Sanjeev Redkar, 2024 Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award recipient
2024 Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award recipient
Sanjeev G. Redkar (PhDChemEngr'94) is the president, executive director and co-founder of Apollomics Inc., an oncology-focused company developing therapeutics for difficult-to-treat cancers harnessing the immune system and targeting specific molecular pathways. Redkar has 30 years of scientific, managerial and executive experience in hematology and oncology drug discovery and development, especially for small-molecule drugs. Redkar co-founded Apollomics, which was recently listed on Nasdaq (APLM), and has raised over $250 million in venture and private equity funding from leading investors. Apollomics’ late-stage programs include vebreltinib, which is being developed in non-small cell lung cancer and glioblastoma multiforme, and uproleselan, an E-Selectin antagonist that has the potential to be used adjunctively with standard chemotherapy to treat acute myeloid leukemia.
In his previous role, Redkar was senior vice president of product development at Astex Pharmaceuticals, an Otsuka company. He led the development of several oncology therapeutics through IND and global launch, including Dacogen®, Nipent™, Inqovi® and Mitozytrex™. Additionally, Redkar worked on multiple drugs through their FIH submission and clinical trials that led to the buyout of Astex to Otsuka for $886 million. He has over 25 peer-reviewed publications and 200 patents. Redkar earned his PhD from University of Colorado Boulder, MBA from St. Mary’s College of California, and bachelor’s from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Redkar is an adjunct faculty and a board member at the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in Stockton, California; advisory board member and entrepreneur in residence at the Jie Du Center for Entrepreneurship; and teaches Design Thinking for Biotech Entrepreneurs at the Jie Du Center.
Redkar has shown a strong commitment to giving back to his community and teaching the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, promoting innovation along the way. As a university instructor, he goes above and beyond by facilitating networking opportunities for students and bridging the gap between scientific expertise and entrepreneurial understanding. Redkar also has stayed engaged with the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at CU Boulder, including serving on the department’s external advisory board for four years. Over the years, Redkar has been a part of critical conversations to improve the biological engineering curriculum for undergraduate students, served as a guest lecturer and made connections between his vast network in the pharmaceutical industry and the department to facilitate student internship opportunities. Redkar continues to be a loyal and engaged alumnus of chemical and biological engineering and the college as whole, and his accomplishments as a scientist, manager and entrepreneur in pharmaceuticals has and will continue to leave major impacts in the industry.