On September 27, 2021 Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: ATNM) ("Actinium" or the "Company"), a leader in the development of targeted radiotherapies for patients with unmet needs, reported multiple updates on its R&D capabilities. Actinium recently completed expansion of its New York City based research facilities to focus on the development of targeted radiotherapies for solid tumors and blood cancers and to investigate novel radiotherapy combinations with checkpoint inhibitors (Press release, Actinium Pharmaceuticals, SEP 27, 2021, View Source [SID1234590317]). Actinium has more than doubled its laboratory footprint and expanded its R&D capabilities. In addition to infrastructure, Actinium has increased its R&D team to include scientists with expertise across cancer biology, immunology, radiation sciences and chemistry including the appointment of Helen Kotanides, Ph.D., as Vice President, Translational Research and Preclinical Development and Monideepa Roy, Ph.D., as Vice President, Corporate Development – R&D to its R&D leadership team.

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Sandesh Seth, Actinium’s Chairman and CEO, said, "I am delighted to announce the addition of Dr. Kotanides and Dr. Roy to the Actinium R&D leadership team. Targeted radiotherapy is rapidly being established as a differentiated therapeutic modality capable of producing results where other approaches have failed. We intend to continue to be at the forefront of innovation in the field, leveraging our deep understanding of radioconjugate behavior, AWE technology platform, clinical and supply chain experience, and most importantly our team of leading scientists and clinicians to achieve our objectives focused on solid tumor indications and novel targeted radiotherapy combinations. The addition of Dr. Kotanides and Dr. Roy in senior R&D leadership positions and the expansion of our R&D capabilities allows us to significantly accelerate these efforts. We look forward to showcasing our expanded R&D capabilities in the near future and highlight new initiatives and programs to complement our late-stage targeted radiotherapy clinical program led by Iomab-B, which we recently completed enrollment for the pivotal Phase 3 SIERRA trial."

Dr. Kotanides joins Actinium from Eli Lilly after a distinguished career with continued succession through multiple positions culminating as Senior Research Advisor, Cancer Immunobiology. Dr. Kotanides brings nearly 25 years of R&D experience from ImClone Systems and then Eli Lilly with a focus on the preclinical discovery and development of oncology biologic drugs. She has extensive first-hand knowledge and experience in cancer biology and immunotherapy, including target discovery and the testing, development, and advancement of biologics, immune checkpoint therapies, and targeted therapies. As a result, Dr. Kotanides has led several preclinical programs to successful IND filings. Dr. Kotanides received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, her master’s degree in Biology from New York University and her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Clark University.

Dr. Roy is a scientist-entrepreneur whose experience includes tenure as CEO of an early-stage oncology drug development company and nearly a decade in academic experience that includes training and work experience at Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Roy joins Actinium from Akamara Therapeutics, where she most recently served as Vice President, Corporate Development and Operations. As a founding member and interim CEO at Akamara, she played a critical role in recruiting an executive team, establishing the Company’s corporate and R&D strategy, operational execution and growing the global team from 4 to 40. During her tenure at Akamara, she contributed to partnership/collaboration efforts, developed portfolio strategies, evaluated technology platforms, oversaw research activities to support IND filings, led regulatory preparation and submissions, and worked to generate and secure intellectual property. Prior to Akamara, she was Director, Research and Development at Invictus Oncology Pvt. Ltd., a drug discovery company developing novel I/O and conjugated antibody therapies. Here she co-led the licensing of technology from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, raised Series A financing, established the Company’s strategy around a B-cell immunotherapy platform and established an international research capability to advance the Company’s technologies. Additionally, she established a network of KOLs and identified and evaluated supramolecular platform technologies. Prior to industry, Dr. Roy was a Lecturer at Harvard University, was a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Special Fellow and Research Fellow, Dept. Of Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Roy received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, her master’s degree in Biophysics and Molecular Biology from the University College of Science, Calcutta and her bachelor’s degree in Human Physiology from Presidency College, Calcutta.