Biography

Dr. Paya has a distinguished track record of leadership in academic medicine and in large-cap pharma and mid-cap biotech and start-up companies, with a focus on strategic execution, pipeline growth, product life cycle management and global product launches, as well as successful public and private fundraises. He currently serves as a director of Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Chairman of Fluidigm Corporation, and Executive Chairman at Highlight Therapeutics, and Senior Advisor to Abingworth. Previously, he was president, chief executive officer and board member of Immune Design Corp., a late-stage immunotherapy company, from May 2011 until its acquisition by Merck & Co., Inc. in April 2019. He was the President at Elan Pharmaceuticals and vice-president at Eli Lilly and Co. leading discovery research and late-stage clinical development.

Prior to his industry roles, Dr. Paya spent nearly a decade at the Mayo Clinic-Rochester, including as professor of medicine, immunology and pathology and vice dean of the clinical investigation program.

Dr. Paya received his medical and doctorate degrees from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid Medical School, and completed his specialty training in Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. He was a research scientist in a post-doctoral position at Institute Pasteur in Paris and completed the advanced management program at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.