Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association-New England (sapa-ne)

Biography

Dr. Chris H. Senanayake was born in Sri Lanka and received a BS degree (First Class) in Chemistry in 1982 from the University of Sri Jayawardanepura in Sri Lanka. After coming to the United States, he completed his MS at Bowling Green State University in 1983 with Professor Thomas Kinstle in synthetic chemistry. He obtained his Ph.D. under the guidance of Professor James H. Rigby at Wayne State University in 1987, where he worked on the total synthesis of complex natural products such as ophiobolanes, and completed the first total synthesis of grosshemin in the guaianolide family. He then undertook a postdoctoral fellow with Professor Carl R. Johnson and worked on the total synthesis of polyol systems such as amphotericin B and compactin analogous, and the synthesis of C-nucleoside precursors. In 1989 he joined Dow Chemical Co. as a Senior Research Chemist in the Department of Process and Development. After a brief stay at Dow Chemical, he joined the Merck Process Research Group in 1990 as a Senior Research Chemist. After a series of accomplishments in synthetic organic chemistry and obtaining a prestigious Merck Management Award in chemistry, he was promoted to Research Fellow in 1993. In 1996 he joined Sepracor, Inc. as Director of Chemical Process Research. He was promoted to Senior Director of Chemical Process Research in 1998. He is responsible for the design and development of chemical processes for the commercialization of pharmaceutical drugs.

Small Molecule Drug Discovery at Genzyme Corporation

Fredric J. Vinick, Ph.D., Sr. Vice President of Drug Discovery

Genzyme Corporation

1 Kendall Square

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: (617) 374-7272

Fax: (617) 252-7550

Email: fredric.vinick@genzyme.com

Abstract

In this presentation we describe the Genzyme approach to drug discovery, a hybrid of methods, new and old, which seeks to minimize risk/cost and maximize the output of drug candidates (novel substances which are safe and efficacious in animal models of disease). We will illustrate our strategy with data from two actual programs. We will show how Genzyme has used novel assay design and high throughput screening to discover potent new leads with potential for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. In contrast to this approach, we will also describe how the Genzyme Drug Discovery Group has selected a preclinical candidate for the treatment of lysosomal storage disorders (e.g., Gaucher’s and Fabry’s Disease) through an extremely effective chemistry/biology collaboration with an academic laboratory.

Success Factors in Technology Commercialization Roland R. Franke, Ph.D., CEO Natural Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 100 Cummings Center, Suite 414G Beverly MA 01915 Tel: (978) 524-8100 Fax: (978) 524-8156 Email: franke_roland@alum.mit.edu