Nobuo Shimma, Ph.D.

 

Dr. Nobuo Shimma joined Pharmaron as Senior Vice President of Integrated R&D Services in April, 2011. Before joining Pharmaron, Dr. Shimma was Department Head of Medicinal Chemistry at Nippon Roche and prior to the Chugai/Nippon Roche merger in 2002, he was Department Head of Chemistry Research at Chugai in Japan. He has thirty three years of experience in medicinal chemistry and has played important roles in coordinating drug discovery chemistry efforts in oncology, infectious disease (anti- viral (Rhino, HCV), antibacterial, and antifungal) and metabolic diseases. Nine compounds from these projects entered into clinical trials. Most significantly, he played an important role in the discovery of the tumor activated oral 5-FU-prodrug, Capecitabine (Xeloda®), for treatment of metastatic breast, gastric and colorectal cancers. In recognition of this important discovery, he received a “Technology Award” from the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. He also created an antibacterial quinolone, Marbofloxacin as a veterinary medicine.

 

Dr. Shimma received his MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Chiba University and received his Ph.D. at the University of Tokyo, followed by post-doctoral training at Roche Nutley. He is an author of 61 publications, book chapters, and 25 patents. He has been appointed as a visiting professor of Chiba University, Japan (2011-2015).