# Frank D. Lee

> Frank D. Lee is the Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of Pacira BioSciences, a specialty pharmaceutical company pioneering non-opioid pain management solutions. A 30-year industry veteran who immigrated to the United States from South Korea, Lee built his career across Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, and a 13-year tenure at Genentech where he oversaw $11 billion in global product sales. Before joining Pacira in January 2024, he led Forma Therapeutics through a transformative journey from drug-discovery startup to clinical-stage biotech, culminating in a $1.1 billion acquisition by Novo Nordisk in 2022. At Pacira, Lee is executing the '5x30' strategy - five bold objectives to transform the company into an innovative biopharma powerhouse by 2030, including advancing the PCRX-201 gene therapy for knee osteoarthritis, which has already earned FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Pacira BioSciences, Inc.
- **Organizations:** Pacira BioSciences, Inc., Bausch Health Companies, Inc., Lightstone Ventures
- **From:** South Korea
- **Nationality:** American (Korean-born)
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Wharton Graduate School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
- **Known for:** Led Forma Therapeutics through $1.1 billion acquisition by Novo Nordisk in 2022, Managed $11 billion in global portfolio sales during 13-year tenure at Genentech, Drove EXPAREL volume growth of 7% in Q1 2026 following the NOPAIN Act implementation

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Began pharmaceutical career at Eli Lilly, building manufacturing plants
- **1990s-2000s** — Held roles at Janssen and Novartis, ~13 years across all three companies
- **2000s** — Joined Genentech, leading oncology franchises including Herceptin and Xeloda
- **2010s** — Rose to SVP at Genentech overseeing immunology, ophthalmology, and infectious disease; managed $11B in global sales
- **2019** — Appointed CEO of Forma Therapeutics, leading transformation from early-stage discovery to clinical-stage biotech
- **2022-10** — Forma Therapeutics acquired by Novo Nordisk for $1.1 billion under Lee's leadership
- **2024-01** — Joined Pacira BioSciences as CEO and Board Director
- **2024** — Launched '5x30' strategic framework for Pacira's transformation by 2030
- **2025-02** — Pacira acquired GQ Bio Therapeutics, adding high-capacity adenovirus gene therapy platform
- **2025-04** — PCRX-201 Phase 2 study first patient dosed for osteoarthritis of the knee
- **2026-04** — Pacira reported Q1 2026 revenue of $177M, up 5% YoY

## Achievements

- Led Forma Therapeutics through $1.1 billion acquisition by Novo Nordisk in 2022
- Managed $11 billion in global portfolio sales during 13-year tenure at Genentech
- Drove EXPAREL volume growth of 7% in Q1 2026 following the NOPAIN Act implementation
- Advanced PCRX-201 gene therapy to Phase 2 clinical trials, the first gene therapy to earn RMAT designation for knee osteoarthritis
- Secured FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation for PCRX-201
- Secured EMA Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) designation for PCRX-201
- Advocated for and helped pass the NOPAIN Act, effective January 2025, mandating Medicare reimbursement for non-opioid pain medications
- Transformed Pacira from a commercial-stage specialty pharma company into an innovative biopharmaceutical organization
- Acquired GQ Bio Therapeutics in February 2025, adding novel HCAd gene therapy vector platform

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Pacira BioSciences reported Q1 2026 revenue of $177M, a 5% increase, with EXPAREL volume up 7%.
- **2026-02** — Pacira Q4 2025 earnings call; Lee discussed continued 5x30 strategy progress.
- **2025-06** — Pacira presented at BIO 2025, debuting a film on patient journey and pain innovation.
- **2025-04** — First patient dosed in Phase 2 study for PCRX-201 in knee osteoarthritis.
- **2025-02** — Pacira acquired GQ Bio Therapeutics GmbH, adding high-capacity adenovirus gene therapy platform.

## Links

- Website: https://www.pacira.com/company/leadership/frank-d-lee/
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-lee-pacira

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/frank-lee
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-16