Pacira is the leading provider of non-opioid pain management and regenerative health solutions dedicated to advancing and improving patient outcomes

Mr. Lee joined Pacira as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors in January 2024. An accomplished biopharmaceutical leader, Mr. Lee brings thirty years of global experience and a strong track record of product development and commercial success across both small biotech and large pharmaceutical organizations. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of publicly traded Forma Therapeutics from March 2019 until its acquisition by Novo Nordisk in October 2022. During his tenure at Forma, Mr. Lee transformed the organization from an early-stage drug discovery company into one focused on the clinical development of lead assets in rare hematologic disorders and cancer. Prior to Forma, Mr. Lee served as Senior Vice President, Global Product Strategy and Therapeutic Area Head for Immunology, Ophthalmology and Infectious Diseases at Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. He was responsible for driving the global development and commercialization strategy for the late-stage portfolio, and for global portfolio product sales of $11 billion. Mr. Lee’s 13-year tenure at Genentech included leadership positions of increasing scope and responsibility focused on delivering transformative medicines to patients and driving the growth of multiple in oncology, immunology and ophthalmology products to blockbuster/multi-blockbuster status. Prior to Genentech, Mr. Lee spent approximately 13 years across Novartis, Janssen and Eli Lilly. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Wharton Graduate School of Business. Mr. Lee currently serves as Director of Bausch Health Companies, Inc. (NYSE: BHC) and as an Advisor to Lightstone Ventures.

Mr. Hastings has served as a director since June 2011 and as our Lead Director since June 2013. In December 2023, Mr. Hastings was appointed as the Chair of our board of directors. Mr. Hastings has served as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a Director of Nkarta Therapeutics, Inc, (Nasdaq: NKTX) since February 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Hastings served as the President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMED) (“OncoMed”), a clinical development-stage biopharmaceutical company, from January 2006 until January 2018. In August 2013, he was elected Chairman of the board of directors of OncoMed. Prior to joining OncoMed, Mr. Hastings was President and Chief Executive Officer of QLT, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of ocular products. Before this role, Mr. Hastings served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Axys”), which was acquired by Celera Corporation in 2001. Prior to Axys, Mr. Hastings was President of Chiron Biopharmaceuticals and also held a variety of management positions of increasing responsibility at Genzyme Corporation, including President of Genzyme Therapeutics Europe and President of Worldwide Therapeutics. Mr. Hastings was Chairman of the board of directors of Proteolix (sold to Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and Proteon Therapeutics, Inc., as well as a member of the board of directors of each of ViaCell Inc. (sold to PerkinElmer, Inc.), Relypsa, Inc. (sold to Galencia AG), and ViaCyte, Inc. (sold to Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) Mr. Hastings currently serves as a Director of enGene Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENGN) and chair emeritus of the board of directors of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). He received a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Bigal is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ventus Therapeutics and brings extensive experience in neurology to the Pacira Board of Directors. He has published over 330 peer-reviewed papers in the field of neurology, as well as five books. He has been recognized by the American Academy of Neurology with the Harold G. Wolff Award for excellence in research in neurology.

Dr. Bigal has over 15 years of pharmaceutical experience spanning research and development; medical affairs; and scientific affairs. Prior to Ventus, he was CMO and Head of Specialty Research and Development at Teva Pharmaceuticals, as well as CMO at Labrys Biologicals, leading the team that developed fremanezumab (AJOVY^®) for several forms of migraine, as well as deutetrabenazine (AUSTEDO^®) for the treatment of Huntington's disease and tardive dyskinesia, as well as other medicines in neurology, psychiatry, pain, and respiratory diseases approved in the US, Canada, and EU.

Prior to his work in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Bigal was a faculty member at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, as well as the Director of Research at New England Center for Headache and Director of Research at Montefiore Headache Center.

