Kirk V. Shepard

Kirk Shepard, M.D.

Dr. Shepard has served as Chief Medical Officer of PDS Biotech since January 2024. He also co-edited and was an author on the MAPS Medical Affairs Textbook entitled Medical Affairs: The Roles, Value and Practice of Medical Affairs in the Biopharmaceutical and Medical Technology Industries published in 2024. Prior to PDS Biotech, Dr. Shepard was Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs Oncology at Eisai Inc. Dr. Shepard has served in leadership positions at companies that have included Takeda, Boehringer Ingelheim, Baxter, and Baxalta. Dr. Shepard’s experience in multiple therapeutic areas includes operational and strategic product development from Phases 1 through 4 and the diverse disciplines of commercialization, clinical development, and medical affairs, such as real world evidence (RWE), health economics outcomes research (HEOR) & patient access, Investigator-Initiated Research, field-based medical teams (MSLs), leading compliance and SOP/policy efforts, PV/safety, medical communication, publications, digital strategy & initiatives, patient advocacy, and public relations. Dr. Shepard received his fellowship Oncology and Hematology training at the University of Chicago Medical Center and then was on the Hematology-Oncology staff at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation before transitioning to the pharmaceutical industry. He published over 50 scientific papers. In 2015, he was selected as one of the 100 Most Inspiring People in the Pharmaceutical Industry (PharmaVOICE). He is a co-founder of the Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS), served on the Board of Directors, and in 2016-17 was President of MAPS. MAPS now has more than 15,000 members worldwide. He received his BA from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where he was on the varsity football team.