Responsibilities

Rocio Lopez is associate director of preclinical development at Furiex. She is responsible for nonclinical strategy and early product development, identifying required nonclinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetic and toxicology studies for first-in-human studies, proof-of-concept and marketing authorizations. Dr. Lopez manages all aspects of nonclinical studies and ensures nonclinical programs support the intended clinical programs and any manufacturing changes. In addition, she generates and reviews the pharmacology/toxicology sections of successful submissions to global regulatory authorities.

Experience

Before her work at Furiex, Dr. Lopez was associate director of preclinical development for PPD. She provided toxicological assessments for small molecules, biologics and medical devices and performed gap analysis activities on nonclinical programs. Dr. Lopez’s prior work experience also includes positions of increasing responsibility at Erimos Pharmaceuticals, where she was responsible for research, early development and clinical pharmacology. She led the pharmacology team screening novel anticancer, antiviral and anti-inflammatory chemical entities.

Dr. Lopez gained first-hand experience with early product development as a research scientist. She has authored several scientific publications and is an inventor on U.S. and worldwide patents. Her scientific background is in hematology and oncology, but she has experience also in other therapeutic areas, including infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases and dermatology.

Education

Dr. Lopez earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from The Johns Hopkins University and a master’s degree and a doctorate in genetics and development from Columbia University.