AurorA-TT recognizes a tremendous potential in the Italian research arena that however lacks an appropriate value creation and translation into care opportunities. AurorA-TT, therefore, intends to focus on Technology Transfer to exploit research potentials of academic and research institutions in Italy, providing capital and support for translating breakthrough discoveries into therapies for patients. AurorA-TT believes this can be achieved through a rigorous process with industrial discipline by building close ties with universities, research centers, technology transfer offices, biotechnology companies and patient associations to (1) access promising projects in their early discovery/development phase, (2) de-risk project development, and (3) transform research into appealing assets to attain support by the international venture capital community and biopharmaceutical companies. Actions are already in place to implement an innovative model inspired by the best successful examples in technology transfer in other European countries. AurorA-TT aims to raise Euro 50 Million. www.aurora-tt.com

Altheia Science is a pioneering start-up founded by two world renowned Italian scientists, Prof. Alessandra Biffi, MD and Prof. Paolo Fiorina, MD, PhD, together with AurorA-TT. Altheia Science’s pipeline exploits pioneering therapeutic tools for autoimmune diseases and cancer. The modulation of PD-L1 expression at the molecular and protein level is key to devise advanced treatments. This can be achieved by first-in-class molecules controlling the PD-L1 pathway and/or by lentiviral vector-based engineering of patients’ hematopoietic stem cells. Altheia Science’s approach intends to drastically modify the natural history of diseases with high clinical impact in autoimmunity and cancer by modulating PD-L1 expression, achieving tangible and durable benefit for each patient.

TTFactor is the technology transfer company of the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) and the FIRC Institute for Molecular Oncology (IFOM).Its mission is to support researchers and clinicians in evaluating the commercial potentials of their inventions, promoting relationships with the industry to foster further developments and deals.Typical TTF activities include patent filing, licensing, sponsored research and spin off creation.

NovaSecta is the specialist MidPharma management consulting firm: our focus is small to mid-sized pharmaceutical and biotech companies. We work with clients to evolve their capabilities to exploit changing industry realities, create markets and seize new opportunities, and initiate and manage collaborations with diverse external partners. Our client work spans Corporate Development, Research & Development, and Marketing & Sales.I am currently dealing with a series of projects involving pharma-portfolio restructuring and strategy, in/out licensing procedures, financial valuations and M&As.I have a solid scientific background formed in 9 years of academic research plus a valuable financial knowledge and understanding of the biotech/pharmaceutical market matured in international Venture Capital and Consulting realities.

I am currently working as a biotech associate for TTVenture, one of the leading Italian biotech VC funds. I am dealing with early stage investments in drug discovery and diagnostics, working on our deal flow, scientific due diligences, term sheet shaping and finalization of the definitive deal.TTVenture is a new reality within the Italian biotech market which invests in early stage/development biotech companies.

Quantica is an Italian VC fund investing in innovation/technology. In Quantica I have been in charge of early stage biotech investments focusing in particular on intellectual property in/out licensing business models.

Scientific and financial analysis of Nextech's portfolio companies. Business plans evaluations, deal structuring, term sheets analisys, deal closings, exit scenarios previsions. Closed deals: Astellas - Agensys, November 2007.

Ph.D. student, Mike Dustin's Laboratory, New York University. T cell activation within the immunological synapse using fluorescent microscope-based techniques

Pre-clinical drug discovery for gastro-intestinal tumors in humans - Paolo Dellabona & Maria Pia Protti's laboratory