Dr. Eric M. Gordon, former vice president of research at Affymax, joins Versicor.MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 1996 -- Versicor Inc. today announced that Eric M. Gordon, Ph.D., has joined the company as President and Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Gordon will establish and staff a research center in the San Francisco Bay area “Bay Area” redirects here. For other uses, see Bay Area (disambiguation). The San Francisco Bay Area, colloquially known as the Bay Area or The Bay that will focus on applying Versicor's combinatorial chemistry Combinatorial chemistry involves the rapid synthesis or the computer simulation of a large number of different but structurally related molecules. Introduction Synthesis of molecules in a combinatorial fashion can quickly lead to large numbers of molecules. expertise to the development of novel, effective compounds for a broad range of drug discovery targets. Versicor will work in collaboration with biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners. Dr. Gordon was Vice President of Research & Director of Chemistry at Affymax Research Institute, Palo Alto Palo Alto, city, California Palo Alto (păl`ō ăl`tō), city (1990 pop. 55,900), Santa Clara co., W Calif.; inc. 1894. Although primarily residential, Palo Alto has aerospace, electronics, and advanced research industries. , Calif. Affymax N.V. was purchased by Glaxo-Wellcome plc. for $533 million in January 1995. "I am excited to be joining Versicor at this phase of its growth. We intend to attract a world-class team of chemists, biologists and therapeutic disease specialists to expand Versicor's expertise in this exciting field of combinatorial chemistry," said Dr. Gordon. "We expect that the appointment of Dr. Gordon will complement the leading group of scientific advisers and chemists that Versicor has assembled," said Timothy J. Barberich, Chairman of Versicor and President and Chief Executive Officer of Sepracor (Nasdaq: SEPR SEPR Senior Enlisted Performance Report ). "Our intention is for Versicor to establish critical mass in medicinal chemistry Medicinal or pharmaceutical chemistry is a scientific discipline at the intersection of chemistry and pharmacology involved with designing, synthesizing and developing pharmaceutical drugs. and apply its combinatorial chemistry tools to specific therapeutic areas. Sepracor has made a significant investment in chiral chi·ral adj. Of or relating to the structural characteristic of a molecule that makes it impossible to superimpose it on its mirror image. chi·ral technology, which is being applied by Versicor to new drug discovery." Eric M. Gordon, Ph.D., has more than 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry, where he has contributed his expertise in bioorganic bi·o·or·gan·ic adj. Of or having to do with organic compounds and their role in biochemical processes. and medicinal chemistry to rational drug design of enzyme inhibitors and organic chemistry of amino acids, peptides and proteins. Gordon played key research roles in the development of novel compounds in the areas of anti-infectives and anti-inflammatories as well as ACE and protease inhibitors Protease Inhibitors Definition A protease inhibitor is a type of drug that cripples the enzyme protease. An enzyme is a substance that triggers chemical reactions in the body. . For the past four years he has served as Vice President of Research & Director of Chemistry at Affymax Research Institute. Between 1990 and 1992, Gordon worked as Director of Medicinal Chemistry/Metabolic Diseases & Peptides at Bristol-Myers Squibb, and from 1975 to 1990, he held various research positions at the Squibb Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Gordon, who has published more than 180 scientific manuscripts and U.S. patents, received his Ph.D. and M.S. in medicinal chemistry from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and conducted post-doctoral work on biogenetically patterned syntheses of antibiotics at Yale University. Versicor Inc., focused on leveraging chiral and information-rich chemistries for drug discovery, is a majority owned subsidiary of Sepracor Inc. Sepracor has successfully spun out three affiliated companies Affiliated Companies A situation that occurs when one company owns a minority interest (less than 50%) in another company. Also refers to companies that are related to each other in some way. Notes: An affiliated company is sometimes referred to as a subsidiary. as public entities. Versicor intends to collaborate with biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners to commercialize its proprietary combinatorial chemistry for a broad range of therapeutic areas. CONTACT: Jeremy P. Goldberg Jean M. Devine Versicor Inc. Sepracor Inc. 508-481-6700 508-481-6700 |
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