Proxygen Appoints Chiara Conti as Chief Scientific Officer
Proxygen, a biotechnology company pioneering the discovery of molecular glue degraders and next-generation proximity-based therapeutics, today announced the appointment of Chiara Conti, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).
Dr. Conti joins Proxygen from Blueprint Medicines, where she identified four development candidates in seven years. Two of these were advanced to IND with unprecedented timelines, while also supporting two clinical programs in Phase I. During her tenure she established the company’s targeted protein degradation (TPD) platform and early portfolio. Dr. Conti will lead Proxygen’s transition from discovery to clinical-stage execution, focusing on advancing the company’s pipeline into clinical development.
“Over the past five years, we have built one of the most advanced discovery engines for molecular glue degraders, consistently delivering differentiated assets,” said Bernd Boidol, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Proxygen. “Chiara’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment as we are now expanding into the broader induced proximity field, extending beyond degradation into a wider range of effectors. And, at the same time, we continue advancing a pipeline designed for clinical impact. Her track record of rapidly translating discovery into IND-stage programs will be critical in accelerating this transition into the clinic. We are moving induced proximity from a discovery paradigm to a scalable, design-driven therapeutic modality.”
“I have known Proxygen since its establishment and followed its innovation over the years. Proxygen’s platform stands out for the depth of its scientific foundations in proximity-driven protein degradation and its ability to systematically harness that to identify novel therapeutics.” said Dr. Conti. “The opportunity to extend this platform beyond degradation into a broader induced-proximity engine is incredibly compelling, offering significant potential while advancing the existing portfolio toward the clinic.”
Proxygen will continue to invest in its degradation platform to maintain a dense and differentiated pipeline while expanding into new effector classes. This dual strategy reflects the company’s belief that induced proximity is a versatile therapeutic approach with the potential to address high-value targets beyond the current scope of drug discovery.
The company has established multiple pharmaceutical partnerships, including with Merck & Co (known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada), underscoring strong industry interest in proximity-based therapeutics.
Contact
Bernd Boidol, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
management@proxygen.com