Vincent Santora, PhD
An experienced medicinal chemist and project leader with a record of delivering advanced leads and clinical candidates. Extensive expertise ranging from target selection to HTS triage/lead ID, to preclinical and clinical candidate nomination. >20 years’ experience managing internal and external drug discovery teams.
Skills
About
An accomplished medicinal chemist and project leader with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Led Amgen’s TREM2 chemistry team that progressed from early SAR to advanced leads and in vivo POC in only 14 months. The program was out-licensed in 2020 and is currently in preclinical testing stage. Project co-leader for two Dart Neuroscience programs (a GlyT1 antagonist and a PDE7 inhibitor) that advanced 3 compounds to preclinical development. Lead chemist on H3 antagonist program at Arena Pharmaceuticals which culminated with the identification of the clinical candidate APD916. Drug discovery experience across multiple therapeutic areas and several target classes. Extensive expertise in compound design, multivariable data analysis, optimization of physiochemical and DMPK profiles of lead series and the management of external collaborations.
Work experience
Research Scientist IV/Project Leader
Medicinal chemistry and project team leader forDart’s GlyT1 antagonist and a PDE7 inhibitor programs. Utilizing ligand designand structure-based discovery methods we identified 3 preclinical candidates inonly 7 years. Responsible for managing a cross-functional team of 18+scientists and a team of 12 internal and external chemists.
Principal Scientist
Chemistry team leader (5 internal and 6external chemists) for Amgen’s TREM2 program. Our team progressed from earlySAR to a diverse series of advanced leads with outstanding druglike propertiesin only 14 months. This program was one of only two out licensed by Amgen whenit exited the CNS arena and is currently in preclinical testing.
Director
Chemistry team leader (7 internal and 10external chemists) and project co-leader across multiple internal programs and anexternal collaboration. Identified and advanced several novel lead series with gooddrug-like characteristics, including potency, selectivity, and good brainpenetration. Collaborated with cross-functional leaders to select andprioritize targets, establish team goals and strategy, and manage projectlogistics.
Education
Stony Brook University
University of California at Irvine
Publications
Case STUDIES
H3 Antagonist Program
Chemistry team leader in the identification of clinical candidate APD916, a potent and selective H3 antagonist for the treatment of sleep disorders and Narcolepsy at Arena Pharmaceuticals.
PDE7 Inhibitor Program
Led Dart Neuroscience's PDE7 program, which advanced several inhibitors to the preclinical candidate stage as treatments for stroke rehabilitation.
TREM2 Agonist Program
Chemistry team leader for Amgen's TREM2 agonist program, which identified several advanced leads as potential treatments for Alzheimer's Disease.
