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Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. (NMS) stands out in the pharmaceutical landscape by harnessing globally trained expertise in medicinal chemistry, coupled with deep institutional knowledge accrued over years. This unique foundation enables the design of sophisticated kinase inhibitors and unprecedented payload linkers for ADC applications, leveraging expertise in cytotoxic and targeted molecules.

The innovation at NMS is driven by a collaborative effort among chemists, translational biologists, and clinical development specialists. Together, these multidisciplinary teams work seamlessly to develop and deliver next-generation anti-cancer drugs, embodying a model of integration that accelerates progress and enhances outcomes in cancer treatment.

personalized cancer treatments

Improving cancer patients’ health through our unwavering commitment to discover, develop and deliver life-changing oncology drugs

A legacy of Pharma and Biotech Innovations from Anthracyclines to Cutting-Edge Oncology Therapies

Lisa Mahnke, MD, PhD

Chief Medical Officer, NMS S.r.l., CEO/President/Managing Director, NMS-US

MD/PhD in Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin; Clinical Residency and Fellowship, Washington University in St Louis; Scientific Fellowship, Molecular Oncology, Washington University in St Louis; medically licensed in Massachusetts.

Lisa brings 20 years of clinical trials and drug development experience spanning small molecules and biologics, heavily in oncology. She has extensive First-In-Human, Breakthrough, End-Of-Phase-II and NDA/BLA/MAA experience including many primary roles. She has held increasing leadership with diversity making her well-rounded in expertise. Lisa served as Head of Clinical Sciences (Early Clinical Development), Oncology, Servier Pharmaceuticals; SVP, Head of Clinical Development, Bicycle Therapeutics; VP, Head of Clinical Development, Syros Pharmaceuticals; Global Head of Clinical Pharmacology, EMD Serono (Merck KGaA); Global Clinical Lead, first approval of Bavencio, EMD Serono (Merck KGaA); Global Head of Clinical Pharmacology, Vertex Pharmaceuticals; Global Clinical Lead, Vertex Pharmaceuticals; Clinical Pharmacologist, Merck & Co (MSD); Global Clinical Lead, Bristol Myers Squibb.

Highlights: US and EU first approvals of Bavencio (PDL1 checkpoint inhibitor); 41bb checkpoint inhibitor early development; DNA damage repair inhibitors ATR, ATM and DNA-PK First-In-Human; End-Of-Phase II package MET inhibitor tepotinib; First-In-Human studies IDO and TGFβ2R-avelumab fusion; CDK7 early development; EphA2 and Nectin ADC-like peptide conjugates First-In-Human; Bcl2 and MCL1 pro-apoptosis early development; dual checkpoint inhibitor, innate immune modulator and other oncology targets.

Expertise in Breakthrough, Scientific Advice, IND, CTA, End-Of-Phase II and BLA/NDA/MAA

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Alessia Montagnoli, PhD

Chief Scientific Officer

With over 25 years of experience in cancer drug discovery, Alessia held leadership roles with increasing responsibility in Pharmacia, Pfizer and in NMS, including Discovery Project Leader, Head of Biology, Asset Leader, Global Head of Asset Leadership and Head of Small Molecule Portfolio. She conjugates strategic, operational, scientific and management skills with a deep knowledge of all the relevant aspects of oncology R&D, to bridge science with clinical development with a strong focus on innovation. 

During her career, she has led and overseen discovery and clinical stage portfolios, strategic partnerships with pharma and academia, driven the exploration of new target classes, and shaped innovative clinical development directions through fundamental translational research. She played a pivotal role in discovering novel oncological targets and developing small molecule inhibitors up to clinical development, such as Aurora, Plk1, Cdk2, Mps1, Cdc7 and PARP1, and contributed to the in-licensing and out-licensing of different assets.

Alessia has received degrees in Biological Sciences and Biotechnology at University of Rome, Tor Vergata. She served as Research Fellow at R.L. Montalcini Institute of Neurobiology in Rome and Post Doctoral fellow at New York University School of Medicine.

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Dadong Li, PhD

CEO of NMS Shanghai

Dadong brings a wealth of experience and an outstanding track record in business development, strategy, and advisory roles across both public and private sectors.

Prior to NMS, Dadong served at different organizations, such as UK Department for International Trade, Roche, Shanghai Vitalgen Biopharma and Sanofi, overseeing trade and investment, strategy and execution of in-licensing, out-licensing, research collaborations, and co-development with opportunities for China and global, with increasing responsibilities. 

Earlier in his career, Dadong also worked as a management consultant with PwC Management Consulting focused on healthcare and had experience with Chinese Academy of Sciences as a junior scientist focused on total synthesis of natural products.  

Dadong holds a Ph.D. in Biomolecular Chemistry from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in Materials Chemistry from Peking University.

