Dr. Erol Onel – Chief Medical Officer at Cali Biosciences

Dr. Erol Onel is a San Diego, California-based physician and pharmaceutical executive with more than 25 years of experience in new drug development, strategy, and clinical practice leadership. Most recently, Dr. Onel was the chief medical officer for Cali Biosciences, where he provided scientific leadership that enabled the company to achieve regulatory approval for its perioperative pharmaceutical products.

Erol Onel earned his M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1992 and subsequently joined the University of Connecticut Health Center as a resident in urology. Upon completing the six-year residency, he worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago as a clinical and research fellow in urology with emphasis on andrology and sexual dysfunction. Dr. Onel then spent four years as an assistant professor of urology and pathology and chief of the Division of Andrology and Sexual Dysfunction at Tufts University/New England Medical Center.

After spending two years as managing partner of a private urology practice, Dr. Onel joined Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals as a senior associate director for clinical operations in 2005. He spent a year with the global biopharmaceutical company and managed multi-million-dollar projects under budget and ahead of schedule. Erol Onel was senior medical director at Ferring Pharmaceuticals from 2008 to 2008, following which he spent seven years at Pacira Pharmaceuticals.

Working as the specialty pharmaceutical company’s vice president of clinical research and medical information, Erol Onel oversaw a team of 12 M.D.s, R.N.s, and academics responsible for developing and receiving FDA approval for non-opioid pain management treatments. Prior to joining Cali Biosciences, he served as vice president of clinical research at Heron Therapeutics.

In this capacity, Dr. Onel oversaw 28 staff and reported to the biotechnology company’s chief medical officer. He authored launch strategies, development plans, training materials, and study protocols to receive regulatory approval for non-opioid combination products in both the United States and Europe. He also regularly attended international industry conferences and meetings of professional associations, where he presented manuscripts and abstracts on behalf of the company.

Erol Onel has received several awards throughout his career, including Teacher of the Year: Gender Equity Award from the American Medical Women’s Association and First Prize in the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Award.