Prof Simon Ward

Biography

Educational background:

• MA Natural Sciences, 1st class. University of Cambridge (Downing College)

• PhD University of Cambridge (Professor Andrew Holmes FRS).  Application of the imino Diels-Alder reaction to the synthesis of amino acids, carbocyclic nucleosides and bicyclic alkaloids.

 Employment background:

Associate Director: Neurosciences Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK, 2001-2010

• Led multidisciplinary project teams & medicinal chemistry groups from target identification, through hit to lead discovery, lead optimisation, pre-clinical development and ultimately to early clinical studies.  Delivered several clinical development candidates across multiple CNS indications (including GSK729327 ¿ an AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulator in Phase I for cognitive impairments in schizophrenia and GSK/CNV2197944 ¿ a state-dependent Cav2.2 calcium channel blocker, which is Phase I ready, for neuropathic pain)
• Extensive CNS experience across targets for depression, schizophrenia, pain and cognition covering ion channels (e.g. AMPAR, Cav), GPCRs (5-HT1, NK), gene up-regulation, kinases, transporters, enzyme inhibitors

Principal Scientist: Knoll Pharmaceuticals, Nottingham, UK, 1999-2001

Medicinal chemist: Cerebrus Ltd., Reading, UK, 1997-1999

Medicinal chemist: Chiroscience plc, Cambridge, UK, 1993-1994

Role

Professor of Medicinal Chemistry

Community and Business

• Executive Vice President Chemistry & Development, biocrea GmbH (http://www.biocrea.com/)
• Committee member of the Society for Medicines Research (http://www.smr.org.uk/)
• Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC, CChem, CSci); Member of Society of Chemical Industry, American Chemical Society and British Pharmacological Society
• Director and trustee of Science Alive (http://science-alive.co.uk/)
• SETNET Science and Engineering Ambassador

Research interests.  Leading a drug discovery facility working collaboratively with both fundamental biology research groups in the School of Life Sciences and also the Brighton & Sussex Medical School to prosecute drug discovery research programmes towards the identification of clinical development drug candidates.  Establishing a well-staged pipeline of highly-differentiated projects that address new targets or pathological processes, have novel modes of action or build on new chemical scaffolds. 

Selected publication list (2010 only)

1. Simon E. Ward, Mark Harries, Laura Aldegheri, Nigel E. Austin, Stuart Ballantine, Elisa Ballini, Daniel M. Bradley, Benjamin D. Bax, Brian P. Clarke, Andrew J. Harris, Stephen A. Harrison, Rosemary A Melarange, Claudette Mookherjee, Julie Mosley, Gianni Dal Negro, Beatrice Oliosi, Kathrine J. Smith, Kevin M. Thewlis, Patrick M. Woollard, Shahnaz P. Yusaf.  Integration of lead optimization with crystallography for a membrane-bound ion channel target: discovery of a new class of AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulators.  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, ASAP, DOI 10.1021/jm100679e.
2. Colin P. Leslie, Matteo Biagetti, Silvia Bison, Steven M. Bromidge, Romano Di Fabio, Daniele Donati, Alessandro Falchi, Martine J. Garnier, Albert Jaxa-Chamiec, Gary Manchee, Giancarlo Merlo, Domenica A. Pizzi, Luigi P. Stasi, Jessica Tibasco, Antonio Vong, Simon E. Ward, Laura Zonzini.  Discovery of 1-(3-{2-[4-(2-Methyl-5-quinolinyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl}phenyl)-2-imidazolidinone (GSK163090), a Potent, Selective, and Orally Active 5-HT1A/B/D Receptor Antagonist.  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2010, 53 (23), 8228-8240.
3. Thewlis, Kevin M., Aldegheri, Laura, Harries, Mark H., Mookherjee, Claudette, Oliosi, Beatrice, Ward, Simon E., N-Substituted Pyrrolidines and Tetrahydrofurans as Novel AMPAR Positive Modulators.  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 2010, 20 (23), 7116-7119
4. Ward, Simon E.; Harries, Mark; Aldegheri, Laura; Andreotti, Daniele; Ballantine, Stuart; Bax, Benjamin D.; Harris, Andrew J.; Harker, Andy J.; Lund, Jesper; Melarange, Rosemary; Mingardi, Anna; Mookherjee, Claudette; Mosley, Julie; Neve, Marta; Oliosi, Beatrice; Profeta, Roberto; Smith, Kathrine J.; Smith, Paul W.; Spada, Simone; Thewlis, Kevin M.; Yusaf, Shahnaz P.   Discovery of N-[(2S)-5-(6-Fluoro-3-pyridinyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl]-2-propanesulfonamide, a Novel Clinical AMPA Receptor Positive Modulator.  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2010, 53 (15), 5801¿5812
5. Ward, Simon E.; Watson, Jeannette M.   Recent advances in the discovery of selective and non-selective 5-HT_1D receptor ligands.    Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 2010, 10(5), 479-492.
6. Simon E Ward, Benjamin D Bax, Mark Harries, Challenges and current status in AMPA receptor positive modulator research, British Journal of Pharmacology, 2010 (160), 181-190.
7. Simon E Ward & Mark Harries, Recent advances in the discovery of selective AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulators, Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2010, 17(30), 3503-3513.
8. Bradley, Daniel Marcus; Cardullo, Francesca; Marshall, Howard; Marzorati, Paola; Pozzan, Alfonso; Ward, Simon E..   Compounds which potentiate the AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine.  WO 2010 066658.
9. Coulton, Steven; Gilpin, Martin; Ward, Simon E.  N- inden- 2 -yl- isopropylsulfonamides as AMPA receptor potentiators.  WO 2010 057865.
10. Ward, Simon E.; Bertheleme, Nicolas.  Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine.  WO 2010 037760.
11. Heer, Jag Paul; Norton, David; Ward, Simon E.  Preparation of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives for blocking Cav2.2 calcium channels. WO 2010 007074.

