Delivering novel and targeted medicines from human genetics to patients
Nadeem Sarwar
Eisai, Inc.
Vice President and Global Head – Genetics & Human Biology
Director – Integrated Human Genomics (IHGx) Unit

Rapid and ongoing advances in human biology research have enabled a new paradigm for discovery
and development of important, novel and targeted therapeutics with greater likelihood of success.
The success of this paradigm has hitherto primarily been realized in cancer therapeutics, but three
critical tipping points have now been reached for key principals of this paradigm to besystematically extended to additional therapeutic areas:
1. Unprecedented ability to characterize genotypic and phenotypic causes & consequences ofhuman variability;
2. Dense genotype-phenotype data being generated by large-scale public and private sector
investments;
3. Translational systems to derive novel insights into disease biology and pharmacology fromgenetic signals
Premising drug discovery upon a foundation of robust human data should produce focused drug
discovery portfolios of higher confidence targets, and human evidence-based matching of target
mechanisms to patient sub-populations should help guide clinical development in patients mostlikely to benefit. Ultimately, this should catalyze delivery of novel and targeted therapeutics topatients.
To fully realize such opportunities provided by human biology research, multi-sector andmulti-disciplinary entrepreneurial and collaborative business models will be necessary.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nadeem Sarwar
Eisai, Inc.
Vice President and Global Head – Genetics & Human BiologyDirector – Integrated Human Genomics (IHGx) Unit
Current role: Nadeem’s research focuses on applying several integrated sciences to deliver noveland targeted medicines from human genetics to patients. He has established and directs the“Integrated Human Genomics” (IHGx) Unit, which combines dedicated quantitative, wet-lab
biology and chemistry expertise and resource within an autonomous and highly collaborative R&D
innovation unit. IHGx focuses predominantly on neuroscience and autoimmune related therapeuticareas, employing entrepreneurial collaborative and business models. In addition, Nadeem sits on
several leadership teams across the organization spanning discovery, pre-clinical and clinicalresearch.
External responsibilities: Nadeem serves as the Industry Lead for the Alzheimer’s Disease
Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) Genetics Core; sits on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Genomics
Roundtable; coordinates the Industry Partnership for Human Genetics (IPHG); and has been
invited to help advise the World Dementia Envoy, Genomics Enterprise, and several Stratified
Medicines initiatives (in the UK and US).
Previous roles: Nadeem joined Eisai from Pfizer, where he served as the Head of Population
Research & Head of Cardiometabolic Genetics, helped lead development and initiation of a new
Cardiovascular Therapeutic Area Strategy, and helped establish the Cambridge/Pfizer Center for
CV Genomics. Prior to working in industry Nadeem was tenured faculty at the University ofCambridge, where his research involved coordination of large-scale research consortia andestablishment of new genetic and molecular epidemiology bioresources.
He has served as: Principal Investigator of the IL6R Genetics Consortium, The Triglycerides &Coronary Disease Genetics Consortium, and The Botswana Pelo Initiative; Steering Committee
and Leadership Team member of the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration (ERFC), the Pakistan
Risk of Myocardial Infarction Study (PROMIS), Generation Scotland, The Aberdeen Renal
Research Collaboration, and the Reykjavik Prospective Study Predictive Biomarkers Project; Anda Research Investigator in the Aberdeen Maternal and Neonatal Databank (AMND), AberdeenChildren of the 1950s Cohort Study (AC50CS), and the Scottish Health Surveys.
Personal: Nadeem was born and raised in Aberdeen, Scotland, and enjoys reminiscing about when
he used to play rugby, cricket and athletics. He lives in Wellesley, MA (USA) with his wife and two
young daughters.