Srinivasa Prasad, PhD, is a distinguished pharmaceutical executive, translational medicine strategist, and drug development leader whose career spans more than three decades of scientific innovation, clinical advancement, and organizational leadership. Throughout his professional journey, he has remained steadfast in his commitment to transforming scientific discoveries into meaningful therapies that improve and extend patients’ lives. With expertise that bridges target discovery, translational medicine, clinical development, regulatory strategy, and commercialization planning, Dr. Prasad has established himself as one of the industry’s most respected leaders in the development of novel therapeutics across multiple disease areas.
Dr. Prasad’s career reflects a rare combination of scientific depth and strategic vision. From the earliest stages of drug discovery through late-stage clinical development and lifecycle management, he has played pivotal roles in guiding therapies from concept to reality. His contributions have directly supported the approval of seven therapeutic products and the advancement of dozens of investigational programs, many of which continue to shape the future of medicine. His ability to connect cutting-edge science with practical clinical applications has consistently enabled organizations to make informed decisions that accelerate innovation while minimizing development risk.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Prasad has developed extensive expertise across a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular disease, cardio-renal-metabolic disorders, hemostasis, fibrosis, inflammation and immunology, musculoskeletal diseases, ophthalmology, and rare diseases. His understanding of disease biology, biomarkers, patient selection strategies, and clinical trial design has allowed him to lead programs involving biologics, small molecules, peptides, polymers, oligonucleotide therapeutics, and advanced drug delivery technologies. This broad scientific foundation enables him to evaluate opportunities holistically and guide development programs toward successful clinical outcomes.
A significant chapter of Dr. Prasad’s leadership journey was his tenure at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he served in several executive leadership roles, culminating as Global Therapeutic Area Head for Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Translational Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology. In this capacity, he was responsible for the scientific strategy, development direction, budget oversight, and execution of an extensive global portfolio. He served as a key member of multiple executive leadership committees, helping shape organizational priorities, evaluate external partnerships, assess licensing opportunities, and influence long-term research and development investments. His leadership contributed to advancing transformative therapies while fostering a culture of scientific excellence and accountability.
Among his many accomplishments at Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr. Prasad served as Global Asset Lead for BI 764198, a TRPC6 inhibitor being developed for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Under his leadership, the program successfully delivered positive Phase II clinical results and advanced into late-stage development. His ability to integrate scientific rationale, clinical strategy, regulatory considerations, and commercial planning helped position the program for continued success while expanding its potential into additional therapeutic indications. These achievements earned him some of the company’s highest honors, including the prestigious R&D Innovation Award and the President’s Award for outstanding contributions to innovation and corporate advancement.
Prior to Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr. Prasad spent more than a decade at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, where he held leadership positions across translational medicine, clinical development, and regulatory affairs. During this period, he became deeply involved in numerous programs that addressed unmet medical needs across cardiovascular, inflammatory, fibrotic, skeletal, muscular, and rare disease indications. His work often required balancing scientific rigor with strategic decision-making, ensuring that promising discoveries could be translated efficiently into clinical development pathways capable of delivering meaningful patient outcomes.
At Regeneron, Dr. Prasad played instrumental roles in the development of several groundbreaking therapies. He provided strategic leadership for programs involving complement biology, chronic pain, muscle diseases, and rare genetic disorders. He was deeply involved in designing first-in-human studies, proof-of-concept trials, biomarker strategies, and translational research plans that helped establish the scientific foundations necessary for successful development. His leadership extended beyond individual programs, influencing portfolio decisions, target prioritization efforts, and cross-functional collaborations involving research, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, genetics, commercial teams, and external partners.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Prasad held leadership positions at Avigen, Corgentech, Targeted Molecules Corporation, and COR Therapeutics, later acquired by Millennium Pharmaceuticals. These experiences provided him with a unique perspective on biotechnology innovation, entrepreneurial growth, and platform development. At Avigen, he led the development of a novel hemophilia program that successfully advanced toward clinical readiness and ultimately contributed to a strategic acquisition by Baxter. At Corgentech, he explored innovative oligonucleotide therapies and advanced delivery technologies aimed at addressing inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. These experiences strengthened his appreciation for the challenges and opportunities faced by emerging biotechnology companies and startup ventures.
