Keith P. Wilson, Ph.D.

President and Chief Scientific Officer

Primary Responsibilities:

Dr. Wilson establishes the short and long-term objectives for Takeda San Diego (TSD) in alignment with Takeda's global goals. As President and Chief Science Officer of TSD, Dr. Wilson directly supervises all pre-clinical drug discovery, early clinical development, business development, legal and HR functions. He is accountable to maximize the effectiveness of all staff, projects, and consumable goods via key strategic and personnel decisions, while actively promoting teamwork, innovation, and Takeda's reputation in the community.

Experience:

Dr. Wilson's working career began at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he steadily evolved over 10 years to become Senior Research Fellow in Structural Biology. In this role he specialized in protein crystallography and in designing potential new drugs to treat inflammation, cancer, hepatitis C, and organ rejection. In parallel, Dr. Wilson developed business skills by volunteering for projects to gain exposure to contracts and deal negotiations. His experiences led to dual responsibilities as Vice President of Structural Biology and Vice President of Business Development for Syrrx, Inc., a privately held structure-based drug discovery company. Starting in 2002, Dr. Wilson used his talents to transform Syrrx from a technology- based company into an industry-leading innovator with a strong drug discovery pipeline. During this time, he played an essential role in establishing, negotiating, and/or managing strategic Syrrx partnerships with Roche, Pharmacia, and Biogen-IDEC, while overseeing Syrrx' technology. After Takeda purchased Syrrx in 2005, he led TSD scientific programs while in-parallel acquiring U.K. Paradigm Therapeutics. Dr. Wilson was subsequently promoted to president and CSO of Takeda San Diego in 2007.

Education:

• B.S. in physics from Colby College (magna cum laude; William A. Rogers Prize in Physics)
• Ph.D. in physics from University of Oregon

Boards/Committees/Organizations:

• Board of Trustees for San Diego Center for Children
• External Advisory Committee for Trius Therapeutics
• San Diego Chamber of Commerce

Accomplishments/Awards:

Dr. Wilson is a co-inventor on over 10 patents, including Vertex's Telaprevir, an anti-hepatitis C drug that has shown a 75% cure rate for patients when combined with current standards of care.

In my own words:

• Aspirations for the Group I Lead:

  • I aspire to make Takeda San Diego an extraordinarily productive, fun, and rewarding place to work. I would like people to come here ready to challenge their intellect and entice their souls with the excitement of scientific discovery. Our employees should have a chance to favorably impact the world through medicine, and their communities through corporately-supported social and environmental action.

• Why I Chose My Profession:

  • I enjoyed mathematics, but I was unsure what I would do with my physics degree. A career in atomic energy was possible, but with it came a potential for my work to be used destructively. Fortunately a professor at Colby College introduced me to protein crystallography, and I saw a chance to apply what I had learned to create new medicines - something practical and good.

• Advice/Words of Wisdom:

  • I have always tried to learn new things at every opportunity, volunteering instead of waiting for someone to offer me a chance. Getting involved and willingly taking on additional responsibilities was the single most influential factor in my career. The most useful course I ever took was a high school typing class. I also waited on tables for five years, and that was a great life experience. It trains you to handle dozens of things at once and allows you to appreciate everything else.

• Favorite Quote:
  • Good things come to those who wait... but I find they come faster if you work hard.

    This resonates with me because many people sit back and wait for good things to happen—which they do—but if you apply yourself proactively and seek out good things and work hard, whatever it is that you want will come faster. That's just the way it is.

• The Other Side of Me:

  • I love my fantastically supportive wife, our little boy, our two labs, and our Bengal cat, which make for a great family. I also enjoy any sort of ocean activity, particularly surfing, snorkeling, and body surfing.