Richard W. Pascoe

Richard W. Pascoe has been a Director and served as Apricus Biosciences, Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer since March 2013, and has served as the company’s Secretary since February 2015. Mr. Pascoe joined the company following the merger of Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. with Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Mr. Pascoe was the Chief Executive Officer of Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from August 2008 until joining the company and was responsible for the FDA approval of its lead drug SILENOR. Prior to Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mr. Pascoe was with ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company where he was most recently Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining that company in 2005, Mr. Pascoe held a series of senior management roles at King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (acquired by Pfizer Inc.), including Senior Vice President positions in both marketing and sales, as well as Vice President positions in both international sales and marketing and hospital sales. Prior to that, Mr. Pascoe was in the commercial groups at Medco Research, Inc. (acquired by King), COR Therapeutics, Inc. (acquired by Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., the Takeda Oncology Company), B. Braun Interventional and The BOC Group. Mr. Pascoe is a member of the board of directors of KemPharm, Inc., as well as a member of the company’s audit and compensation committees and its lead independent director. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of Biocom and the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, a charity for military veterans. Mr. Pascoe served as a Commissioned Officer with the U.S. Army 24th Infantry Division. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he received a B.S. degree in leadership.