Yutaka Matsuda

About Yutaka Matsuda

Medicinal and bioconjugation chemist with 14 years of industry experience and more than 10 years in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Originator of Exo-cleavable linker technology and one of the originators of AJICAP site-specific conjugation technology, with deep expertise in linker-payload design, conjugation chemistry, analytical characterization, process development, and technology transfer. Currently Director, Antibody-Drug Conjugate Chemistry at Exelixis, leading small-molecule strategy for ADC payloads and linkers across discovery programs. My work has supported ADC platform innovation, candidate selection, and programs advanced to Phase 1 clinical evaluation. Experienced in cross-functional program leadership across chemistry, biology, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, DMPK), analytics, and early development, with additional experience in contract development and manufacturing organization (contract development and manufacturing organization, CDMO) tech transfer and good manufacturing practice (good manufacturing practice, GMP)-relevant material generation. Author of more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, including over 30 in the ADC field, and inventor on multiple patents in conjugation and linker technologies. QUALIFICATIONS1. Over 12 years of industrial carrier after receiving my first Ph. D. degree2. Over 10 years of experience in research and development in chemical biology, primarily antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)3. Over 20 years of experience as a synthetic organic chemist (industry and academia)4. One of the originators developing novel site-specific conjugation technology (AJICAP conjugation) 5. Originator of novel linker technology (AJICAP® Exo linker)6. I earned two separate Ph. D. degrees.7. Listed as the first or corresponding author of more than 70 publications (including over 50 ADC-related papers)External linkORCID: Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.jp/citations?hl=ja & review: (written in Japanese):

Experience

1. Director, Antibody Drug Conjugates

   Exelixis

   Aug 2025 — Present

   Lead medicinal chemistry and bioconjugation strategy for ADC discovery programs, with responsibility for linker-payload design, payload selection, conjugation approach, and developability assessment. Define and drive small-molecule design hypotheses across cleavable and non-cleavable linkers, high-drug-load carrier concepts, and cytotoxic and immunostimulatory payload classes. Partner with biology, DMPK, translational, analytics, and early development teams to align mechanism, assay strategy, stability/release evaluation, and candidate selection criteria. Translate chemistry, analytical, and biological data into program recommendations for portfolio and project decisions. Direct external work at contract research organizations (contract research organization, CRO) and CDMOs to deliver linker-payload intermediates, conjugates, and supporting data packages on timeline and to quality expectations. Manage and mentor internal scientists and support hiring for ADC chemistry functions. Contributed as ADC chemistry lead/supporting leader to several programs, both of which advanced to Phase 1 clinical evaluation. Support intellectual property strategy through prior-art evaluation, claim positioning, and collaboration with patent counsel on linker-payload and conjugation innovations.

Education

• GLOBIS University - Graduate School of Management

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

• Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Medicinal Chemistry

  2021 — 2021

• Keio University

  B.S, Applied Chemisty (especially natural organic chemistry)

  2004 — 2008

• Keio University

  Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D., Organic synthetic chemistry

  2008 — 2013