Developing transformative VNA therapies
Our Values
We are a values-based organization driven to improve the lives of patients with next-generation therapeutics.
We use the following principles to guide our work:
Dedication to our shared mission
Strong relationships based on open communication
Integrity and honesty at every step
Agility and innovation within the evolving therapeutic landscape
Meet the Team
Vicero has assembled a highly qualified team of industry veterans to advance our portfolio of targets. We have a proven track record of successfully developing and commercializing blockbuster therapeutic products in a broad range of indications, including oncologic diseases.
Collaborating Scientist and Research Advisor
Professor of Infectious Disease, Tufts University
Global Health Scientific Innovator
Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago
Director, Center for Liver Diseases
Co-Director, Transplantation Institute
Professor of Pathology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
Director, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center
UPMC Endowed Chair for Experimental Pathology
Strategic Collaborations
We have developed strong collaborations with key institutions at the forefront of VNA research.
Vikram Kansra, PhD
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Vikram Kansra brings 25 years of experience in the biotechnology industry to Vicero, including significant contributions to the development and approvals of Velcade® (multiple myeloma and mantle lymphoma), Entyvio® (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease), Opdivo® (several cancers), Yervoy® (melanoma), Copiktra® (chronic lymphocytic leukemia and follicular lymphoma), Xpovio® (multiple myeloma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma), Tazverik® (follicular lymphoma and epithelioid sarcoma), and others.
With a focus on organizational excellence and full integration of high-performance teams with diverse backgrounds, Vikram’s leadership enables Vicero to successfully meet the demands of the regulatory and marketing environment, bringing next-generation nanobody therapies from the bench to the clinic and beyond.
Juan Carlos Lopez-Talavera, MD, PhD
Scientific Advisor
Juan Carlos Lopez-Talavera is a global leader in pharmaceutical research & development and medical affairs, and an established researcher with over 50 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Lopez-Talavera has over 25 years of experience in leading programs at all pipeline stages—from target identification and pre-clinical development to clinical trials and patient engagement for approved therapeutics. Most recently, Dr. Lopez-Talavera is serving as Chief Medical Officer at Fractyl Health and previously at Enterome Biosciences. In prior management roles at Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbvie, and Intercept, Dr. Lopez-Talavera led and contributed to the development and approvals of several hepatitis B and C therapies, including Pegasys®, Copegus, Entecavir, Daclinza, Asunaprevir, Pegifnlambda, and Viekera/Viekera Pak, as well as Ocaliva® for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).
After receiving MD and PhD degrees in hepatology from Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Dr. Lopez-Talavera completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Yale University and served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
Charles Shoemaker, PhD
Professor of Infectious Disease
Global Health Scientific Innovator
Dr. Charles B. Shoemaker is a Professor of Infectious Disease and Global Health at the Cumming School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Dr. Shoemaker currently leads research focused on the development and application of therapeutic biomolecules for treating a wide variety of infectious diseases and biodefense threats. Dr. Shoemaker has employed VHH-based neutralizing agents (comprised of the VH region of heavy-chain-only antibodies) to create successful therapies for a variety toxin-mediated diseases such as pathogenic E. coli infections, Clostridium difficile, and shigellosis, as well as exposure to toxins, including anthrax, Botulinum neurotoxins, and ricin. VHH-based agents are also being developed as toxin and infectious disease diagnostic tools. In addition to NIH support for antitoxin development, the Shoemaker lab is also funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop VHH-based agents that prevent and/or treat enteric infections by diarrheal disease pathogens.
After receiving his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Iowa, Dr. Shoemaker completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. David Baltimore, Nobel Laureate, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After completing his fellowship, Dr. Shoemaker served as one of the founding scientists at Genetics Institute, Inc., where he led drug development projects that resulted in approvals for multiple pharmaceutical agents currently on the market. In 1987, Dr. Shoemaker joined the faculty at Harvard University, where his research focused on reducing the burden of worm parasitic diseases in developing areas of the world. Following his tenure at Harvard, Dr. Shoemaker led the Animal Research Unit at AgResearch in New Zealand, where his team worked to reduce the impact of disease on the animal industry and to leverage this knowledge to benefit human health.
