Ann E. Weber

Ann E. Weber is the senior vice president for drug discovery at Kallyope Inc. in New York City. She previously worked with Merck Research Laboratories (MRL), joining the company in 1987 and retiring from the position of vice president for lead optimization chemistry in 2015. She has helped develop more than 40 drug candidates including FDA-approved treatments for Type 2 diabetes. She has received a number of awards, including the Perkin Medal and has been inducted into the ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry’s MEDI Hall of Fame.

Education Weber grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the child of a nurse and a doctor. There she attended Lourdes High School (Oshkosh, Wisconsin), a Catholic school. She also was able to attend Caltech for a year (1982-1983). Ann Weber took part in a summer internship for Monsanto from June 1982-August 1982 where she studied the synthesis of novel herbicides for crop protection. To complete her education, Ann received a Ph.D. degree from Harvard University, where she studied synthetic organic chemistry with David A. Evans. She was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. from his group, in 1987.

Research Weber joined Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) in Rahway, New Jersey, in 1987, retiring in 2015 from the position of vice president for lead optimization chemistry. In 2016 she joined Kallyope Inc. in New York City as senior vice president for drug discovery. Her research areas include the development of ligands for G protein–coupled receptors, Ligand-gated ion channels and enzymes. Other drug candidates target obesity, The drug was approved by the FDA in October 2006. Janumet, a drug combining sitagliptin and metformin was also approved, in April 2007. In 2007, the research team at Merck received the Prix Galien USA award for their work on Januvia.

Awards 2017, Perkin Medal, Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) 2016, MEDI Hall of Fame, ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry 2013, Women in STEM honoree, Liberty Science Center (LSC) 2012-2013, Sylvia M. Stoesser Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Illinois 2011, Discoverer’s Award, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), with Nancy Thornberry 2011, Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award, Research and Development Council of New Jersey 2010, Heroes of Chemistry Award (ACS) with Nancy Thornberry and Joseph Armstrong 2010, Robert M. Scarborough Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry, American Chemistry Society (ACS) 2008, Outstanding Women of Science honoree, New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research (NJABR) 2007, Prix Galien USA award to the Merck research team for Januvia Merck & Co. Director’s Award, the highest honor that Merck confers on its employees