Pharmamar
Jose María Fernández Sousa-Faro
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Professor of Biochemistry at the Complutense University of Madrid, the University of Santiago de Compostela and graduate in Business Administration from the IESE Business School in Madrid. He has over 90 publications and patents in the area of biochemistry, antibiotics and molecular biology. He has over 25 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry in ICI-Farma, Antibióticos, Zeltia and PharmaMar. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Antibiotics, Penibérica, Biolys, ICI-Farma, Pescanova, Transfesa, Cooper–Zeltia, ICI-Zeltia and Banco Guipuzcoano. He founded PharmaMar in 1986 and is Chairman of Zeltia and PharmaMar.
Luis Mora
Managing Director
A graduate in Business Studies from the University of Barcelona, he has over 15 years of financial experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He worked as Financial Controller for Zambon, S.A. and Pharmazam, S.A. in Barcelona, Financial Manager of Zambón Portugal and Financial Controller of the Antibióticos Group (Montedison) in Milan (Italy). He joined PharmaMar in 2000 as Finance Director. After a period as Assistant General Manager and Finance Director, he was appointed General Manager in April 2007.
Pedro Santabárbara, MD, PhD
VP Strategic Development and Medical Affairs
Obtained his MD degree from the University of Barcelona School of Medicine in 1974. Specialist in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Obtained his PhD degree cum laude in 1984 with a doctoral thesis on lung cancer. Over 22 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry (18 years in R&D), focused exclusively on oncology. Has worked both at big pharma (Bristol Myers/BMS; Rhône-Poulenc Rorer) and at biotech companies (ILEX Oncology; Gilead Sciences; OSI Pharmaceuticals) in Europe and the United States (12 years). Has directed teams which successfully completed three New Drug Applications (NDAs) and one supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA), leading to the approvals of Taxotere, Campath and Tarceva. He also participated in NDAs which resulted in the approvals of Taxol and EtopoPhos. Dr Santabárbara joined PharmaMar as a Senior Director of Clinical Development in July 2005 and was promoted to Vice President Strategic Development and Medical Affairs in April 2007. During his tenure, PharmaMar has been granted the regulatory approvals for Yondelis in the European Union both in soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer.
Virginia Cuervo
VP, Regulatory Affairs
Graduate in Biology from the University of Basel (Switzerland). She has wide experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry. She acquired extensive experience in Regulatory Affairs in Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel and also specialised in oncology in Novartis Pharma AG, Basel. She took up her current post in PharmaMar in 2000, when she joined the company.
Carmen Cuevas
Director, Research and Development

Joined PharmaMar in 1997 fulfilling different positions in the R&D Department and was promoted to her current position, Research & Development Director, responsible for the R&D Department at PharmaMar including the areas of Drug Discovery, Medicinal Chemistry and Preclinical in 2003. Carmen Cuevas obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry by the University of Pais Vasco, and did her post-doctoral training at the Pharmacology Department of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcala de Henares (Madrid), she is Master Degree (PDD) by IESE. Carmen Cuevas is author of more than 85 Scientific International Publications in specialized reviews, 21patent applications, and 33 communications to international Congresses and has participated more than 20 Financed Research Programs. Among other achievements, she is responsible for the development of the innovative synthesis process of Yondelis. As well, she has given several conferences in Universities and specialized Centers.

Alejandro Yovine
Director, Clinical Development
Graduate in Medicine from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1991. He is a specialist in Internal Medicine from this University and in Oncology from Paris XI (France). Likewise, he obtained the grade of expert in Oncological Clinical Research from the Institute Gustave Roussy (France) in 2002, where he was devoted, in particular, to research into sarcoma, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Before joining PharmaMar, he worked for Cvitkovic Associates Consultants in Paris as Associate Director of Clinical Development in Oncology. There, he managed the clinical development of different anticancer compounds such as oxiplatin, irofulven or trabectedin (Yondelis®). He also worked in the development of Yondelis® as clinical researcher in Phase II, during his previous period in clinical oncology in Paris. Alejandro Yovine joined PharmaMar in January 2007 as Clinical Oncology Manager. In August 2007, he was appointed Director of Clinical Development. He is an active member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Claudia Lebedinsky
Director, Medical Affairs
Graduated in Medicine from the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (Argentina), she has a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology from the Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1991 she qualified as a specialist in Clinical Oncology at the Instituto de Oncología Angel Roffo (Argentina). Up to 2000 and prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, she worked as a clinician, conducting clinical research studies on breast, head and neck and lung cancers at the Hospital Israelita EZRAH (Argentina). During that time she was also involved in teaching activities as an Assistant Professor. In 2000 she joined Schering Plough Argentina, where she worked for the Oncology & Biotechnology Division, focusing on the development of different anticancer compounds such as pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, temozolomide and interferon. She joined PharmaMar in 2005, starting her work with trabectedin (YONDELIS®). In November 2008 she was appointed to her current position. Dr. Lebedinksy has five Young Investigator Awards in Oncology, one from AACR and ASCO, among other scientific institutions. She is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the Asociación Argentina de Oncología Clinica (AAOC). In the past she has sat on the editor board of “Oncología Clinica,” Journal of the AAOC. She has more than 30 scientific publications.
