{{Short description|American chemical biologist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}} {{Infobox scientist | birth_name = Gregory L. Verdine | image = GLV Picture.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|06|10}} | birth_place = Somers Point, New Jersey, U.S.<ref>[http://studylib.net/doc/8629456/gregory-l.-verdine-harvard-college-professor-erving-profe...# Gregory L. Verdine C.V.], Studylib.net. Accessed December 17, 2017. "Born:June 10, 1959, Somers Point, New Jersey, USA"</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | ethnicity = | field = Chemical biology<ref name=googlescholar>{{GoogleScholar|id=H6EGIrQAAAAJ}}</ref> | work_institution = {{Plainlist| * Harvard University * Fog Pharmaceuticals}} | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * St. Joseph’s University (BS) * Columbia University (PhD)}} | doctoral_advisor = Koji Nakanishi and Maria Tomasz | thesis_title = Binding of mitomycin C to a dinucleoside phosphate and DNA | thesis_url = https://clio.columbia.edu/catalog/835144 | thesis_year = 1986 | doctoral_students = | notable_students = Orlando D. Schärer | known_for = Stapled peptides | awards = Searle Scholar Award {{small|(1990)}} | author_abbreviation_bot = | author_abbreviation_zoo = | prizes = | religion = | footnotes = | spouse = | website = }}

'''Gregory L. Verdine''' (born June 10, 1959) is an American chemical biologist, biotech entrepreneur, venture capitalist and university professor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hscrb.harvard.edu/people/gregory-verdine/|title=Gregory Verdine|website=HSCRB|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> He is a founder of the field of chemical biology,{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} which deals with the application of chemical techniques to biological systems. His work has focused on mechanisms of DNA repair and cell penetrability.

Verdine is the co-inventor with Christian Schafmeister of stapled peptides, a new class of drugs that combines the versatile binding properties of monoclonal antibodies with the cell-penetrating ability of small molecules. Verdine coined the term "drugging the undruggable" to describe the unique capabilities of stapled peptides. A close analog of a stapled peptide drug invented in the Verdine Lab, sulanemadlin (ALRN-6924), is a first-in-class dual MDM2/MDMX inhibitor currently in Phase II clinical development by Aileron Therapeutics,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aileronrx.com/clinical-trials|title=Clinical Trials|website=Aileron Therapeutics|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref> which he co-founded in 2005. FogPharma, founded in 2016, aims to further develop stapled peptide technology for therapeutic use.

He has founded numerous other drug discovery companies, including six that are listed on the NASDAQ. His companies have succeeded in developing two FDA-approved drugs, romidepsin and paritaprevir, which are, respectively, an anticancer agent used in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and other peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs), and an acylsulfonamide inhibitor that is used to treat chronic hepatitis C.

==Education and training== Verdine received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Saint Joseph's University and a PhD in chemistry from Columbia University, working under Koji Nakanishi and Maria Tomasz. He held an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology at MIT and Harvard Medical School, and joined the faculty of Harvard University in 1988.<ref name="Bio">[http://hscrb.harvard.edu/people/gregory-verdine Gregory Verdine Biography], Harvard University</ref>

==Academic career== Over the course of his academic career at Harvard University and the Harvard Medical School, Verdine has elucidated the molecular mechanism of epigenetic DNA methylation and pathways by which certain genotoxic forms of DNA damage are surveilled in and eradicated from the genome.<ref name="Bio" /> As a professor, Verdine introduced biological principles into organic chemistry courses and helped found two fields of science that meld basic research and new medicines discovery: chemical biology, which enlists chemistry to answer biological questions; and new modalities, which works to discover and develop novel structural classes of therapeutics.<ref name="chemistry.harvard.edu">{{Cite web|url=https://chemistry.harvard.edu/news/gregory-verdine-honored-two-universities|title=Gregory Verdine earns two honors in three days|website=chemistry.harvard.edu|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref>

