MEDI Honors Two Merck Chemists

The ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry has announced the winners of two division awards, which will be presented during the fall ACS national meeting in Boston.

Ann E. Weber, vice president for discovery and preclinical sciences and head of discovery chemistry at Merck Research Laboratories, is the winner of the Robert M. Scarborough Memorial Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry. The award recognizes individuals who have led the discovery of novel therapeutic agents or who have made significant scientific discoveries that enhance the field of medicinal chemistry.

Weber has been involved in the design and synthesis of ligands for G-protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, and enzymes. Her research has resulted in 17 drug candidates in the areas of obesity, atherosclerosis, urinary incontinence, and pain. She also led the development of the diabetes drugs Januvia (sitagliptin phosphate) and Janumet (sitagliptin combined with metformin).

Andrew W. Stamford, a director of medicinal chemistry at Merck Research Laboratories, is the recipient of the 2010 David W. Robertson Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry, which recognizes scientists under the age of 40 who have made seminal contributions to the discovery of novel therapeutic agents or who have made substantial contributions to and discoveries in medicinal chemistry.

Stamford’s research interests include the design and synthesis of enzyme inhibitors and of agonists and antagonists for G-protein-coupled receptors. His work has contributed to the identification of nine drug candidates in the areas of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.