Idera Pharmaceuticals Announces Organizational Update
“It has been an honor to be part of the nucleic acid therapeutics field, beginning with our pioneering work in antisense, developing novel therapeutics with our deep understanding of nucleic acid chemistry,” stated Dr. Agrawal. “I am proud of the tremendous progress that has occurred in the field over the past three decades and I am optimistic that our third generation antisense (3GA) platform may allow Idera to realize the full therapeutic potential of antisense. I look forward to keenly watching the accomplishments of my colleagues at Idera under Vin’s leadership over the upcoming months and years as they continue to advance candidates from our TLR-based and 3GA programs forward through clinical trials to commercialization. I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity to have worked with so many talented people who have inspired and challenged me throughout my career, and I am pleased to continue to support the team as a scientific advisor.”
“I was humbled in 2014, when Sudhir invited me to join him and help guide Idera to its next level of growth,” stated
Dr. Agrawal joined Idera as a founding scientist and has since served in various leadership roles, including Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Scientific Officer, and member of the Board of Directors. During his tenure, he has led the scientific development of Idera’s nucleic acid therapeutic platform, including antisense technology and toll-like receptor (TLR) targeted compounds.
Under Dr. Agrawal’s leadership, Idera has created a pipeline of drug candidates, which includes TLR modulators IMO-2125, IMO-8400, and IMO-9200. IMO-2125, a TLR9 agonist, is currently in Phase 2 development as an intratumoral agent for the treatment of PD-1 refractory metastatic melanoma. IMO-8400, a TLR7/8/9 antagonist, is currently in Phase 2 development for the treatment of dermatomyositis. IMO-9200, a TLR7/8/9 antagonist, is licensed to Vivelix for the oral treatment of GI inflammation. In addition, the company is developing the third generation antisense (3GA) technology, which is the culmination of three decades of pioneering work by Dr. Agrawal in the antisense field, and insights gained from the first and second generation antisense designs. A 3GA candidate has been selected for clinical development for an undisclosed target.
Dr. Agrawal has published more than 300 research papers and reviews, and has made presentations at hundreds of scientific conferences. He is a named inventor on over 400 patents and patent applications throughout the world. He has edited three books, one on oligonucleotides and analogues, one on oligonucleotide conjugates, and one on antisense therapeutics. In addition to his work at Idera, Dr. Agrawal also serves as a member of the editorials of Trends in Molecular Medicine,
Dr. Agrawal received his D.Phil. in chemistry and conducted post-doctoral research at the MRC’s
About Idera Pharmaceuticals
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