Barry Davies
In my role at AstraZeneca, I lead Early Oncology project teams including our dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor AZD0466, and the development of drug combinations. In my previous role as Director, Clinical and Translational Scientific Alliances, I led alliances and collaborations with major cancer centres in Europe. I also worked with external centres to showcase AstraZeneca's portfolio, strategy and priorities. My work was focused on developing new preclinical and clinical collaborations and championing high-quality proposals.
I bring more than 30 years' experience in oncology research with a proven record of leadership in the pharmaceutical industry and within academia. During my nearly two decades at AstraZeneca, I have played leadership roles on multiple drug discovery projects from target selection to Phase 2 proof of concept studies. My major contributions include leadership roles on our AKT inhibitor, Androgen Receptor antisense and DNA dependent protein kinase projects. I have also gained extensive experience working with partners on drug discovery projects.
My work is supported by more than 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals, many with external collaborators, in the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Japan. I also review papers for reputable journals, including Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Clinical Cancer Research and Oncotarget.
I am a member of the executive committee of the British Association for Cancer Research and am regularly invited to lecture at external conferences and at leading universities in the United Kingdom.
Partnership is central to success in oncology research and development. Throughout my career, I'm proud to have been part of extremely productive alliances with major cancer centres, key opinion leaders and industry partners on drug discovery projects. It's by working together that we'll be able to make faster progress in our collective fight against cancer.
CURRENT ROLE
Global Project Leader, Oncology Combinations, Early Oncology
2017 - 2020
Director, Clinical and Translational Scientific Alliances, External R&D and Strategic Alliances, Early Oncology at AstraZeneca
2011 - 2017
Principal Scientist for Oncology Innovative Medicines and Early Development (iMED) at AstraZeneca, including bioscience and early project leadership on mTOR kinase inhibitors (AZD8055/2014), AKT inhibitor (capivasertib), androgen receptor antisense (AZD5312) and DNA-PK inhibitor (AZD7648). I also served as preclinical lead on the urology disease area team, developing our capabilities and external network in urological oncology
2004 - 2011
Served as Team Leader in Cancer Bioscience at AstraZeneca, including bioscience lead on AstraZeneca's AKT project (capivasertib)
Featured publications
Sensitivity to PI3K and AKT inhibitors is mediated by divergent molecular mechanisms in subtypes of DLBCL.
T Erdmann, P Klener, JT Lynch, M Grau, P Vočková, J Molinsky, D Tuskova, K Hudson, UM Polanska, M Grondine, M Mayo, B Dai, M Pfeifer, K Erdmann, D Schwammbach, M Zapukhlyak, AM Staiger, G Ott, WE Berdel, F Cruzalegui, M Trneny, P Lenz, BR Davies, ST Barry, G Lez. Blood. 2017 Feb 15. 130 (3): 310-322
Efficacy of targeted AKT inhibition in genetically engineered mouse models of PTEN-deficient prostate cancer.
MA De Velasco, Y Kura, K Yoshikawa, K Nishio, BR Davies, H Uemura. Oncotarget. 2016 March 29. 7 (13): 15959 – 15976
AKT antagonist AZD5363 influences estrogen receptor function in endocrine resistant breast cancer and synergises with fulvestrant (ICI182780) in vivo.
R Ribas, S Pancholi, SK Guest, E Marangoni, Q Gao, A Thuleau, N Simigdala, U Polanska, H Campbell, A Rani, G Liccardi, S Johnston, BR Davies, M Dowsett, L-A Martin. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2015 Sep. 14(9): 2035-2048
Tumors with AKT1E17K mutations are rational targets for single agent or combination therapy with AKT inhibitors.
BR Davies, N Guan, A Logie, C Crafter, L Hanson, V Jacobs, N James, P Dudley, K Jacques, B Ladd, CM D’Cruz, M Zinda, J Lindemann, M Kodaira, K Tamura, EL Jenkins. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2015 Nov. 14 (11): 2441 – 2451
High efficacy of combination therapy of PI3K/AKT inhibitors with androgen deprivation in prostate cancer preclinical models.
RB Marques, A Aghai, CM de Ridder, D Stuurman, S Hoeben, A Boer, R Ellston, ST Barry, BR Davies, J Trapman J, WM van Weerden. European Urology. 2015 June. 67 (6): 1177-1186
Preclinical pharmacology of AZD5363, an orally bioavailable inhibitor of AKT: pharmacodynamics, antitumor activity and correlation of monotherapy activity with genetic background.
BR Davies, H Greenwood, P Dudley, C Crafter, D Yu, J Zhang, J Li, B Gao, J Maynard, S Ricketts, D Cross, S Cosulich, C Chresta, K Page, J Yates, C Lane, D Ogilvie, M Pass. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2012 Jan. 11: 873-887
https://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/11/4/873.long
AZD8055 Is a Potent, Selective, and Orally Bioavailable ATP-Competitive Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Kinase Inhibitor with In vitro and In vivo Antitumor Activity.
CM Chresta, BR Davies, I Hickson, T Harding, P Sini, D James, Z Howard, N Hewitt, P Dudley, G Hughes, H Duggan, M Hummersone, K Malagu, K Menear, R Jenkins, M Jacobsen, GCM Smith, S Guichard, M Pass. Cancer Res. 2010 Jan. 1,70 (1): 288-298
AZD6244 (ARRY-142886), a potent inhibitor of MEK1/2 kinases: mechanism of action in vivo, pharmacokinetic/ pharmacodynamic relationship and potential for combination in preclinical models.
BR Davies, A Logie, J McKay, P Martin, S Steele, R Jenkins, M Cockerill, S Cartlidge, PD Smith. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2007 Aug. 6 (8): 2209-2219
https://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/6/8/2209