Andy Kelson Email & Phone Number

San Jose

Direct preclinical research and drug development of novel gallium-based antibiotics. Primary responsibility involves overall management of gallium R&D program, fulfilling role of technical lead for multi-year contracts with NIAID and the CF Foundation. Additional responsibilities include managing GMP manufacturing and analytical programs at external CROs and CRLs, managing drug supplies for IND-enabling GLP toxicology studies, preparing regulatory filings with the FDA, patent applications, corporate presentations, and monthly company reports to clients.AccomplishmentsoIdentified lead candidate and developed a simple synthetic procedure for production of material at a 1Kg scale for R&D studiesTransfer synthetic method to CMO for production of over 10Kg of API under GMP of the lead clinical candidate (AR-501) for use in GLP nonclinical IND-enabling testing and manufacture of drug substance for clinical studies.Management of analytical program at vendors for phase appropriate, validated methods for API and drug product.Management of CRLs for testing of drug levels in nonclinical and clinical samplesSetup and management of ongoing stability programs for API and drug substancesPrepare CMC and Nonclinical sections of IND application for AR-501.Present data on a regular basis to senior staff, clients, consultants, and CROs/CMOs.Supervised discovery project team to investigate potential new gallium-based antibiotics (siderophores).Helped establish animal pharmacology laboratory for in vivo studies.Member of company IACUC teamInstallation and administration of electronic notebook system (Labguru)Set up and administration of online data management (e.g. Box) for employees and external consultantsOperate, maintain, and train staff on laboratory equipment – AAnalyst 800 GFAAS, Analytical HPLC and IC systems.

Directed and executed all stages of preclinical research and drug development for internal discovery programs. Primary responsibility involved leading and mentoring direct reports, both Ph.D. and B.S. level, on a wide variety of drug discovery and development projects. Additional requirements included ability to effectively collaborate with scientists from other scientific disciplines both internally and externally, as well as contribute to patent applications, corporate presentations, and company reports.

Responsible for design and synthesis of novel antimicrobial agents for treatment of biologically engineered pathogens using parallel medicinal chemistry methods for preparation of libraries of compounds for biological testing. Initiated program to develop biologically active analogs of a natural antibiotic using microwave synthetic techniques. Set up and supervised external projects for chemistry and formulation studies.

Designed and synthesized novel kinase inhibitors using parallel medicinal chemistry methods for the preparation of libraries of compounds for biological testing. Worked with the computational chemistry and biological screening groups to determine structure activity relationship (SAR) for this new class of kinase inhibitors.

Managed scientific staff (Ph.D. and B.S.) on various internal and external drug discovery and development projects. Projects required continual client liaison, preparing technical reports and proposals, mentoring of staff, and effective collaboration with scientists from other disciplines. Three projects resulted in the discovery of compounds that entered clinical trials.

Postdoctoral work with Professor W. S. Johnson, Stanford University, CA, on the synthesis of novel nucleophiles to combine with chiral acetals for the preparation of optically active compactin and mevinolin analogues for the treatment of high cholesterol.

Postdoctoral work with Professor A. G. M. Barrett, Northwestern University, IL, on the synthesis of paracylophanes.

Phd, Organic Chemistry

Bsc, Chemistry