Workshops

Year 1: Introduction to organic chemistry workshops

Lectures

Year 4: Professional skills convener

Year 4: Advanced organic chemistry

Course convening

MChem Chemistry with a sandwich year

MChem Chemistry and Drug Design

MSc Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design

Student Consultation

Open door policy.

Please arrange appointment by email if not available.

Convergence Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Beswick, Paul J; Gleave, Robert J; Hachisu, Shuji; Vile, Sadie; Bertheleme, Nicolas; Ward, Simon E (2012) Tetrazole compounds as calcium channel blockers. PCT/GB2011/051276.

Ward, Simon E, Harries, Mark, Aldegheri, Laura, Austin, Nigel E and et al, (2011) Integration of Lead Optimization with Crystallography for a Membrane-Bound Ion Channel Target: Discovery of a New Class of AMPA Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 54 (1). pp. 78-94. ISSN 0022-2623

Thewlis, Kevin M, Aldegheri, Laura, Harries, Mark H, Mookherjee, Claudette, Oliosi, Beatrice and Ward, Simon E (2010) N-Substituted pyrrolidines and tetrahydrofurans as novel AMPAR positive modulators. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 20 (23). pp. 7116-7119. ISSN 0960-894X

Ward, Simon E and Harries, Mark (2010) Recent Advances in the Discovery of Selective AMPA Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 17 (30). pp. 3503-3513. ISSN 1875-533X

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bradley, Daniel M; Cardullo, Francesca; Marshall, Howard; Marzorati, Paola; Pozzan, Alfonso; Ward, Simon E (2010) Compounds which potentiate the AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. WO/2010/066658.

Glaxo Group Ltd; Coulton, Steven; Gilpin, Martin; Ward, Simon E (2010) N-inden-2-yl-isopropylsulfonamides as AMPA receptor potentiators. PCT/EP2009/065263.

Ward, Simon, Bax, Benjamin D and Harries, Mark (2010) Challenges for and current status of research into positive modulators of AMPA receptors. British Journal of Pharmacology, 160 (2). pp. 181-190. ISSN 0007-1188

Glaxo Group Ltd; Ward, Simon, E; Bertheleme, Nicolas (2010) Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2009/062652.

