André G. Pernet

Biography

Dr. André Pernet is currently President of Quark Biotech, a company devoted to the treatment of diabetes, lipid disorders and associated pathologies. He serves on the Board of Directors of Kaleidos Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and ViroChem, representing its major Quebec investors, FSTQ (both companies privately held). He also is on the Scientific Advisory Board of Targanta, a private Canadian firm. Dr. Penet was on the Boards of Celeris Corporation, Synsorb, Advanced Pharma and Genescape and on the Scientific Board of Pathogenesis. He served as Chairman & CEO of Genset, a European genomic company which was successfully sold to Serono. He previously worked for Abbott Laboratories as a research chemist after obtaining degrees in Management, Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He served in several research management positions after joining Abbott's pharmaceutical products division. He was named divisional vice president of anti-infective research and development in the same division and was then promoted to divisional vice president to head the worldwide development of pharmaceuticals. Dr. Pernet was elected corporate officer and Vice President, Pharmaceutical Products Research and Development, heading an organization of 2,700 scientists with an annual budget responsibility of $600 million. During his tenure, he developed drugs in the areas of schizophrenia, manic depression, analgesia, epilepsy, prostate hypertrophy, anti-infective and stroke. Among his accomplishments is the worldwide development of the antibiotic Biaxin (clarithromycin), the sales of which peaked at $1.2 billion. He spearheaded the AIDS research at Abbott and developed Norvir, one of the three breakthrough protease inhibitors which together reduced mortality in AIDS patients by 74%, and he initiated the discovery and development of Kaletra, now a major therapeutic tool in HIV treatment. Dr. Pernet's team was awarded the Prix Galien International, which is considered one of the highest distinctions for medical and scientific contribution.

Research Interest

Dr. André Pernet is currently President of Quark Biotech, a company devoted to the treatment of diabetes, lipid disorders and associated pathologies. He serves on the Board of Directors of Kaleidos Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and ViroChem, representing its major Quebec investors, FSTQ (both companies privately held). He also is on the Scientific Advisory Board of Targanta, a private Canadian firm. Dr. Penet was on the Boards of Celeris Corporation, Synsorb, Advanced Pharma and Genescape and on the Scientific Board of Pathogenesis. He served as Chairman & CEO of Genset, a European genomic company which was successfully sold to Serono. He previously worked for Abbott Laboratories as a research chemist after obtaining degrees in Management, Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He served in several research management positions after joining Abbott's pharmaceutical products division. He was named divisional vice president of anti-infective research and development in the same division and was then promoted to divisional vice president to head the worldwide development of pharmaceuticals. Dr. Pernet was elected corporate officer and Vice President, Pharmaceutical Products Research and Development, heading an organization of 2,700 scientists with an annual budget responsibility of $600 million. During his tenure, he developed drugs in the areas of schizophrenia, manic depression, analgesia, epilepsy, prostate hypertrophy, anti-infective and stroke. Among his accomplishments is the worldwide development of the antibiotic Biaxin (clarithromycin), the sales of which peaked at $1.2 billion. He spearheaded the AIDS research at Abbott and developed Norvir, one of the three breakthrough protease inhibitors which together reduced mortality in AIDS patients by 74%, and he initiated the discovery and development of Kaletra, now a major therapeutic tool in HIV treatment. Dr. Pernet's team was awarded the Prix Galien International, which is considered one of the highest distinctions for medical and scientific contribution.