Dr. Pablo Valenzuela is co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of Andes Biotechnologies. He has been a leading scientist and entrepreneur in the United States and in Chile, and has contributed to the development of several biomedical products with impact at a global level.

Dr. Valenzuela previously served as co-founder and Vice President of R&D at Chiron Corporation, a pioneer in the U.S. biotech industry. In this position, he was responsible for the team involved in major advances in the prevention and treatment of viral diseases, such as the development of the first recombinant vaccine against HBV and the discovery of Hepatitis C. He supported the development of products worth nearly $8 billion in annual revenue, and filed more than 50 patents.

As an entrepreneur and investor, Dr. Valenzuela has participated in the founding and early-stage activities of several U.S. and Chilean biotechnology companies, including Praxis Biotech, Lucira Health, Miroculus, among others. He has also acted as an investor and advisor to the Chilean venture capital industry.

In his academic career, Dr. Valenzuela has published more than 100 scientific papers. He has served as Director of the Ph.D Program in Biotechnology at Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello in Santiago and as Member of the Directive Board at Universidad San Sebastián. In 1997 he founded the Fundación Ciencia y Vida in Chile, and subsequently served as its Scientific Director.

Dr. Valenzuela has received numerous recognitions during his career including:

  • UCSF Medal, University of California (2014)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Life Sciences Association of Northern California (2013)
  • Medalla Orden de la Cruz del Sur, from the Presidency of Chile (2012)
  • Doctor Honoris Causa, Université du Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France (2005)
  • Chilean National Award in Applied Sciences and Technologies (2002)

He holds a post-doctorate in Biochemistry from the University of California San Francisco, a Ph.D in Chemistry from Northwestern University, and an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the Universidad de Chile.