XUEQING WANG
San Carlos,CA
Summary
Dynamic life sciences executive with a robust track record in drug discovery, business development, and leading cross-functional teams to identify and advance high-value opportunities in oncology, pain, and cystic fibrosis. Expertise includes scientific due diligence, target identification, and the in-licensing of both preclinical and clinical assets, with effective collaboration alongside global partners and subject matter experts. Proven leadership in driving multiple oncology programs through all stages, from target validation to lead optimization for small molecules and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), underpinned by a deep understanding of cancer biology and pharmacology. Recognized for building and managing large, multi-site medicinal chemistry teams while overseeing strategic initiatives within AbbVie’s oncology discovery landscape.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Director, Global Medicinal Chemistry
AbbVie
03.2022 - Current
- Lead cross-site teams of >50 FTE chemists from both AbbVie Bay Area and AbbVie Chicago, providing strategic and technical guidance on multiple projects
- Oversee Oncology small molecule, including inhibitor, Protacs and Molecular Glues, and ADC projects covering tumor intrinsic, and immunology oncology mechanisms
- Provide key strategic and technical guidance on both FIC and BIC targets preclinical transitions from Lead Generation to preclinical transitions including Protac and small molecule inhibitor modalities
- Oversee multiple Oncology ADC programs, and build a varity of payload platforms with novel mechanism of action
- Supervise AbbVie Bay Area chemistry lab activities
- Member of Oncology Discovery Senior Leadership (ODSS) (06-12/2022), senior leadership of AbbVie Global Medicinal Chemistry (GMEC), and extended leadership team member of Small Molecule Therapeutics and Platform Technologies (SMTPT)
- Key member of the Oncology Discover Program Committee (DPC) to provide governance oversight of Oncology program transitions
- Lead scientific due diligence and comprehensive evaluation of multiple oncology BD opportunities, resulting in the successful in-licensing of clinical stage assets
- Mentored senior leaders, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration within the organization.
Oncology Discovery Project Director
AbbVie
03.2018 - 07.2023
- In the role as a Project Director, effectively led cross-functional teams consisting of chemistry, biology, pharmacology, DMPK, and preclinical safety, formulated scientific strategies and plans, and drove program transitions
- Led a FIC ADC program with novel payload by improving payload potency, linker technology, and linker drug properties; guided pharmacology and preclinical safety pharmacology characterizations; devised indication strategy; led the program through lead optimization transition
- Led multiple exploratory and discovery phase Oncology small molecule programs, including signaling pathway, and immune-oncology targets; projects span from target validation, hit to lead, to lead generation and optimization phases; modalities include inhibitors, and Protacs
- Presented at Senior Leadership review meetings
- Part of the senior leadership of AbbVie Sunnyvale site to perform portfolio governance, and make key decisions regarding research strategy and initiatives
- Led Oncology Discovery due diligence evaluations in multiple preclinical and clinical programs, resulted in successful in-licensing of clinical stage compounds
Head of AbbVie Sunnyvale Discovery Operation Team
AbbVie
07.2018 - 09.2020
- Built and expanded Discovery Operation Team (DOT) from 2-6 FTE to enable operational alignment between discovery scientists, internal procurement group, and external vendors
- Enhanced operational efficiency by establishing SOP and KPIs
Interim Head of AbbVie Sunnyvale Medicinal Chemistry
AbbVie
04.2018 - 08.2018
- Built and expanded the medicinal chemistry team to double its size from 10 to 20 FTE
Senior Principal Scientist
AbbVie Inc
06.2017 - 02.2018
- Led discovery team in collaboration with Calico and Broad in identifying small molecule phosphatase inhibitors for immune-oncology indication; Led the team in identifying a compound that became ABBV-CLS-579, a first-in-class active site phosphatase inhibitor, which has been advanced into IND in 2020
- Led discovery team in collaboration with Galapagos to identify second C2 CFTR pre-clinical candidate ABBV-3748, ABBV-119, and ABBV602 for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) treatment
Principal Scientist
AbbVie Inc
01.2013 - 05.2017
