Debiopharm Group™

A bridge between the discovery of new molecules and their commercialisation

Debiopharm Group is a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of companies with a focus on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs. The group in-licenses, develops and/or co-develops promising biological and small molecule drug candidates having reached clinical development phases I, II or III. Debiopharm Group is also prepared to consider earlier stage candidates. It develops its products for global registration and maximum commercial potential. The products are out-licensed to pharmaceutical partners for sales and marketing. Besides drug development, Debiopharm Group has recently embarked in the field of companion diagnostics with a view to progressing in the area of personalised medicine.
Debiopharm Group independently funds the worldwide development of all of its products while providing expertise in pre-clinical and clinical trials, manufacturing, drug delivery and formulation, and regulatory affairs.

 Management

Rolland-Yves Mauvernay President and Founder, Debiopharm Group™

Dr Mauvernay completed his medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Strasbourg, France and later obtained his Ph.D. in Biology, Bacteriology and Pharmacy. In 1953, he established RIOM Laboratories, in Auvergne, France and purchased several pharmaceutical laboratories and various rare molecules. In 1973, he sold RIOM and in 1979, founded Debiopharm S.A., a biopharmaceutical development company which fully funds and develops innovative therapeutics. He later created Debio R.P. S.A., specialising in the development of sustained-release advanced drug delivery systems and manufacturing. In 1993, he founded Debioclinic S.A., a clinical research organisation in Paris. Today, Dr Mauvernay heads a group of 300 employees, supported by 500 external experts, who are responsible for research and development.

Thierry Mauvernay Delegate of the Board, Debiopharm Group™

Mr Mauvernay received his Master of Science in Economics in 1975. He then obtained a degree (MBA) from the 'Institut d'Administration des Entreprises’ and a ‘Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées en Marketing’ (MA) in Clermont-Ferrand, France in 1976. In 1978, he founded an international cosmetics company, which he later sold but continued to manage until July 2001, when he joined Debiopharm SA as Executive Vice President with direct responsibilities for the Finance and Administration Department. In 2006, Mr Mauvernay handed over his operational activities within Debiopharm SA and has since been focusing on the administration, finance and strategy of Debiopharm Group. 

Kamel Besseghir President of the Strategic & Development Committees, Debiopharm Group™

Dr Besseghir received his medical degree in 1973 in Oran, Algeria. Previous job experiences include Assistant-Professor and Private-Docent at the University of Lausanne; Advisor to the WHO in the field of drug selection and use; International Manager for Drug Safety at Serono, where he organised international corporate pharmacovigilance; and work in developing countries on programs funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to improve drug use. He joined Debiopharm SA in 1995 and acted as its CEO from 2006 until 2011. 

Pietro Scalfaro Director, Business Unit Diagnostics, Debiopharm Group™

Dr Scalfaro graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lausanne, Switzerland in 1989. He received his M.D in Gastroenterology in 1992 and practiced for over 13 years paediatric and intensive care medicine in Switzerland, Australia and France. His research interests were related to artificial ventilation, with a focus on innovative monitoring, diagnostic technologies and infectious diseases. He joined Debiopharm SA in 2002. After being project leader advancing and integrating the preclinical, clinical and other activities of the Alzheimer and virology programs, he held various senior management positions, and he created in particular the project and portfolio department. In 2008, he became head of Debiopharm Group™'s business unit for diagnostics and personalised medicine.

Maurice Wagner Director, Corporate Affairs & Communications, Debiopharm Group™

Mr Wagner obtained a PhD in law (intellectual property) from the faculty of law of the Lausanne University in 1978. He started his career in the healthcare industry in 1975 at Hoffmann-La Roche: he held various functions in Basel (Intellectual property, law and pharma marketing), in the UK (pharma marketing, anaesthetic drugs) and in Belgium (public affairs at a European level). In 1996, he became head of the international and European fragrance and flavour industry trade associations in Brussels and Geneva, before taking on the responsibility of the European medical technology trade association in Brussels, in 2002. He joined Debiopharm Group™ in 2008.