He has served as the Erving Professor of Chemistry in the Departments of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University since 1988. In 2013, he stepped down from his tenured professorship at Harvard, taking a leave of absence in order to focus full-time on steering Warp Drive Bio as CEO<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://xconomy.com/boston/2013/07/02/harvard-professor-steps-down-to-pilot-warp-drive-bio/|title=Xconomy: Harvard Professor Steps Down to Pilot Warp Drive Bio|date=2013-07-02|website=Xconomy|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref><ref name="xconomy.com">{{Cite web|url=https://xconomy.com/boston/2015/03/04/ex-alnylam-exec-to-steer-warp-drive-bio-verdine-shifts-roles/|title=Xconomy: Ex-Alnylam Exec to Steer Warp Drive Bio; Verdine Shifts Roles|date=2015-03-04|website=Xconomy|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> while continuing to run<ref name="xconomy.com"/> his eponymous Verdine Laboratory at the Harvard University Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology. The laboratory focused on research based in chemical biology, including synthetic biologics and genomic research,.<ref name="Harvard">[http://hscrb.harvard.edu/res-fl-verdine Verdine Lab], Harvard University</ref> He has since transitioned to a 'professor of the practice' position at Harvard.

==Research== In his academic research, Verdine made fundamental discoveries about how organisms manage their genomes: how they tag specific cell types and conduct search-and-destroy operations for cancer-causing abnormalities.<ref name="chemistry.harvard.edu"/> Verdine has published more than 190 academic articles.<ref name=googlescholar /><ref name="pubmed">[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Gregory+Verdine PubMed]</ref> In 2005, Verdine and Anirban Banerjee published research in crystallography showing how enzymes could be used to fix flawed DNA.<ref name="Yarnell">Amanda Yarnell, [http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/83/i14/8314notw8.html Enzyme Finds, Fixes Flawed DNA], Chemical & Engineering News</ref> In 2013, Verdine received a research grant to study cell-penetrating miniproteins in order to target cancer cells.<ref name=Fidler /> His work has led to the FDA approval of the drugs romidepsin and paritaprevir.<ref name=Bio />

Verdine is also the inventor of stapled peptide technology, which stabilizes peptides intended for therapeutic use by introducing an all-hydrocarbon “staple” into the peptide’s linear backbone. These “stapled” peptides have a higher affinity for their targets, enter cells more easily and are less readily degraded.<ref name="Goh">Amanda Goh, [http://www.bio-itworld.com/2013/5/31/stapled-peptides-targeting-undruggable.html Stapled Peptides: Targeting the "Undruggable"], BioIT World</ref>

==Biotechnology==

=== Companies === To translate his discoveries into therapeutics, Verdine has founded or co-founded numerous public biotech companies including Variagenics, Enanta, Eleven Bio, Tokai, Wave Life Sciences, and Aileron.<ref name="chemistry.harvard.edu"/> He also founded the private company Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Celgene in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://xconomy.com/boston/2009/12/07/celgene-agrees-to-acquire-gloucester-pharma-for-340m-cash-upfront-300m-later/|title=Xconomy: Celgene Agrees to Acquire Gloucester Pharma for $340M Cash Upfront, $300M Later|date=2009-12-07|website=Xconomy|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> His companies share the mission of developing molecules intended to target “hard-to-drug” endogenous targets that have remained out of reach of modern cell-penetration technologies.<ref name="Fidler">Ben Fidler, [http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2016/04/13/with-latest-startup-harvards-verdine-again-aims-at-elusive-targets/ With Latest Startup, Harvard’s Verdine Again Aims at Elusive Targets], Xconomy.com</ref><ref name="Herper">Matthew Herper, [https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/06/06/can-bushs-nih-chief-fix-the-drug-industry/#1defcb6e377c Can Bush's NIH Chief Fix the Drug Industry], Forbes</ref>

==== FogPharma ==== In 2016, Verdine co-founded FogPharma with Sir David Lane to develop next-generation stapled peptides, Cell-Penetrating Miniproteins (CPMPs), a broad new class of medicines that aim to combine the cell-penetrating abilities of small molecules with the strong target engagement of biologics. In 2024, FogPharma was rebranded to Parabilis Medicines. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fogpharma.com/|title=Fogpharma|website=Fog Pharma|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref>

==== LifeMine ==== Founded alongside FogPharma in 2016, LifeMine seeks to discover, characterize, and translate into medicine bioactive compounds in fungal genomes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lifeminetx.com/#about|title=LifeMine – Mining the Medicines of Life|website=lifeminetx.com|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref>

==== Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute ==== Founded in 2013, the nonprofit Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute to study marine genomes for potential therapeutic compounds and to advance fisheries science.<ref name="Conti">Katheleen Conti, [https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/06/19/luring-biotech-tourism-gloucester/aoyrwaL68KfVOR6d61JrUP/story.html Can the nation’s oldest seaport reinvent itself?], Boston Globe</ref> He is also the founder and director of the Gloucester Biotechnology Academy, which is providing technical training in the life science industry to high school graduates in Gloucester, MA, USA.<ref name="Bio" />

==== Warp Drive Bio ==== In 2012, Verdine founded Warp Drive Bio with cofounders George Church and James Wells.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biospace.com/article/-b-warp-drive-bio-b-launches-with-125-million-from-third-rock-ventures-b-greylock-b-sanofi-france-/|title=Warp Drive Bio Launches With $125 Million from Third Rock Ventures, Greylock, Sanofi (France)|website=BioSpace|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> The company maps the genomes of soil-dwelling microbes in the search for potential treatments for drug-resistant ailments. In 2013, Verdine became full-time CEO of Warp Drive Bio,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/warp-drive-bio-appoints-co-founder-gregory-verdine-ph-d-to-chief-executive-officer|title=Warp Drive Bio Appoints Co-Founder Gregory Verdine, Ph.D., to Chief Executive Officer|website=FierceBiotech|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> then handed the CEO position to Lawrence Reid in 2016<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/conversation-laurence-reid-warp-drive-bio-ceo|title=In conversation with: Laurence Reid, Warp Drive Bio CEO|website=FierceBiotech|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> in order to found two new startups, FogPharma and LifeMine.

==== Wave Life Sciences ==== Verdine is the Chairman of the Board of Wave Life Sciences,<ref name="Garde">Damian Garde,[http://www.fiercebiotech.com/venture-capital/wave-lifesci-banks-66m-a-pure-take-on-synthetic-chemistry Wave LifeSci Banks $66M with a "Pure" Take on Synthetic Chemistry], FierceBiotech.com</ref> which uses synthetic chemistry to develop nucleic acid therapeutic candidates.<ref name="Moore">Jessica Moore, [http://www.thecerbatgem.com/2016/06/17/gregory-l-verdine-sells-52000-shares-of-wave-life-sciences-ltd-wve-stock/ Brokerages Expect WAVE Life Sciences Ltd. (NASDAQ:WVE) to Post -$0.75 EPS], The CERBAT GEM</ref>

=== Venture capital === Verdine has worked in the venture capital industry as a Venture Partner with Apple Tree Partners, Third Rock Ventures, and WuXi Healthcare Ventures, and as a Special Advisor to Texas Pacific Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hscrb.harvard.edu/people/gregory-verdine/|title=Gregory Verdine|website=HSCRB|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-28}}</ref>&nbsp;

=== Scientific consultation === Verdine is a member of both the Board of Scientific Consultants of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute,<ref name="Bio" /> Advisory Board at Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation, and the Board of Reviewers at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.<ref name="Bloomberg">[https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=598069&privcapId=98346040 Bloomberg Executive Profile]</ref>

==Recent recognition== 2019 - Honorary Doctor of Science Degree, Clarkson University<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarkson.edu/news/gregory-verdine-awarded-clarkson-university-honorary-degree|title=Gregory Verdine Awarded Clarkson University Honorary Degree {{!}} Clarkson University|website=www.clarkson.edu|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref>

2019 - Herman S. Bloch Award for Scientific Excellence in Industry, University of Chicago<ref name="chemistry.harvard.edu"/>

2011 - American Association for Cancer Research Award for Excellence in Chemistry in Cancer Research<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aacr.org/Research/Awards/Pages/aacr-award-for-outstanding-achievement-in-chemistry-in-cancer-research___8470D6.aspx|title=AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research|website=www.aacr.org|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref>

2007 - Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education in Chemistry, with Anirban Banerjee<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/funding-and-awards/awards/national/bytopic/nobel-laureate-signature-award-for-graduate-education-in-chemistry.html|title=Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education in Chemistry|website=American Chemical Society|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref>

2005 - Royal Society of Chemistry Nucleic Acid Award Lecture, Responses to DNA Damage conference<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsc.org/Membership/Networking/InterestGroups/NucleicAcids/Awards.asp|title=Nucleic Acids Group Awards|website=www.rsc.org|access-date=2019-10-26}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Verdine, Gregory L.}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American chemists Category:Harvard Medical School faculty Category:People from Somers Point, New Jersey Category:Saint Joseph's University alumni Category:Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni Category:Chemical biology