Executive Management

– Dr. Zocca has served as our founder and Chief Executive Officer since January 2015. Dr. Zocca was also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of OncoNOx ApS, a pharmaceutical company, from July 2011 until May 2019. Prior to founding the Company, she was the Chief Executive Officer at LevOss ApS, a biotechnology company, from January 2012 until January 2017. Dr. Zocca also led DanDrit Biotech A/S, a biotechnology company, as its Chief Executive Officer from July 2007 until December 2010. Dr. Zocca currently serves on the board of directors for Dansk Biotek, a Danish biotechnology trade organization, and Valo Therapeutics Ltd., a biotechnology company. Dr. Zocca received her M.Sc in Biochemistry as well as Ph.D. in Medicine from the University of Copenhagen and NIH, NCI, MD, US.

Ms. Sullivan is a seasoned life sciences professional with more than 25 years of experience raising capital and building and managing corporate biotechnology and life sciences brands. Ms. Sullivan joins IO Biotech from TABA, BV, where she served as chief financial officer.

Prior to her time with TABA, Ms. Sullivan was chief strategy office for Euronext-listed Kiadis Pharma where she was responsible for all aspects of fundraising and capital formation strategy, repositioning the company after a clinical failure, and played a critical role in the company’s sale to Sanofi.

Prior to Kiadis, Ms. Sullivan served Keryx Biopharmaceuticals where she was senior vice president of corporate affairs, responsible for all aspects of investor relations, corporate communication, and public affairs, during a period of high growth, commercialization of the company’s first FDA-approved medicine and, ultimately, a merger. Prior to Keryx, Ms. Sullivan served as head of corporate communications and investor relations at AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Idenix Biopharmacueticals and Genencor International.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Sullivan served in roles of increasing responsibility in both agencies and Fortune 500 companies. Ms. Sullivan has her bachelor of science degree in business from Salem State University and her master's of business administration from Bentley University.

Dr. Mannix brings more than 30 years of pharmaceutical regulatory affairs experience in positions of increasing responsibility at Pharmacia, Amersham Health, BMS, EMD Serono, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, and MacroGenics across multiple therapeutic areas, but with a focus in oncology. Within these companies, he was involved with the development and approval of a number of oncology drugs, including Camptosar® (irinotecan), Aromasin® (exemestane), Ellence® (epirubicin), Yervoy® (ipilimumab), Poteligeo® (mogamulizumab) and Margenza® (margetuximab). Dr. Mannix has a Bachelor of Science in biology and Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Notre Dame and completed an NIH-sponsored post-doctoral fellowship at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Mr. Faulkner brings more than 25 years of technical operations, quality, and product launch experience within the biotechnology industry. Mr. Faulkner has experience in product development, manufacturing operations, supply chain, and commercialization of peptides, proteins, monoclonal antibodies, viruses, and combination products. Prior to joining IO Biotech, Mr. Faulkner held senior roles at Homology Medicines as head of CMC management and external manufacturing, product operations lead for the Rare Disease Business Unit at Shire (Takeda), and spent over 15 years at Biogen involved in the development and commercialization of Avonex®, Tysabri®, and Tecfidera®. Mr. Faulkner obtained his Master of Science degree in biotechnology and biomedical science at the University of Massachusetts and has a Master of Business Administration from Boston University.

Dr. Shamsaei is an accomplished executive with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry developing commercial and portfolio strategies in multiple therapeutic areas. Most recently, she served as Vice President, Head of Commercial at Allogene Therapeutics. Prior to this role, she served in leadership roles at Five Prime Therapeutics (acquired by Amgen), Genentech, Jazz Pharmaceuticals and SUGEN/Pharmacia (acquired by Pfizer). Dr. Shamsaei holds a Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of California San Francisco and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of Colorado.

Dr. Miyara is a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry with a track record of successful deals and partnerships across several key therapeutic areas. Dr. Miyara joins us from Ipsen Biosciences, where he served as Vice President, Head of Business Development Oncology, then Head of External Innovation Oncology, Lead on Venture Capital Activities. Prior to his time at Ipsen, he was Senior Vice President, Head of Business Development and External Research at Kadmon Corporation. Earlier in his career, Dr. Miyara served in leadership roles at Pfizer and Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. Miyara holds a Ph.D. in reproductive, molecular, and cellular biology from the Université Pierre & Marie Curie Paris, and a Master of Engineering of Medical Biology degree from Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble.

Mr. Smith join IO Biotech in January 2023, bringing more than 25 years of legal and compliance experience serving clients in the life science industries. Mr. Smith joins IO Biotech from Yumanity Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company, where he served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

At Yumanity, he helped lead the sale of the company’s neuroscience assets to Johnson & Johnson and a reverse merger with a privately held oncology immunotherapy company. Prior to Yumanity, Mr. Smith served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Minerva Neurosciences, Inc., where he was responsible for all legal, governance and compliance matters, and led the sale of potential royalties to Royalty Pharma for upfront and potential milestone payments of $155 million.

Before joining Minerva, Mr. Smith served as General Counsel of Stallergenes Greer plc, a publicly traded, global biopharmaceutical company focused on allergy immunotherapy products. Previously, Mr. Smith led the North American legal department for EMD Serono, Inc., the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA. Mr. Smith received his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Dr. Ahmad is a trained internist and clinical oncologist and brings over two decades of successful strategic clinical development, medical affairs, and marketing authorization expertise.

He joins IO Biotech from Novartis, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, US Head of Clinical Development & Medical Affairs, for the Novartis Oncology business unit. Dr. Ahmad received an MS in Global Health Policy Management from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London, a Master of Clinical Oncology from the University of Birmingham, and his medical degree from the University of the Punjab.