Bespoke consulting support specializing in small molecule drug discovery and preclinical development for a number of companies.

Worked with the team to advance the lead program including the discovery and profiling of the clinical development candidate MOD246. Modifi Bio was acquired by Merck in October 2024. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/merck-moves-glioblastoma-13-billion-biobucks-purchase-modifi-biosciences

Mike was Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research, at IDEAYA Biosciences in South San Francisco CA. Mike joined IDEAYA as the 3rd employee in 2016 and was responsible for establishing the drug discovery strategy, building the team, and selecting the early portfolio. Under his leadership IDEAYA grew to >80 employees and established itself as one of the leading Synthetic Lethal Oncology companies with 3 clinical programs and a robust discovery portfolio focused on first-in-class DDR therapeutics. The company completed an IPO in 2019 and established a multi-program collaboration with GSK in 2020.

As Global Head Oncology Chemistry Mike was responsible for the scientific and strategic direction of large teams based in Cambridge MA, and Basel, Switzerland. In his global role Mike contributed across the portfolio where a number of compounds advanced into the clinic, including first-in-class EED inhibitor MAK683, allosteric SHP2 inhibitor TNO155 and allosteric BCR-ABL inhibitor Asciminib (ABL001). Several more small molecule NME’s continue to advance in the clinic. Mike was a member of the Global Oncology Leadership team and the Oncology Decision Board responsible for the NIBR Oncology portfolio. In addition he was responsible for leading the discovery and development of new antibody drug conjugate (ADC) toxins and linkers targeted at new cancer indications and increased therapeutic index. Expanding on the conjugate theme Mike played and key role in establishing and setting the initial scientific direction for the New Modalities Group.

Mike Dillon joined Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) in November 2008 as Executive Director Oncology Chemistry and Head of Chemical Sciences at the Emeryville Research Site. Encompassing Medicinal, Analytical, Structural and Computational chemistry, in addition to Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics; Chemical Sciences, in close collaboration with Oncology Biology, was responsible for the design, synthesis and profiling of potential Oncology medicines. Under his leadership the group advanced a number of key molecules; notably PI3K inhibitor BKM120, CSF1R inhibitor BLZ945, V600E mutant B-RAF kinase inhibitor LGX818, PIM kinase inhibitor PIM447, ERK inhibitor LTT462, and RAF kinase inhibitor LXH254. In addition, Mike was a member of the Global Discovery Chemistry, Oncology and Exploratory Chemistry Sector Leadership team, the Global Oncology Leadership team and the Oncology Decision Board providing strategic and scientific input to the Global Oncology portfolio.

At Roche Mike held increasing levels of seniority focusing on the discovery and development of potential new medicines to treat pain, respiratory, inflammatory, CNS and viral diseases. He led a number of projects that advanced in to clinical development the most advanced of which is the first in class P2X3 antagonist AF219. Advanced in to Phase 2b by Afferent Pharmaceuticals, AF219 and the P2X3 program was recently acquired by Merck for $500M with $750M in additional milestones. While at Roche Mike also had global responsibility for leading the team building the Roche compound library, and for managing the global outsourcing of discovery chemistry, establishing a worldwide network of research partners to complement internal capabilities.

Mike joined Syntex shortly before their acquisition by Roche working on the synthesis of nucleosides as potential immunosuppressants to prevent rejection in organ transplantation.

Total synthesis of Natural Products including completion of the first total synthesis of Byssochlamic acid

Synthesis of complex carbohydrate and nucleoside derivatives for biological testing