Viralytics - Targeted Cancer Treatment

Dr Jeffrey Weisberg (CHAIRMAN) - Head of Therapeutic Oncology (Americas), Pharmanet/i3; Clinical Professor, Nova Southeastern University

Dr Weisberg is currently the Head of Therapeutic Oncology for the Americas for Pharmanet/i3 and serves as a Clinical Professor at Nova Southeastern University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, in the division of oncology and hematology.  Dr Weisberg is board certified in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Hematology.

Dr. Weisberg was a medical director for Pfizer and has a wealth of CRO experience. He has played a role in the clinical trials leading to the approval of Yervoy (ipilimumab) as well as being involved in scores of other clinical trials. He has served as an investigator, lead, and medical monitor in numerous trials. He has a special interest in developing immunotherapy agents for the management of cancer.

Dr Weisberg has chaired the oncology and hematology division at Nova Southeastern University. He was also a member of several oncology cooperative groups including CALGB and had academic appointments at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY and the University of Miami.

Dr Weisberg is a consultant for Viralytics in the role of Principle Medical Advisor.  During his involvement with Viralytics Dr Weisberg has played a significant role in Viralytics obtaining FDA allowance for its IND for its CAVATAK Phase II Melanoma trial which has opened to enrolment recently. 

Professor Evanthia Galanis, MD - Professor of Oncology, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education & Research, USA

Professor Galanis has an extensive experience in the field of Virotherapy through both pre-clinical research and clinical trials.

As the chair of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Professor Galanis leads a multidisciplinary team of scientists and physicians whose work covers the entire translational spectrum. Basic scientific discoveries in virology, cell biology, genomics, and immunology led to testing of these concepts in clinical trials, such as trials of oncolytic virotherapy.

Professor Galanis' team is in a unique position of being able to move a basic science discovery all the way through to clinical trials and developing novel therapies in an expedited fashion.

While the Department of Molecular Medicine is known today for its novel approaches to treating certain cancers such as ovarian, multiple myeloma and glioblastoma multiforme, Professor Galanis aims to expand the department's reach into other cancers and non-cancer indications, as well as broaden the depth and breadth of its collaborations. 

Professor Hardev Pandha - Head of Oncology, University of Surrey

Professor Hardev Pandha is the Head of Oncology at the Postgraduate Medical School, University of Surrey.  He leads a globally renowned centre for clinical trials in the area of urological oncology.  He manages the organization and execution of clinical trials for the evaluation of new therapies against different kinds of cancer.  His special research interest is the immunological dimension of prostate, bladder, kidney and skin cancer.  Prof. Pandha currently participates in eight clinical trials (phases I-III) that are supported by large pharmaceutical corporations.  Professor Pandha is an internationally recognized researcher and opinion-leader in the field of Virotherapy and has undertaken numerous Phase I and Phase II clinical evalulations of various oncolytic viruses.

Dr Kevin Harrington - Clinical Oncologist, Royal Marsden Hospital, UK

Dr Kevin Harrington specialises in developing new treatment regimens using viruses that selectively destroy cancer cells. He is a Reader in Biological Cancer Therapies at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and is an Honorary Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Harrington studied medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London and began focusing on head and neck cancer while a PhD student at Hammersmith Hospital. He completed post-doctoral research in molecular medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, before joining the ICR in 2001 as Targeted Therapy Team Leader within the Section of Cell and Molecular Biology.

Dr Harrington heads a team that investigated targeted cancer therapy. The goal of the team is to develop novel therapies in which gene therapy and oncolytic virotherapy are combined with standard cytotoxic agents, such as those used in radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.