Ms. Brege has served as a director since June 2011. Since April 2018, Ms. Brege has served as Senior Advisor to BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBIO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on genetic diseases. From September 2015 to June 2018, Ms. Brege served as Managing Director of Cervantes Life Science Partners, LLC., a health care advisory and consulting company. From September 2012 to July 2015, Ms. Brege served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Nodality, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company focused on oncology and immunology. Previously, Ms. Brege held the roles of Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and Head of Corporate Affairs at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Onyx”), a biopharmaceutical company that developed and marketed medicines for the treatment of cancer. Prior to joining Onyx in 2006, Ms. Brege was a General Partner at Red Rock Capital Management, a venture capital firm, and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at COR Therapeutics, Inc. Ms. Brege currently serves as a director of Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ACAD), Edgewise Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: EWTX), HLS Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX: HLS), and Mirum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MIRM). She previously served as a member of the board of directors of Aratana Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PETX) from February 2014 until March 2019, Dynavax Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: DVAX) from February 2015 to February 2020, and Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTLA) from January 2015 to July 2020. Ms. Brege earned her undergraduate degree from Ohio University and has an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Mr. Ceesay brings nearly two decades of biopharmaceutical industry experience to the Pacira Board of Directors. He is currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Rapport Therapeutics. Before Rapport, he served as President of Cerevel Therapeutics from May 2021 through February 2023, and was previously Chief Executive Officer of Tiburio Therapeutics, where he built a fully integrated company that led to the investigational new drug enablement for a rare neuroendocrine tumor. Prior to joining Tiburio, Mr. Ceesay held positions including Chief Operating Officer at scPharmaceuticals, Head of Commercial at Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Vice President of Marketing at Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, and roles of increasing responsibility at Sanofi, formerly Genzyme. Mr. Ceesay serves as Chairman of the Board for Life Science Cares and on the Board of Trustees at The Museum of Science in Boston.

Governor Chris Christie has served as a director since September 2019. Chris Christie was inaugurated as the 55th Governor of the State of New Jersey on January 19, 2010. He was re-elected in November of 2013 and served two full terms as Governor. He left office in January of 2018

During his time in office, Governor Christie emphasized the issues of fiscal responsibility, pension and health benefit reform, education reform and the opioid crisis gripping his state and the nation. He also devised the state’s landmark response to Superstorm Sandy, leading the rebuilding of the New Jersey’s housing, infrastructure and public schools and setting a bi-partisan example for storm recovery.

On March 29, 2017, President Donald J. Trump appointed Governor Christie as Chairman of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. Governor Christie led the Commission on a seven-month investigation of this issue, holding hearings around the country. Prior to his service as Governor, he served as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey from January 2002 to December 2008.

Governor Christie authored “Let Me Finish,” a political and personal autobiography, which was published by Hachette Books in January 2019. The book premiered at number five on The New York Times best seller list and stayed on the list for an additional three weeks. He is now a Senior Legal and Political Commentator for ABC News, the Managing Member of the Christie Law Firm and Christie 55 Solutions, LLC in Morristown, NJ, and was appointed to the board of directors of the New York Mets in March 2021.

Governor Christie holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Delaware and earned his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. He is also a recipient of Honorary Doctoral degrees from Rutgers University, University of Delaware, Seton Hall University, Monmouth University, and Centenary College.

Governor Christie married his wife Mary Pat in 1986. They have four children: Andrew, Sarah, Patrick and Bridget. They currently reside in Mendham and Bay Head, New Jersey.

Mark I. Froimson, MD has served as a director since June 2017. He is currently a Principal at Riverside Health Advisors, a consulting company that provides strategic advice and services to health care executive leaders. Mr. Froimson is the past President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS). Prior to that, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of Trinity Health, a major national non-profit Catholic healthcare system comprising 93 hospitals in 22 states. Before his executive leadership position at Trinity Health, Dr. Froimson was president and chief executive officer of Euclid Hospital, a Cleveland Clinic Hospital. Dr. Froimson served as a staff surgeon in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic for over 16 years, during which time he held a variety of leadership positions including president of the professional staff, vice chair of the Orthopedic and Rheumatologic Institute, and member of the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees.

