Our team

Management Team

Carles Domènech, PhD

Executive Chairman, CEO and co-Founder

Carles obtained a BSs/MSc degree in biology (first class honors) from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and also a PhD degree in cellular biology from the same University, working at the Council of Science Research (CSIC). He has additional business training at ESADE business school and other business programs.

After his career in CSIC in Barcelona (1985-89) and at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York (1990-1992), he held senior positions at  Almirall, SA (1992-2003) as Manager and Head of Business Development and Licensing and Lacer, SA (2005-2007) as Director, Business Development and Licensing.
 

Carles has also 4 years experience in biotech venture capital and business angels associations and has also been collaborating with government innovation agencies. Between 2004 and 2005 he was Director, Biotech Investments at the seed venture capital firm Barcelona Emprèn, SCRSA. During 2008-2009 he collaborated with agencies of the Government of Catalonia as Director, Technology Transfer and Valorization and as Managing Director, Investment and Enterprise Growth. He had under his responsibility the seed venture capital company Invertec, SA and the entrepreneurship finance programs Genesis Capital and Concept Capital. Since July 2009 he also advises Keiretsu Forum Barcelona in biotech investments.
 

In 2009 Carles cofounded Ability Pharmaceuticals, SL to become its Chief Executive Officer in September 2009

Héctor Pérez-Montoyo, PhD

Chief Operating Officer

Héctor obtained his BSc degree in Biology in 2005 and his Ph.D. in Biology in 2010 at University of Alicante. In 2006 he moved to University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (EEUU), to start his career developing novel therapeutic antibodies in murine models of human autoimmune diseases and under the supervision of Dr. Sally E. Ward, a worldwide outstanding investigator in the field of autoimmune diseases and cancer.

After obtaining his Ph.D., he combined two postdoctoral grants in Barcelona (Metastasis and Transformation group in Bellvitge Biomedical Research Center - IDIBELL) and in Valencia (Autoimmune Pathology Lab in Principe Felipe Research Center). In between, he worked as a coordinator of an animal experimentation laboratory from a private company, developing novel therapeutic agents for autoimmune diseases and cancer.

During the 10 years of experience accumulated, animal research has characterized most of his work, accumulating large experience working with a large panel of murine models of different autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis or Rheumatoid Arthritis, and in cancer, including the “Patient Derived OrthoXenograft” technique. His work always focused in understanding the molecular pathophysiological mechanisms leading to autoimmunity and cancer development, investigating mechanism of action of newly developed molecules to treat such diseases. He has collaborated in the publication of several articles in peer reviewed journals, abstracts in scientific meetings and patents.

In 2015 Héctor joined Ability Pharmaceuticals SL as a Director of Biological Research.

Gemma Fierro

Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer

Gemma obtained a BSc degree in Pharmacy from the University of Barcelona and a Master degree in European Regulatory Affairs from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Gemma has a broad experience in the regulatory area acquired in several pharmaceutical companies. She started  at Lacer, S.A., from 1990 to 1993, as Regulatory Affairs manager. From 1993 to 1997, she worked at Merck Farma y Química as Senior Regulatory Affais manager. From 1998 to 2004, she was Head of Regulatory Affairs at Laboratorios Vita, S.A.

Then, with the acquisition of Grupo Vita by Procter & Gamble in 2004, she became Regulatory Affairs Director for Spain and Portugal,  assuming additional responsibilities in pharmacovigilance until 2009. After the acquisition from Warner Chilcott, Gemma assumed the regulatory responsibilities for all European countries from 2009 to 2012. After that, Gemma was appointed as Head of Regulatory Affairs in Bayer Hispania, SL, from 2012 to 2014, assuming responsibilities in clinical trials submissions as well.

Gemma joined Ability Pharma in 2015 as Clinical & Regulatory Affairs VP.

David Saxner

Chief Business Officer

David has worked as a life science consultant at Longfellow Associates and for Gel4Med and Bioimag both of which were Harvard Innovation Lab companies. He has worked with CEOs to develop corporate strategy, business operational systems, and strategic relationships. David started as a formulations process development engineer at Shire Pharmaceuticals. He holds a Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He joined AbilityPharma in July 2024. He is also currently serving as Business Development Director at the biotech company AptaTargets.

Petr Vinduška

Chief Financial Officer

Petr obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Finance from the Prague University of Economics and Business and is currently pursuing an Executive MBA at ESADE Business School in Barcelona.

 

Before joining Ability Pharmaceuticals, he held various financial and general management roles, including Finance Director, Managing Director, and Interim General Manager, at several companies in the Czech Republic. During this time, he successfully led company expansions, executed strategic investments, built and managed teams, tackled transformation challenges, and oversaw complex business transitions. He also managed strategic M&A activities, including comprehensive due diligence and post-acquisition integration processes.

