Jingrong Jean Cui

Dr. Jingrong Jean Cui is a renowned oncology drug designer who is the lead inventor of multiple oncology medicines and clinical compounds. Dr. Cui is the scientific founder of Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc. (TP), a San Diego based biotech company focusing on turning point medicines for cancer patients. TP went public on NASDAQ in April 2019 (Ticker: TPTX). Dr. Cui served as TP’s Chief Scientific Officer (October 2013-January 2020) and a member of Board of Directors (October 2013-June 2020). Prior to that, she was Senior Principal Scientist and then Associate Research Fellow at Pfizer (2003-2013). Prior to that, Dr. Cui served as Project Leader and Group Leader at SUGEN, Inc., a Pharmacia Corporation (1999-2003).

Dr. Cui has made significant contributions in oncology drug discovery and development. As scientific founder of Turning Point, she focused on solving drug resistance issues in targeted therapies and invented a unique macrocyclic platform to systematically address resistance issues. This novel strategy and approach led to the creation of three clinical compounds: Repotrectinib (TPX-0005), TPX-0022, and TPX-0046 within 6 years since founding the company. Repotrectinib, a ROS1/TRK/ALK inhibitor, is now in Phase 1/2 global clinical trial. TPX-0022, a MET/CSF1R/SRC inhibitor, and TPX-0046, a RET/SRC inhibitor, entered into Phase 1 studies in 2019. At Pfizer, Dr. Cui was the lead inventor of Crizotinib (XALKORITM) and Lorlatinib (LORBRENATM), and worked on several other oncology projects, including SUTENTTM.

Dr. Cui and her Crizotinib chemistry team at Pfizer were selected for the 38th National Inventor of the Year Award in 2011. She received two Pfizer Worldwide R&D Achievement Awards (2006 and 2012) and Pfizer innovation award in 2011. Dr. Cui was an honoree for the 2013 American Chemical Society (ACS)’s Heroes of Chemistry Program for the discovery and development of Crizotinib. Dr. Cui received her 2nd Heroes of Chemistry Award from ACS in 2021 for the discovery and development of Lorlatinib. She was the winner of the inaugural CABS K. Fong Award in Life Sciences in 2013.

Dr. Cui received her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and her M.S. and B.S. from the University of Science and Technology of China. She obtained her postdoctoral training at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California Berkeley.