Dr. Froimson received a Bachelor of Science in philosophy from Princeton University, an M.D. from Tulane University School of Medicine and an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Business at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Kronenfeld has served as a director since June 2013. Dr. Kronenfeld has been the Chairman of Anesthesiology at Maimonides Medical Center, a large tertiary care academic medical center in New York City, since January 2022, was the Vice Chairman from March 2009 to January 2022, and has served as Medical Director of Perioperative Services for Maimonides Medical Center since January 2011. Dr. Kronenfeld is the Managing Partner of Anesthesia Associates of Boro Park, a private medical practice in Anesthesiology and Pain Management. Dr. Kronenfeld currently serves on the Board as a member of the Scientific Committee of HBM Healthcare Investments and as a Scientific and Medical Advisor and Board Observer of Nanowear Inc., a private medical device, digital monitoring company. In 2001, Dr. Kronenfeld founded Ridgemark Capital Management ("Ridgemark"), a healthcare-focused hedge fund that invested in public and private healthcare and biomedical companies. He served as the Managing Partner and Portfolio Manager of Ridgemark from April 2001 to December 2008. Dr. Kronenfeld has founded and/or managed various consulting and investment companies focused on healthcare and medical technologies and has served on and chaired multiple leadership committees for various hospitals and medical centers. Previously, Dr. Kronenfeld taught and practiced adult and pediatric cardiac anesthesia at New York University ("NYU") and was Chief of Cardiac Anesthesiology at Hackensack University Medical Center and was Founder and President of GMS Anesthesia Associates, a private medical practice. Dr. Kronenfeld received his B.A. in Biology from SUNY Buffalo and his M.D. degree and completed his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and completed a fellowship in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology at New York University Medical Center. While an Assistant Professor and Attending Cardiac Anesthesiologist at NYU, Dr. Kronenfeld received and completed a Kellogg-sponsored Fellowship in Heath Care Management for Future Leaders in Health Care at NYU's Graduate School of Management.

Dr. Wicki has served as a director since our inception in December 2006. Dr. Wicki is a life sciences entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Dr. Wicki has been Chief Executive Officer of HBM Healthcare Investments (Cayman) Ltd. (formerly HBM BioVentures AG) since 2001. From 1998 to 2001, Dr. Wicki was the Senior Vice President of European Analytical Operations at MDS Inc. From 1990 to 1998, he was co-owner and Chief Executive Officer of ANAWA Laboratorien AG and Clinserve AG, two life sciences contract research companies. From 2007 to 2011, he served as a member of the board of directors of PharmaSwiss SA. Previously, Dr. Wicki held board positions on several privately-held companies and companies listed on international exchanges. Dr. Wicki holds an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Bern, Switzerland. He currently serves on the board of directors of Buchler GmbH, Harmony Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRMY), HBM Healthcare Investments (Cayman) Ltd., and HBM BioCapital Ltd., and served on the board of Viela Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIE) from June 2019 until it was acquired in March of 2022.

Mr. Yang has more than 20 years of broad commercialization and senior level leadership experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies, where he launched new platforms, expanded global revenues, and diversified product lines. He most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of ViaCyte, which was acquired by Vertex in 2022. Prior to ViaCyte, Mr. Yang was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Acadia Pharmaceuticals from 2017 to 2021. During his tenure, Acadia transformed the standard of care for patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis. Prior to Acadia, Mr. Yang was President of Janssen Biotech Inc., where was responsible for building Janssen's U.S. immunology business, generating more than $8 billion in annual revenues.

Ms. Young is currently Chief Financial Officer of Bicycle Therapeutics. Previously, Ms. Young was Chief Financial Officer at Graphite Bio, and prior to that, she served as Senior Biotech Analyst and Head of Research at Cantor Fitzgerald, managing the Equity Research Department covering small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap biotechnology companies. Before joining Cantor Fitzgerald in 2018, Ms. Young held senior biotech analyst positions at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank. Earlier in her career, she was a research policy analyst and President at Marwood Group, providing healthcare-focused advisory services to institutional investors. She began her career at J.P. Morgan in the investment banking and asset management divisions.