25. The power of AI for precision drug discovery and development: Auransa Inc., Andy Protter, CSO

Andy Protter, PhD. joined Auransa in January 2017 as Chief Scientific Officer with 35 years of pharmaceutical industry research and development experience. At Auransa, Dr. Protter has led preclinical R&D which uses AI technology to discover novel drug candidates. Auransa’s lead project for hepatocellular carcinoma has completed all IND-supporting preclinical safety studies. Prior to joining Auransa, Dr. Protter was a Vice President at Medivation where he was responsible for preclinical pharmacology and toxicology of Enzalutamide, a prostate cancer drug that was approved by the FDA. Prior to Medivation, Dr. Protter worked at Scios, a biotechnology company where he also lead preclinical development. Dr. Protter initiated the Natrecor development program and was responsible for all preclinical activities. Natrecor was approved by the FDA for acute decompensated congestive heart failure. In addition Dr. Protter led preclinical efforts selecting a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor drug candidate that was tested in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and surgical pain. In 2004 Johnson and Johnson awarded Dr. Protter the Johnson Medal for his work on Natrecor. Trained as a biochemist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Dr. Protter led the first successful cloning of apolipoprotein B, the primary protein on LDL. He has participated in work described in over 84 published papers, 4 book chapters and 28 patents. When not doing science, Andy enjoys hobbies including biking, skiing, sailing, photography and reading.