- Led discovery medicinal chemistry team in collaboration with Galapagos, consisting of more than 40 medicinal chemists from AbbVie, Galapagos, and CRO, to identify clinical candidates for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) treatment
- Directed the internal medicinal chemistry efforts in identifying type I corrector (C1) clinical candidate ABBV/GLPG2222, which is in Phase II clinical trials; and high-quality backup clinical candidate ABBV/GLPG2851
- Guided the team in identifying C2 corrector clinical candidate ABBV/GLPG3221
- Collaborated with Galapagos medicinal chemistry team in identifying potentiator clinical candidate ABBV/GLPG3067, and a distinct C2 series clinical candidate ABBV/GLPG2737 into phase I clinical trials
- Presented project strategy and updates to the Joint Research Committee
- Led internal team on neuroscience pain P2X3 discovery program and identified candidate-like compounds
Team Lead
Abbott Laboratories
04.2002 - 12.2012
- Led internal neuroscience kinase inhibitor discovery program in identifying highly novel, potent and selective kinase inhibitors for the management of pain, and completing LO transition
- Led multiple integrated discovery service (IDS) program involving external CRO partners
- Presented program updates on multiple projects at internal governance meetings
Senior Scientist I-III
AbbVie Inc
04.2002 - 03.2011
- Chem Lead of Abbott’s external risk sharing CCR2 program with WuXi Apptec, China
- Designed and synthesized patentable, potent, selective and orally bioavailable G-protein coupled receptors agonists (pyrazolylidene and thiazoylidene for CB2, aryl ethyl amidine for alpha-2 adrenergic) as novel pain therapeutics; contributed to the identification of ABT-961, ABT-193, and ABT-521 as CB2-selective agonists
- Designed and synthesized small molecules for various neurological and pain disorders (dopamine receptor, mGluR1, FAAH, NR2B); evaluated HTS hits; planed and executed plans for potential backup series; contributed to the identification of clinical candidates ABT-724, and ABT-670 as dopamine D4 agonists
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of California
09.1999 - 02.2002
- Developed of a novel method to identify new classes of metalloproteinase inhibitors as potential anti-cancer compounds; designed and executed parallel synthetic methodologies to prepare inhibitor libraries both on solid phase and in solution; developed proteinase assay and screened project compounds
Graduate Research Assistant
Northwestern University
08.1994 - 07.1999
- Designed and prepared various monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) inhibitors; investigated enzymatic reaction mechanism using both spectroscopy and chemical synthesis; explored MAO B catalyzed reactions in low-aqueous media
Education
MBA - Finance and Strategy
Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management
Evanston, IL06.2011
Postdoctoral Fellow -
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley, CA02.2002
Ph.D. - Organic Chemistry
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL07.1999
Skills
- Team-oriented leadership
- Culture transformation
- Team leadership
- Key performance indicators
Honors And Membership
- 2020, AbbVie R&D President Award
- 2016, AbbVie R&D President Award
- 2013-2016, AbbVie Excellence Awards, Nominated by area VP and project directors for the direct impact on delivering on project goals.
- 1995-present, Member of American Chemical Society
Patents And Applications
- Farney, E.; Shiroodi, R. K.; Xiong, Z.; Zhang, Q.; O’Connor, M.; Halvorsen, G.; Zhao, H.; Baumgartner, C.; Frost, J. M.; Kym, P.; Abbott, J. R.; Bogdan, A.; Economou, C.; Wang, X., Preparation of N-Hydroxynaphtyl Thiadiazolidinone Derivatives as Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Inhibitors Useful in Treatment of Cancer and Metabolic Diseases, WO2019246513, 2019
- Desroy, N.; De Lemos, E.; Couty, S.; Picolet, O. L.; Wang, X.; Searle, X. B.; Liu, B.; Yeung, M. C.; Altenbach, R. J.; Gfesser, G. A.; Kym, P. R., Preparation of Substituted Pyrrolidines as CFTR Modulators and Their Use, WO2019193062, 2019
- Altenbach, R. J.; Bogdan, A.; Couty, S.; Desroy, N.; Gfesser, G. A.; Housseman, C. G.; Kym, P. R.; Liu, B.; Mai, T. T. T.; Malagu, K. F.; Merayo Merayo, N.; Picolet, O. L.; Pizzonero, M. R.; Searle, X. B.; Van der Plas, S. E.; Wang, X.; Yeung, M. C., Preparation of substituted N-sulfonylcyclopropanecarboxamides as modulators of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein., WO 2019053634, 2019
- Altenbach, R. J.; Bogdan, A.; Desroy, N.; Gfesser, G. A.; Greszler, S. N.; Kym, P. R.; Liu, B.; Malagu, K. F.; Merayo Merayo, N.; Pizzonero, M. R.; Searle, X. B.; Van der Plas, S. E.; Wang, X; Yeung, M. C.; Zhao, G.
