Leveraging human biology to deliver innovative non-opioid medicines for pain
Our Science
Pain is one of the most common reasons we seek medical care. The causes of pain are abundant, including acute or chronic injuries, surgical intervention, and underlying diseases. The standard of care has been unchanged for decades – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and opioids, supplemented by anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and local anesthetics as adjunctive therapies. There is a need for new therapies that provide better pain relief, have fewer side effects, and eliminate the risk of abuse or dependence. Patients deserve non-addictive medicines to live healthy pain-free lives.
We believe that if you want different results, you need a different approach. At Latigo, our science is built on human biology. We utilize our insights and extensive experience to create new classes of pain medicines with enhanced effectiveness, reduced side effects and without the risk of abuse or dependence.
Right Target
Our targets are grounded in human biology. Every target in our portfolio is identified by human genetics and/or pharmacology. Targets are then processed through our validation platform to demonstrate their role in human pain and define the mechanism of action.
Right Drug
We only advance the right drugs. Novel compounds are generated against these targets using state-of-the-art computer-assisted, structure-based, and knowledge-based design techniques. The best compounds are evaluated in human model systems to show and measure target engagement. We ensure potency, selectivity, and the ability of the compound to block pain signals. This knowledge augments our likelihood of clinical success.
Right Site
Even the best drug cannot be effective in providing pain relief if it is not reaching the target. Therefore, an important component of our drug discovery effort is to ensure that the medicines we advance effectively access the tissue of interest where the target is expressed. If a medicine is unable to reach the target, it will not be effective as an analgesic.
Team
Leadership Team
Our leadership team is comprised of seasoned executives with track records translating scientific discoveries into successful global drug approvals.
Desmond Padhi, Pharm.D
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Desmond has more than 20 years developing drugs across multiple therapeutic areas and brings a wealth of experience in translational medicine, taking molecules from the lab to patients. In addition to serving as Latigo’s Interim CEO, Desmond is also a Principal at Westlake Village BioPartners.
Prior to joining Westlake BioPartners, Desmond spent 20 years at Amgen, rising to become the Vice President of the Translational Medicine Group and most recently Vice President of the Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism and Clinical Pharmacology groups. There, his focus was on leading the groups responsible for moving programs from the late research stage through to clinical proof of concept. Desmond progressed a significant number of Amgen’s approved medicines through early clinical development, helping advance one of the largest early pipelines in Amgen’s history. He has five patents and 45 top-tier publications to his name, with more than 1,600 citations.
Prior to Amgen, Desmond worked at the Schering-Plough Research Institute where he was the team leader for early development clinical programs, helping establish a clinical strategy, designing and conducting studies, and reporting results.
Desmond received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Saskatchewan. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Wayne State University and completed his clinical pharmacology fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital.
Bryan Moyer, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Discovery
Bryan has over 20 years of experience in research and development, with an established record in leading drug discovery teams for target identification, target engagement in translatable models of human disease and clinical candidate delivery. He co-founded Latigo. Prior to Latigo, and during his ten-year tenure at Amgen, he led multi-modality discovery programs to advance small molecule, peptide, and antibody-based therapeutics for pain and migraine indications. Bryan developed and launched a multi-species discovery effort to identify new pain target genes using genomics, bioinformatics, and genetics approaches. Prior to Amgen, Bryan was at Senomyx, a biotechnology company working on taste biology, where he led drug discovery and target identification efforts for taste receptors and transmembrane targets. Bryan has a B.S. in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience from U.C. San Diego, a Ph.D. in Physiology from Dartmouth Medical School, and completed his post-doctoral fellowship at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA.
Mike Kaufman, Ph.D.
Vice President, Chemistry
Mike has over twenty years of experience spanning both research and development. Mike joined Latigo from Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, where during a 16-year tenure he served in positions of increasing responsibility, including Vice President of Chemistry and Preclinical Development and, most recently, Vice President of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development. At Deciphera, he was integral to both the discovery and development of Qinlock® (ripretinib), and additional clinical candidates including rebastinib, altiratinib and vimseltinib. Prior to Deciphera, Mike was part of Pfizer Global Research and Development/Parke Davis Pharmaceutical. While there, he was an inventor of the clinical MEK inhibitor mirdametinib (PD-325901). Mike obtained a B.A. in Chemistry at the University of Kansas, a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Indiana University, and completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Board of Directors
Hyung Chun, M.D.
Director, Foresite Capital
Sean Harper, M.D.
Founding Managing Director, Westlake Village Biopartners
Deborah Palestrant, Ph.D.
Partner, 5AM Ventures and Executive Chair, 4:59 Initiative
Nancy Stagliano, Ph.D.
Chair, Board of Directors
Desmond Padhi, Pharm.D
CEO (Interim), Latigo Biotherapeutics
Join our team
Latigo was founded in 2019. We are a team that is science-based, patient-focused, and forward-thinking. We are passionate about what we do and envision a world where people who are suffering from pain do not need to decide between living with pain or addiction. If pushing boundaries and engaging in open dialogue excites rather than intimidates you, we would love to hear from you.
Our values
We value the scientific rigor and collaboration necessary to change the lives of patients and create a rewarding work environment for our employees.
