Canadian Honour for Chem Innovator
UHN researcher awarded SCI’s Canada Medal for lifetime contributions to biotech and pharma.
Dr. Donald Weaver is a Senior Scientist at UHN’s Krembil Brain Institute, a Professor of Neurology at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and a Professor (Status Only) in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto.
The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) has awarded its Canada Medal to Dr. Donald Weaver, Senior Scientist at UHN’s Krembil Brain Institute, recognizing his productive career translating chemistry into real-world health solutions.
The SCI Canada Medal recognizes a scientific business leader whose lifetime contributions have advanced a Canadian industry rooted in chemistry, including fields such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, two areas in which Dr. Weaver has had lasting global impact.
Dr. Weaver is internationally recognized for his research focused on understanding and treating Alzheimer disease (AD). His commitment to medicinal chemistry is rooted in his clinical experience—he is among a small handful of people worldwide with credentials as a medicinal chemist and neurologist. His first encounter with a patient with AD in 1981 sparked a lifelong determination to design drugs capable of altering the course of the condition. Dr. Weaver’s more than 40-year career, grounded in both chemistry and neuroscience, has bridged molecular science, drug development, and patient care.
“Papers are nice. Products are nicer. Canadian products are nicest of all,” says Dr. Weaver. This motto reflects his philosophy that research should not stop at publications but move decisively toward solutions that benefit patients.
Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Weaver has sat at the helm of several innovative organizations. In 1994, Dr. Weaver co‑founded Neurochem Inc., which later became Bellus Health, in Montreal. Here he invented two amyloid-targeting drugs that both eventually went to phase 3 clinical trials: tramiprosate—one of the first drugs ever tested with the intent to modify the disease course of AD—and eprodisate. In 2023, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) acquired Bellus Health for approximately $2 billion.
In Halifax in 2006, Dr. Weaver co‑founded DeNovaMed Inc. to develop novel antibiotics. He continues to serve as their Chief Medical Officer.
Most recently, Dr. Weaver co‑founded Treventis Corporation in Toronto, a spin‑out from his UHN laboratory, where he also serves as Chief Medical Officer. In 2023, Treventis entered a major collaboration and licensing agreement with Takeda to advance small‑molecule therapies targeting toxic tau protein in AD.
Beyond commercial work, Dr. Weaver has authored more than 400 peer‑reviewed publications, including Medicinal Chemistry (Oxford University Press), a widely used reference in the field. He holds 47 patents, all focused on therapeutic applications. He has received numerous honours for his work, including the Bernard Belleau Award in Medicinal Chemistry, the Merck Frosst Award in Organic Chemistry, and the Oskar Fischer Prize. The SCI Canada Medal adds a distinct recognition celebrating the translation of fundamental science to industry.
“I am genuinely thrilled to receive the SCI Canada Medal,” says Dr. Weaver. “I have spent my career working at the interface between chemistry and clinical neurology, which is not a typical place to stand; you are never quite sure whether your feet are planted in chemistry or medicine. Recognitions are usually discipline specific, so it is especially meaningful to receive this award from a chemistry society that values translation and real-world outcomes.”