Alfonso Casal
Director, Marketing and Sales
Graduate in Pharmacy from the Complutense University of Madrid. He has over 20 years' experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry. He has worked for companies such as Laboratorios Sarget S.A., ASTA Medica AG and Baxter Oncology GMBH (Germany) on different areas, such as sales, local and strategic marketing, business development and strategic partnerships. He joined PharmaMar in 2003 as Director of Business Development. He has held his current post since 2006.
Fermando Mugarza
Director, Communication
Doctor in Medicine and Surgery from the Autonomous University of Madrid with the qualification of Cum Laude, Doctor specialising in Family and Community Medicine, and Doctor specialising in Pharmaceutical Industry Medicine from the Complutense University of Madrid. Expert in Management of Clinical Units and Masters in Medical and Clinical Management from the Spanish Open University (UNED) and the Carlos III Health Institute, Specialist in Health Information from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Masters in Scientific Journalism from the UCM, the Spanish Royal Academy of Physical and Natural Sciences and the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona, Masters in Pharmaceutical Marketing from the “International Learning Bureau “, MBA in Business Administration and Management and Expert in Corporate Social Responsibility from the UNED. His professional career has developed in a multidisciplinary fashion. He has worked as a GP in the Spanish National Health Service, in various commercial and management positions of the different areas of Marketing, Communication and Institutional Relations in the Pharmaceutical Sector and Industry (SAFA, Laboratorios Isdin (Esteve Group), Beecham, SmithKline Beecham –SB-, Fundación SB, Novartis Group, Fundación Salud Innovación y Sociedad (Health Innovation and Society Foundation)–SIS-) and in the private hospital sector as Director of Communication and Marketing of the Grupo Hospital de Madrid (HM Hospitales). He joined PharmaMar in April 2008.
Pedro Berbil
Director of Operations
Graduate in Chemistry from the Complutense University of Madrid and Executive MBA from the Instituto de Empresa Madrid. His experience in the pharmaceutical industry has been acquired over a period of 18 years in companies such as Bristol Myers and Smithkline Beecham. He has held different posts of responsibility in the Operations area. He joined PharmaMar in 2001 as Manager of Production, Industrial Development and Logistics. He has held the post of Director of Operations since December 2004.
Carmen Frigola
Director, Intellectual Property
Doctor in Pharmacy from the University of Navarre, Graduate in Chemistry from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Graduate in Pharmacy from the University of Barcelona. She completed the Masters course in Drug R&D taught at the University of Navarre and she is a European Patent Attorney (EQE). She started her professional career in the Intellectual Property department of Esteve-Química (Esteve Group). She joined PharmaMar in 2003 in the Intellectual Property division. Since then she has held the post of Manager of the Intellectual Property Department. She moved to her current post in 2006.
Luis Rupérez
Director, Human Resources and Information Technology
Graduate in Psychology from the Complutense University of Madrid. Marketing and Sales Management Programme and Human Resources Management Programme. He has 15 years' experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry as Director of Human Resources for various companies, among them Servier Laboratories (Paris, France) and Antibióticos Farma. He has also worked in the area of Human Resources in companies of the services sector such as Ibermática or Sofemasa (Sema Group). He joined PharmaMar in 2003, when he took up his current post.
Elena Calleja
Finance Director
Graduate in Economics, specialising in Public Sector and Monetary Economy, from the Complutense University of Madrid with a Masters in Corporate Tax Consultancy from ICADE University. She started her professional career in PriceWaterhouse in Madrid in the Auditing division. She later moved to the Tax, Legal and Financial Division, where she remained until 1994. She was Senior Consultant in C&G, where she managed tax consultancy and financial projects in various companies, both public and private, in the logistics, transport and technological research sectors. In 1998, she returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers Madrid to its Tax, Legal and Financial Division, where she was consultant, as associate, to various global financial sector clients. She joined PharmaMar in 2002 as Financial Controller. She moved to her current post in April 2008.
José Luis Ortega
Quality Unit Director
Graduate in Chemistry from the Complutense University of Madrid. He has 19 years' experience in the area, 13 of them in different posts of responsibility in the pharmaceutical industry (Bristol-Myers, S.A.E.; DSM Deretil and Justesa Imagen S.A.) He has also worked in the National Certification Agency (Entidad Nacional de Acreditación (ENAC)) and as Quality consultant. He joined PharmaMar in 2004, when he took up his current post.
Jörg Landwehr
Business Development & Licensing Director
He received his degree in Biology from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany. After having completed his PhD thesis in Molecular Biology at the University Hospital Basel he joined F. Hoffmann-La Roche for a total of 14 years in various research and strategic marketing functions. From 2002 until 2007 he worked as International Business Analyst within Roche’s oncology franchise, focussing on Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody against HER2-positive breast cancer. Jörg Landwehr joined PharmaMar in April 2007 and is responsible for executing the company’s in- and out-licensing strategy. He is member of the Pharmaceutical Licensing Group Spain (PLGS).
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