Developing local delivery of anti-androgen therapy – a novel treatment for prostate diseases.

Developing local delivery of anti-androgen therapy – a novel treatment for prostate diseases.

Developing local delivery of anti-androgen therapy – a novel treatment for prostate diseases.

We Are Alessa

Founded by Pamela Munster and her group at the UCSF Department of Medicine – division of Hematology and Oncology, Alessa is motivated by a shared goal: to create innovative advancements in oncology and the treatment of solid organ diseases.

Our Mission

Alessa Therapeutics is focused on developing effective therapy delivered selectively to the prostate.

Our Story

Alessa was founded by Dr. Pamela Munster, a leading oncologist at UCSF focused on developing novel strategies for patients with or at risk for cancer. Arising from a strong need to develop sustainable and tolerable new strategies for early interception and prevention of cancer, she founded Alessa Therapeutics to bring new tools to patients and change the treatment paradigm for early-stage cancers.

We Are Alessa

Founded by Pamela Munster and her group at the UCSF Department of Medicine – division of Hematology and Oncology, Alessa is motivated by a shared goal: to create innovative advancements in oncology and the treatment of solid organ diseases.

Our Mission

Alessa Therapeutics is focused on developing effective therapy delivered selectively to the prostate.

Our Story

Alessa was founded by Dr. Pamela Munster, a leading oncologist at UCSF focused on developing novel strategies for patients with or at risk for cancer. Arising from a strong need to develop sustainable and tolerable new strategies for early interception and prevention of cancer, she founded Alessa Therapeutics to bring new tools to patients and change the treatment paradigm for early-stage cancers.

Our Team

Pamela Munster, MD

Founder, CEO, Director

Pamela Munster, MD

Founder, CEO, Director

Dr. Munster is a Professor in the Department of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology) at UCSF. She has served as the Director of the Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit, as well as the Co-leader of the Center for BRCA Research. Dr. Munster also led the Experimental Therapeutics Program at UCSF’s Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr Munster is deeply involved in drug development from inception to approval.

View her University of California San Francisco Profile

Maithili Rairkar, PhD

Chief Technology Officer

Maithili Rairkar, PhD

VP, Technical Operations

Dr. Rairkar has over 16 years of experience in developing drug device combination products. Her former experience includes Chrono Therapeutics, Incline Therapeutics (acquired by The Medicines Company), Alza Corporation U&J) and Discovery Laboratories in varying CMC roles.

View her LinkedIn Profile

Zach Collins, PhD

Chief Business Officer

Zach Collins, PhD

Chief Business Officer

Dr. Collins leads business development and strategic planning at Alessa. At Mission BioCapital, Zach has managed over a dozen investments and served in several interim executive roles across therapeutic areas.

View his LinkedIn Profile

Bonnie Wettersten

VP, Clinical Affairs

Bonnie Wettersten

VP, Clinical Affairs

Bonnie Wettersten has over 20 years of experience offering strategic direction and coordination of global clinical operations in oncology. Prior to joining the Alessa Team, Bonnie was the Global Clinical Operations Head at OSIPharmaceuticals (acquired by Astellas Pharmaceuticals), GlaxoSmithKline (Therapy Area Head), and Aventis Pharma (acquired by Sanofi).

View her LinkedIn Profile

Pamela Munster, MD

Founder, CEO, Director

Maithili Rairkar, PhD

Chief Technology Officer

Zach Collins, PhD

Chief Business Officer

Bonnie Wettersten

VP, Clinical Affairs

Pamela Munster, MD

Founder, CEO, Director

Doug Crawford, PhD

Managing Partner, Mission BioCapital
General Manager, MBC Biolabs

Steve Tregay, PhD

Managing Partner, Mission BioCapital

Neal Shore, MD

CMO, Surgical Oncology and Urology – Genesis Care, US
Medical Director, Carolina Urologic Research Center

Percival Barretto-Ko, MBA

Former Chief Business Officer, Astellas Pharma
CEO of Plexium

Lesley Stolz, PhD

Regional VP, Early Innovation Partnering at Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Former CBO at Annexon BioSciences

Pamela Munster, MD

Founder, CEO, Director

Doug Crawford, PhD

Managing Partner, Mission BioCapital
General Manager, MBC Biolabs

Steve Tregay, PhD

Managing Partner, Mission BioCapital

Neal Shore, MD

CMO, Surgical Oncology and Urology – Genesis Care, US
Medical Director, Carolina Urologic Research Center

Percival Barretto-Ko, MBA

Former Chief Business Officer, Astellas Pharma
CEO of Plexium

Lesley Stolz, PhD

Regional VP, Early Innovation Partnering at Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Former CBO at Annexon BioSciences

Our Pipeline

Our Clinical Trials

Alessa is currently conducting several clinical studies of minimally-invasive, drug delivery implantable systems in patients with prostate cancer. Our systems are designed to administer anti-androgen drugs to the tumor in the prostate in a sustained manner without systemic exposure.

Our Clinical Trials

Alessa is currently conducting several clinical studies of minimally-invasive, drug delivery implantable systems in patients with prostate cancer. Our systems are designed to administer anti-androgen drugs to the tumor in the prostate in a sustained manner without systemic exposure.

Our Science

Alessa is at the forefront in developing new and innovative localized, sustained drug delivery strategies for the treatment and early interception of cancer and other proliferative disorders.  We are developing drug-eluting implants and have completed initial human feasibility testing. Our leading efforts are focused on prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.

Our Science

Alessa is at the forefront in developing new and innovative localized, sustained drug delivery strategies for the treatment and early interception of cancer and other proliferative disorders.  We are developing drug-eluting implants and have completed initial human feasibility testing. Our leading efforts are focused on prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.

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