A New Approach

Metabolic Solutions Development Company was formed in January 2006 to develop innovative therapeutics addressing the growing global threat of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Its founders are two scientists with decades of experience in type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

The company is built on a different approach to develop therapeutics to treat diseases in the TZD category. The difference is this: Existing therapies all have unwanted side effects, the molecular basis of which has been shown to result from the activation of the nuclear receptor PPARγ. We believe drugs that can improve insulin sensitivity without activating this receptor will be much more effective.

MSDC-0160, our first PPARγ-sparing TZD, is expected to provide improved treatment of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Our second-generation products are being evaluated for impact on other diseases caused by metabolic inflammation. For more information, see Science.

Founders

Rolf Kletzien, PhD – Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Rolf Kletzien has devoted his career to studying the cellular and molecular basis of human therapeutics. After earning a BS in biochemistry and a PhD in oncology at the University of Wisconsin, he held academic appointments in biochemistry at West Virginia University School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Dana/Farber Cancer Center, Princeton University, and the University of Wisconsin. He earned a Research Career Development Award in Diabetes before entering the pharmaceutical industry in 1989. Dr. Kletzien has held numerous leadership positions with the Upjohn Company, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Pharmacia, and Pfizer. Most recently, he served as vice president of Genomics and Biotechnology with Pfizer, retiring from the company in 2005. He co-founded Metabolic Solutions Development Company the following year.

Jerry Colca, PhD – President/Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Jerry Colca has more than 30 years’ experience in diabetes research. He has a BS in biology and an MS and PhD in biochemistry and physiology from the University of Houston, where he studied the regulation of secretion of pancreatic hormones. In his postdoctoral work at Washington University, he studied the biochemistry of isolated pancreatic islets and stimulus-secretion coupling in the control of metabolism. In 1984 he joined the Upjohn Company, where he led a research team that developed pioglitazone hydrochloride (Actos®). He remained a leader in diabetes discovery through several corporate mergers, retiring from Pfizer in 2005. Dr. Colca has published extensively on the mechanism of action of the insulin-sensitizing thiazolidinediones. In January 2006, he co-founded Metabolic Solutions Development Company.

Board of Directors/Executive Team

Members of the management team have more than 100 combined years of experience with large pharmaceutical organizations. The team’s background encompasses drug research and development, biomarker discovery, intellectual property, business development, marketing, operations, finance, and management.

Mark Olesnavage, MBARolf Kletzien, PhDJohn Landis, Ph.D.
Jerry Callahan, PhD, MBAJerry Colca, PhD

Scientific Advisory Board

Douglas Morton, PhD – Former Group Vice President, Technology Acquisitions & Operations for Discovery Research, Pharmacia Corporation
Charles F. Burant, MD, PhD – Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan; Director, Michigan Metabolomics & Obesity Center
William Baer, MD, PharmD – Medical Director, ClinXus