Executive Director of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) to support 1910 Genetics’ advanced AI-driven multi-module drug discovery platforms

1910 Genetics, a biotechnology company integrating artificial intelligence (AI), computation and biological automation to improve drug development, today announced that Jennifer Leeds, Ph.D., will join as an independent member of the company’s Board of Directors. With two decades in the pharmaceutical sector, Dr. Leeds joins 1910 Genetics with extensive experience in drug discovery and development, including strategic partnerships and evaluation of novel targets, platforms and technologies.

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Jennifer Leeds, Ph.D. appointed to Board of Directors at 1910 Genetics. (Photo: Business Wire)

“In this board role, we were seeking someone who is an experienced drug hunter with demonstrated ability to bring drugs successfully from target discovery to the clinic, and Jenn fits the bill as shown by her experience in infectious disease project and strategic leadership across drug classes and modalities. She is also the rare therapeutic expert who brings business development acumen, helping NIBR to source and evaluate therapeutic assets from the Western U.S. and Canada,” said Jen Nwankwo, Ph.D., 1910 Genetics’ Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “That rare combo of drug hunter and business executive will be an invaluable addition to our team and help us recognize the full potential of our platforms across all disease areas. As a first time founder, CEO and female entrepreneur, I am personally excited to bring Jenn on as a mentor.”

Before joining the Board of 1910 Genetics, Dr. Leeds held several leadership positions over her 19 years at NIBR. Currently, she is Executive Director of Business Development and Licensing, leading the discovery and early development search and evaluation efforts in the Western U.S. and Canada, and supporting out-licensing of assets from NIBR’s global portfolio. She was also a member of the Novartis COVID-19 task force and played a critical role in evaluating and partnering around COVID-19 assets. Additionally, Dr. Leeds was Executive Director and Head of Antibacterial Discovery, Infectious Diseases at NIBR and was responsible for managing global and cross-divisional project teams, and the strategic growth of the Novartis Antibacterial Discovery group and portfolio. She has authored over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and is named as an inventor on several patent applications.

Dr. Leeds holds a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.S. in Microbiology from Cornell University. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School with Jon Beckwith, evaluating genetic and biophysical characterization of integral membrane protein structure and function.

“As a long-time drug discoverer and leader in the pharmaceutical industry with a current professional focus on business development, I am excited to work with 1910 Genetics as an independent member of the Board of Directors to help the company and its investors reach their key scientific and business goals,” said Dr. Leeds.

About 1910 Genetics

1910 Genetics integrates AI, computation and biological automation to accelerate the design of small molecule and protein therapeutics. The company blends AI-driven drug design with biological wet lab automation to increase productivity and decrease failure rates across the pharmaceutical R&D process. Using its multi-platform drug discovery engines - ELVIS™ and ROSALYND™ - 1910 Genetics can generate more novel drug candidates, shorten the timeline, cut operational costs and increase the probability of success compared to traditional pharmaceutical methods. 1910 Genetics’ therapeutic area-agnostic, end-to-end technology powers the full length of early drug discovery - from novel hit discovery to hit to lead, and lead optimization. 1910 Genetics is currently applying its technology to drug discovery programs in several areas including, but not limited to, neuroscience, oncology, immunology and infectious diseases. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. To learn more about 1910 Genetics, visit www.1910genetics.com.

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