What’s Hot & What’s Not in Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) Licensing

Peter Dragovich received a BS in chemistry from UC Berkeley and subsequently obtained a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry from Caltech under the direction of Professor Andrew Myers. He has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 25 years in both large pharma and biotech organizations and has performed a variety of research and management activities during that time. He contributed to the discovery and development of several antiviral agents that progressed to human clinical testing including the rhinovirus protease inhibitors Rupintrivir (AG-7088) and AG-7404 as well as the HCV polymerase inhibitors Filibuvir (PF-00868554) and Setrobuvir (ANA-598). He joined Genentech in 2010 and has since worked on multiple projects in both the immunology and oncology therapeutic areas. His Genentech activities include leading the company’s efforts to identify novel payloads and linkers that can be utilized for the creation of new antibody-drug conjugates. His current research interests entail the targeted delivery of novel cargos via antibody-mediated technologies.

Neela Patel joined Seattle Genetics as Executive Director of Business Development in May 2016, with responsibility for identification, evaluation, and transaction of collaboration, licensing, and acquisition opportunities to diversify the pipeline. Previously, at AbbVie she identified, introduced, and led technical diligence, resulting in more than twenty-five executed deals including collaborations, licensing, and participation in consortia. Dr. Patel spent the first 16 years of her career in drug discovery management positions of increasing responsibility to advance small molecules and biologics from early stage discovery through IND filing at Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Genentech, SUGEN/Pharmacia, and Roche Bioscience.

Jason Kim joined Molecular Templates in 2010 and serves as President and Chief Operating Officer. He has 16 years of experience in the biotechnology industry including operations, business development, and venture capital. He previously led corporate development and strategic planning initiatives at OSI Pharmaceuticals and ImClone Systems. He served as an investment professional at Domain Associates where he focused on venture and public investments in biotechnology. Mr. Kim holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a BA in Neuroscience from Wesleyan University.