Michael Martin

Mike Martin, who most recently served as Chief Operating Officer, has spearheaded all of our business development efforts, including partner management, out-licensing, in-licensing, and our ongoing corporate development work, including bringing critical business perspectives to our current patent estate. Mike has also served as the company’s executive team project lead for our ocular program since its inception within Aurinia. In addition to being one of the co-founders of Aurinia, Mike was previously CEO and Director of the privately held Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc., which merged with Isotechnika back in 2013, helping to bring the company into a structure capable of advancing voclosporin towards an approval. Mike spearheaded a tremendously complex transaction within a tripartite settlement agreement to form the modern-day Aurinia. This provided the foundation for Aurinia to close multiple financing rounds over the past seven years. During the early days Aurinia, he was a key player in multiple early-stage bridge financing rounds that were necessary for the company’s survival. Mike joined Aurinia after working for Vifor Pharma where he was Director, Global Business Development & Licensing. Prior to Vifor, Michael was a key member of the business development team that saw Aspreva sold to Galenica for $915 million. Upon joining Aspreva in 2004, Mike initiated the global strategic launch planning process for CellCept® in “less-common” autoimmune diseases, including lupus nephritis. Prior to this, Mike was already a seasoned pharma executive holding a variety of progressively senior commercial positions at Schering-Plough, including being responsible for the Immunology Business Unit in France, which included the launch of Remicade® across multiple indications. Michael started his career in the industry in the sales organization of Schering-Plough, where he received multiple awards and recognition while rapidly progressing towards the prior mentioned roles.