Dr. Tony Barbosa is Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Ave Maria University and Vice President of Research at Allosite Therapeutics. A medicinal chemist with more than 25 years of drug discovery and development experience, he worked in pharmaceutical R&D at Boehringer Ingelheim and CGI Pharmaceuticals before taking on research leadership roles at Adhaere Pharmaceuticals and Allosite Therapeutics. He is a named inventor on more than 20 issued U.S. and international patents and has served as investigator, co-investigator, or senior personnel on more than $6.8 million in research funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, and the Florida Department of Health.

His most clinically advanced work centers on CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1), an integrin receptor on myeloid immune cells. As Director of Chemistry at Adhaere Pharmaceuticals, he led the effort that advanced the company's lead immuno-oncology candidate, a Mac-1 agonist, to the clinic. After Gossamer Bio acquired Adhaere, the compound (then called GB1275) was well tolerated in a first-in-human study in patients with advanced solid tumors, including pancreatic, esophageal, gastric, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Now in development at Allosite as ONT01, it is being evaluated in two investigator-sponsored trials: a Phase 1/2 study with chemotherapy in metastatic pancreatic cancer at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and a Phase 1b study in lupus nephritis and systemic lupus erythematosus at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

His research has spanned oncology (pancreatic and breast cancer), immunology and inflammation (lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn's disease), kidney disease, and neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's disease). He has designed drug candidates against several target classes, including cell-surface adhesion receptors (integrins), G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), and kinases. His expertise centers on multiparameter optimization: balancing potency and efficacy with pharmacokinetic and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) properties across compound series.

At Allosite, he oversees discovery of small-molecule and biologic therapeutics for kidney disease, cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. At Ave Maria University, where he is also an Associate Professor of Chemistry, he leads undergraduate researchers designing small-molecule inhibitors of asparagine endopeptidase (AEP), an enzyme implicated in Alzheimer's disease. He also serves as a Faculty Fellow at the Institute @ AMU, guiding student teams through case studies of real companies. He earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Rochester and his B.S. in chemistry from Providence College.

Dr. Barbosa and Valerie, his wife of 29 years, have four children: Antonio, Grace Angel, Maximilian, and John. He enjoys hiking and walking outdoors with his family, gardening, and studying economics and investing.

Publications

• “Conformation-Dependent Antibody Variants Targeting Integrin α3β1 Restore Podocyte Function and Reduce Injury in FSGS Mouse Models: FR-PO0775.” Youssef, Mohamed A.; Balza Pineda, Santiago; Machineni, Prathyushasai; Lopez-Rodriguez, Darlah M.; Gonzalez-Lerma, Paola; Helmuth, Richard; Gurusamy Kamaraj, Sowmya; Brackman, Sheri; Barbosa, Antonio; Gupta, Vineet. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2025 October 36(10S):10.1681/ASN.20251r5v88vh. | DOI: 10.1681/ASN.20251r5v88vh

• “Discovery and Development of a novel CD11b integrin agonist to treat cancer and lupus nephritis.” Antonio Barbosa, Department of Natural Sciences Seminar Series, Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL 33801, 2025, March 20.

• “Stabilization of Integrin a3b1 with Novel Activating Antibodies Protects against FSGS: SA-PO714”. Balza Pineda, Santiago; Lopez-Rodriguez, Darlah M.; Youssef, Mohamed; Brackman, Sheri; Barbosa, Antonio; Gupta, Vineet Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 35(10S):10.1681/ASN.2024gb1xyvp3, October 2024. | DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2024gb1xyvp3

• "Discerning the Impact of Non-Covalent Interactions via Simulated Crystal Growth: A Structural Study of Aromatic Esters" Boucher, Mairead; Bellia, Sophia; Howarth, Alexis; Collart, Anne; Musozoda , Muhammadiqboli ; Adu, Clinton; Guillet, Gary; Barbosa, Antonio; Fulvio, Pasquale ; Mirjafari, Arsalan; Zeller, Matthias; Hillesheim, Patrick Crystal Growth & Design 2024 24 (7), 2841-2854  DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.3c01485

• “Examining the Non-Covalent Interactions for Two Polymorphs of a 2,1,3-benzoxadiazole Derivative” Katherine Standish, Matthias Zeller, Antonio J. Barbosa, and Patrick C. Hillesheim Crystals 2022, 12(8), 1143, 21pp., DOI: 10.3390/cryst12081143

• “Contrasting the Noncovalent Interactions of Aromatic Sulfonyl Fluoride and Sulfonyl Chloride Motifs via Crystallography and Hirshfeld Surfaces” Sophia Bellia‎, Lara I Teodoro‎, Antonio J Barbosa‎, Matthias Zeller‎, Arsalan Mirjafari‎, Patrick C Hillesheim ChemistrySelect 2022, 7(46), December 13, DOI: 10.1002/SLCT.202203797

• “Pyridinium 3-nitro­benzoate–3-nitro­benzoic acid” Alexis Howarth, Tony J. Barbosa, Matthias Zeller and Patrick C. Hillesheim IUCrDATA ISSN: 2414-3146 Volume 6, Part 6, June 2021, x210581, DOI: 10.1107/S2414314621005812

• “Chance and Indeterminism in Chemistry”, Third Annual Thomistic Philosophy and Natural Sciences Symposium, Thomistic Institute, Washington, D.C., June 16-20, 2021‍