Publications
- Wang, X.; Tse, C.; Singh, A., Discovery and Development of CFTR Modulators for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis., J. Med. Chem., 2025, 68, 3, 2255-2300
- Scanio, M. J. C.; Searle, X. B.; Liu, B.; Koenig, J. R.; Altenbach, R. J.; Gfesser, G. A.; Bogdan, A.; Greszler, S.; Zhao, G.; Singh, A.; Fan, Y.; Swensen, A. M.; Vortherms, T.; Manelli, A.; Balut, C.; Gao, W.; Yong, H.; Schrimpf, M.; Tse, C.; Kym, P.; Wang, X., Discovery and SAR of 4-aminopyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid correctors of CFTR for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, Bioorg Med Chem Lett, 2022, 72, 128843
- Rowley, A.; Brown, B. S.; Stofega, M.; Hoh, H.; Mathew, R.; Marin, V.; Ding, R. X.; McClure, R. A.; Bittencourt, F. M.; Chen, J.; Gururaja, T.; Kinoshita, T.; Wang, X.
- ; Rivkin, A.; Woller, K. R., Targeting IRAK3 for Degradation to Enhance IL-12 Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Production., ACS Chem Biol, 2022, 17, 6, 1315-1320, (corresponding author)
- Singh, A. K.; Fan, Y.; Balut, C.; Alani, S.; Manelli, A. M.; Swensen, A. M.; Jia, Y.; Neelands, T. R.; Vortherms, T. A.; Liu, B.; Searle, X. B.; Wang, X.; Gao, W.; Hwang, T.-C.; Ren, H. Y.; Cyr, D.; Kym, P. R.; Conrath, K.; Tse, C., Biological Characterization of F508delCFTR Protein Processing by the CFTR Corrector ABBV-2222/GLPG2222, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 2020, 372
- Scanio, M.; Searle, X.; Liu, B.; Yeung, C.; Koenig J. R.; Altenbach, R.; Gfesser, G.; Bogdan, A.; Greszler, S.; Singh, A.; Fan, Y.; Swensen, A. M.; Vortherms, T.; Balut, C.; Jia, Y; Gao, W.; Yong, H; Schrimpf, M.; Tse, C.; Kym, P.; Wang, X., Discovery of (2S,3R,4S,5S)-3-(tert-butyl)-4-((2-methoxy-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-3-yl)methoxy)-1-((S)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-carbonyl)-5-(o-tolyl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid (ABBV/GLPG-3221), a Potent Cyctic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis, ACS Med. Chem. Lett., 2019, 10, 1543-1548
- Kym, P.; Wang, X
- .; Pizzonero M.; Van Der Plas, S., Recent Progress in the Discovery and Development of Small Molecule Modulators of CFTR, Prog Med. Chem., 2018, 57, 1, 235-276, (co-first author)
- Wang, X.; Liu B.; Searle, X.; Yeung, C.; Bogdan, A.; Greszler, S.; Singh, A.; Swensen, A.; Vortherm, T.; Balut, C.; Desino, K.; Gao, W.; Tse, C.; Kym, P., Discovery of ABBV/GLPG-2222, a potent, efficacious CFTR corrector for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis, J. Med. Chem., 2018, 61, 1436-1449
- Wang, X.; Sarris, K.; Kage, K., Zhang, D.; Kolasa T.; El Kouhen, O. F.; Surowy, C.; Muchmore, S. W.; Brown, S. P.; Brioni, J. D.; Stewart, A. O., Synthesis and evaluation of benzothiazole-based analogs as novel, potent fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors, J. Med. Chem., 2009, 52, 170-180
