dGenThera adds radiation oncologist Jess Guarnaschelli to scientific advisory board

By AI, Created 5:06 AM UTC, June 04, 2026, /AGP/ – dGenThera has appointed Jess Guarnaschelli, M.D. to its scientific advisory board as the Durham, North Carolina radiopharmaceutical company pushes its theranostic cancer programs toward the clinic. The move adds an experienced radiation oncologist with trial, regulatory, and dosimetry expertise to guide development of its matched therapeutic and imaging agents.

Why it matters: - dGenThera is advancing radiopharmaceutical programs for hard-to-treat cancers, and the company is adding outside clinical and regulatory expertise as those assets move toward first-in-human development. - Dr. Guarnaschelli’s background in radiation oncology, trial design, and FDA strategy is directly relevant to the company’s theranostic pipeline.

What happened: - dGenThera appointed Jess Guarnaschelli, M.D. to its scientific advisory board. - Dr. Guarnaschelli is a board-certified radiation oncologist with more than 20 years of clinical, scientific, and strategic leadership in radiation-emitting and radiopharmaceutical technologies. - The appointment was announced by dGenThera in Durham, North Carolina.

The details: - Dr. Guarnaschelli has helped design and run oncology trials from phase 0 through phase 2. - Her work has included regulatory strategy, safety oversight, imaging and dosimetry integration, and protocol development for complex radiopharmaceutical and radiation-device programs. - She has experience treating solid tumors including breast, head and neck, gynecologic, lung, and brain cancers. - Dr. Guarnaschelli advises pharmaceutical and device companies on clinical trial architecture, IND development, FDA engagement, and site-readiness strategy. - Her clinical foundation includes leadership roles at TriHealth Cancer Institute and the University of Cincinnati. - She has moderated tumor boards, implemented novel treatment modalities, and served on national advisory committees. - dGenThera develops theranostic molecular pairs that combine therapeutic emitters At-211 and I-131 with matched diagnostic molecules using F-18. - The company says its chemistry uses optimized covalent bonds rather than chelated metal emitters. - dGenThera says the approach is intended to support image-guided patient selection, therapeutic dosing, and improved safety, stability, and targeting. - The company says its F-18 installation technology was developed with co-founders David Nicewicz, Ph.D. and Zibo Li, Ph.D. at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, along with co-founder and CSO Anthony Casarez, Ph.D. - dGenThera says its carbon-halogen bond stabilization technologies reduce de-halogenation in vivo, which has limited the use of emitters such as At-211 and I-131 in targeted radiopharmaceuticals. - dGenThera is advancing a pipeline of theranostic pairs across multiple high-unmet-need cancers.

Between the lines: - The hire signals dGenThera wants a board member who can bridge academic oncology, community cancer care, and translational development. - Dr. Guarnaschelli’s mix of clinical trial execution and regulatory experience fits a company preparing radiopharmaceutical candidates for clinical testing. - The appointment also reinforces the company’s focus on alpha-emitting and iodine-based programs, including difficult-to-treat solid tumors.

What’s next: - dGenThera plans to advance its assets into the clinic. - Dr. Guarnaschelli said she looks forward to joining the advisory board as the company moves toward first-in-human clinical development. - The company’s next milestones likely center on clinical trial readiness and early-stage development of its theranostic pairs.

The bottom line: - dGenThera is strengthening its advisory bench with a radiation oncology veteran as it prepares its radiopharmaceutical platform for clinical development.