Dr. Anders Hallberg

Biography

Anders Hallberg received his PhD from Lund University in 1980 and became a full professor of Medicinal Chemistry at Uppsala University in 1990. He was elected Vice-Chancellor/President of Uppsala University in 2006. His research interests encompass a range of protein targets of pharmaceutical relevance, particularly focusing on proteases and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). He aims to identify novel selective low molecular weight ligands for these targets and has developed new strategies for the design and synthesis of small, drug-like molecules. Hallberg's lab has optimized lead compounds using computer-aided techniques and has pioneered high-speed chemistry and efficient transition metal-catalyzed reactions. Notably, he has dedicated considerable efforts to developing robust palladium-catalyzed C-C bond forming reactions and has made significant contributions to drug discovery, including the HCV NS3 protease inhibitor simeprevir (Olysio), which was launched in Japan in 2013 and in the EU in 2014. His ongoing work in drug discovery aims to identify ligands that interfere with the renin/angiotensin system (RAS), including the AT2R agonist C21, which is currently undergoing clinical evaluation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Research Interests