Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> April 9, 2001
DANIEL V. SANTI, MD, PhD, is one of Kosan Biosciences, Inc.'s co-
founders, and has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since its
inception. In November 1998, Dr. Santi was appointed as Chief Executive
Officer. Previously, he was a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics,
and of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at University of California, San
Francisco. Dr. Santi was one of the original members of the Scientific
Advisory Boards of Chiron Corporation and Mitotix, Inc., and has served
as a consultant to several large pharmaceutical companies. In 1988, Dr.
Santi founded and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the
biotechnology firm Protos, a subsidiary of Chiron Corporation, which was
merged with Chiron in 1992. Dr. Santi was also Founder and Chairman of
Parnassus Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Santi has published over 275 scientific
papers and is inventor on many patents in combinatorial chemistry and
other areas. Dr. Santi received a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from the
State University of New York, his MD from the University of California,
San Francisco, and his BS in Pharmacy from the State University of New
York. Profile
Dr. Santi: The company was founded in late 1995 with laboratory
operations beginning in April 1996. It was founded by
