LEADERSHIP BIOS

Hojuhn Song, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Hojuhn is a biopharmaceutical leader and executive who has successfully led several R&D teams in start-up, and global large-pharmaceutical settings. His teams have progressed multiple novel agents through development in oncology, immune disorder, and neurodegeneration.
 
Before founding Pinetree Therapeutics, Inc, Hojuhn was a project team leader for novel target discovery in Functional Genomics and Developmental Molecular Pathway at Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research and successfully generated multiple clinical candidates in multiple therapeutic areas.
 
Hojuhn earned a Ph.D. in Genetics and Neurobiology at Oregon State University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Novartis AG. He received M.S in Genetics and a B.Sc. In Biology from Chungnam National University, S. Korea.
Steve Gillies
Chief Scientific Officer
Steve is a respected and well-known expert on recombinant antibodies and immunotherapy and has invented core platform technologies. During the course of his scientific career, Steve has led multiple therapeutic candidates into clinical development for the treatment of cancer and HIV/AIDS.

Previously Steve was founding President of Fuji ImmunoPharmaceuticals which later became Lexigen Pharmaceuticals. After its acquisition by Merck KGaA, he served as President of EMD Lexigen, now known as EMD Serono, and as the Global Head of Oncology Research. Steve earned his BS in microbiology from UMass-Amherst, and his MS and PhD in microbiology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He completed his post-doctoral
training at the MIT Center for Cancer Research.
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Josh Blacher, MBA
CFO
Mr. Blacher has served in senior financial leadership roles for 25+ years and is currently Managing Partner of Columbus Circle Capital, a strategic finance and corporate development advisory firm focused on the life sciences industry. Previously, he helped build and manage Teva Innovative Ventures, Teva Pharmaceuticals’ early-stage in-licensing and investment unit. Following his tenure at Teva, he served as CFO/CBO to three NASDAQ-traded biotechnology companies, the most recent of which was Inmed Pharmaceuticals. At Inmed, he championed and helped execute the company’s IPO, and managed its finance and accounting, business development and investor relations departments. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions in portfolio management at Deutsche Asset Management and equity research at Morgan Stanley, as well as in mergers & acquisitions at Lehman Brothers. He earned an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and BA in Economics from Yeshiva University.
Paul Rennert
Member, SAB
Paul is a top-tier Biotechnology Investigator and Executive with extensive strategic and leadership experience. He has demonstrated success from bench to bedside developing small molecules and biologics for oncology, autoimmunity, chronic inflammation and fibrosis. 
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Starting his outstanding career at Repligen and Biogen, Paul has an excellent track record of developing drugs, supported by multiple drug development campaigns with success, over 40 patents granted, and approximately 100 peer-reviewed publications. He is currently serving as President and CSO at Aleta Biotherapeutics and has been working together with Pinetree for many months as a consultant.
Pamela A. Trail
Member, SAB
Dr. Trail is an internationally recognized expert in oncology drug research and development with over 35 years of experience including antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T cell engagers, immunomodulatory antibodies, tumor-directed immune modulators and small molecule drugs.
Her work has led to multiple IND filings and four approved oncology drugs. Dr. Trail has published extensively and is a co-inventor on multiple small molecule and biologic based patents. Dr. Trail has held senior leadership roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bayer, Seattle Genetics, MedImmune, Regeneron and Molecular Partners.
Pinetree Therapeutics
West Cambridge Scientific Park
767C Concord Ave
Cambridge MA 02138

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