Alison Finger, MBA
Chief Operating Officer
Alison has extensive global experience developing and commercializing market leading therapeutic brands that have changed clinical practice and patients’ lives. Therapeutic areas include gene and cell therapy, oncology, neurology, virology, and diabetes. She has developed and launched products in the US, Europe, Asia, and globally. At BMS, Alison led multiple franchises, including virology, neurology, and hematology/oncology, and she served as Managing Director of BMS Australia/New Zealand. As Chief Commercial Officer at bluebird bio, Alison led the strategy and company build for gene and cell therapies including ABECMA, ZYNTEGLO, and SKYSONA.
She is an Independent Director of Decibel Therapeutics and previously VBL Therapeutics, and has served on the Audit and Science Committees and chaired the Nom/Gov Committee. Alison previously served as Chair of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicines Gene Therapy Section and on the Executive Board for the Alliance for Regenerative Medicines Foundation.
Alison has a BA from St. Lawrence University and an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business.
Pallavi Tawde, PhD
Chief Technology Officer
Pallavi has extensive experience in the Biopharma industry, contributing towards discovery & drug development of high-value biotherapeutics. With her effective leadership, she has successfully driven programs from Discovery-to-Preclinical to Early Clinical Stage. Pallavi’s broad experience encompasses building pioneering technology platforms and drug product plus process development of various therapeutic modalities (monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, protein-fusions, ADC, and VHH). Therapeutic areas of interest include immuno-oncology, infectious diseases, virology, autoimmune, and neurodegeneration.
In her prior roles at Pfizer, BMS, Denali, and most recently Novasenta, Pallavi has built and transformed cross-functional teams for enhanced innovation plus operational excellence focused on implementation of state-of-the-art disruptive technologies, project leadership, strategic planning, and competitive intelligence to enrich the R&D pipeline.
With the focus on product and strategic development, Pallavi will enable combining Vicero’s internal robust capabilities with external partners for developing next-gen VHH-based therapeutics to address the huge unmet medical need.
Pallavi has PhD in Cell & Molecular Immunology from Florida State University.
Michael Charlton, MBBS
Professor of Medicine
Director, Center for Liver Diseases
Co-Director, Transplantation Institute
Dr. Michael Charlton is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a Professor of Medicine. He serves as Chief of Hepatology, Director of the Center for Liver Diseases and Medical Director of the Transplant Institute at the University of Chicago. He is Past President of the International Liver Transplant Society. Dr. Charlton previously served as Director of Hepatology and Medical Director of Liver Transplantation and director of transplant research at the Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Charlton has held editorial roles for leading journals, including associate editor for Hepatology, Transplantation, American Journal of Transplantation, and Liver Transplantation, and was a founding Associate Editor for Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He has served as principal investigator on National Institutes of Health grants, as well as a lead investigator for national and international clinical trials in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and viral hepatitis. Dr. Charlton serves as a panel member and lead author of international guidelines for immunosuppression and is a writer of AASLD guidelines for the management of hepatitis C and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. He has authored over 200 original papers.
Paul Monga, MD
Professor of Pathology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
Director, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center
UPMC Endowed Chair for Experimental Pathology
Dr. Paul Monga is a leading researcher in the area of liver health and disease, with over 175 peer-reviewed publications and numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Monga’s research lab is generating an improved understanding of the role of cellular and molecular signaling in liver inflammation, development, injury, regeneration, fibrosis, and tumerogenesis, with the ultimate goal of facilitating the development of improved therapeutics for diseases such as liver failure, fibrosis, cancer, and end stage liver disease.
John Barberich
Chief Financial Officer
- 30+ years in biotechnology and investing
- CFO, CEO, and/or co-founder of multiple biotech companies, including ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Pluromed, FX Therapeutics, Lumos Pharma, and others
