Program and chemistry lead for oncology drug discovery programs.

Program leader and/or medicinal chemistry lead for multiple CNS and immunology programs:• Led and contributed to program strategies, budgeting, planning, and execution. Worked across functions to drive programs forward and generate critical data.• Led chemistry exploration for early and late-stage drug discovery programs. Designed and prioritized molecules to improve potency, selectivity, and DMPK properties. Managed CRO teams (up to 35 FTEs) responsible for compound synthesis and characterization. • Supervised and mentored junior medicinal chemists. • Contributed to recruitments, implemented key strategy and grew Sage medicinal chemistry team and capabilities.

Key member of medicinal chemistry teams for 2 tumor metabolism projects:• Designed and developed library protocols to elucidate SAR for various chemical series spanning hit identification, hit-to-lead, and lead optimization drug discovery programs.• Led chemistry efforts and played key role to move one program into development candidate stage. • Coordinated chemistry efforts between FORMA and collaborator chemistry teams. Designed key compounds to address toxicity issues associated with leading series.Worked on 3 epigenetic targets and led chemistry efforts for one program:• Played key role in 3 programs and contributed to improve potency, isoform selectivity and physicochemical properties for the leading chemical series.• Made key contribution to advance leading chemistry series to development candidate stage for one prgram.• Led internal and external chemistry efforts (14 total FTEs). Designed new targets and provided insight towards successful troubleshooting difficult chemistry challenges.• Discovered and advanced one unique chemical series with desired activity, selectivity and physicochemical properties. Supported a successful PK/PD study that demonstrated proof-of-mechanism in tumor xenografts.• Spearheaded SAR development of a chemistry series with novel Zinc binding group (ZBG). Improved potency, selectivity and identified compounds with excellent PK properties and good cell activity.Led chemistry efforts of 3 early discovery projects and successfully transitioned one into hit-to-lead stage:• Triaged hits from high-throughput screening and prioritized compounds for biophysical and orthogonal validation.• Managed internal and CRO chemistry resources and set project priorities which ensured timelines were met and critical data was delivered.• Worked closely with biologists to identify and test tool compounds to validate biological hypotheses. Helped the team to make timely go/ no go decisions for the projects.

Key member of medicinal chemistry teams for four CNS projects (GABAA, C5A, NK3 and H3):• Designed and developed chemical series spanning hit identification, hit-to-lead, and lead optimization drug discovery programs.• Contributed to successfully advancing one compound, Adipiplon, (formerly NG2-73) into clinical development for insomnia (achieved end of Phase IIb status) and another compound to development candidate status (NGD9634) for narcolepsy.• Actively involved in reaction optimization and scale-up syntheses for three preclinical candidates, supporting toxicity studies and route scouting for cGMP production.Served as Project Coordinator and Group Leader for H3 program:• Led the internal chemistry effort towards the discovery of novel selective H3 antagonists. • Collaborated with biologists and DMPK group to prioritize compounds for in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies.• Performed route optimization and scale-ups to support toxicity study API synthesis.