March 25, 2014
Dr. Shaomeng Wang's laboratory has successfully developed several classes of anticancer drugs, which are designed to specifically kill tumor cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.

Dr. Shaomeng Wang has been selected as the 2014 Distinguished University Innovator Award Recipient. He is being honored for his pioneering work in the field of drug discovery and his on-going efforts to bring the fruits of this work to the marketplace.

Dr. Wang is the Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Medicine at the Medical School, with joint appointments in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology. He is also Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the College of Pharmacy and Director of the Center for the Discovery of New Medicines, a group jointly sponsored by the College of Pharmacy, the Life Sciences Institute, and the Medical School.

“Shaomeng Wang's work demonstrates how basic scientific work can lead to practical applications,” states S. Jack Hu, interim vice president for research. “It also underscores the importance of pursuing the opportunity to bring these promising developments to the marketplace so society can benefit from ideas emerging from university laboratories. Please join me in congratulating Shaomeng for his achievements on our campus and beyond.”

As part of his research, Dr. Wang's laboratory has successfully developed several classes of anticancer drugs, which are designed to specifically kill tumor cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.

His work has led to 67 new invention disclosures resulting in 25 patents, and 3 license agreements.

In 2003, Dr. Wang co-founded the first of three companies, Ascenta Therapeutics, Inc., which has now advanced three compounds—all of them small-molecule cancer therapeutics—into clinical trials. Ascentage Pharma Group Corporation, Ltd. was founded in 2009, and the company has developed a compound that is currently in clinical trials, and has three more on the way. More recently, Dr. Wang joined a fellow faculty member to found OncoFusion Therapeutics, Inc., to develop highly targeted personalized cancer therapies.

The Distinguished University Innovator Award is sponsored by the Office of Research, and the public award ceremony will take place on May 1, 2014 at the Ford Amphitheatre at the University of Michigan Hospital, 2nd floor. After receiving the award, Dr. Wang will deliver a lecture focusing on the innovative work that led to his achievement. A reception will follow in the Ford Lobby.

Congratulations to Dr. Wang on this wonderful accomplishment!