Jeff Letourneau, Ph.D.
Medicinal Chemistry
Team Leader

Twelve years experience in the pharmaceutical industry at Pharmacopeia, Inc. and Ligand Pharmaceuticals

• Success in advancing drug lead from HTS hit to selection of clinical candidate (FIH studies) for the Vasopressin V3 (V1b) antagonist program in collaboration with Organon

• Key contributor on numerous collaborative projects with leading pharmaceutical companies including the Vasopressin V3 (V1b) antagonist program in collaboration with Organon, the Jak3 kinase inhibitor program in collaboration with Wyeth, and multiple, undisclosed programs in collaboration with Glaxo SmithKline

• Demonstrated achievement in advancement of preclinical drug discovery projects in diverse therapeutic areas (CNS, metabolic, inflammation, pain, etc.)

• Achieved numerous milestone payments to Pharmacopeia from corporate partners

• Experience in library design and productive supervision of chemistry efforts at leading CROs (e.g. WuXi Pharmatech)

Co-inventor of over 11 patent applications and 4 issued US patents covering Vasopressin V3 antagonists, SSTR-4 agonists, EP2 antagonists, integrin αvβ3 inhibitors, TNF-α inhibitors and kinase inhibitors

Published 8 papers in the areas of drug discovery, combinatorial chemistry and organic synthesis

Recipient of four project-based accomplishment awards from Pharmacopeia, Inc.

Recipient of two recognition awards from Ligand Pharmaceuticals

Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Completed the total synthesis of (+)-Breynolide in the laboratories of Dr. Steven D. Burke