Ward, Simon E and Watson, Jeannette M (2010) Recent Advances in the Discovery of Selective and Non-Selective 5-HT1D Receptor Ligands. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 10 (5). pp. 479-492. ISSN 1873-4294

Convergence Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Heer, Jag P; Norton, David; Ward, Simon E (2010) Pyrazolo [1, 5-A] pyrimidine derivatives. PCT/EP2009/059013.

Leslie, Colin P, Biagetti, Matteo, Bison, Silvia, Bromidge, Steven M, Di Fabio, Romano, Donati, Daniele, Falchi, Alessandro, Garnier, Martine J, Jaxa-Chamiec, Albert, Manchee, Gary, Merlo, Giancarlo, Pizzi, Domenica A, Stasi, Luigi P, Tibasco, Jessica, Vong, Antonio, Ward, Simon E and Zonzini, Laura (2010) Discovery of 1-(3-{2-[4-(2-Methyl-5-quinolinyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl}phenyl)-2-imidazolidinone (GSK163090), a Potent, Selective, and Orally Active 5-HT(1A/B/D) Receptor Antagonist. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 53 (23). pp. 8228-8240. ISSN 0022-2623

Ward, Simon, Harries, M, Aldegheri, L, Andreotti, D and et al, (2010) Discovery of N-[(2S)-5-(6-Fluoro-3-pyridinyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl]-2-propanesulfonamide, a Novel Clinical AMPA Receptor Positive Modulator. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 53 (15). pp. 5801-5812. ISSN 0022-2623

Glaxo Group Ltd; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2009) Compounds which potentiate the AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2009/050607.

Glaxo Group Ltd; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2009) Compounds which potentiate the AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2009/050608.

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bertheleme, Nicolas; Chan, Wai N; Scott, Jacqueline S; Ward, Simon E (2009) Compounds which potentiate the AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2008/067681.

Alderton, W, Karran, E and Ward, Simon (2009) Current and Future Perspectives in Psychiatric Drug Discovery. Drug news & perspectives, 22 (6). pp. 360-364. ISSN 0214-0934

Glaxo Group Ltd; Chan, Wai N; Harrison, Stephen; Hughes, Owen R; Neesom, James K; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E. (2009) Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2008/064407.

Glaxo Group Ltd; Chan, Wai N; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2009) Thiazoles which potentiate AMPA receptor and medicinal uses thereof. PCT/EP2008/064408.

Ward, Simon E, Eddershaw, Peter, Flynn, Sean T, Gordon, Laurie, Lovell, Peter J, Moore, Susan H, Scott, Claire M, Smith, Paul W, Thewlis, Kevin M and Wyman, Paul A (2009) Studies on a series of potent, orally bioavailable, 5-HT1 receptor ligands-Part II. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 19 (2). pp. 428-432. ISSN 0960-894X

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bradley, Daniel M; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2008) Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2008/056961.

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bertheleme, Nicolas; Bradley, Daniel M; Cardullo, Francesca; Merlo, Giancarlo; Pozzan, Alfonso; Scott, Jaqueline S; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2008) Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2008/053194.

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bradley, Daniel M; Chan, Wai N; Harrison, Stephen A; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2008) Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2008/052906.

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bradley, Daniel M; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2008) Compounds which potentiate glutamate receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/GB2005/008562.

Ward, Simon E, Eddershaw, Peter J, Scott, Claire M, Gordon, Laurie J, Lovell, Peter J, Moore, Susan H, Smith, Paul W, Starr, Kathryn R, Thewlis, Kevin M and Watson, Jeannette M (2008) Discovery of potent, orally bioavailable, selective 5-HT1A/B/D receptor antagonists. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 51 (10). pp. 2887-2890. ISSN 0022-2623

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bradley, Daniel M; Chan, Wai n; Thewlis, Kevin M; Ward, Simon E (2008) Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2007/061794.

Ward, Simon (2008) Antagonists of the human adenosine A(2A) receptor. Part 1: Discovery and synthesis of thieno[3,2-d] pyrimidine-4-methanone derivatives. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 18 (9). pp. 2916-2919. ISSN 0960894X

Glaxo Group Ltd; Bradley, Daniel M; Chan, Wai N; Ward, Simon E (2008) Compounds which potentiate AMPA receptor and uses thereof in medicine. PCT/EP2008/056971.