Andreas Maderna

Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery and Head of Chemistry @ General Proximity

About

Accomplished drug hunter with 20+ years advancing innovative medicines from concept to clinic. Experienced across the full breadth of modern medicinal chemistry—from small‑molecule inhibitors, agonists, inverse agonists, partial agonists to covalent ligands, PROTACs, molecular glues and ADCs. Passionate about integrating cutting‑edge AI‑driven design and decision strategies to accelerate discovery, expand druggability, and translate bold science into differentiated therapies. A hands‑on scientific leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy, execution, and innovation—building high‑performing teams, shaping portfolios, and delivering impact at scale. I recently chose to leave Takeda due to travel demands that conflicted with family needs at my home in California. I’ve since joined General Proximity and am excited to help drive the next generation of proximity‑based therapeutics.

Country

United States

City

San Francisco

Industry

Pharmaceuticals

Skill

Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biological Chemistry, SBDD, Kinase Inhibitors, ADC's

Experience

Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery and Head of Chemistry

General Proximity

2026-4 - Present · 6 mos

San Francisco, CA

VP, Head of Global Chemistry at Takeda

Takeda

2024-11 - 2026-3 · 1 yr 5 mos

Cambridge, MA

- Led a global discovery organization of 140+ internal and 500+ external FTEs across multiple sites. • Managed a large medicinal chemistry portfolio spanning Neuroscience, GI/Inflammation, and Oncology. • Drove multi‑modality programs including small‑molecule inhibitors/agonists, invers agonists, partial agonists, covalent ligands, PROTACs and molecular glues • Led small molecule in‑vitro pharmacology, including assay development, validation, and HTS screening. • Applied AI‑driven design and robotic miniaturization for HT synthesis and screening to accelerate SAR and shorten DMTA cycle times. • Shaped medicinal chemistry portfolio strategy and vision to prioritize high‑value, differentiated programs and accelerate translation to clinic. Member of the Takeda Research Leadership Team. - Supported a dual‑site model with sustained on‑site presence in both Boston, MA and Shonan, Japan. -Chose to resign when urgent family circumstances required me to be more at home in CA

Executive Director Oncology Medicinal Chemistry

AstraZeneca

2022-8 - 2024-11 · 2 yrs 4 mos

Waltham, MA

-Department head with >90 internal FTEs in reporting line across four global sites. Member of both the oncology- and global chemistry leadership teams. - Was recruited by Takeda in Nov 2024