Yancopoulos of Regeneron works to expand Dupixent success

George Yancopoulos is in touch with his teenage self.

After 35 years as head scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Yancopoulos has led the development of 12 approved medicines, turning a once-fledgling company into the $100 billion global drugmaker it is today. And you can trace a straight line back to the childhood fascination with science he fostered growing up in Woodside, Queens.

“My high school science project was about regenerating neurons, and ‘Regeneron’ is a contraction of ‘regenerating neurons,’” Yancopoulos said at the STAT Summit East on Thursday. “In some ways I’m still working on my high school science project.”