Michael G. Wyllie

Wyllie was born in Luncarty, Perth, Scotland, educated at Redgorton Primary School and Perth Academy. He studied pharmacology at the University of Aberdeen in 1973 and received his PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University of Aberdeen faculty of Medicine in 1976. Initially he followed the classical academic path as a lecturer at the Department of Pharmacy, Heriot-Watt University from 1976 to 1979 but became frustrated by the unavailability of research funding.

In 1979 he joined Wyeth Laboratories in Taplow as Head of Biochemical Pharmacology where he contributed to the development of the marketed antihypertensive agent, indoramin and the opioid analgesic, meptazinol. He subsequently joined Pfizer Central Research in Sandwich, Kent, rising to the position of Director of Biology, during this period in 1984 to 1994 he was fundamentally involved in the discovery and development of the marketed products, darifenacin, doxazosin, fluconazole and sertraline. He was responsible for the creation of the Pfizer urogenital research team charged with developing drugs for incontinence, prostatic disease and sexual dysfunction. It was during this period that sildenafil also known as Viagra was discovered and developed.

In 1994 Wyllie joined Pfizer HQ in New York City to the newly-created position of Director of Urology and was heavily involved in the regulatory approval and marketing of Cardura for being prostatic hyperplasia and Viagra for erectile dysfunction. Although, leaving Pfizer in 1998, he is still retained by Pfizer as a Viagra IP consultant. Amongst other activities, in the early 2000s Wyllie created the specialist urology company Plethora Solutions which was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was responsible for the discovery and development of Fortacin for the treatment of premature ejaculation³⁴⁵⁶. Fortacin was launched in the UK in November 2016, will be marketed in the EU by Plethora’s marketing partner, Recordati, in late 2017 and is undergoing regulatory review in the USA, During 2016 Plethora solutions was acquired by Regent Pacific and is now listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Wyllie continues in his role as Chief Scientific Officer of the Company.

From 1998 onwards Wyllie has also helped establish several private and public companies, including, Axellis, Bactomed, Taihua, Plc and Vivomedica. He is chairman of the Oban-based biotechnology company, Glycomar and the Welsh oncology company, Morvus. He is also an independent director of the NASDAQ-listed, Houston-based, reproductive health company, Repros Inc.