Professional Summary
Professional Overview
Alex Hird is an accomplished pharmaceutical executive with over 20 years of experience in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. As the Vice President of Medicinal Chemistry Design at FogPharma, he leads a team of talented chemists in developing innovative small-molecule therapeutics targeting challenging disease areas.
Experience Summary
Current Role
As the VP of Medicinal Chemistry Design at FogPharma, Alex is responsible for overseeing the company's small-molecule drug discovery efforts. He directs a team of medicinal chemists, computational chemists, and structural biologists to design and optimize novel drug candidates. Under his leadership, the team has successfully advanced multiple compounds into preclinical development, with a focus on difficult-to-drug targets in oncology and immunology.
Career Progression
Prior to joining FogPharma, Alex held senior leadership roles at several prominent biotechnology companies. As the VP of Chemistry at Photys Therapeutics, he led the development of a first-in-class small-molecule platform for modulating protein-protein interactions. At Toran Therapeutics, a Flagship Pioneering company, he served as the Senior Director and Head of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Platform, where he drove the advancement of multiple programs from discovery to IND-enabling studies.
Earlier in his career, Alex was a Director of Chemistry at C4 Therapeutics, where he contributed to the company's pioneering work on targeted protein degradation. He also held various roles of increasing responsibility at AstraZeneca, including Associate Director and Principal Scientist, where he made significant contributions to the company's small-molecule drug discovery efforts.
Academic Background
Alex holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where he conducted research on the synthesis and evaluation of novel small-molecule inhibitors. He also completed postdoctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, further honing his expertise in medicinal chemistry and drug design.
Areas of Expertise
- Medicinal chemistry and small-molecule drug discovery
- Computational chemistry and structure-based drug design
- Targeted protein degradation and protein-protein interaction modulators
- Oncology and immunology drug discovery
- Building and leading high-performing interdisciplinary teams
- Driving innovation and translating scientific discoveries into clinical development
Professional Impact
Throughout his career, Alex has demonstrated a strong track record of delivering impactful results. He has contributed to the advancement of multiple drug candidates, several of which have progressed into clinical trials. His scientific contributions have been recognized through numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at industry conferences.
Conclusion
With his extensive expertise in medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, and team leadership, Alex Hird is poised to drive continued innovation and success at FogPharma. His deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, combined with his passion for tackling complex therapeutic challenges, make him a valuable asset to the company and its mission to develop transformative small-molecule therapies.
