As the chief scientific officer for Bluefield Innovations, Dr. Vincent J. Kalish, Ph.D., will work closely with Johns Hopkins investigators, the Bluefield Joint Steering Committee and Deerfield Management drug development experts to catalyze the development of early stage therapeutics.
Bluefield Innovations is an innovative collaboration between The Johns Hopkins University and Deerfield Management that is dedicated to navigating the complexities of scientific advancement from concept to commercialization. Funded by Deerfield Management, Bluefield Innovations is providing up to $65 million over five years to support the commercialization of early stage therapeutic research at Johns Hopkins.
“Vince has the knowledge, experience and demeanor to bring the innovative projects on the Johns Hopkins campus to market in an efficient and professional manner,” said Dr. Brian Bizoza, partner on the Pharmaceutical team at Deerfield Management and a Johns Hopkins University alumnus
Kalish says that he was attracted to the opportunity to help the research groups at Johns Hopkins “get through the difficult translation phase from laboratory result to clinical development.”
Vince Kalish
“We see multiple projects being funded out of the amazing research at Johns Hopkins and eventually multiple companies being spun out, making a difference for patients and researchers,” Kalish said.
Bluefield Innovations is currently funding a cancer project with Dr. Marikki Laiho and expects to soon fund additional projects.
Kalish is well suited for the job as a seasoned drug hunter with extensive experience in the preclinical development of drug candidates, medicinal chemistry, patents and project leadership during 30 years in the biopharma industry. Prior to joining Bluefield, Kalish was a founder and senior vice president of chemistry and pre-clinical development for Revivo Therapeutics and a consultant for multiple startup biotech ventures. He has also held leadership roles with Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals and Guilford Pharmaceuticals, which both had ties to Johns Hopkins.
Kalish is also an inventor on 43 issued U.S. patents and a co-inventor of multiple compounds that have advanced into Investigational New Drug and Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials including Viracept, the marketed HIV protease inhibitor. Kalish earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Penn State University and a B.S. from Rutgers University.
He admits that science is not his only interest. “I have been a water person all my life,” he said. “I love racing and cruising sailboats with friends and family.”
The next round of proposal submissions will open on October 15 and close November 15. For more details please visit the Bluefield website. www.bluefieldinnovations.com.