Orano has appointed Frederic Desdouits as chief executive officer of its biotechnology subsidiary Orano Med, as the company advances its targeted alpha therapy programmes in oncology.

Orano Med is focused on developing lead-212-based radioligand therapies designed to deliver highly targeted radiation to cancer cells while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The company’s pipeline includes one advanced clinical programme and three Phase 1 clinical studies, alongside expansion of its industrial production platform.

Orano group chief executive Nicolas Maes said Desdouits’ experience in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals will support the acceleration of both clinical development and industrial scale-up.

Maes said: “The extensive experience of Frederic Desdouits in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in the biotechnology sector, will be a valuable asset in accelerating the development of the clinical portfolio as well as the deployment of Orano Med’s industrial platform.”

He added that Desdouits’ prior role on Orano Med’s governance board since 2022 will support continuity in strategic decision-making.

Desdouits joins the company at a time when Orano Med is advancing its most developed candidate, AlphaMedix, in partnership with Sanofi, alongside additional lead-212-based programmes progressing through early clinical stages.

Desdouits said: “I am pleased to join the Orano Med team at a pivotal moment in its development. The biotech company has unique scientific and industrial assets to accelerate innovation in the field of radioligand therapy.”

He added that the company’s expanding pipeline and research activity position it among leaders in targeted alpha therapy, noting ongoing efforts to progress additional molecules toward clinical development.

Orano Med’s approach centres on targeted alpha therapy, a form of radiopharmaceutical treatment that uses alpha-emitting isotopes such as lead-212 to selectively destroy cancer cells. The modality is being explored across multiple oncology indications due to its potential for high precision and potent tumour cell killing.

The leadership change comes as the company continues to build both its clinical and manufacturing capabilities to support potential future commercialisation of radioligand therapies.

Desdouits previously served as chief executive of TreeFrog Therapeutics and held senior roles at Seqens and Pierre Fabre, with earlier experience in healthcare strategy and pharmaceutical research. He also holds an academic background in neuroscience and engineering, and currently serves as vice president of the French industry association France Biotech.

His appointment reflects Orano Med’s continued focus on scaling its radiopharmaceutical platform as targeted alpha therapies gain broader attention in oncology drug development.