Expert in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
Dr. Prasad has over 20 years of experience in the discovery and development of new molecular entities (NMEs). These NMEs have entered clinical trials and gained worldwide regulatory approval for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (Nesina®). He possesses exceptional skills in delivering NMEs across a wide range of disease areas, targets, and organizational settings – from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Prasad has held various roles, including Associate Director, Chief Scientific Officer, and Assistant Professor at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. His experience spans tenures at leading pharmaceutical companies such as Takeda, San Deigo (formerly Syrrx), Merck & Co., Metabasis Therapeutics, Plex Pharmaceuticals, and Ventus Therapeutics.
I am a drug discovery consultant with experience in vitro and in silico screening, hit identification, hit-to-lead optimization (including structure-based), and preclinical development.
My expertise extends to the realm of conceptualizing, designing and building custom fragment libraries for the development of safe and cost-effective medicines and drive innovation in drug discovery.
Most importantly, I have a proven track record of securing non-dilutive funding for drug discovery and development through the prestigious NIH Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program and various non-profit grant mechanisms, including Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) for Parkinson’s Research.
Dr. Prasad has made significant contributions throughout his career, leading to the discovery and development of preclinical and clinical candidates that have entered human trials and reached the market. He was instrumental in industrializing structural biology processes from “gene-to- structure” by establishing high-throughput capabilities. Under his direction, his team successfully resolved the three-dimensional structures of eighty high-value drug targets within a single year.
At Takeda, Merck, Metabasis Therapeutics, Plex Pharma, and Ventus, he conceptualized and implemented FBDD technologies. His FBDD initiatives resulted in the development of a clinical candidate for type 2 diabetes, and preclinical candidates for glioblastoma (GBM) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Dr. Prasad has coauthored forty five peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and textbook chapters, and is a co-inventor of fourteen granted patents related to NMEs, devices and automation. He has deposited forty three X-ray crystal structure coordinates with the Protein Data Bank.
Dr. Prasad is an entrepreneur who co-founded Plex Pharmaceuticals and successfully guided the company to a notable exit in 2017. Dr. Prasad has demonstrated a track record of raising non-dilutive funds for drug development. As Principal Investigator (PI), he was the recipient of two internationally competitive and prestigious therapeutic development grants from the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) for Parkinson’s research, totaling $1.2 million, to develop treatments for PD. He has been awarded numerous NIH SBIR Phase I and II, and R21 exploratory grants for drug development, focusing on GBM, eye diseases and flavivirus (Dengue, Zika and West Nile Virus) antivirals. Notably, he secured three grants from the NIH’s National Eye Institute totaling $1.9 million to develop non-surgical treatment for cataracts, currently in IND enabling studies. As the PI for MJFF and NIH grants, Dr. Prasad has overseen the projects from target selection through preclinical development and IND enabling studies.
His contributions extend to serving on various NIH grant review committees, including NIH/NIAID SBIR Study section, Special Emphasis Panel focused on Coronavirus Drug Discovery and Development, COVID-19 Emergency Award committee and the NIH/NCI Program Project III review. Dr. Prasad is also an editorial board member for multiple research journals and a sought-after speaker at national and international conferences and academic institutions. Currently, he serves as a board member for a stealth SPAC.
Guiding clients in optimizing drug discovery and secure non- dilutive funding
As your one stop consultant, my capabilities include providing guidance and advice to both in-house teams and external CROs throughout the entire process of gene-to-lead candidate selection. I assist in strategizing, choosing, and designing experimental methods to ensure your drug discovery programs meet expected outcomes and timely deliverables.
Demonstrated by my success in securing non-dilutive funding, I help prepare, review and submit grant applications to various funding agencies and assist with post-submission requirements.
Over the past two decades, I have advanced programs from target selection to IND enabling studies and contributed to the development of clinical candidates and approved therapy. I draw upon these experiences to optimize and streamline programs.
Demonstrated by my success in securing non-dilutive funding, I help prepare, review and submit grant applications to various funding agencies and assist with post-submission requirements.
I have demonstrated success and expertise in shortening the drug discovery process timeline
Having been lead and key member of numerous drug discovery programs, I am conversant about the challenges and complexities associated with advancing programs from concept to commercialization. As an experienced leader, I am able to leverage from the lessons learned and streamline the drug discovery process to discover new chemical entities.
Led by the principal consultant, Dr. Prasad, my goal is to be an integral part of your team to accelerate the drug discovery programs using the most efficient processes including designing optimal assay funnel hit identification to pre-clinical candidate selection.
