Michael Luther

For the last two years, Dr. Michael Luther has been the Global Head of Astellas’ Search & Evaluation in Business Development leading efforts to drive deals and investments in support of Astellas drug discovery and development efforts from emerging start-ups to acquisition of late-stage clinical assets. Mike is based in Cambridge, MA. Mike brings over 35 years of experience as an entrepreneurial scientist and executive in the biopharmaceutical industry including various senior leadership roles ranging from biotech start-ups and global CROs and pharmaceutical companies.

Before joining Astellas, Mike was the CEO and founder of Bantam Pharmaceutical, a biotech company focused clinical development of cancer therapeutics leveraging mitochondrial stress response pathways and targets.

In past roles, Mike was the Senior Vice President for Drug Discovery & Development at Curio and founding CEO for the North Carolina Research Campus, a public-private partnership to accelerate bench-to-market activities in life sciences.

Mike has over 20 years in senior executive roles in the global pharmaceutical industry including Vice President and head of drug discovery divisions for both Merck and GSK. At GSK, he led multiple discovery teams that resulted in the successful launch of 4 novel therapeutics in oncology and metabolic disease as well as initiating the pharmaceutical industry’s initial efforts in precision medicine and drug repositioning. 

Dr. Luther holds a Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina State University, a doctorate from St. Louis University School of Medicine, and an MBA from Duke University. He was a Carl Stone Muscular Dystrophy Fellow at The Salk Institute and is the author of over 75 publications and patents.