David Latshaw II, PhD, MBA

Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
BioPhy

Dave is a multidisciplinary expert with extensive experience in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and business innovation. He specializes in bridging these fields to address complex challenges in research and development. Dave began his journey in biotechnology at North Carolina State University, where he earned his PhD in chemical and biomolecular engineering, studying neurodegenerative diseases through computational biophysics and machine learning. Upon graduating, Dave joined Johnson & Johnson's Advanced Technologies Center of Excellence as one of the youngest employees to create and lead flagship AI programs.

Dave’s technology played a pivotal role in J&J's commitment to provide a billion doses during the COVID pandemic, enabling robust delivery for the manufacturing process. During his tenure at J&J, Dave implemented over 20 AI-based programs across drug development, impacting nearly $16 billion in yearly sales, reducing costs by 20 percent, and increasing reliability by 50 percent.

Recognizing larger scale inefficiencies in the field of drug development, Dave pursued his MBA at Wharton Business School, where he conceived the idea for BioPhy, a life sciences health tech company founded in 2020. BioPhy utilizes breakthrough AI technology to radically accelerate the development of promising drug candidates for its partners, ranging from early-stage biotech to large pharmaceutical companies. Leveraging its proprietary technology, BioPhy’s two stage process, Identify and Accelerate, enables companies to deploy capital to the best opportunities and accelerate them to market to more quickly impact patients’ lives.