SHANGHAI, July 3 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Sundia MediTech, a leading integrated pharmaceutical and biotech R&D outsourcing company in Shanghai, China announced today that Dr. Chen Chen has been appointed Senior Vice President of Chemistry Services.

Prior to joining Sundia, Dr. Chen worked at Neurocrine Biosciences, a drug discovery and development company in San Diego, USA for 15 years, from a staff scientist to Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry of Neurocrine. In his research and management positions at Neurocrine, Dr. Chen achieved many outstanding scientific and industrial accomplishments, including development of two small molecule antagonists, NBI-42902 and elagolix (aka NBI-56418), of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor into clinical studies. Elagolix, the most advanced in this class, is currently finishing Phase II trials by Neurocrine for the treatment of endometriosis. Dr. Chen designed, synthesized and developed NBI-30775 (R121919), a small molecule antagonist of the corticotrophin-releasing factor receptor as the first-in-class compound advanced into clinical trials for depression/anxiety. Dr. Chen also discovered NBI-31772, the first small molecule inhibitor for the insulin-like growth factor-I/IGF-binding protein. In addition, Dr. Chen identified the first selective antagonist of the melanocortin-5 receptor, and discovered numerous agonists and antagonists for the melanocortin-4 receptor for eating disorders.

Dr. Chen has extensive experience in CNS drug research and GPCRs as drug targets. His knowledge also includes neuropathic pain and metabolic disorders. His research interests extend to clinic and preclinic pharmacokinetics of small molecules and the relationship with their chemical properties.

"It is an honor for Sundia to have world class leading scientists as Dr. Chen in our senior management team. As our clients worldwide are bringing more and more high technical level drug discovery programs to Sundia, Dr. Chen and other scientists at Sundia with excellent track record in drug discovery will make Sundia highly competent to deliver outstanding services to our clients," commented by Dr. Xiaochuan Wang, Chairman and CEO of Sundia.

Dr. Chen received his bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Xiamen University, and his Ph.D. degree from the prestigious Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry under the supervision of the late Professor Yao-Zeng Huang, member of the Chinese Academy of Science. He also obtained his postdoctoral training with Professor Sir Derek H. R. Barton, a Nobel Laureate at Texas A&M University in USA. Dr. Chen has so far published near 130 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals such as J. Am. Chem. Soc., J. Org. Chem., J. Med. Chem., and J. Biol. Chem. He has written numerous review articles on the topics of drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. He is the co-inventor of over 25 US patents. He has been invited to give presentations in numerous scientific conferences such as the Gorden Conference of Medicinal Chemistry and the ACS National Meeting.

About Sundia

Sundia MediTech Company is a leading integrated pharmaceutical contract research organization (CRO) company based in Shanghai, China, to provide R&D outsourcing services to biotech and pharmaceutical companies worldwide, ranging from early hit screening, biological service, lead optimization, DMPK, candidate preclinical development, formulation development, API manufacture, and regulatory submission. For more information, please visit http://www.sundia.com .

SOURCE Sundia MediTech Company

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