- Wang, X.; Kolasa T.; El Kouhen, O. F.; Moreland, R. B.; Honore, P.; Brioni, J. D.; Stewart, A. O., Synthesis and Evaluation of Pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one as Potent, Selective and Orally Bioavailable mGluR1 Antagonists, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 2007, 17, 4303-4307
- Wang, X.; Bhatia, P. A.; Daanen, J. F.; Latsaw, S. P.; Rohde, J.; Kolasa, T.; Hakeem, A. A.; Matulenko, M. A.; Nakane, M.; Uchic, M. E.; Miller, L. E.; Chang, R.; Moreland, R. B.; Brioni, J. D.; Stewart, A. O., Synthesis and Evaluation of 3-Aryl Piperidine Analogs as Potent and Efficacious Dopamine D4 Receptor Agonists, Bioorg. Med. Chem., 2005, 13, 4667-4678
- Dube, G. R.; Lehto, S. G.; Bresse, N. M.; Baker, S. J.; Wang, X.; Matulenko, M. A.; Honore, P.; Stewart, A. O.; Moreland, R. B.; Brioni, J. D., Pain, 2005, 117, 88-96
- Stewart, A. O.; Cowart, M. D.; Moreland, R. B.; Latshaw, S. P.; Matulenko, M. A.; Bhatia, P. A.; Wang, X.; Daanen, J. F.; Nelson, S. L.; Terranova, M. A.; Namovic, M. G.; Donnelly-Roberts, D. L.; Miller, L. N.; Nakane, M.; Sullivan, J. P.; Brioni, J. D., Dopamine D4 Ligands and Models of Receptor Activation: 2-(4-Pyridin-2-ylpiperazin-1-ylmethy)-1H-benzimidazole and Related Heteroarylmethylarylpiperazines Exhibit a substituent Effect Responsible for Additional Efficacy Tuning, J. Med. Chem., 2004, 47, 2348-2355
- Wang, X.; Choe, Y.; Craik, C. S.; Ellman, J. A., Design and Synthesis of Novel Inhibitors of Gelatinase B, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 2002, 12, 2201-2204
- Wang, X.; Silverman, R. B., Monoamine Oxidase-Catalyzed Oxidation of endo, endo-2-Amino-6-[(Z)-2'-phenyl]ethenylbicylco[2.2.1]heptane, a Potential Probe for a Radical Cation Intermediate, Bioorg. Med. Chem., 2000, 8, 1645-1651
- Wang, X.; Silverman, R. B., 2-(Iodoethenyl)benzyl Amines as Potential Probes for Radical Intermediates Formed During Monoamine Oxidase-Catalyzed Oxidations, J. Org. Chem., 1998, 63, 7357-7363
- Woo, J. C. G.; Wang, X.; Silverman, R. B., Monoamine Oxidase-Catalyzed Amine Oxidation in Organic Solvent, J. Org. Chem., 1995, 60, 6235-6236
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Chinese (Mandarin)
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Senior Director, Global Medicinal Chemistry
AbbVie
03.2022 - Current
Head of AbbVie Sunnyvale Discovery Operation Team
AbbVie
07.2018 - 09.2020
Interim Head of AbbVie Sunnyvale Medicinal Chemistry
AbbVie
04.2018 - 08.2018
Oncology Discovery Project Director
AbbVie
03.2018 - 07.2023
Senior Principal Scientist
AbbVie Inc
06.2017 - 02.2018
Principal Scientist
AbbVie Inc
01.2013 - 05.2017
Team Lead
Abbott Laboratories
04.2002 - 12.2012
Senior Scientist I-III
AbbVie Inc
04.2002 - 03.2011
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of California
09.1999 - 02.2002
Graduate Research Assistant
Northwestern University
08.1994 - 07.1999
Ph.D. - Organic Chemistry
Northwestern University
MBA - Finance and Strategy
Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management
Postdoctoral Fellow -
University of California at Berkeley