 

After relocating to Spain, Petr worked for a strategic consulting and financial advisory firm specializing in the Life Sciences sector, where he served as Head of the Life Sciences Business Unit and Head of Operations.

 

In 2024, Petr joined Ability Pharmaceuticals as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Yolanda Soler

Vice-President, Clinical Operations

Yolanda Obtained a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Barcelona and a Master in Marketing direction in EADA.
 
She has 21 years of experience in coordinating the whole process of implementation, commissioning, and closure of clinical trials from phase 1 to phase 4, in different therapeutic areas in Merck Sharp and Dohme. She was involved in clinical site management and monitoring activities in compliance with principles of ICH-GCP guidelines, SOPs, local laws and regulations, study protocol(s), applicable study plans and working guidelines.
 
Since 2013, she was responsible to organizing and managing the Clinical Operations Department ensuring good quality in all processes of clinical trials in Recerca Clinica SL. She served as the primary project contact with the client and leaded and managed cross-functional project teams. She was also responsible of the preparation and trial submission to the Ethics Committees/Institutional Review Boards and Competent Authorities, in collaboration with involved in-house functions and CRO, if applicable.
 
Yolanda joined Ability Pharma in July 2020 as a Clinical Operations Manager.

Vanessa Ruz

Vice-President, Administration and Accounting

Vanessa obtained a degree in economics (BEc/MEc) at the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona. She specialized in business administration.
 

Vanessa collaborates with Ability Pharmaceuticals since 2010. Prior to joining the company, for 2 years she was the Chief Financial Officer of Sevibe Cells, a health services company specializing in the preservation of stem cells derived from umbilical cords.

Marc Cortal, MD

Manager, Clinical Research

Marc obtained his degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Barcelona in 1993. He started his medical activities as a volunteer at the refugee’s camps of the former Yugoslavia. In 1994 he moved to London (UK) where he participated in different clinical practices at the Vascular Surgery Department of Saint Mary’s Hospital and at the Accident and Emergency Department of the Middlesex Hospital. In 1995 became a consultant at the Accident and Emergency Department of Hillingdon Hospital. In 1996 moved to Switzerland entering in the International Committee of the Red Cross where learnt about laws of war and international conflicts and was finally sent to the civil conflict in Peru as a medical delegate to organize medical services.

In 1998 moved back to Barcelona to perform different jobs as a medical doctor at the Public and Private Health Services, on the Emergency, Orthopedics and work medicine, starting also medical management at hospitals and insurance companies, as well as organizing clinical trials to develop new therapeutic molecules in oncology as a clinical investigator.

In 1994 Marc had an International Law of War training in Geneva, Switzerland. After that, he obtained a Master’s degree in Tropical Medicine at the University of Barcelona (1998), a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health in Les Heures University, Barcelona (2003) and a Master in Innovation by the School of Industrial Organization of Madrid, Madrid (2013); Lastly, he pursued an ICSR (Individual Case Safety Reports) Course, management and processing of communications to the European Medicines Agency, London (2014).

Marc joined Ability Pharmaceuticals SL as a Director of Clinical Research in 2012. 
 

LATEST NEWS

09.09.2024

Press Release

IBRILATAZAR (ABTL0812) from AbilityPharma increases chemotherapy effectiveness by 40% in patients with endometrial cancer + info
30.07.2024

Press Release

AbilityPharma receives WHO approval for its ABTL0812 anticancer drug to be named IBRILATAZAR + info
16.07.2024

Press Release

AGC Pharma Chemicals and AbilityPharma work together to produce innovative treatment for pancreatic cancer + info
11.03.2024

Press Release

AbilityPharma Announces € 7 Million Financing Round to Advance Development of its Clinical Phase 2b Autophagy Inducer ABTL0812 in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer + info
02.06.2023

Press Release

Ability Pharmaceuticals announces the presentation of the phase 2a results of ABTL0812 as first-line therapy in patients with lung cancer at the ASCO 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago + info
14.12.2022

Press Release

AbilityPharma Achieves the 30% of the Estimated Recruitment for their Phase 2b Clinical Trial with ABTL0812 + FOLFIRINOX as a First-Line Therapy Treatment in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer + info
21.11.2022

Press Release

AbilityPharma Obtains 1,5M € of Non-Dilutive Funding from Next Generation EU Funds to Further Study the Anticancer Immunomodulatory Effects of ABTL0812 + info
10.11.2022

Press Release

AbilityPharma will attend LSX investical showcase in London to meet with key investors and venture capital firms + info
02.11.2022

Press Release

ABTL0812 shows potential against glioblastoma brain tumors + info
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