Dr Simon Hollingsworth

I am currently Vice President and Global Medicine Leader at AstraZeneca where I lead life-cycle development of Lynparza (Olaparib; PARP inhibitor), which is licenced globally for treatment of ovarian, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers. With a Ph.D in Biochemical Pharmacology (King’s College School of Medicine & Dentistry) studying drug mechanisms in cancers, I began postdoctoral work developing immune gene therapies for cancer, alongside collaborating with The James Black Foundation on novel small molecule drug design. I have since spent >25 years in drug/therapeutics development between academic (King’s College London, University College London) and industry (Roche/Genentech, AstraZeneca) careers focused on clinical drug development (Ph.1–3, and to commercialisation), clinical/translational science and precision medicine (oncology, inflammation, cardiovascular). I believe strongly in Industry-Academic partnership and training/career development, so maintain an academic profile as Visiting Professor Division Cancer Studies King’s College London, Fellow Royal College Pathologists, and serve on numerous National/International review and career panels and advisory boards.