Resalis Therapeutics is led by an experienced team with significant pharmaceutical industry, scientific and RNA medicine expertise. The company is also supported by a visionary Board as well as trusted advisors.
Team
Alessandro Toniolo
Chief Executive Officer
Alessandro Toniolo
Chief Executive Officer
Alessandro joined Resalis as CEO in October 2022 after 20 years in positions with increasing responsibility in the pharma industry. He worked in commercial roles at Italian, European and global companies including Merck, Pfizer, Shire and Novartis. Prior to joining Resalis, Alessandro was Novartis’ Head of Immunology as well as Head of Respiratory and Allergy franchises in Italy. He is also a Business Angel supporting multiple oncology startup companies on behalf of Italian Angels for Growth. Alessandro holds an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Pisa and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Milan.
Almut Nitsche
Chief Medical and Development Officer
Almut Nitsche
Chief Medical and Development Officer
Almut is the Chief Medical and Development Officer of Resalis. Prior to joining Resalis, she served as an advisor to Proxidrugs and worked for over 17 years at Sanofi, holding key positions such as Project Director for Early Development and Project Director R&D in the Diabetes Division. Before this, she held positions at Aventis (acquired by Sanofi) and Hoechst Marion Roussel Genomic Center. As part of her commitment to therapeutic innovation in the metabolic space, Almut also served as a Management Board Member at INNODIA, an international non-profit organization accelerating the development of new cures for type 1 diabetes. Almut holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Stuttgart.
Riccardo Panella
Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder
Riccardo Panella
Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder
Riccardo is co-founder and CSO of Resalis. He serves as Associate Professor at the Center for RNA Medicine, in the Department of Clinical Medicine of Aalborg University. His research activities are focused on exploring the contribution of non-coding RNA ,specifically microRNA, to human metabolism and cancer progression. His aim is to develop new RNA based therapies for unmet medical needs. Before joining Aalborg University, Riccardo carried on his research activities at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, part of the Harvard Medical School, where he developed and characterized several genetic engineered mouse models and executed a vast plethora of pre-clinical in-vivo experiments designed to optimize new therapeutic paradigm for metabolic disfunctions. Riccardo is part of an international research group led by Prof Kauppinen to develop new therapeutic approaches in the MASH/MAFLD space.
Sakari Kauppinen
Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder
Sakari Kauppinen
Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder
Sakari is co-founder and CTO of Resalis. He serves as Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University and Director of the Center for RNA Medicine. His research program focuses on exploring the roles of noncoding RNAs in human health and disease and discovering RNA-targeted therapeutics for unmet medical needs. Before joining Aalborg University, Sakari was Senior Director of microRNA Research and Drug Discovery at Santaris Pharma (acquired by Roche in 2014), where he supervised the discovery of miravirsen – the world’s first microRNA-targeted drug. He was also a member of the clinical development team that successfully advanced miravirsen to clinical phase 2 trials with on-target efficacy against HCV infection and a good safety profile. Sakari is co-founder of NEUmiRNA Therapeutics and received $9.2M in 2019 from the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Challenge Program for a Research Consortium to advance development of new therapies for the treatment of MASH.
Thomas Eichinger
Chief Technical Development Officer
Thomas Eichinger
Chief Technical Development Officer
Thomas is the Chief Technical Development Officer of Resalis, leading the company’s efforts in advancing pharmaceutical development from research to commercialization. With over 33 years of experience at Sanofi and its predecessor companies, Thomas has held various R&D leadership roles, culminating in his position as Global Head of CMC Dossiers. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in bringing multiple drugs to market, acting as a CMC expert for major regulatory submissions in the EU. His expertise spans the entire pharmaceutical value chain, with a focus on transferring drugs from research into development and successfully navigating the path to commercialization. A registered pharmacist with a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Heidelberg University, Thomas combines deep scientific knowledge with a pragmatic approach to pharmaceutical development. At Resalis, he is dedicated to leveraging his extensive experience to drive innovation and ensure the successful translation of research into impactful therapies.
Sandor Batkai
Medical Director
Sandor Batkai
Medical Director
Sandor Batkai, MD, PhD, is the Medical Director of Resalis. He is a physician-scientist who brings over 20 years of expertise in RNA therapeutics across cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases. His work spans the clinical, physiological, and pharmacological domains, with a track record of translating novel RNA-based concepts from discovery into clinical application. Prior to Resalis, Sandor was the Co-Founder and Head of Medical Research and Intelligence at Cardior Pharmaceuticals, where he shaped the non-coding RNA-based therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular disease, culminating in the acquisition of the company by Novo Nordisk. He also led the “Cardiovascular Phenotyping and Translational Strategies” research group at the Hannover Medical School and researched obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases at the National Institute for Health in Bethesda, USA. Sandor carried out his medical training at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary, and at Heidelberg University in Heidelberg, Germany.
Anna Altieri
Translational Research Associate
Anna Altieri
Translational Research Associate
Anna is the Translational Research Associate of Resalis Therapeutics. She supports the coordination of clinical studies, ensuring seamless integration between research phases. Anna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Perugia and a Master’s degree in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Trieste. Her academic research focused on developing and characterizing iPSC-derived human liver organoids. She later honed her knowledge in non-coding RNA manipulation during her tenure at the Center for RNA Medicine in Copenhagen. With a strong expertise in RNA modification and preclinical models, Anna brings valuable knowledge and hands-on experience to her role, contributing to Resalis’ mission of advancing innovative therapies.
