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Amany Kandil
Executive Director, Business Development and Licensing
Merck
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Amany has been at Merck for over 32 years and has worked in the Merck Research Laboratories (MRL), Merck Manufacturing Division (MMD) and Merck Vaccine Division (MVD) during her tenure. She is currently Head of Discovery transactions in Merck’s corporate Business Development & Licensing (BD&L) group.
Her research career began in the Genetics department at Drexel University, from where she obtained a B.S. in BioScience & BioTechnology. Her pharmaceutical career began in the department of Natural Products & Pharmacology at SmithKline & French Laboratories (now Glaxo SmithKline) and she subsequently worked in the Department of Molecular Genetics supporting HIV Research. Amany was responsible for cloning part of the human T4 (CD4) receptor gene into an expression vector system, helping to demonstrate that a soluble form of CD4 (sCD4) retains the structural and biological properties of CD4 on the cell surface, binds to the envelope glycoprotein (gp110) of HIV and inhibits the binding of virus to CD4+ lymphocytes, resulting in inhibition of virus infectivity. This work led to a publication in Nature.
Amany joined Merck in 1988 as part of the Molecular Biology Department in Merck’s Research Laboratories responsible for cloning the Angiotensin II (AII) receptor, expressing in Xenopus laevis oocytes to study voltage dependent calcium channels in support of AII blocker compounds for treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure. This was followed by a move to the department of Cancer Research first to perform characterization of the c-myc oncogene and oncoprotein product, development and implementation of an assay and identifying the DNA binding site. This work was published in PNAS and Science. She subsequently supported the Farnesyl Protein Transferase (FPTase) inhibitor program to evaluate antiproliferative/antitumor agents in studies of cultured cells and in rodent models of cancer.
Amany then lent her molecular biology support to Merck’s first naked DNA vaccine candidate directed against flu, where she followed the project to MMD to contribute to the submission of a white paper to the FDA for establishment of assay specifications for naked DNA vaccines for publication in the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Amany spent five years in the QC & CMC Regulatory Vaccines Group in MMD where she was responsible for evaluating technical reports for release of products for commercialization and preparing dossiers for FDA and Global Regulatory Agencies for all Merck vaccines to support the newly established Merck Vaccines Division (MVD) at the time.
This led to an international assignment as Regional Manager at MSD Interpharma, La Celle St. Cloud, France, where she had responsibility to MVD and GHH for vaccines and orphan drug registrations in Europe and 14 Middle East & Africa (MEA) markets and subsequently 12 Asia Pacific (AP) markets. Amany returned to MRL providing global strategic support for BLA and IND preparation for Merck's new and in-line vaccines at the company’s HQ for Global Regulatory Affairs for an additional four years where she was a major contributor to successful filings and post-licensure deliverables for many marketed vaccine products, including Gardasil®, Zostavax®, Pneumovax®23, RotaTeq® , VAQTA® PedvaxHIB® and ProQuad®.
In 2002, Amany sought to expand her experience to the broader business via a move to External Scientific Affairs, now Business Development & Licensing, where she has been responsible for negotiating Discovery Transactions with companies, universities, government institutions and agencies worldwide. Amany has been involved in a number of important projects that support Merck’s current pipeline including licenses and collaborations to support Ebola Vaccine, and the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine programs as well as ongoing support for Gardasil® and Varivax®.
Throughout her career at Merck, Amany has provided strategic direction and leadership to a number of reports and scientists. Amany is a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) and actively represents the Merck Discovery Transactions team to raise Merck’s profile with partners at AUTM, UIDP, and LES. She joined the LES Standards Committee for Patent Licensing in 2016 and has a Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC).
Outside of her professional career, her interests include gardening, horseback riding, photography, travel and music. She recently completed yoga teacher certification training and is the mother of three children who are currently pursuing graduate studies in the science and healthcare fields. She lives in suburban Philadelphia with her husband, a practicing physician, and two German Shepherds.
Her research career began in the Genetics department at Drexel University, from where she obtained a B.S. in BioScience & BioTechnology. Her pharmaceutical career began in the department of Natural Products & Pharmacology at SmithKline & French Laboratories (now Glaxo SmithKline) and she subsequently worked in the Department of Molecular Genetics supporting HIV Research. Amany was responsible for cloning part of the human T4 (CD4) receptor gene into an expression vector system, helping to demonstrate that a soluble form of CD4 (sCD4) retains the structural and biological properties of CD4 on the cell surface, binds to the envelope glycoprotein (gp110) of HIV and inhibits the binding of virus to CD4+ lymphocytes, resulting in inhibition of virus infectivity. This work led to a publication in Nature.
Amany joined Merck in 1988 as part of the Molecular Biology Department in Merck’s Research Laboratories responsible for cloning the Angiotensin II (AII) receptor, expressing in Xenopus laevis oocytes to study voltage dependent calcium channels in support of AII blocker compounds for treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure. This was followed by a move to the department of Cancer Research first to perform characterization of the c-myc oncogene and oncoprotein product, development and implementation of an assay and identifying the DNA binding site. This work was published in PNAS and Science. She subsequently supported the Farnesyl Protein Transferase (FPTase) inhibitor program to evaluate antiproliferative/antitumor agents in studies of cultured cells and in rodent models of cancer.
Amany then lent her molecular biology support to Merck’s first naked DNA vaccine candidate directed against flu, where she followed the project to MMD to contribute to the submission of a white paper to the FDA for establishment of assay specifications for naked DNA vaccines for publication in the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Amany spent five years in the QC & CMC Regulatory Vaccines Group in MMD where she was responsible for evaluating technical reports for release of products for commercialization and preparing dossiers for FDA and Global Regulatory Agencies for all Merck vaccines to support the newly established Merck Vaccines Division (MVD) at the time.
This led to an international assignment as Regional Manager at MSD Interpharma, La Celle St. Cloud, France, where she had responsibility to MVD and GHH for vaccines and orphan drug registrations in Europe and 14 Middle East & Africa (MEA) markets and subsequently 12 Asia Pacific (AP) markets. Amany returned to MRL providing global strategic support for BLA and IND preparation for Merck's new and in-line vaccines at the company’s HQ for Global Regulatory Affairs for an additional four years where she was a major contributor to successful filings and post-licensure deliverables for many marketed vaccine products, including Gardasil®, Zostavax®, Pneumovax®23, RotaTeq® , VAQTA® PedvaxHIB® and ProQuad®.
In 2002, Amany sought to expand her experience to the broader business via a move to External Scientific Affairs, now Business Development & Licensing, where she has been responsible for negotiating Discovery Transactions with companies, universities, government institutions and agencies worldwide. Amany has been involved in a number of important projects that support Merck’s current pipeline including licenses and collaborations to support Ebola Vaccine, and the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine programs as well as ongoing support for Gardasil® and Varivax®.
Throughout her career at Merck, Amany has provided strategic direction and leadership to a number of reports and scientists. Amany is a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) and actively represents the Merck Discovery Transactions team to raise Merck’s profile with partners at AUTM, UIDP, and LES. She joined the LES Standards Committee for Patent Licensing in 2016 and has a Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC).
Outside of her professional career, her interests include gardening, horseback riding, photography, travel and music. She recently completed yoga teacher certification training and is the mother of three children who are currently pursuing graduate studies in the science and healthcare fields. She lives in suburban Philadelphia with her husband, a practicing physician, and two German Shepherds.