Leaving Johnson & Johnson to Join a Startup, This Scientist Aims to 'Revolutionize' Small-Molecule Drug Discovery

Stelara. Tremfya. Remicade.

These are just a few of the well-known drugs Murray McKinnon helped bring to market during his more than 35 years in drug discovery at Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Glaxo Wellcome (now GSK). Some people work their entire lives in drug development and may never achieve what McKinnon has.

"In my career, I was very fortunate to advance about 30 drugs into the clinic and support the development of six marketed products," he says.

However, McKinnon recently left big pharma to join a startup with fewer than 40 employees. While this move might seem risky to some, McKinnon says he feels "refreshed."

"Small companies don't scare me," he says.

That small company is Empress Therapeutics, where he now serves as Chief Scientific Officer. Empress was founded byFlagship Pioneeringin 2020, the incubator that has spawned Moderna and more than 140 other companies, but Empress did not officially launch until June 2023, with initial funding of $50 million committed by Flagship.

Empress aims to rapidly and predictably develop drug candidates by leveraging the body's ability to produce compounds called metabolites from our genetic code, which are a source of potential small-molecule drugs.

"The idea is: 'Can we identify drugs from within the body?'" McKinnon says. "One source of these drugs is the microbiome."

Although McKinnon clarifies that Empress is not a microbiome company, he says the company is studying "bacterial DNA as a source of novel medicinal chemistry." For example, molecules produced by the trillions of bacteria in our bodies have activity against human diseases.

"Empress's philosophy is to revolutionize small-molecule drug discovery by applying the power of genetics to obtain chemicals from within the human body," he says.

Empress plans to use patient metagenomic DNA samples and human datasets, then analyze this information through its "proprietary suite of computational and genetic technologies" called Chemilogics.

The preclinical company claims that doing so will allow it to identify active human chemicals associated with human diseases and compare these chemicals between healthy and diseased individuals. In a press release announcing its launch in June, the company said this approach could"revolutionize" small-molecule drug discovery。

So far, Empress has generated 15 molecules across multiple target classes for various indications, and the company expects to file multiple IND applications within the next 24 months. The company'sCEO Jason Park told Fierce Biotechthat none of these candidates have yet been tested in non-human primates.

"For example, we have used genetic and clinical data to identify multiple chemical compounds predicted to be protective in inflammatory bowel disease," McKinnon says. "We then demonstrated in relevant animal models that these molecules have good drug properties and activity. This really supports our argument that we are identifying truly drug-like, novel chemicals."

Empress initially started with gut bacteria as a platform starting point because that is where most of the microbes in our bodies reside. But according to McKinnon, this is just the beginning.

"[Inflammatory bowel disease] is just one of many opportunities identified, and we are applying the platform to other indications, including oncology and metabolic diseases," McKinnon says.

A 'chemistry-first' approach

McKinnon grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, and holds a PhD in biochemistry, which he earned while working as a research scientist at Glaxo Wellcome in the '80s and '90s. The company not only funded his degree but also allowed him to leave for three years and return upon completion.

This interest in chemistry continues at Empress.

"In traditional pharma companies, you typically start with a target, which is often based on genetics," he says. At Empress, however, it starts with drug-like molecules using genetics.

"What attracted me to Empress is that it is a new approach that truly takes a chemistry-first strategy," he says. "We take this chemistry-first strategy, which allows us to begin identifying potential new pathways and targets that others haven't discovered."

He is also excited about working in the greater Boston innovation ecosystem, advancing a new platform, and experiencing the fast, flexible decision-making of a small biotech.

"I think I will bring not only my 37 years of experience in immunology, inflammation, oncology, drug discovery, and early development, but also what I've learned in team building, internal collaboration, and external collaboration," he says.

As a leader, McKinnon says he has always wanted to help his direct reports and those around him succeed, mentor them, and provide them with opportunities to learn and succeed, just as his mentors and advocates did for him.

"Seeing others succeed brings me great joy; seeing my direct reports succeed, and their direct reports succeed," he says. "In many ways, I derive more enthusiasm and pleasure from seeing those around me succeed than from a personal standpoint. I think the opportunity to make an impact in this small company will be enormous."

When McKinnon looks back at all the drugs he helped bring to market, he says he is proud of the work and recognizes its impact on patients, but does not take too much personal credit, calling it "a team sport."

Instead, he looks to the future and the unmet needs that still exist.

"Yes, we have brought some very good drugs to patients with psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. But there is still unmet need," he says. "These drugs go a long way in addressing patient needs, but there are no cures. Ultimately, the real driver and what excites me is: Can we start curing diseases? The ultimate goal of a drug discoverer is to find cures, or to detect diseases early."

While it is still early, he sees Empress's potential in both areas.

"I see tremendous opportunity for the platform not only in drug discovery, but also in diagnostics, risk assessment, and perhaps ultimately in cures," he says. "Applying all my experience from the past 37 years to Empress, this opportunity is particularly exciting."