scientific advisory board
Shelia Violette, PhD

Chief Scientific Officer, Admirx

Dr. Violette was previously Vice President of Tissue Injury and Fibrosis Research at Biogen where she spearheaded a team of scientists conducting discovery research and developing translational approaches to advance programs into clinical development. From 2008 to 2012, Dr. Violette was Vice President of Research at Stromedix and led all research activities supporting the development of the αvβ6 antibody, STX-100. Dr. Violette has more than 20 years of industry experience advancing programs from early research to clinical development. She has provided strategic and operational leadership to multi-disciplinary teams of scientists and authored more than 90 manuscripts and patents. Dr. Violette has directed research and led therapeutic programs at several biotechnology companies including Repligen, Ariad, Stromedix and Biogen. She is currently Chief Scientific Officer, Admirx, Cambridge, MA. Dr. Violette received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Yale University and carried out her post-doctoral training in the Department of Biology at Yale University.

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Integrin Partnership: Janssen

Morphic entered a research partnership with Janssen in 2019 to discover inhibitors of undisclosed integrin targets. In 2021, this partnership was expanded to include an antibody activator of an integrin target, extending the application of Morphic’s knowledge of integrin biology into modalities beyond small molecules. The antibody activator program is the focus of our collaboration with Janssen today.

Undisclosed Targets

Morphic is leveraging the MInT Platform to discover therapeutically relevant small molecule inhibitors of targets across the integrin family to treat autoimmune diseases, cancer and fibrotic diseases.

Undisclosed Target for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Morphic is deploying the MInT Platform to create small molecule inhibitors of an undisclosed integrin target for evaluation as a potential treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is a devastating, usually fatal disease characterized by elevated mean pressures in the pulmonary artery and associated with lung and heart dysfunction. Morphic’s PAH program is in preclinical development.

αvβ8

Morphic is developing small molecule inhibitors of the integrin αvβ8 through a combination immuno-oncology approach for the treatment of solid tumors as well as potential additional indications. αvβ8 is known to activate selective isoforms of TGF-β and Morphic has demonstrated that αvβ8 inhibition can potentiate immune checkpoint blockade and potentially drive responses in checkpoint refractory tumors. Morphic’s αvβ8 inhibitors are in preclinical development.

Next Gen α4β7 Inhibitors

Morphic is developing a family of next generation α4β7 small molecule inhibitors with enhanced attributes using the MInT Platform. These candidates have distinct chemical properties from our first-generation inhibitors with differentiated selectivity, potency, and pharmacokinetic profiles. Morphic’s next generation α4β7 inhibitors are currently in preclinical development.