David Witty, PhD

David Witty joined Sygnature Discovery in 2024 as Chief Scientific Officer, bringing extensive experience from a distinguished career in drug research and development.

David began his career at Reckitts in Hull, working on adrenoreceptor antagonists and the manufacture of buprenorphine. After completing his graduate and postgraduate studies at Oxford University—where he focused on sugar chemistry and antiviral nucleosides—he earned a Fulbright postdoctoral scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin to investigate the chemical synthesis of fullerenes.

Returning to the UK, David contributed to research in anti-infective, metabolic, cognitive, and neurological disorders at SB and later GSK. In 2010, he co-founded Convergence Pharmaceuticals, spinning out GSK’s pain portfolio into a start-up that was later acquired by Biogen. He also played a key role in launching several companies, including the consultancy Witnet and Eliem Therapeutics, where he served as VP of Chemistry and IP until 2023.

For 16 years, David served as Editor of Progress in Medicinal Chemistry, an Elsevier journal. His recent work has focused on API and DP manufacturing, helping scale up complex peptidic toxin conjugates and poly-macrocyclic immuno-oncology candidates through his consultancy.

David has authored more than 100 publications, including primary research papers, reviews, patents, and book chapters. His contributions include the synthesis of Vixotrigine and Interpidine. A long-standing member of SCI, David served as interim Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2021. He was awarded the RSC BMCS Lectureship for 2019–2020 and received the SCI Lampitt Medal in 2022.