Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Announces Appointment of Dr. Patrick O’Connor to its Scientific Advisory Board

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals today announced the appointment of Dr. Patrick O’Connor to its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. O’Connor brings years of experience in oncology translational research including the development of kinase inhibitors for the treatment of various solid tumors. Over his career in cancer research he has published approximately 100 manuscripts, reviews and patents, and brought over 20 compounds into development. Some of the compounds Dr. O’Connor’s cancer research group at Pfizer-La Jolla discovered include the small molecule kinase inhibitors Xalkori (Crizotinib, C-Met/ALK, Approved, Pfizer), Inlyta (Axitinib, VEGF, Approved, Pfizer), and kinase biologics such as PF-03446962 (Anti-ALK1 mAb, Phase I, Pfizer). At Ardea Biosciences, Dr. O’Connor’s group brought the MEK inhibitor, RDEA-119 into clinical trials (Phase II, Ardea/Bayer). Prior to joining the industry, Dr. O’Connor spent 10 years at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, investigating the molecular underpinnings of chemosensitivity which helped evolve the area of Chk1 kinase therapeutics. Dr. O’Connor has held multiple positions in Pharma including Vice President, Head of Global Oncology Research at Pfizer, Inc. where he had direct responsibility for the Oncology Research portfolio, and shared responsibility for the Oncology Development and Commercial portfolio’s with his Co-Leaders in these areas. Prior to Pfizer, Dr. O’Connor was Vice President, Worldwide Head of Oncology Research at Warner-Lambert, Inc. and formerly Vice President of the Oncology Research Division of Agouron Pharmaceuticals Inc. More recently he co-founded Selexagen Therapeutics, Inc., is Head of Research & Development at Ruga Corporation, and a Senior Editor at the journal Cancer Research.