Defence Therapeutics Inc., a Canadian biopharmaceutical company specialising in radiopharmaceuticals, antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), and immune-oncology vaccines, has announced that Dr Svetlana Selivanova has joined its board of directors, effective immediately.
Dr Selivanova brings over 20 years of expertise in radiopharmaceutical development, spanning from early-stage research to clinical trials. She holds a Master of Science in chemistry and a PhD in radiopharmaceutical chemistry and radiobiology.
Dr Selivanova is currently the Section Head for Radiochemistry and Medical Applications at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and serves as an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval.
Before her role at CNL, she held senior research and management positions at CHU de Quebec-Université Laval, Sherbrooke University Hospital, and the Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.
Professional associations and international expertise
An active contributor to her field, Dr Selivanova serves as an Executive Member of the Canadian Association of Radiopharmaceutical Scientists, President of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Radiopharmaceutical Sciences Council, and a member of the SNMMI Committee on Radiopharmaceuticals.
Internationally, she provides expert consultation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Research Council. Her research interests include the development and clinical translation of novel radiopharmaceuticals, as well as nuclear imaging to explore biochemical pathways in vivo.
Among Dr Selivanova’s significant contributions is her role in the development of technetium-99m production using cyclotron technology, as well as her work on investigational radiopharmaceuticals for prostate cancer targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen.
“We are proud to have Dr Svetlana Selivanova joining our board of directors,” commented Sébastien Plouffe, President, CEO, and Founder of Defence Therapeutics.
“She is a very strong addition to our company. Defence’s strategy is to develop radio-immuno-conjugates using our Accum® platform. Dr Selivanova has extensive knowledge and experience in this field and will strengthen and accelerate our radiopharmaceuticals programmes.”
Dr Selivanova’s enthusiasm for Defence Therapeutics’ future
Dr Selivanova expressed her excitement in joining Defence Therapeutics, stating: “I am honoured to join Defence Therapeutics board of directors. I believe that Defence’s Accum® technology platform has great potential for the development of targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies.”
In alignment with Defence’s stock option plan, the company has granted Dr Selivanova 100,000 incentive stock options. Each option vests immediately and is exercisable at 60 cents per share, with a three-year term from the grant date.
Defence Therapeutics also announced that Dr Raimar Lobenberg will be stepping down from the board. The company extends its gratitude to Dr Lobenberg for his valuable contributions to the board.
