Our management team has tremendous relevant experience and expertise in mitochondrial biology, drug discovery and development.
Azomedicine has developed unique technological approaches to screen and develop potent modulators of mitochondrial ion channels, including MPC1 and UCP2. These small-molecule compounds can restore metabolic flux and cellular energy balance, as well as enhance mitochondrial membrane integrity through direct activation of mitochondrial function. These modulators have great potential to treat metabolic diseases with genetic defects in mitochondrial function or rare diseases characterized by toxic accumulation of metabolic waste.
Normal functions of critical mitochondrial ion channels are often disrupted due to either genetic defect or inhibition by accumulated metabolic waste material, which in turn results in mitochondrial functional deficiency, a hallmark observation in a number of metabolic diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Activation or inhibition of ion channels via small molecule agents can help restore mitochondrial function, which can then better regulate critical downstream processes including insulin signaling, glucose metabolism, and cellular respiration.
Dr. Chen is a highly experienced drug hunter and developer with 20+ year experiences in drug discovery and development at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as venture capital investment. He has contributed directly to many successful IND and BLA/NDA filings for a variety of drug modalities, including small molecules, biologics and gene therapies. Prior to founding Azomedicine in March 2021, Dr. Chen was the vice president of preclinical development at BioVentures, a metabolic disease venture/accelerator company which specializes in identifying and investing in metabolic disease drug assets. Before joining BioVentures, Dr. Chen was head of pharmacology and bioanalytical science at MetaGen and a senior director and global head of bioanalytical and biomarker development at BioPharm Corp, leading a team of 50+ scientists including 30 PhDs and 8 directors.
Dr. Martinez has successful experience in drug discovery, pre-clinical & clinical studies and global regulatory filing strategies with a broad understanding of new drug development trends. Dr. Martinez is an expert on MedChem Compound Design based on SAR, preclinical development & CMC. Dr. Martinez has been head of chemistry at Azomedicine leading drug discovery programs since March 2021. Dr. Martinez was a program manager at ChemBridge Partners with responsibilities for API and drug product CMC manufacture as well as for regulatory filings. She was also involved in multiple clinical trials from Phase I to Phase III in multiple therapeutic areas. Prior to that, she was a principal investigator at Summit Pharmaceuticals where she successfully led drug discovery and development programs in multiple therapeutic areas as well as efficiently and strategically managed external drug discovery and development collaborations in the US, Europe and Asia.
Dr. Patterson is an executive scientific leader with broad experience across drug discovery, pre-clinical pharmacology, translational strategies and clinical development. Dr. Patterson has been SVP and Head of Research and Translational Science at Azomedicine since January 2025 where he leads Azomedicine's innovative programs across multiple therapeutic indications. In his prior role as SVP of Research at MetaTherapeutics, Dr. Patterson contributed to the development of mitochondrial-targeted small molecules for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and was responsible for growing and leading the research organization. He helped the company raise over $100M in venture capital funding and was deeply involved in developing the company's clinical and business strategies.
Mei-Ling joins Azomedicine with more than 18 years of research experience in mitochondrial dynamics, metabolic homeostasis, type 2 diabetes and the molecular biology of aging. She has experience as a PI at Shanghai Institute of Metabolic Science (China) where her research on diabetes was supported by NSFC and Shanghai NSF grants. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed articles on the molecular mechanisms of metabolic disorders, the functions of mitochondrial ion channels and the genetics of longevity. Mei-Ling also has more than 6 years experience as a consultant for drug discovery research focusing on diseases manifesting mitochondrial dysfunction.
Dr. Sullivan brings a wealth of experience as a distinguished business leader, entrepreneur and mentor, with a proven track record of guiding biotechnology companies towards maximizing program value and realizing their full potential. He has served on the boards of multiple successful biotech companies and brings deep expertise in metabolic disease therapeutics.
Dr. Foster is a seasoned biotech executive with over 25 years of experience in drug development and commercialization. She previously served as Chief Development Officer at Global Therapeutics and has successfully led multiple programs from discovery through FDA approval.
NextGen Bioventures takes on a science-driven, entrepreneur-friendly investment philosophy by working closely with companies and research institutions to develop drugs or products that have strong unmet medical needs.
Pacific Health Capital is an institutional growth equity investment company formed by seasoned entrepreneurs and sophisticated investors with 25 years of in-depth industry operational and business building experiences in both Asia and the US.
Atlas Medical Ventures focuses on early-stage biotechnology companies developing breakthrough therapies for metabolic and rare diseases, providing both capital and strategic guidance.