SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–1859, an AI-driven small molecule drug discovery company advancing next-generation medicines, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Hager, Ph.D., as Consulting Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), and Michael Howell, Ph.D., and Venkat Reddy, Ph.D., as Strategic Pharma Advisors. 1859’s distinctive AI + Empirical Discovery Engine leverages patented screening technology to generate high-quality, proprietary datasets at scale, enabling robust AIML models to accelerate drug discovery through lead optimization. The addition of these notable biopharma leaders will advise 1859’s therapeutic strategy as it expands its pipeline of high-value, internally generated, novel programs.
“We are proud to welcome Jeff, Venkat and Michael to 1859 during this pivotal time for the company,” said 1859 CEO, Sanket Agrawal. “With their therapeutic expertise in oncology and immunology, and track record in creating and leading biotech companies to clinical assets, we are poised to continue pushing our strategic vision forward.” Continuing into 2024, 1859 will amplify and diversify its internal pipeline into high-value oncology, and immunology and inflammation therapeutic areas.
Jeffrey (Jeff) Hager, Ph.D., Executive in Residence at Boxer Capital, brings over 25 years of experience in tumor biology and oncology drug discovery. Jeff was a co-founder and former CTO and Head of Target Discovery and External Innovation at IDEAYA. He previously held key leadership positions at notable biotech companies, including Seragon Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Roche/Genentech) and Aragon Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Johnson & Johnson).
Venkat Reddy, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at General Inception, brings deep expertise and a wealth of experience in oncology and autoimmune therapeutic areas. Venkat was the previous CEO/CSO of Macrophage Therapeutics Ltd, co-founded Tactile Therapeutics, and currently serves on the board of three biopharma companies.
Michael Howell, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Translational Science at Zura Bio, carries over 20 years of immunology expertise across the biopharma, government, and academic sectors. Michael has held key leadership positions at established biopharma companies, including Boehringer Ingelheim, MedImmune (acquired by AstraZeneca), and Incyte.
About 1859:
1859 is on a mission to accelerate drug discovery and deliver the next generation of medicines to patients in need. For more information, please visit www.1859.ai.
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