Research and Development Personnel

• Thomas A. Krenitsky
• Lilia M. Beauchamp
• James A. Fyfe
• James L. Kelley
• Jeffrey D. Scharver
• John E. Dillberger
• Herbert L. Amyx

Thomas A. Krenitsky, Ph.D. - Principal founder, President, and CEO. Dr. Krenitsky is a recognized authority on drug discovery and development. After receiving his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Cornell University, he did a postdoctoral fellowship at Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research and then joined the research faculty at Yale Medical School. In 1966, he joined the research group of Drs. George H. Hitchings and Gertrude B. Elion at Burroughs Wellcome Co (BW Co.). Drs. Hitchings and Elion received the 1988 Nobel Prize in Medicine for the outstanding series of innovative drugs that emanated from their laboratories. Dr. Krenitsky worked directly with these outstanding scientists until their retirements. In 1983, he succeeded Dr. Elion as head of the Experimental Therapy Division and in 1989 was appointed Vice President of Research at BW Co. In this capacity, he had responsibility for over 500 professional scientists and support staff. Under his leadership, much of the development pipeline at BW Co.was discovered. In addition to drug discovery, a large part of the preclinical development functions were performed in the Research Unit at BW Co. under Dr. Krenitsky’s direction. He also played a key role in licensing activities, including assessment of drug candidates and negotiations on terms. He was a member of the BW Co. committee overseeing the clinical development of drug candidates from 1983 to 1995. Dr. Krenitsky is the author or co-author of 90 full scientific papers and 32 abstracts dealing with drug discovery. He is inventor on 30 issued US patents with more pending. He served on the Board of Directors of The Burroughs Wellcome Fund from 1990 to 1996. Dr. Krenitsky is an inventor of the drug nelarabine that is being clinically studied for T-cell malignancies and was intimately involved in the discovery and development of VALTREX®.

Lilia M. Beauchamp, M.S. - Chemist (Consulting). Ms. Beauchamp received a M.S. in Organic Chemistry from Fordham University. She is experienced in heterocyclic chemistry, especially acyclic nucleoside synthesis. She originally synthesized and developed preparative methods for the antiviral drugs ZOVIRAX® (acyclovir) and VALTREX® (valaciclovir). ZOVIRAX® generated annual sales of a billion dollars in 1994. Beauchamp is the inventor on the primary VALTREX® patent. She is experienced in the fields of antivirals, central nervous system agents, and prodrugs. She is the author of 14 publications including a review on antiviral drugs, 5 abstracts, and 9 United States patents. One of the founders of KPI, she was directly involved in the decision to pursue an area of chemistry that lead to the discovery of KP544, and was the first to synthesize this compound.

James A. Fyfe, Ph.D. - Research Biochemist. Dr. Fyfe received his bachelors degree, with Honors in Research, from the chemistry department at Carleton College and later his Ph.D. in biochemistry from The University of Chicago. After teaching chemistry and biochemistry for two years at Trinity University he joined the Enzymology Section of the Department of Experimental Therapy at Burroughs Wellcome. There he became an experienced principle investigator of the biochemical basis for antiviral and pharmacological activities of potential drugs and of the nature of infective agents. He has co-authored 46 research publications or book chapters. Dr. Fyfe joined KPI in 1999 and has been instrumental in conducting PC12 studies and in investigating the unique mechanism of action for KP544.

James L. Kelley, Ph.D. -  Chemist (Consulting). Dr. Kelley received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Fresno State College and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Santa Barbara under the tutelage of Bernard R. Baker. He commenced employment with BW Co. in 1970 and held several research and management positions prior to his appointment in 1991 as Associate Director of the Division of Organic Chemistry. Dr. Kelley's responsibilities included the supervision and direction of a group of 45 scientists who were engaged in the design and synthesis of candidate drug molecules. His professional publications include over 60 research publications, 25 meeting presentations and 12 issued or pending United States patents. Dr. Kelley was one of the founders of KPI and is a coinventor of KP544 and related compounds.

Jeffrey D. Scharver, Ph.D. – Senior Development Chemist. Dr. Scharver received his doctorate in chemistry from Duke University in 1974 and joined Burroughs Wellcome as a senior development chemist. In 1981, he was promoted to lead the Process Research section of the Research and Development Department. He joined KPI in 1998, and was largely responsible for the development of the GLP manufacturing process for KP544.

John E. Dillberger, DVM, Ph.D. - Scientific Advisor, Toxicology. Dr. Dillberger served as Study Pathologist, Study Director, Project Team representative, and Supervisor of the Histology and Laboratory Animal Care Units at Merrell Dow. Later, he was Associate Director of US Pathology, Director of US-based Development Projects, and Worldwide Specialist in Oncology Drug Projects in Glaxo Wellcome’s Toxicology Division. Dr. Dillberger is certified as a Veterinary Pathologist by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and as a Toxicologist by the American Board of Toxicology, and is a fellow in the International Academy of Toxicologic Pathology. He assisted KPI in designing, monitoring and interpreting preclinical animal studies.

Herbert L. Amyx, D.V.M. - Scientific Advisor, Toxicology. Dr. Amyx was Associate Director of the Division of Toxicology and Pathology at Burroughs Wellcome. He served as international preclinical study director for all oncology drugs, coordinated international regulatory submissions and directed the international project teams. He also served as Head of Laboratory Animal Resources, managing all of the companies animal care and use programs and facilities. Prior to joining Burroughs Wellcome, Dr. Amyx was Project Officer for studies on subacute spongiform viral encephalopathies at the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke at the NIH in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Amyx is a cofounder of the North Carolina Academy of Laboratory Animal Medicine and a founding member of the North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research.