Actithera Appoints Dr. Darshan Dalal As CMO To Lead Clinical Strategy And Advance FAP-Targeting Radioligand Therapy Into Trials

Actithera, a radiopharmaceutical biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation radioligand therapies (RLTs) through advanced medicinal chemistry, announced the appointment of Darshan Dalal, M.D., PhD, MPH as its new Chief Medical Officer. In this role, Dr. Dalal will guide the company’s overall clinical strategy and oversee the development of its clinical organization as Actithera moves its lead fibroblast activation protein (FAP)–targeting radioligand therapy into clinical trials and continues to expand its pipeline of precision-engineered radiopharmaceutical candidates.

Dr. Dalal brings more than 15 years of global leadership experience in the radiopharmaceutical, oncology, and hematology fields. Throughout his career, he has helped advance more than ten radioligand programs across multiple stages of development, ranging from preclinical studies to Phase III trials. He has previously held senior leadership positions at AstraZeneca and Novartis, where he led global development teams and had full end-to-end responsibility for several radioligand assets. His experience also includes a key role in the development of Pluvicto, one of the most successful radioligand therapies in the industry. Over the past seven years, he has also contributed to more than $8 billion in mergers and acquisitions within the radioligand space.

Actithera’s Chief Executive Officer, Andreas Goutopoulos, stated that Dr. Dalal’s appointment represents an important milestone for the company. He emphasized that Dr. Dalal’s proven ability to advance radioligand programs from early concept to late-stage clinical development aligns closely with Actithera’s objectives as it works to accelerate its FAP-targeting therapy and other pipeline candidates into the clinic. He added that Dr. Dalal’s expertise will support the company’s momentum following its Series A financing and strengthen execution as Actithera enters its next phase of growth.

Dr. Dalal expressed enthusiasm about joining the company at a pivotal stage. He noted that Actithera has created a differentiated platform built on rigorous medicinal chemistry, enabling the development of radioligand therapies with improved binding properties, enhanced tumor retention, greater selectivity, and a stronger therapeutic index. He looks forward to working with the team to shape a comprehensive clinical development strategy and advance a pipeline designed to drive meaningful improvements in patient outcomes.

Actithera’s discovery platform integrates rational drug design with radiochemistry to create novel small-molecule radioligands that address significant limitations seen in current radiopharmaceutical approaches. The company is progressing a FAP-directed radioligand therapy candidate that shows best-in-class potential, supported by its optimized pharmacokinetic profile and strong tumor-targeting characteristics.