Leadership
Isaac Cheng, M.D.
Dr. Cheng joined Morningside ventures in 2006 and focuses on biopharmaceutical and healthcare investments. He has served on numerous public and private company boards, including NuCana (NASDAQ: NCNA), Advanced Cell Diagnostics (sold to Bio-Techne), Liquidia Technologies, Meissa Vaccines, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Cognoa, Cognito Therapeutics, Atea Pharmaceuticals, Big Health, and Tallac Therapeutics.
Prior to joining Morningside, Dr. Cheng was Director of Research and Development at Serica Technologies, a Morningside portfolio company which was sold to Allergan. In addition, Dr. Cheng was previously an Associate Director at Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Clinical Development and Medical Affairs. Dr. Cheng received his M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine.
Jason Dinges, JD, PhD
Since February 2011, Dr. Dinges has served as an investment advisor at Morningside Technology Advisory LLC. Prior to that, Dr. Dinges was an associate attorney at Foley & Lardner LLP, practicing intellectual property law in the firm’s Chemical, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical practice group. Dr. Dinges also serves on the board of directors of various privately held biotechnology companies. Dr. Dinges received his Ph.D. degree in genetics from Iowa State University and a J.D. degree from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Scott Megaffin
Scott joined Adiso Therapeutics as Chief Executive Officer in January 2022, bringing more than 35 years of successful industry leadership, having held multiple senior executive, CEO and board director roles during his career at both Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and emerging biotechnology companies. Among Mr. Megaffin’s many career leadership roles, he previously served as the CEO of Adastra Pharmaceuticals Inc., a pioneer in the pursuit of better treatment options for high unmet need cancers, where he led the company from early informative to clinical-stage advancement of first-in-class clinical programs, and ultimately to its acquisition by Cothera Bioscience. Earlier, he served as a President of Churchill Pharmaceuticals, Inc., leading the organizational growth and development of a fully differentiated oral oncology asset for metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer through FDA approval and ultimately a transaction to Sun Pharma. Mr. Megaffin has held numerous global strategic and operational positions of increasing responsibility within Onconova, Schering-Plough, Yamanouchi, Pharmacia, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. During his career Scott has led six global drug development programs resulting in regulatory approvals. He possesses far reaching knowledge in a broad number of therapeutic categories including oncology, anti-infectives, inflammation, pain, critical care, and virology. Mr. Megaffin currently serves as a board member of Adastra and on the Board of Directors for BioNJ, the biotechnology and life science organization of New Jersey. Mr. Megaffin holds a B.S. in Biology from Pittsburg State University.
Scott Megaffin
Scott joined Adiso Therapeutics as Chief Executive Officer in January 2022, bringing more than 35 years of successful industry leadership, having held multiple senior executive, CEO and board director roles during his career at both Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and emerging biotechnology companies. Among Mr. Megaffin’s many career leadership roles, he previously served as the CEO of Adastra Pharmaceuticals Inc., a pioneer in the pursuit of better treatment options for high unmet need cancers, where he led the company from early informative to clinical-stage advancement of first-in-class clinical programs, and ultimately to its acquisition by Cothera Bioscience. Earlier, he served as a President of Churchill Pharmaceuticals, Inc., leading the organizational growth and development of a fully differentiated oral oncology asset for metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer through FDA approval and ultimately a transaction to Sun Pharma. Mr. Megaffin has held numerous global strategic and operational positions of increasing responsibility within Onconova, Schering-Plough, Yamanouchi, Pharmacia, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. During his career Scott has led six global drug development programs resulting in regulatory approvals. He possesses far reaching knowledge in a broad number of therapeutic categories including oncology, anti-infectives, inflammation, pain, critical care, and virology. Mr. Megaffin currently serves as a board member of Adastra and on the Board of Directors for BioNJ, the biotechnology and life science organization of New Jersey. Mr. Megaffin holds a B.S. in Biology from Pittsburg State University.