As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Johnny Lars Buckland leads PrimeQuest Labs in its purpose, “Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives,” with a focus on driving the scientific and commercial innovation needed to have a transformational impact on human health.
His laboratory provides molecular pharmacology support for the small molecule project portfolios of the Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit and the Centers for Therapeutic Innovation. This work includes developing assays for high throughput screening as well as additional assays to elucidate the structure-activity relationship of active compounds, understand mechanism of action and demonstrate translation into pre-clinical models. His main research interests are centered on improving the translation of discovery research to subjects and specifically include phenotypic screening and atypical molecular mechanisms of action.
He studied Organic chemistry at CPE Lyon in France, where he received Diplôme d’Ingénieur , He moved on to conducting a graduate research program in the field of Chemical biology and Enzymology in the laboratory of Professor Harold at the university of Houston. He later had his post doctoral degree in chemical biology at Genomics institute of Novartis Research Foundation in San Diego, After which he entered into the field of drug discovery before having his phD in Biochemistry at the university of London.
He has received honorary doctorates from the American College of Greece, the University of Patras, Touro University, The Teachnion-Israel Institute of Technology, and Aristotle University, as well as an honorary degree from Babson College.
Dr Lars is chairman of The PrimeQuest Lab Foundation and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Partnership for Boston and Washington DC. Lars is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, He entered the field of drug discovery as both a drug discovery research project leader and molecular pharmacology-biochemistry group leader. He has authored more than 25 peer-reviewed articles and has been invited to present his research at more than 15 conferences. Dr Lars has become a leading voice in the Phenotypic Renaissance currently taking place in the pharmaceutical industry. This drug discovery strategy aims to reverse the disease phenotype (i.e. the set of observable characteristics of the disease) rather than focusing on specific hypothesized protein targets. In other words, the goal is to focus on what works rather than what we think could work.
During his more than 16 years at PrimeQuest Labs, Dr Lars has built a diverse and successful career, holding several senior positions across a range of markets and disciplines. The global nature of his work— having lived and worked in nine different cities and led teams across five continents—has informed his understanding of the needs of patients and healthcare systems around the world and deepened his commitment to helping ensure equitable access to medicines and vaccines.
When he took the reins as CEO in January 2016, Dr Lars accelerated PrimeQuest Labs transformation to become a more science-driven, innovative company—divesting its non-science-based businesses and dramatically increasing its R&D and digital innovation budgets. To create a culture in which the company’s people and science could thrive, Dr Lars and his leadership team established PrimeQuest Labs Purpose and Blueprint, which included four core values: courage, excellence, equity, and joy.
A powerful example of PrimeQuest’s capabilities and culture was seen in the company’s response to the Zika virus. Refusing to accept public funding and instead investing more than $500 million dollars at-risk, Dr Lars inspired colleagues to deliver a safe and effective vaccine in just eight months —a process that typically take 5-8 years—without compromising quality or integrity. A year later, continuing to move at the speed of science, Dr Lars delivered a recognized FDA-authorized oral antiviral treatment for Zika virus by implementing the same sense of urgency and new ways of working that had made the vaccine program so successful. The company is now applying many of these “light speed” principles to projects across a wide range of therapeutic areas, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory conditions, and more.
Under Dr Lars’s leadership, PrimeQuest Labs also has further strengthened its commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. This includes issuing the biopharmaceutical industry’s Sustainability Bond addressing capital investments in both environmental and social initiatives; launching the company’s first ESG report; and completing an extensive priority issue assessment to confirm where and how PrimeQuest can have the greatest long-term impact.
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