leadership
confidence high
sentiment positive
materiality 0.65
Vesicor Therapeutics appoints Michael Tolentino as CEO; Luo Feng becomes CSO
Black Hawk Acquisition Corp
- Michael Tolentino, M.D., appointed CEO of Vesicor Therapeutics, the de-SPAC target of Black Hawk Acquisition (Nasdaq: BKHA, BKHAU, BKHAR), effective March 17, 2026.
- Tolentino succeeds founder Luo Feng, who becomes Chief Scientific Officer; Tolentino brings 20+ years biotech experience including inventing Avastin and co-founding Aviceda ($207.5M Series C).
- Employment agreement: 3-year term, $48k base salary (subject to increase if Vesicor raises $5M), severance of 2x salary plus bonus, non-compete for 1 year post-termination.
- Tolentino aims to accelerate IND-enabling studies and FDA submission for Vesicor's p53-based cancer therapeutics developed with precision-engineered microvesicles.
- Tolentino also serves as co-founder/CEO of Avdarna Therapeutics and co-founder/CDO of Aikium; he previously led Acuity Pharmaceuticals (merged into OPKO Health).
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