Building Medicine with Corazón
Boricua Bio blends science and corazón to forge transformative medicine. Together, we accelerate the next generation of drugs, devices, and digital health breakthroughs. We dare to build medicine differently, infusing high-tech methods with the warmth of our Caribbean corazón.
Global Science, Island Soul.
Born in Puerto Rico and inspired by its spirit of innovation, Boricua Bio unites modern drug development, biotechnology, digital medicine, and scientific strategy to advance life-changing health solutions.
Boricua Bio was born in Puerto Rico, guided by the belief that innovation is inseparable from community. In our culture, progress must serve people, not just profit. That ethos — science with corazón — defines our mission from day one.
As both a proud part of the United States and the Caribbean, Puerto Rico sits at a crossroads of American innovation and island creativity. From this unique vantage, we harness world-class science, clinical rigor, and compassionate purpose to turn discoveries into care. “Boricua” embodies the Puerto Rican spirit — and for us, it’s more than a name. It’s a commitment to channel the island’s famed ingenuity and resilience into every endeavor.
From concept to commercialization, we fuse technology with soul to build the future of medicine. This is innovation grounded in heritage, merging cutting-edge biotech with the heart of Puerto Rico.
Our Offerings
Boricua Bio operates on three aligned pillars:
- Consulting Firm: We partner with pharma, biotech and digital health companies to design and execute development strategies that are bold, efficient and visionary.
- Biopharma Incubator: We nurture internal and partner-led ventures, turning ideas into investable assets and therapies that scale.
- Innovation Collective: We build a community of scientists, clinicians, technologists and creators who believe in equitable, island-anchored biomedical innovation.
Whether guiding a novel molecule, biologic, device, or digital solution, we integrate data, design, and heart at every step. Our team works across all development phases — from early discovery and clinical trials to regulatory approval, launch, and real-world impact — ensuring innovative ideas become actual therapies for patients. This comprehensive, heart-forward approach lets us accelerate innovation responsibly while never losing sight of those we serve.
We advise industry partners and incubate our own breakthrough projects. Through consulting or co-development, we tailor our involvement to your needs — always with a focus on blending technique and corazón to build value and impact.
Scientific & Clinical Consulting
Expert guidance on research strategy and clinical development plans
Clinical Trial Design & Development
Designing highly-efficient trials and advanced methodologies for meaningful results
Medical Affairs & Scientific Communications
Bridging science and storytelling to educate, engage, and publish to hit KPIs
Integrated Evidence Generation
Real-world data, health economics, and outcomes research to demonstrate real value
Regulatory Strategy & Compliance
Navigating FDA, global health authorities, and regulations with precision and ethics
Therapeutic Brand & Portfolio Strategy
Positioning treatments and pipelines for maximum impact and reach
Clinical Operations Optimization
Streamlining trial operations and processes for quality, speed, and cost
Business Development
Connecting pharma/biotech, health, and tech partners to fuel growth and collaborations
Therapeutic Platform & System Design
Architecting the frameworks for novel drug delivery and care platforms
Software & Platform as a Service (SaaS & PaaS)
Leveraging digital health technology to scale solutions and engagement
Our People
Boricua Bio is led by Dr. Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, a neurologist-neuroscientist who has spent over 20 years turning science into hope for patients. Trained at the Cleveland Clinic and Massachusetts General Hospital, he has helped launch more than a dozen new treatments to market, pioneering advances in neurology, psychiatry, oncology, cardiometabolics, immunology, and rare disease. Dr. Lakhan has guided innovation at major pharmaceutical companies (Sage, Neurocrine. Zogenix), cutting-edge biotechs (Fern, Click, Lin), and advanced drug platform companies (SpineThera, Franelle, Neurocentrx). Honored by the White House, US Congress, and Harvard Medical School for his contributions to service and innovation, he champions breakthroughs that balance precision with purpose — building medicine with corazón.
But our tribe is far more than one founder. We are a collective of physicians, scientists, technologists, strategists and advocates who share a singular ethos: pioneering bold science anchored in cultural intelligence and island-born resilience. From our founding partner James Rice, MSN, FNP, to our AI-augmented insight platform, Boricua Bio AI, every member brings deep expertise and a shared commitment to challenge the status quo for the sake of patients and community.
Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD
Founder
Board-Certified Neurologist and Pain Medicine Physician
James Rice, MSN, FNP
Founding Partner
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Boricua Bio, AI
AI Partner
Uniting artificial and human intelligence for maximal insights
Let’s Build Medicine Together
We welcome biotech and pharma innovators, digital health pioneers, investors, and academic/government allies to join us in our mission. If you share our passion for disruptive science with soul, let’s connect to make a difference.
Reach out at shaheen@boricua.bio, visit our office in San Juan (1350 Ave Ashford, Unit 3A, San Juan, PR 00907, USA), or fill out our the form below. We respond to every inquiry within a few hours.
Together, we’ll turn groundbreaking ideas into life-changing realities. Through global science and island soul, let’s building medicine with corazón.
