Our Team

Dr. Ren Homan, Ph.D. (Founder) is an experienced biotech entrepreneur with 30 years of drug discovery and development experience at Parke-Davis, Pfizer, and Esperion Therapeutics. Ren co-founded AlphaCore Pharma in 2007 with 2 partners to develop an enzyme replacement therapy and co-led the successful exit to AstraZeneca in 2013. Ren is the Chief Scientific Officer, responsible for developing and leading the research plan for advancing projects from concept and laboratory work to treatment of patients.

Dr. Homan and Dr. Bill Elliott co-founded Peptinovo Biopharma in 2014. The founding originated from the joint realization that Dr. Homan’s experience in the natural nanoparticles (lipoproteins) transporting fats in the blood and Dr. Elliott’s extensive experience in cancer drug discovery and development could result in a nanoparticle technology capable of making leading chemotherapy drugs less toxic and yet more effective. Their confidence to move ahead and establish Peptinovo Biopharma to address the problem was bolstered by each one’s experience as co-founders of earlier, successful biotech startups. Their joint effort has created a unique nanoparticle formed with proprietary peptides and phospholipids that has proven to be capable of safer and more effective chemotherapy in vivo. In tandem, they invented unique prodrug forms of common chemotherapy drugs that are best suited for their nanoparticle technology.

Dr. Homan’s professional experience is an asset. He is a seasoned biotech entrepreneur with nearly three decades of experience in the discovery and development of new drugs and biopharmaceuticals to treat cardiovascular disease. He devoted the first part of his research career to the discovery and development of lipid-regulating molecules and biologics at Parke-Davis, Pfizer and Esperion Therapeutics. He led the discovery research group for HDL-mimetics and mimetic peptides at Esperion/Pfizer. In 2007 he partnered with colleagues to found AlphaCore Pharma, a biotech company seeking to develop a recombinant enzyme therapy for cardiovascular disease and an orphan disease. That enterprise culminated with a successful exit to Astra-Zeneca in 2013. Dr. Homan has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and chapters on topics of pharmacology, biochemistry and the biophysics of lipids and lipoproteins. He is an inventor on 12 patents or patent applications. He earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook followed by post-doctoral training at Baylor College of Medicine.