nanoTox, the first
company to provide complete risk analysis and profiling exclusively for nanoparticles,
announced today that C. Richard Piazza has joined the board of directors of
its parent company Nano Risk Assessment, Inc. Mr. Piazza is founder and CEO
of private equity firm La Jolla Capital Partners, LLC and an established leader
in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
"We look forward to gaining from Mr. Piazza’s vast knowledge,"
said Harry Bushong, president of nanoTox. "With his decades of experience
leading prominent biotech and pharmaceutical companies to profitability, Mr.
Piazza’s insights and direction will be instrumental in assuring the success
of nanoTox."
Mr. Piazza’s extensive experience includes 37 years in healthcare, 16
years in pharmaceuticals and biotech and 21 years in regulated medical devices.
Thirty-two years of his career were spent as CEO and in general management for
both public and private companies directing turnarounds, takeovers and complex
strategies to increase revenues, profitability and market share.
Mr. Piazza formed La Jolla Capital Partners, LLC (LCP) in 2004 to help biotech,
pharmaceutical and medical device companies secure venture capital funding,
helping companies and VCs navigate critical early development stages. During
his tenure with LCP, Mr. Piazza also served as interim Chairman & CEO for
biotechnology drug company Chemokine Therapeutics during a key management transition
period, preparing the company for its Phase II trials.
Mr. Piazza also was president of Biolectron, Inc., an internationally renowned
private high-tech orthopedic research and manufacturing company; president and
CEO of Radius Health System Services & Supplies, a $150 million, multi-division
business providing comprehensive healthcare services; president of private startup
Stimetics; and CEO of Smith & Nephew Pharmaceuticals and VitaGen, the developer
of the world’s first bioartificial liver.
In addition to nanoTox, Mr. Piazza serves on the boards of BioHouston, LipoNova,
Zetiq Technologies (Director), GynTec (Chairman), Nexus Health Systems and Traumatec.
He is an advisor to the MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Technology Transfer.
Mr. Piazza attended the State University of New York, where he received undergraduate
degrees in Business Administration, Economics and Speech Pathology and his Masters
Degree in Economics.