Dr. George Damis Yancopoulos is a visionary leader and pioneering innovator in the field of biotechnology and pharmaceutical development. He currently serves as co-Founder, President, and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a premier biotech company he co-founded alongside Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer in 1989. An exceptional academic achiever, he graduated as valedictorian of both the Bronx High School of Science and Columbia University, where he later earned his MD and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics. His foundational research with Dr. Fred Alt at Columbia established critical insights in molecular immunology before he made the pivotal transition from academia to biotech entrepreneurship.
Dr. Yancopoulos has been instrumental in inventing and developing multiple groundbreaking technologies that have revolutionized drug discovery, including the TRAP soluble receptor platform, VelociGene for high-throughput genetic engineering, and VelocImmune for generating fully human antibodies. These innovations have directly led to the development of numerous FDA-approved medicines that have transformed treatment for serious diseases including cancer, vision-threatening eye diseases, heart disease, and inflammatory conditions such as atopic dermatitis and asthma. His team's work on Eylea, Praluent, and Dupixent has collectively helped millions of patients worldwide, while the VelocImmune platform enabled the rapid development of antibody cocktail treatments for Ebola and COVID-19. The Regeneron Genetics Center, which he spearheaded, has emerged as a world leader in human sequencing with over 500,000 exomes sequenced as of recent reports.
Beyond his scientific contributions, Dr. Yancopoulos has played a pivotal role in establishing Regeneron as one of the world's most innovative biotech companies, consistently ranked among the top performers in the industry. His leadership extends to fostering the next generation of scientific talent through his active involvement in STEM education initiatives, notably the Regeneron Science Talent Search, America's oldest high school science and math competition. Recognized with numerous honors including election to the National Academy of Sciences and the Biotech Hall of Fame, his work exemplifies the successful translation of basic research into life-saving medicines. Dr. Yancopoulos continues to drive biotech innovation forward, with his team's research poised to deliver additional breakthrough treatments for unmet medical needs across multiple therapeutic areas.