Barbara Domizzi
Project Coordinator and Budget Planner
Barbara Domizzi
Project Coordinator and Budget Planner
Barbara joined Resalis in May 23 as Project Coordinator and Budget Planner. She worked in marketing and admin/finance roles at several global and European pharma companies such as Basf, Abbott, Novartis. Before joining Resalis she was Novartis’ Budget Planner in Respiratory and Immunology Franchise.
Valentina Gaudio
Junior Business Analyst
Valentina Gaudio
Junior Business Analyst
Valentina is the Junior Business Analyst at Resalis, supporting the evaluation of biotech-sector trends and helping identify growth opportunities for the company. She holds a BSc. in Biotechnology from the University of Turin and a MA in Business Management – Life Sciences and MedTech from Bologna Business School. Before joining Resalis, she contributed to omnichannel marketing strategies at Boston Scientific in a key analytical role for lead management and collaborated with the Candiolo Cancer Institute on bioinformatics approaches to investigate tumour-progression mechanisms. Passionate about transforming complex data into actionable insights, Valentina leverages her interdisciplinary background to advance Resalis’ mission of developing cutting-edge therapies.
Arianna Cuomo
Preclinical Research Associate
Arianna Cuomo
Preclinical Research Associate
Arianna is a Preclinical Research Associate at Resalis. She holds a Master’s degree in Biology and a PhD in Biomolecular Sciences from the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” where she also completed a Research Fellowship in Physiology. Her work has focused on non-pharmacological strategies such as exercise and fasting to counteract diet-induced metabolic disorders, on skeletal muscle physiology, and on the cellular mechanisms that preserve mitochondrial functionality in chronic degenerative diseases. She also gained international research experience at the German Sport University Cologne, specializing in muscle physiology. With this background, Arianna supports the advancement of Resalis’ preclinical programs.
Valentina Agnolon
Project Manager
Valentina Agnolon
Project Manager
Valentina brings over five years of experience in global pharmaceutical and biotech projects. She holds a PhD in Biosciences and Biotechnology, a postgraduate degree in Regulatory Affairs, and is PMP® certified, combining scientific expertise with structured execution. She has led cross-functional projects across preclinical, clinical, and CMC domains, coordinated laboratory operations, and supported regulatory compliance in Europe, the U.S., and APAC. Her ability to bridge science and execution strengthens Resalis’ capacity to advance innovative RNA therapies through effective program management.
Board of Directors
Pietro Puglisi
Chairman
Pietro Puglisi
Chairman
Pietro is a founding partner at Claris Ventures, an investment firm based in Turin, Italy, with a focus on early-stage biotech ventures. He has over a decade of experience in life sciences investments and innovation. Prior to launching Claris Ventures, he was involved in the financing rounds of several biopharma startup companies based in Italy where he played active roles, including as an independent director at Kither Biotech and Restorative Neurotechnologies. He started his career at LifeSciences Consultants in 2010 and later joined the healthcare practice of Innogest Capital. Pietro holds an MSc in Biomedical Engineering from Politecnico di Torino and an MBA from Collége des Ingenièurs, France/Italy.
Alessandro Toniolo
Chief Executive Officer
Alessandro Toniolo
Chief Executive Officer
Alessandro joined Resalis as CEO in October 2022 after 20 years in positions with increasing responsibility in the pharma industry. He worked in commercial roles at Italian, European and global companies including Merck, Pfizer, Shire and Novartis. Prior to joining Resalis, Alessandro was Novartis’ Head of Immunology as well as Head of Respiratory and Allergy franchises in Italy. He is also a Business Angel supporting multiple oncology startup companies on behalf of Italian Angels for Growth. Alessandro holds an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Pisa and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Milan.
Riccardo Panella
Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder
Riccardo Panella
Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder
Riccardo is co-founder and CSO of Resalis. He serves as Associate Professor at the Center for RNA Medicine, in the Department of Clinical Medicine of Aalborg University. His research activities are focused on exploring the contribution of non-coding RNA ,specifically microRNA, to human metabolism and cancer progression. His aim is to develop new RNA based therapies for unmet medical needs. Before joining Aalborg University, Riccardo carried on his research activities at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, part of the Harvard Medical School, where he developed and characterized several genetic engineered mouse models and executed a vast plethora of pre-clinical in-vivo experiments designed to optimize new therapeutic paradigm for metabolic disfunctions. Riccardo is part of an international research group led by Prof Kauppinen to develop new therapeutic approaches in the MASH/MAFLD space.
Claus Andersson
Non-Executive Director
Claus Andersson
Non-Executive Director
Claus Andersson is a member of Resalis’ Board of Directors. Claus has been a General Partner at Sunstone Life Science Ventures since 2005. He is an active board member for biotech companies advancing treatments for heart failure, cancer, obesity, and diabetes (e.g., DiogenX, Rewind Therapeutics, and Cardior Pharmaceuticals). Claus has extensive experience in strategy execution and technology development from various parts of the life science ecosystem as an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, scientist, and corporate manager. Claus holds a PhD in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Copenhagen and the Humboldt University in Berlin as well as a master’s degree in Civil Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
Antonio Leone
Non-Executive Director
Antonio Leone
Non-Executive Director
Antonio is the President in IAG – Italian Angels for Growth since 2014. Antonio was BELLCO Chairman of the Charme fund managed by Montezemolo & Partners SGR and currently holds, among others, the position of board member of Cellply Srl. He was previously the President and CEO of Kontron Instruments, a member of the Roche Group. Prior to this, he was CEO of Olympus Medical System Europe in Hamburg that had a turnover of 700 million euros and 2300 employees. Antonio is an electronics engineer with over 40 years of experience in the electromedical equipment industry.