• “Alzheimer’s Update on Research and Treatments”, Interview on ‘Made For Greatness’ on Maria Vision Television Station, September 21, 2021, https://bit.ly/Barbosa_MadeForGreatness‍

• “Integrin agonists reduce infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages to promote T-cell mediated anti-tumor immunity” Cancer Immunology Research February 2017 5(3 Supplement):B03-B03; DOI10.1158/2326-6074.TUMIMM16-B03

• “An integrin agonist suppresses breast cancer by reducing CD11b+ leukocytes, promoting anti-tumor immunity” Cancer Research August 1 2016 76(15 Supplement) A17; DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.TME16-A17

• “An integrin agonist suppresses breast cancer by reducing CD11b+ leukocytes, promoting antitumor immunity.” An AACR Special Conference on The Function of Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression, January 7-10, 2016, Hard Rock Hotel, San Diego, CA .

• “Discovery and Design of Novel Benzimidazolone Based Inhibitors of p38 MAP Kinase” Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters  2006,  16(24),  6316-6320

• “Toward the Development of a General Chiral Auxiliary. A Total Synthesis of (+)-Tetronolide via a Tandem Ketene-Trapping [4 + 2] Cycloaddition Strategy” Journal of the American Chemical Society  2006,  128(32),  10572-10588

• “Microwave-assisted synthesis of benzimidazolone libraries.”  Abstracts of Papers, 228th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, United States, August 22-26, 2004, ORGN-424.

• “Discovery and design of novel benzimidazolones as inhibitors of p38 MAP kinase.”  Abstracts of Papers, 228th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, United States, August 22-26, 2004, MEDI-218.

• “Asymmetric Lewis-acid-promoted thio-Claisen rearrangements of N,S-ketene acetals.”  Book of Abstracts, 219th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, March 26-30, 2000, ORGN-014.

• “Improvement in physicochemical properties for a series of diaminopyrimidine based for PKC theta inhibitors.” Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters  In Preparation.

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Patents

• WO2024097620 – “Compositions and Methods Involving Integrin Alpha3Beta1.” PCT Int. 2024, 96 pp.

• WO2021061665A1 – “Integrin agonist prodrugs” 2021, 65pp.

• WO2020205827A1 – “Reagents and assays using modified integrin domains.”, PCT Int. Appl., 2020, 84pp.

• WO2018126072 A1 – “Preparation of heterocyclic integrin agonists for treatment of cancer.” 2018, 168pp.

• WO2016201356 – “Solid Forms of (Z)-4-(5-((3-Benzyl-4-Oxo-2-Thioxothiazolidin-5-ylidene)Methyl)Furan-2-yl)Benzoic Acid.” 2016, 117 pp.

• US Patent 9260415 – “Heteroaryl pyridone and aza-pyridone compounds with electrophilic functionality.” Publication Date: February 16, 2016‍

• US Patent 8748607 – “Imidazopyrazine SYK Inhibitors.” Publication date: Jun 10, 2014‍

• US Patent 8618107 – “Pyridone and aza-pyridone compounds and methods of use.” Publication date: December 31, 2013‍

• US Patent 8598174 – “Pyridazinones, Method of Making, and Method of Use Thereof.” Publication date: Dec 3, 2013‍

• US Patent 8575360 – “Derivatives of 6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[1,2-a]imidazole-3-carboxylic acid amides.” Publication date: November 5, 2013‍

• US Patent 8552205 – “Derivatives of 6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[1,2-alpha]imidazole-3-carboxylic acid amides.” Publication date: October 8, 2013‍

• US Patent 8455493– “Imidazopyrazine SYK Inhibitors.” Publication date: Jun 4, 2013‍

• WO2011140488 – “Preparation of pyridone and azapyridone compounds as Btk inhibitors for treating immune disorders, inflammation, cancer, and other Btk-mediated diseases.” PCT Int. Appl, 2011, 511 pp.

• WO2010141273 – “Preparation of 6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[1,2-a]imidazole-3-carboxamides as inhibitors of the interaction of ICAMs and leukointegrins.” PCT Int. Appl., 2010, 131pp.

• WO2010068810 – “Certain substituted amides, method of making, and method of use thereof.” PCT Int. Appl. 2010, 84 pp.

• WO2010056875 – “Pyridazinones and their use as BTK Inhibitors.” PCT Int. Appl. 2010, 301 pp.

• WO2010068257 – “Imidazopyrazine SYK Inhibitors.” PCT Int. Appl. 2009, 305 pp.

• WO2009070485 – “Derivatives of 6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[1,2-α]imidazole-3- carboxylic acid amides.” PCT Int. Appl. 2009, 322 pp.

• WO2007076247 – “Preparation of pyrimidine derivatives useful as inhibitors of PKC-theta for treating various diseases.” PCT Int. Appl. 2007, 99 pp.

• WO2006014482 – “Pyrimidine Derivatives Useful as Inhibitors of PKC-theta.” PCT Int. Appl. 2006, 226 pp.

• US2006025433 – “Preparation of pyrimidine derivatives as selective inhibitors of protein kinase C theta with therapeutic uses.” U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. 2006, 156 pp.

• WO2004024699 – “Preparation of benzimidazolones as cytokine inhibitors for treating inflammation.” PCT Int. Appl. 2004, 140 pp.