Wednesday, 8 September 11:00am – 12:00pm

This seminar will be delivered via Zoom – Please email chemistry.researchsupport@sydney.edu.au for zoom link and password.

Speaker: Dr Dieter Hamprecht; Head of Chemistry, Pharmaxis Ltd

Host: Professor Richard Payne

Title: Inhibitors of Lysyl Oxidase Like 2 (LOXL2) for the Treatment of Fibrotic Diseases

Abstract: LOXL2 is an enzyme that mediates the covalent crosslinking of the extracellular matrix proteins collagen and elastin, with particular relevance in pathological conditions that result in fibrotic disease. Pharmaxis has discovered a series of compounds that potently inhibit this enzyme and have favourable drug like properties. Of these, two have entered development and shown that the preclinical profile translates into a high level of target engagement in humans. The presentation will highlight key aspects in the discovery and development of PXS-5338 and PXS-5382 with a focus on (medicinal) chemistry.

Biographical sketch: DH studied chemistry in Germany at the Universities of Würzburg and Munich (PhD). Following post doctoral research at Imperial College, London, he entered pharmaceutical industry as a medicinal chemist in the UK with SmithKline Beecham, later GSK. He then continued his career with GSK in Italy, before joining Boehringer Ingelheim in Italy as a Group Leader and then Managing Director of the company’s research site in Milan. He moved to Sydney in 2017 to join Pharmaxis as Head of Chemistry, overseeing activities from new target identification through to support of preclinical and clinical development.