Exceptional scientific leaders providing strategic guidance and expert insight.
Mike Varney, Ph.D.
Dr. Varney brings extensive experience in drug discovery and development, having served as Executive Vice President, Head of Genentech Research and Early Development, where he was responsible for all research activities. During his tenure at Genentech, he oversaw the discovery and development of multiple innovative therapies, including the approved cancer treatments Erivedge® and Cotellic®. Earlier in his career, Dr. Varney pioneered the use of protein-structure based drug design at Agouron Pharmaceuticals. This innovative approach led to the discovery and market approval of HIV protease inhibitor, Viracept®. After Agouron’s acquisition by Warner Lambert and subsequently by Pfizer, he served as Vice President of Drug Discovery at Pfizer Global Research & Development, leading research initiatives across oncology, virology, diabetes, and ophthalmology at the La Jolla site.
Dr. Varney holds a Ph.D. in Organic Synthesis from the California Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, and was an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Columbia University.
Mike Varney, Ph.D.
Mike Varney, Ph.D.
Dr. Varney brings extensive experience in drug discovery and development, having served as Executive Vice President, Head of Genentech Research and Early Development, where he was responsible for all research activities. During his tenure at Genentech, he oversaw the discovery and development of multiple innovative therapies, including the approved cancer treatments Erivedge® and Cotellic®. Earlier in his career, Dr. Varney pioneered the use of protein-structure based drug design at Agouron Pharmaceuticals. This innovative approach led to the discovery and market approval of HIV protease inhibitor, Viracept®. After Agouron’s acquisition by Warner Lambert and subsequently by Pfizer, he served as Vice President of Drug Discovery at Pfizer Global Research & Development, leading research initiatives across oncology, virology, diabetes, and ophthalmology at the La Jolla site.
Dr. Varney holds a Ph.D. in Organic Synthesis from the California Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, and was an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Columbia University.
Kerry Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Blanchard has been a drug hunter and entrepreneur for more than four decades in the US and Asia. He is currently cofounder, Chairman, and CEO of Perpetual Medicines, a peptide therapeutics/computational AI platform company. Previously, he was the CEO of Everest Medicines, Chief Science Officer at Innovent Biologics, Senior Vice President of Lilly China Drug Development and External Innovation, and a senior executive at Eli Lilly and Company. He was a member of the board for Lilly China and Zymeworks Inc., and was the co-chairman of the Lilly Asia Ventures Investment Committee. Prior to joining Lilly in 2000, he was a tenured Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, LA. Dr. Blanchard has brought four medicines to the market from his own research including Verzenio®, a CDK 4/6 inhibitor, and, his development teams in China have had more than 30 approved medicines in Asia including Trodelvy®, Trulicity®, Byetta®, Forteo®, and Tyvyt®. At Innovent and Everest, Dr. Blanchard successfully raised over $2 billion to support and expand their pipelines. His track record in accelerating clinical development and navigating regulatory landscapes will significantly enhance Adcentrx’s strategic initiatives and global expansion.
Dr. Blanchard received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Indiana University and completed his residency and fellowships at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School.
Kerry Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D.
Kerry Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Blanchard has been a drug hunter and entrepreneur for more than four decades in the US and Asia. He is currently cofounder, Chairman, and CEO of Perpetual Medicines, a peptide therapeutics/computational AI platform company. Previously, he was the CEO of Everest Medicines, Chief Science Officer at Innovent Biologics, Senior Vice President of Lilly China Drug Development and External Innovation, and a senior executive at Eli Lilly and Company. He was a member of the board for Lilly China and Zymeworks Inc., and was the co-chairman of the Lilly Asia Ventures Investment Committee. Prior to joining Lilly in 2000, he was a tenured Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, LA. Dr. Blanchard has brought four medicines to the market from his own research including Verzenio®, a CDK 4/6 inhibitor, and, his development teams in China have had more than 30 approved medicines in Asia including Trodelvy®, Trulicity®, Byetta®, Forteo®, and Tyvyt®. At Innovent and Everest, Dr. Blanchard successfully raised over $2 billion to support and expand their pipelines. His track record in accelerating clinical development and navigating regulatory landscapes will significantly enhance Adcentrx’s strategic initiatives and global expansion.
Dr. Blanchard received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Indiana University and completed his residency and fellowships at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School.