Orano announces the appointment of Frédéric Desdouits as CEO of Orano Med

Orano today announced that Frédéric Desdouits has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of its subsidiary Orano Med, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of targeted alpha therapies in oncology.

Nicolas Maes, Chief Executive Officer of the Orano group, declared: “The extensive experience of Frédéric Desdouits in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in the biotechnology sector, will be a valuable asset in accelerating the development of the clinical portfolio as well as the deployment of Orano Med’s industrial platform. As a member of the Governance Board since 2022, he already has a deep understanding of Orano Med’s activities and challenges, which will facilitate his swift involvement in strategic decision-making.”

The extensive experience of Frédéric Desdouits within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries positions him to drive the development of Orano Med across all key areas. This includes the development of a diversified pipeline of lead-212-based targeted alpha therapies from early identification to clinical development, both in-house and in collaboration with partners. Orano Med’s pipeline currently includes one advanced clinical program and three Phase 1 clinical studies. In addition, Orano Med is advancing the setup of its industrial platform to support the commercial-scale production of lead-212 targeted alpha therapies.

Frédéric Desdouits commented: “I am pleased to join the Orano Med team at a pivotal moment in its development. The biotech company has unique scientific and industrial assets to accelerate innovation in the field of radioligand therapy. As the clinical development of AlphaMedix, the most advanced drug candidate, continues in partnership with Sanofi, our clinical pipeline has significantly expanded in recent months and now includes three lead-212-based drug candidates. In parallel, additional R&D projects are underway to identify and progress new molecules towards the clinic. Our dynamic development positions us among the global leaders in the emerging field of targeted alpha therapy. Together with the entire team, I am fully committed to turning this potential into tangible benefits for patients.”

Prior to joining the group, Frédéric Desdouits served as CEO of TreeFrog Therapeutics, a French biotech company specializing in stem cell-based therapies. He previously led the pharmaceutical activities of Seqens, a global leader in the manufacturing of specialty ingredients, and oversaw business development as well as U.S. pharmaceutical operations at Pierre Fabre. Earlier, he co-founded Bionest Partners, a strategy and financial consulting firm specializing in healthcare, and headed Exane BNP Paribas’ European pharmaceutical and biotech financial analysis team. He began his career in pharmaceutical research.

Since 2022, Frédéric is a member of the Orano Med Governing Board and he is also Vice President of the French industry association “France Biotech”.

He graduated from the École Polytechnique, obtained a PhD in neurosciences from the University of Paris VI Sorbonne, before going on to do postdoctoral research at the Rockefeller University in New York.

Frédéric Desdouits