Richard L. Kronenthal

Richard L. Kronenthal, Ph.D., presently serves as Chief Scientific Officer of Abyrx®, Inc. From 1957 until 1989, Dr. Kronenthal was employed by Ethicon, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson) where he served as Director of Research and Development. At Ethicon, he developed enabling technology for reconstituted collagen surgical products. Later, he conceived of the chemistry and led the successful commercial development of the first coated synthetic absorbable copolymer suture (Vicryl™ Suture with cumulative sales measured in the tens of billions of dollars) and for which he received the prestigious Johnson Medal for Research and Development. In addition, Dr. Kronenthal was responsible for the development of other absorbable and nonabsorbable surgical materials and devices including, for example, the blood-compatible polyurethane polymer used in the implantable Jarvik-7 total artificial heart and the introduction of a special, biocompatible polypropylene fiber as a haptic material for novel intraocular lenses.

Following his retirement from Ethicon in 1989, Dr. Kronenthal served as a consultant for more than 40 corporations, venture capital investors and institutions in the healthcare field. He has held Board seats for several companies and presently serves on the Biomedical Engineering External Advisory Board of Stevens Institute of Technology. Dr Kronenthal has authored more than 15 publications including 3 book chapters, edited a book on polymers used in medicine and surgery and is the inventor on more than 30 issued U.S. patents in the chemical and healthcare fields. He was elected a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and holds memberships in the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the New York Academy of Science and the Chemical Heritage Foundation.

Dr. Kronenthal’s Doctorate in Organic Chemistry was conferred by the Polytechnic Institute of New York University in 1955 where he later taught organic chemistry.