About Us

Enabling Better Science
Through Innovation

MedChem Partners was founded by Tsvetelina Lazarova and Steven Riesinger in 2006 to capitalize on their extensive experience in early stage company formation and drug discovery. They had been key drivers in several early stage start-up companies and as such, have had extensive experience with company formation, drug discovery and projects initiation. Their experience ranges from budget and project planning, through lab setup and equipment purchase to hiring staff and identifying collaborators.

MedChem Partners was founded to address the gap in the way external chemistry was performed compared to internal chemistry. MedChem Partners takes pride in providing services as if we were our clients’ internal chemistry department. This also includes services traditionally not offered by CROs, such as routine lab tasks (weighing and labeling samples) on-the-fly profiling, re-packaging or shipping….all of the things you would ask a colleague to do.

In addition, we are comfortable with high risk projects, rapidly changing priorities and working toward moving targets. We can start and stop chemistry rapidly to match the work flow of the project, as dictated by the data that is generated, in order to conserve capital and resources. We strive to provide service which parallels internal resources in terms of quality, speed and responsiveness.

Founders

Tsvetelina Lazarova, Ph.D. – Co-Founder

Dr. Lazarova has over 15 years of experience in organic chemistry, 10 of those in biotech in the Boston area. She was involved with 2 start-up companies. Dr. Lazarova received her B.A. degree in chemistry from Harvard University, M.A. in organic chemistry from MIT and PhD in organic Chemistry from University of California, Los Angeles. She studied with Profs. Stuart Schreiber, Stephen Buchwald and Michael E. Jung.

While at Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Lazarova initiated the chemistry portion of the immunology program and advanced two lead series to pre-clinical status as potential therapies for asthma and psoriasis. At Daiichi Asubio Research Laboratories, Dr. Lazarova led the nuclear hormone receptor project, which relied on structure guided drug design and rapid generation of focused libraries to develop novel cholesterol lowering agents.

Dr. Lazarova has also worked at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals (where she was the first chemist hired) where she worked with peptide mimetics involved in signal transduction pathways and on natural product analogs as potential protein transport inhibitors. At Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Lazarova designed and synthesized second generation analogs of Daptomycin (Cubicin TM), a novel lipopetide antibiotic used for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections.

Steven Riesinger, Ph.D. – Co-Founder

Dr. Riesinger has over 15 years’ experience in organic chemistry, 9 of those in the biotech arena where he has been involved in the start up of three companies. Dr, Riesinger received his Ph.D. at Emory University in organic chemistry followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Uppsala University with Dr. Jan-E Bäckvall and at Montana State University in the laboratory of Dr. Tom Livinghouse.

During Dr. Riesinger’s tenure at Shionogi BioResearch he spearheaded the initial set up of the medicinal and combinatorial chemistry laboratories and was responsible for managing its lead anti-cancer program.

As a founding scientist at Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Riesinger played a lead role in setting up the company’s research laboratories, establishing the medicinal chemistry group, and directing its anti-viral programs, which ultimately produced protease inhibitors active in the single-digit nanomolar range.

Facilities

Lexington, MA Facilities
MedChem Partners has a laboratory in Lexington, MA just outside Boston where we perform state of the art medicinal chemistry, custom synthesis and scale-up. Our labs are fully outfitted with modern glassware and equipment including the latest Biotage FLASH chromatography system and LC/MS. We have the capability to perform virtually any chemistry needed to prepare or modify small molecule therapeutics of many classes. We can work on scales from milligrams up to half kilo scale.

In addition to our internal resources, we have access to world class NMR and LC/MS facilities at Harvard, Northeastern, and MIT. We also have Scifinder, Discoverygate, ACD, and online access to many important scientific journals.

Facilities in China
MedChem Partners has a facility in Shanghai China that can accommodate 20+ medicinal chemists. The facility is newly renovated and fully outfitted with modern equipment and glassware including: 400 MHz NMR, HPLC and LC/MS, microwave reactors, automated flash chromatography systems and more.

Quick Start Accelerator
MedChem Partners has opened a Quick Start accelerator at its Lexington, MA site. This facility is available for short or longer term use and is fully stocked with equipment, supplies and consumables. MedChem Partners also provides infrastructure support to incubator clients, such as purchasing, administration, shipping and logistics, thus making the incubator a truly turnkey facility.

Ventures and Strategic Partnerships

MedChem Ventures
MedChem Partners Ventures was setup to support entrepreneurs in the early stages of company formation. In addition to scientific expertise, MedChem Partners has experience ranging from budget and project planning, through lab setup and equipment purchase to hiring staff and identifying collaborators. We provide our clients with the experience, resources, and connections needed to successfully plan, implement and execute their programs from discovery through development. MedChem Partners also participates in novel therapeutics programs and technologies on a risk-sharing/equity basis

Grant Support
MedChem Partners has many years of grant writing experience. We have been awarded several SBIR and STTR grants and have been subcontractors on numerous other funded applications. We can help with budget preparation, grant writing, submission, and grant administration

Strategic Partnerships
MedChem Partners has formed strategic collaborations with the following companies:

SBH sciences
SBH Sciences is a bio-incubator and innovative preclinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused on cytokines, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammation drug development. We are offering extensive products and services including 31 recombinant cytokines, 8 Glycosyltransferase enzymes, 33 monoclonal antibodies and the analysis of over 150 Biomarkers using 11-platform

SBH Sciences is the world leader in cell-based assays using over 500 cancer cell lines and performing 330 cell-based assays for cytokines and chemokines, and has provided services to over 250 biotechnology and diagnostics companies across the globe during our 24 years of business. For more information, visit us at www.sbhsciences.com

Molecular MS Diagnostics, LLC (MMSD)
MMSD provides a variety of analytical, bioanalytical and product development services to help life science companies achieve their research goals. With 10,000 square feet of lab space and state of the art equipment, MMSD can offer our clients the highest quality services. MMSD is also centrally located in Warwick RI, less than an hour from Boston MA, and New Haven CT. For more information, visit us at www.mmsdiagnostics.com

Contact Info

Contact MedChem Partners
Please contact us for information about any of our services.
e: info@medchempartners.com
p: (781) 676-2000
f: (781) 676-2004

MedChem Partners Address
MedChem Partners
99 Hayden Ave., Suite 210
Lexington, MA 02421.