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Pengyu (Francis) Chen

Chief Financial Officer

Mark Rogers

Chief Business Officer

Federico D'Agruma

Chief Strategy Officer
Operating Officer at NMS

Sidney Dung, MBA

Chief Operating Officer, ADC Business Unit

With over 20 years of experience leading strategic initiatives with cross-functional and multinational teams in manufacturing, transportation, financial services and consultancy sectors with a strong focus in business development, project management and external communications.

David A. Barbie, MD

Overview

  • Director of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI)
  • Principal Investigator of his laboratory at DFCI
  • Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
  • Associate Director of the Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science
  • Associate Member of the Broad Institute
  • Active Clinician at the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, seeing patients

Education and Training

  • Undergraduate degree from Harvard College
  • M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School
  • Completed Howard Hughes Medical Investigator Program Medical Student Research
  • Fellowship at MGH Cancer Center

Professional Journey

  • Completed MGH internal medicine residency and chief medical residency
  • Dana-Farber Partners Oncology fellowship
  • Post-doctoral work in Dr. William Hahn’s laboratory at DFCI and the Broad Institute
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David Feltquate MD, PhD

Overview

  • Chief Medical Officer at iTeos Therapeutics
  • Chief Medical Officer at Palleon Pharmaceuticals
  • Former Global Head of Hematology Development and Chair of the Precision Medicine Leadership Team at Novartis
  • Previously held leadership positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb, including Head of Oncology Early Clinical Development

Education and Training

  • Bachelor of Science in Biology from MIT
  • MD/PhD in Immunology from the University of Massachusetts Medical School
  • Completed Internal Medicine training and served as Chief Resident at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
  • Medical Oncology training at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Professional Journey

  • Led clinical development of Nivolumab, the first PD-1 inhibitor, from proof of concept to initial registration in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Melanoma, and Renal Cell Carcinoma
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Paolo Tarantino, MD, PhD

Overview

  • Breast cancer specialist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI)
    Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School
  • Affiliated researcher within the Breast Oncology Center at DFCI
    Internationally recognized emerging voice in Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) innovation
  • Extensive publication record on HER2/HER3 biology, resistance mechanisms, and biomarker-driven patient selection

Education and Training

  • M.D. degree from the University of Milan, Italy
  • Specialization in Medical Oncology at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan
  • Ph.D. in Clinical Research from the University of Milan
  • Completed research fellowships at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School

Professional Journey

  • Currently serving as a clinical investigator and translational researcher at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
  • Leads studies on HER2-low and HER3-expressing breast cancers with a focus on ADCs and precision oncology
  • Actively involved in global collaborative trials exploring next-generation ADC development
  • Provides strategic guidance on clinical design, indication selection, and translational alignment for emerging ADC programs
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Prof. Tony S. Mok, MD

Overview

  • Chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
  • Director of the State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, CUHK
  • Global leader in precision medicine for lung cancer and a driving force behind modern targeted therapy and ADC development
  • Led multiple pivotal studies that have redefined standards of care in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
  • Provides strategic guidance to NMS on Asia-Pacific clinical strategy, regulatory pathways, and global trial execution to strengthen worldwide positioning and partnerships

Education and Training

  • M.D. degree from the University of Alberta, Canada
  • Completed Internal Medicine residency at the University of Alberta Hospital
  • Medical Oncology fellowship at the British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada

Professional Journey

  • Leads clinical and translational research in targeted therapies for lung cancer at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Principal Investigator of multiple global phase III trials that established EGFR- and ALK-targeted therapies as standards of care
  • Active contributor to international oncology networks and global trial collaborations advancing biomarker-driven precision medicine
  • Serves on advisory and steering committees guiding development of novel targeted therapies and ADCs across Asia-Pacific and worldwide]
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Ravi Chari, PhD

Overview

  • Former Senior Scientific Leader, ImmunoGen, Inc., USA
  • Pioneer in Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) payload and linker innovation
    Former senior scientific leader at ImmunoGen, Inc., with over two decades of experience in ADC research and development
  • Co-inventor of multiple clinical-stage ADC technologies that have advanced into global oncology trials
  • Provides unmatched expertise in payload design, linker stability, bystander effect modulation, and manufacturability
  • Strengthens NMS’s core scientific edge in differentiated, resistance-breaking payload-linker architectures

Education and Training

  • Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Columbia University, New York
    Postdoctoral research at Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research
  •  B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Chemistry from the University of Bombay, India

Professional Journey

  • Served as Vice President of Chemistry and Biochemistry at ImmunoGen, Inc., leading the design and development of novel payloads and linker technologies for ADCs
  • Co-inventor of the DM1 and DM4 maytansinoid payload-linker systems, which formed the foundation for several FDA-approved ADCs
  • Collaborated extensively with pharmaceutical partners to translate ADC innovations from discovery through clinical development
  • Recognized globally for contributions that have shaped the modern ADC field and continue to influence next-generation therapeutic design
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