field-based out of Olympia, WA.

The Montana Bioscience Alliance serves as a hub for Montana's biotechnology companies, entrepreneurs, laboratories, hospitals, clinics and universities to commercialize, grow and sustain globally competitive bioscience companies - ultimately to create high-quality jobs and economic opportunity in Montana. Learn more at www.montanabio.org. The organization is the state affiliate of the international Biotechnology Innovation Organization www.bio.org.


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