Kay Wagoner, PhD

Acting CEO & Director

Dr. P Kay Wagoner is Acting CEO and Board member of AnelleO, Inc. Dr. Wagoner has over 35 years of experience as a leader in health care and drug discovery. She is the former Founder, CEO and President of Icagen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company with R&D programs in sickle cell disease, epilepsy, atrial fibrillation, pain and memory disorders. At Icagen, Dr. Wagoner negotiated and led multi-million dollar strategic alliances with six major pharmaceutical companies. She took venture-backed Icagen public and led its acquisition by Pfizer Inc. Prior to Icagen, Dr. Wagoner held research management positions at Glaxo (GSK) and founded a not-for-profit cardiovascular company providing cardiovascular preventive and rehabilitation services. Today, this services company forms a valuable part of the UNC Wellness Center complex. Dr. Wagoner serves or has served on private, public and nonprofit boards of directors, e.g., AnelleO Inc, Med Aditus International and Med Aditus Pharmaceuticals, N.C Biotechnology Center, Biotechnology Industry Organization’s Emerging Companies, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Visitors and UNC School of Nursing Foundation. Kay has a Ph.D. in physiology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology at UNC. She has a master’s degree in nursing and is a certified clinical nurse specialist in cardiovascular diseases.