Management team

Oncovita’s management team combines internationally recognized scientists specialized in virology with senior managers from the biotech and CRO industry having a proven track-record in drug development and company growth.

Jean-François Le BigotJean-François Le Bigot, PhD – CEO

Jean-François Le Bigot has long and extensive experience in drug development combined with the executive management of private companies through major growth cycles and Private Equity investments. He is the former President, CEO and shareholder of Citoxlab Group, one of the leading international non-clinical Contract Research Organizations (CRO). From 1987 to 2019, Jean-Francois Le Bigot transformed Centre International de la Toxicologie (CIT), a single site French non-clinical CRO with 120 staff, into the internationally recognized Citoxlab brand that includes today 8 research centers located in 5 countries and employs more than 1 500 people. After his PhD in Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Jean-Francois Le Bigot started his industrial career at Sandoz Laboratories (now Novartis) as Head of Experimental Biology and then Director of Pre-Clinical Development in France.

Frédéric TangyFrédéric Tangy, PhD, Dr.Sc. – Founder and CSO

Frédéric Tangy is the inventor of the recombinant measles virus technology at the core of Oncovita’s therapeutic anticancer approach. With 30 years of expertise in virology and vaccinology, he is author of over 150 research publications and principal inventor of 25 international patents. He has headed two major research programs: development of viral vaccines based on measles vaccine vector, and systematic study of the interactions between virus and host proteins using high-throughput functional genomic methods. Several of his research programs have led to industrial breakthroughs in the field of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines in collaboration with GSK, Transgene and Themis Bioscience. In addition to his primary research activity as head of the Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit at Institut Pasteur, Frédéric Tangy founded the International Vaccinology Course and was member and VP of the Pasteur Scientific Council. As CSO, Frédéric Tangy will lead the translation of Oncovita’s candidates from the bench to the clinic.

Patrick Spies - OncovitaPatrick Spies, CFO, IEP, MBA Harvard

Graduate from Institut Etudes Politiques Paris, Executive MBA and Harvard Business School is the CFO of the company. He was previously General Manager, Administration and Finance at Hachette Filipacchi media and then at Groupe Beauvallet. Before joining Oncovita, Mr. Spies has been Executive Vice President Corporate Development (M&A operations) at Citoxlab Group for twelve years. He has an extended expertise in finance, investors relations, legal compliance, management of M&A operations.

Yannick PletanYannick Pletan, MD, Medical Advisor

Dr. Yannick Pletan has over 30 years of established expertise in clinical development in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. He held leadership positions at Roche, Pfizer, Sanofi and Pierre-Fabre. He served as Head of Medical Division and Member of the Board of the Roche Foundation France and Member of the Global Medical Affairs Committee at Hoffman La Roche Ltd (Switzerland). Previously, he was Vice-President, Head of Medical and Scientific Division and Member of the Board of the Pfizer Foundation. Dr. Pletan is also Board member of Deinove.

Véronique RiebbelsVéronique Riebbels, PhD, Project Coordinator

Véronique Riebbels has 30 years of experience in pharma and biotech companies, holding positions in preclinical development at Chauvin, Faure and Theramex Laboratories. She later moved to clinical pharmacology and GCP audits at GSK and Bioprojet. She has a PhD in Biochemical Pharmacology from Paris University. She is in charge of the coordination and quality audits of outsourced projects at Oncovita.

Mission and vision

History

Board of Directors

Scientific Advisory Board