Frank Wu
About Frank Wu
Frank Wu serves as the Senior Director of Process Chemistry at Jnana Therapeutics and has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including previous roles at Entasis Therapeutics and AstraZeneca. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester and has a strong background in synthetic chemistry and project management.
Work at Jnana Therapeutics
Frank Wu serves as the Senior Director of Process Chemistry at Jnana Therapeutics, a position he has held since 2022. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the development and optimization of synthetic processes for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). His work ensures that all development activities align with regulatory requirements, reflecting his strong understanding of compliance within the pharmaceutical industry.
Previous Experience in Process Chemistry
Prior to his role at Jnana Therapeutics, Frank Wu worked at Entasis Therapeutics as the Director of Process Chemistry for nine years, starting in 2015. He also held the position of Principal Scientist at AstraZeneca from 2012 to 2015 and at Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. from 2004 to 2012. His experience includes collaborating with internal teams and external partners to achieve project goals, showcasing his project management and teamwork skills.
Educational Background
Frank Wu has an extensive educational background in chemistry. He earned a Ph.D. in Synthetic Method and Natural Product Total Synthesis from the University of Rochester, where he studied under Professor Richard H. Schlessinger from 1992 to 1997. He also completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Synthetic Chemistry at Harvard University with Professor E. J. Corey from 1997 to 1999. Additionally, he holds a Master of Science in Inorganic/Organometallic Chemistry from Fudan University and a Bachelor of Science in Organic Chemistry from Zhengzhou University.
Expertise in Chemistry and Drug Development
Frank Wu possesses extensive expertise in designing and developing scalable synthetic routes for kilogram-scale active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). His work supports both Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling toxicological studies and New Drug Application (NDA) enabling clinical trials. He has a strong background in process and Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC), which is essential for advancing drug development candidates into late-stage processes.