Kratom: History, Science and Therapeutic Potential

Jack E. Henningfield, PhD, is Vice President, Research, Health Policy, and Abuse Liability at Pinney Associates, and Adjunct Professor, Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research and contributions to drug regulation and public policy have contributed to the development of medicines and other approaches for behavioral and CNS disorders and improved public health. He focuses on abuse liability and Controlled Substances Act (CSA) scheduling within the CSA Eight Factor Analysis of CNS-active substances. At NIDA, he led abuse potential assessments and developed drug scheduling recommendations in the Intramural Research Program in collaboration with FDA and DEA. He has contributed to comments to FDA on drug regulation and policy, and has written numerous books and monographs, and more than 500 published papers and reports for various governmental agencies and other organizations. His efforts have earned him a multitude of awards.

Chad E. Beyer, PhD, MBA is CEO of Kures, Inc, a clinical-stage company focused on addiction. With more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Beyer is a drug hunter with a successful record of discovering and developing disease-modifying medications. He was formerly CEO and SVP of R&D at Promentis Pharmaceuticals and the Head of Neurochemistry at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Beyer has led numerous preclinical and clinical teams, participated in the submission of 33 INDs, and contributed to the commercialization of two blockbuster medications: Effexor® and Pristiq®. Dr. Beyer holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from LSU Medical Center and an MBA from the Rutgers Business School and has served on the Board of Directors of various companies. Notably, Dr. Beyer has authored more than 70 manuscripts, co-edited the book entitled “Next Generation Antidepressants, co-founded the journal “Technology Transfer & Entrepreneurship, and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at Lafayette College.

Dr. Raffa is Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, and Professor Emeritus at Temple University School of Pharmacy, with master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Toxicology, and a doctorate in Pharmacology. He was a Research Fellow on the Scientific Ladder and Team Co-Leader for analgesics drug discovery in the CNS Group at Johnson & Johnson. He cofounded CaRafe Drug Innovation and Enalare Therapeutics, serving as the CSO of Neumentum Inc., and Advantx Pharmaceuticals, companies dedicated to developing non-opioid analgesics and treatment of overdoses. He is the co-holder of several patents, some on tramadol plus acetaminophen. He has published over 400 papers and pharmacological books. He is Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pain Research, and past president of the Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society of ASPET. He lectures and consults worldwide on pain pathways, analgesics, and novel sigma receptor/chaperone compounds, and a novel (BK channel) respiratory stimulant.