Who we are
The Vilya story
Inspired by nature. Designed by Vilya.
We're advancing beyond nature's limitations — designing novel macrocycles through computation to target disease biology with intention and precision.
Evolution spent billions of years perfecting molecular interactions. We study those principles, then compute forward into unexplored chemical space.
Our mission is simple but profound: create medicines that don't exist in nature but work within it. Using AI-driven design, we generate entirely new macrocycles that combine the targeting precision of antibodies with the convenience of pills.
This isn't about improving what nature made. It's about respectfully extending beyond evolutionary constraints to address human disease in ways biology never explored.
A new era of molecular design
Our vision is to unlock therapeutic spaces untouched by evolution — using generative models and design-first thinking to pioneer entirely novel modalities.
Traditional drug discovery searches through what already exists. We design what should exist.
Our computational platform represents a fundamental shift from discovery to invention. Where others screen millions of compounds hoping for hits, we generate molecules purposefully crafted for their targets.
We envision a future where the hardest medical challenges — the "undruggable" proteins, the diseases without options — become solvable through designed molecules that nature never had reason to create.
Pioneering science
At Vilya, we believe great science comes from great people. Our team brings together pioneers in computational biology, chemistry, and drug development — united by a mission to invent entirely new therapeutics through principled, de novo design.
Leadership team
The leadership team combines deep expertise in platform innovation, therapeutic development, and company building. Together, they guide Vilya’s scientific and strategic direction.
CEO and President
Cyrus Harmon, PhD
Co-Founder, CTO
Patrick Salveson, PhD
Co-Founder, VP of Molecular Design
Adam Moyer, PhD
VP, Chemistry
Brian Hearn, PhD
VP, Biology
Anastasia Velentza, PhD
VP, Computational Chemistry
Ben Sellers, PhD
VP, Operations
Daniel Wright
Scientific founders
Vilya was co-founded by researchers at the forefront of protein design, including Nobel laureate Dr. David Baker. Their foundational work in generative biology and structure-guided design continues to shape the platform’s evolution.
Nobel laureate, Co-Founder, Director, IPD UW, Prof. Biochemistry
David Baker, PhD
Co-Founder, UW, Asst. Prof. Medicinal Chemistry
Gaurav Bhardwaj, PhD
Co-Founder, CSO & COO, IPD
Lance Stewart, PhD, MBA
Co-Founder, CTO
Patrick Salveson, PhD
Co-Founder, VP of Molecular Design
Adam Moyer, PhD
Co-Founder, Director of Machine Learning
Nao Hiranuma, PhD
Scientific advisory board
Our Scientific Advisory Board brings together leaders in structural biology, AI, medicinal chemistry, and translational medicine. Their insights help Vilya stay at the frontier of therapeutic innovation.
UCSF Prof. Pharmacy
Brian Shoichet, PhD
Arrakis, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer
Jennifer Petter, PhD
Scripps Research Professor Chemistry
Philip Dawson, PhD
UCSF, David A. Wood Distinguished Professorship of Tumor Biology and Cancer Research
Frank McCormick, PhD, FRS, DSc (Hon)
UCSF, Chair and Ernest L. Prien Professor, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences
James Fraser, PhD
Committed partners in de novo design
Join our mission
We're hiring top talent across computation, chemistry, biology, and engineering to help us build the next generation of therapeutics.
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