Biography

My expertise and research interests are based on drug discovery and medicinal chemistry fields. Since 1995, when I constituted my own research group, my goals were focused on neurodegenerative disorders, leading numerous research projects on the medicinal chemistry and rational drug design of new drugs for Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD) diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The main areas of my research involve cholinesterase, protein kinase and phosphodiesterase inhibitors. More recently, I am also involved in the discovery of inhibitors of protein-protein interaction (PPIs), mitophagy modulators and anti-SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors.
Technology transfer is a constant in my professional career. Currently, I am author of more than 40 patent families where the owner is mainly CSIC and in some cases, NeuroPharma. In summer 2000, some of my academic results were worldwide licensed to NeuroPharma, being engaged with the company as external researcher. From February 2002 to 2008, I joined NeuroPharma as R&D Director where I have provided strategic, leadership management and guidance in R&D activities from the drug discovery to the final proof of concept in different animal models. In these years, two research projects based on molecules from my own CSIC previous laboratory reached clinical trials as disease modifying drugs for AD: NP-12, tideglusib, a ATP non-competitive GSK-3 inhibitor, and NP-61, a dual binding site AChEI and potent β-amyloid modulator, as disease modifying drugs for AD. The 2012 economic crisis destroyed the company, but I led the operation to rescue tideglusib. It was acquired by Autism Therapeutics, now AMO Pharma, with the goal to develop it for the treatment of rare diseases. After successful phases II in ASD, MD and CMD, clinical studies phase III for congenital myotonic dystrophy (CMD) are ongoing in Canada, USA, UK and New Zeland. Final data expected for June 2023. Furthermore, Phase II clinical trial for ALS will start in Switzerland in the second half of 2023.
Since February 2008, I resume my academic position in the CSIC, firstly in the Medicinal Chemistry Institute (IQM-CSIC) and since April 2014 in the Biological Research Center (CIB-CSIC), being the head of Translational Medicinal and Biological chemistry laboratory. In these years I lead different projects focused on the development of small molecules for the treatment of PD, ALS, MS, retinitis pigmentosa, fragile X and since March 2020 for the treatment of COVID-19.
In 2010, we licensed some of our new regenerative drugs to the Spanish biotech ARACLON with the aim to reach clinical trials for PD therapy. Funding by different public-private projects, we have performed all the tasks to fill the IMPD that is pending of AEMPS approval to start phase I studies. Furthermore, an innovative treatment for multiple sclerosis discovered in my group has been the basis of ANKAR PHARMA. I am one of the founders and scientific executive advisor of this spin-off that acquired patent rights from the CSIC to develop the compounds until clinical trials (in 2014, 2020 and the last three patents in 2022). I have been the coordinator of a solid network on biomedicine funded by Madrid Community that allowed me to develop innovative drugs for ALS. Finally, my laboratory is CIBERNED member and one of the only five chemistry sites of EU-OPENSCREEN, the European infrastructure platform for biological chemistry and drug screening.
I am mentor of 16 PhD (3 more ongoing), more than 45 Master thesis and many postdoctoral trainings and ERASMUS placements. I am also member of several editorial boards of different international journals (J Med Chem, Curr Med Chem, Mini Rev Med Chem, Recent Patents CNS) and book collections (RSC Drug Discovery Serie). Moreover, I act as reviewer in different calls and programs, being member of the Med1 panel (Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences) of FWO (Flemish research agency) during 6 years (2014-2019), expert of the European Commission (EX2006C132745) and reviewer of ANEP, AEI, international agencies (France, Austria, Portugal, UK and Italy) and private research associations (Wellcome trust, Alzheimer Association, AFM, Weston Brain Institute, etc.). Furthermore, I have been and I am scientific advisor of different biotech companies such Noscira, ARACLON, AMO Pharma, Landsteiner GenMed,…
My professional career has been combined with seven maternity leaves (from February 1987 to March 2005).