A New Class of Cancer Therapeutics

The APOBEC mechanism was discovered by ADL’s Founder, Professor James Scott, and was named after his work. Professor of Medicine and Cardiovascular Medicine at Imperial College London, James was previously Head of Molecular Medicine at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith, before going on to establish both the Institute of Genetics and Genomics and the Bioinformatics Centre at Imperial. A founder member of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, he is also a Chartered Biologist and Fellow of the Institute of Biology. Elected Fellow of the Royal Society, James’s pioneering scientific leadership and longstanding contributions to molecular medicine provide the foundation for Apobec Discovery’s mission to transform cancer therapeutics.

David Beadle has extensive experience in building biotech companies and life sciences investment banking. He began his career as part of the oncology therapeutic group at Schering AG before moving into global investment banking, where he became Managing Director at UBS Investment Bank and Head of Global Life Sciences Strategy. He has since held senior executive and board-level positions at several biotechnology and life science companies, leading them through early-stage growth, product licensing, trade sales, and IPOs. David brings a combination of scientific understanding, strategic insight, and commercial expertise, positioning Apobec Discovery for both clinical success and long-term value creation.

Professor James Leiper is Honorary Professor of Molecular Medicine in the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health at the University of Glasgow and Chief Scientific Officer of Apobec Discovery. Trained in molecular biology at the MRC Clinical Research Centre, he went on to work with Professor Sir Patrick Vallance at University College London before taking up a role as Programme Leader at the MRC Laboratory for Medical Sciences. In 2017, his team relocated to Glasgow, where their research focused on translating discoveries in basic science into improvements in human health and disease. Professor Leiper was also founder and CSO of Critical Pressure, a venture-backed biotechnology company, combining academic distinction with entrepreneurial experience.

Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine at King’s College London and consultant in medical oncology at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals. He leads the King’s Health Partners Cancer Phase 1 Trials Programme and directs the King’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, funded by Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). His research centres on the development of new drugs for solid tumours, particularly first-in-human trials, and on the care of patients with thoracic malignancies including lung cancer and mesothelioma. He is also Director of the NIHR Guy’s & St Thomas’ Clinical Research Facility. Professor Spicer has served on funding panels for the MRC, Cancer Research UK, Sarcoma UK, EraseMeso, and NIHR, and is deputy chair of the Commission on Human Medicines’ Oncology & Haematology Expert Advisory Group. He is also co-founder of biotechnology companies Epsilogen Ltd and Aethox Therapeutics.

John Edwards is a chartered accountant with significant experience in audit, corporate finance, and financial management. He was formerly a partner at Azets, where he was responsible for Apobec Discovery’s account, before leaving the firm in 2021 to focus on his wider business interests. He has also served as Company Secretary and CFO of a publicly listed company, gaining extensive experience of financial governance, compliance, and reporting in a regulated environment. At Apobec Discovery, he oversees financial reporting, financial strategy and stewardship, supporting the company’s continued growth and development.

Patrick Heininger brings more than 30 years of experience in launching and building companies commercialising new technologies in the UK and internationally. He began his career in law, working as a corporate and financial lawyer with Debevoise & Plimpton and later with the World Bank, before moving into investment banking with Baring Brothers in London. His career has since spanned senior roles across corporate finance, intellectual property, medical device manufacture, regulatory approval, and the structuring of joint ventures across multiple industries. Patrick combines legal, financial, and managerial expertise with a proven track record in building technology businesses, providing Apobec Discovery with strategic and operational insight.

An early supporter of Apobec Discovery, Simon Wedgewood joined the company not from a scientific background but out of conviction in its mission. He has played a pivotal role in growing the company’s shareholder community, connecting like-minded individuals who share a vision for meaningful change in cancer treatment. Simon serves as a trusted adviser and advocate, reflecting his long-standing commitment to the company’s success and purpose.

Dr. Nigel Ramsden is Vice President of Drug Discovery at Cerevance and Head of Chemistry at Apobec Discovery, having served as a director of the company from 2019–23 before stepping down and continuing in a consultancy role. With more than 25 years’ experience in drug discovery, Nigel began his career at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where he led medicinal chemistry teams and drug discovery projects across diverse target classes and disease areas. He later joined the Genetics Research Division at GSK to broaden his expertise in target identification and validation. In 2004 he became Director, and later Vice President, of Drug Discovery at Cellzome, leading a team of 40 scientists across two sites on Alzheimer’s disease and inflammatory disease programmes in partnership with J&J and GSK. Following Cellzome’s successful acquisition by GSK, he became VP of Medicinal Chemistry at SYNthesis Med Chem, heading European operations and working with academic groups and venture capital investors to advance their discovery programmes. He subsequently served as EVP of Chemistry at RxCelerate before joining Cerevance. Nigel is highly regarded for his ability to deliver complex synthetic routes under demanding timelines and is the author of more than 80 scientific publications and patents.

Julie Warneck has over 33 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, spanning both start-up ventures and mid-sized companies including Takeda, Medimmune and Paradigm Therapeutics. With more than 25 years in project management, she has specialist expertise in pre-clinical and early clinical development, particularly in outsourcing and trial monitoring. Julie’s extensive industry knowledge and operational skills ensure effective coordination and timely delivery of complex research programmes, supporting Apobec Discovery’s development activities.

Professor Tim Fenton is a Professor in Cancer Biology in the School of Cancer Sciences / Centre for Cancer Immunology and member of the Institute for Life Sciences at the University of Southampton, where he leads a research group investigating the molecular changes that occur during cancer development. He is recognised internationally for his work focussing particularly on mechanisms driven by APOBEC enzymes in cancer, placing his expertise at the core of Apobec Discovery’s therapeutic focus. By combining molecular biology and genomics with translational research, Tim provides vital insight into the biological rationale underpinning APOBEC inhibition and its potential clinical application.

Dr. William Scott is a clinician-scientist with over 15 years of experience in human genomics, metabolism, and endocrine oncology. He is Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London and the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, where he holds a prestigious Wellcome Trust Clinician Scientist Fellowship. Alongside his academic role, he is an Honorary Consultant Physician at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, enabling him to integrate laboratory science with patient care. His dual expertise in molecular research and clinical oncology informs Apobec Discovery’s translational approach to developing new cancer therapeutics.