Sudhir Agrawal, D.Phil.
Founder and President, Arnay Sciences

Dr. Agrawal is the founder and President of Arnay Sciences, a life science research company pursuing RNA therapeutics. Dr. Agrawal started his work on antisense in the late eighties in the laboratory of Paul Zamecnik, a pioneer of antisense technology. Dr. Agrawal’s research interest has focused on providing drug-like properties to an oligonucleotide sequence, emphasizing the importance of sequence and chemical modifications. His work introduced gapmer antisense design, now widely used in antisense candidates in drugs, both in development and approved. His work also led to the use of modified RNA for splicing. In his early years of research in antisense development, he addressed the issues of systemic delivery and induction of complement and immune activation.

Dr. Agrawal has authored over 300 papers, reviews, and book chapters in the field of antisense research and development, and he is an inventor on more than 400 patents worldwide. He has edited four books, including the recently published “Advances in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics” by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK.

Dr. Agrawal is also a founder of Aldebaran Therapeutics. Currently, Dr. Agrawal is serving as a member of the scientific advisory board of Dyne Therapeutics, Quralis, Haya Therapeutics, Maze Therapeutics, Lytix Biopharma, Envisagenics, and is the chair of the scientific advisory board of Alloy Therapeutics’ Genetic Medicines.

Dr. Agrawal is also associated with UMass Chan Medical School as an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Medicine, The Harvard Medical School’s Initiative for RNA Medicine as a member of the Business Advisory Board,  and Dan Lewis Foundation for Brain Regeneration Research as a member of their scientific advisory board.

Previously, Dr. Agrawal also co-founded Idera Pharmaceuticals and held various leadership roles within the company. In the mid-nineties, Dr. Agrawal also led the establishment of HSP, a GMP oligo manufacturing company, now Avecia.

He received his D.Phil. in Chemistry from Allahabad University in India. He performed his postdoctoral research with Mike Gait at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Council, Cambridge, UK.