Kirk Barnes is the Co-Founder of TransPharMed, a consulting firm focused on business development and commercialization for healthcare and health care focused start-ups. He has a life sciences background with experience related to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, nanotechnology, diagnostic, digital health and medical device industries. Kirk has a broad background encompassing leadership, sales, sales excellence coaching and training, business development, global marketing, lobbying and managed markets. Currently, Kirk also serves as a Start-Up Catalyst for new and emerging healthcare and digital health start-ups at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) incubator housed at the Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA, where he recently raised the funds to launch its first Healthcare Technology Program.
Kirk served in various positions of increasing responsibility for the following companies in the pharma/ biotech sector: Inventiv Health, Zogenix, Takeda, Janssen Biotech and Pfizer. Therapeutic categories included endocrinology, cardiology, pain management, central nervous system disorders, oncology and hematology. During his time in the pharma/biotech sector, Kirk helped to launch several blockbuster drugs in the diabetes and oncology therapeutic areas.
Kirk was also a Global Business Development Executive for the NanoProfessor & NanoGuardian divisions of NanoInk, a private equity funded start-up company commercializing research-based nanotechnology from Northwestern University. Kirk marketed innovative anti-counterfeiting solutions to pharmaceutical, defense, consumer and medical device companies in the US, EU and Asia. Furthermore, Kirk led lobbying efforts that contributed to the first draft of the FDA REMS for Long-Acting Opioids, US Health Import Safety Legislation and the E.U. Falsified Medicines Directive. He served as a Board Member of the International Authentication Association (IAA), which monitored and provided guidance regarding authentication techniques and counterfeiting trends.
Kirk continues to serve as a Together.Health Steering Committee Member (Founded under leadership from HHS/ONC), Coulter Foundation Oversight Committee Member, TAG Health Board Member, GA BIO Commercialization Committee Member, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce BioScience Council Member and a Board Observer for Patientory (Blockchain Digital Health Company). Kirk holds a B.A. in Economics from Florida A&M University.
Connect with Kirk on LinkedIn.
Arletha Livingston is the Director of Innovations Learning Laboratory and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine with Morehouse School of Medicine.