Beyond his corporate accomplishments, Dr. Prasad is widely recognized as a collaborative leader and mentor. Throughout his career, he has led multidisciplinary teams across North America, Europe, and Asia while fostering environments that encourage innovation, scientific rigor, and professional growth. His global experience includes extensive collaborations with colleagues, investigators, regulators, and business leaders throughout Germany, Japan, China, India, and other international markets. His ability to bridge cultural, scientific, and organizational differences has consistently enhanced team performance and accelerated strategic decision-making.
Education has played a central role in shaping Dr. Prasad’s success. He earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Endocrinology from the prestigious Indian Institute of Science before pursuing advanced research fellowships at Vanderbilt University and Stanford University. His commitment to continuous learning has been reinforced through executive leadership programs, advanced development training, and strategic business education, including a mini Executive MBA sponsored by Regeneron. These experiences have complemented his scientific expertise with a sophisticated understanding of corporate leadership, organizational strategy, and stakeholder management.
Dr. Prasad’s influence extends beyond the organizations he has served. He is an accomplished author, inventor, and contributor to scientific literature, with numerous peer-reviewed publications and patents that have advanced understanding in areas ranging from cardiovascular biology and platelet signaling to rare diseases and translational medicine. His work has been presented internationally and has contributed to important scientific discussions that continue to shape the future of pharmaceutical research and development. As a recognized expert in translational medicine and clinical strategy, he remains committed to helping organizations navigate complex development challenges while maintaining a relentless focus on patient impact.
Today, as an independent consultant and advisor, Dr. Prasad seeks opportunities to continue contributing his knowledge, experience, and leadership through board service and strategic advisory roles. Having dedicated his career to advancing therapies that improve human health, he views board service as a natural extension of his professional mission. He brings not only extensive technical expertise but also a deep understanding of governance, innovation strategy, risk assessment, portfolio management, and organizational growth. His passion for helping companies succeed stems from a genuine desire to ensure that valuable scientific knowledge is leveraged to improve patient outcomes and advance the broader field of medicine.
Throughout every stage of his career, Dr. Prasad has remained guided by a simple but powerful purpose: helping patients receive the right therapy through thoughtful science, disciplined development, and collaborative leadership. His legacy is defined not only by the therapies he has helped bring forward but also by the countless scientists, physicians, and leaders he has mentored along the way. As the life sciences industry continues to evolve, Dr. Prasad remains uniquely positioned to help organizations navigate complexity, accelerate innovation, and create lasting value for patients, stakeholders, and society.
Character:
Dr. Prasad demonstrates unwavering integrity in every aspect of his professional and personal life. He consistently places patient welfare and scientific excellence at the center of decision-making. His commitment to mentoring others and sharing knowledge reflects a leader who values service, responsibility, and long-term impact.
Knowledge:
He possesses an exceptional breadth of expertise spanning drug discovery, translational medicine, clinical development, regulatory strategy, and commercialization. His experience across multiple therapeutic areas and development platforms provides a uniquely comprehensive understanding of pharmaceutical innovation. He combines deep scientific knowledge with practical business insight to guide complex decisions effectively.
Strategic:
Dr. Prasad has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to evaluate opportunities from both scientific and commercial perspectives. He excels at translating complex research findings into actionable development strategies that create long-term value. His leadership in portfolio management, asset prioritization, and clinical development planning reflects a disciplined and forward-thinking strategic mindset.
Communication:
Highly effective at communicating complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences. He has successfully led global teams, executive committees, regulatory interactions, and cross-functional collaborations throughout his career. His ability to align stakeholders around a shared vision has been instrumental in advancing numerous successful development programs.
