 Dr. Alberto Ramos Vernieri |
Interview with Dr. Alberto Ramos Vernieri, Chief Scientific Officer at Untech
By Caitlin Dolegowski |
 Caitlin Dolegowski |
Caitlin Dolegowski (CD): Please introduce us to Untech and the company’s technology.
Alberto Ramos Vernieri (CSO Untech): Untech is a drug development company that is focused on chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers, venous ulcers and bedsores. Currently, we are developing the first all-in-one medication under prescription for chronic wound healing acceleration. It is a combination product composed of 5 marketed small molecules and 1 marketed enzyme in the pharmaceutical form of a hydrogel.
This technology has its patent granted in the USA, Israel and South Africa and through a PCT process, it was applied in 43 more countries including China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and the European Patent Office.
We finalized our preclinical trials under OECD-GLP, demonstrating that Untech provides all therapeutic requirements that International Wound Care Associations recommend. We are the first product solution that addresses the mentioned 10 therapeutic requirements at the same time and in a single product. It will accelerate the healing process from years to months, drastically reducing the probability of amputations and the rate of hospitalizations, as well as allowing patients to remain ambulatory and apply the treatment themselves. Currently we are starting our first-in-human clinical trial in Argentina.
From different regulatory reports, we qualify for a Breakthrough designation and are an ideal candidate for the 505(b)2 path in FDA. Also, as we are using approved molecules, we already know pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of each one.
CD: Tell us about your team and your locations, Delaware, and Argentina.
ARV: Untech is a company that is functioning in a holding structure. The central house (Untech Inc) is in Delaware-USA and a subsidiary in Buenos Aires-Argentina. As our working plan is based on outsourcing every key activity we don’t discard incorporate our company in Europe and Asia.
Our management team is composed of three scientists and an entrepreneur. Our CEO and co-founder Ruben Salim Brovia is a technological serial entrepreneur, his background is in Business management and he has already co-founded three startups in the US, Spain and Portugal. I’m the CSO, co-founder, and the main inventor of this technology. As a researcher I spent the past 17 years studying chronic wounds, I published multiple articles and books about it and my work was recognised with several awards in international scientific congresses. Doctors Nicolas Cerusico and Romina Chavez Jara did their PhD and postdoctoral studies in the pathophysiology of these injuries and in the action mechanism of this medication.
CD: This was Untech’s first RESI conference. How did you learn of the RESI conference series?
ARV: In 2022 we started our internationalization process by presenting our projects in different events all over the world. We were in Seoul, Berlin, Lisbon, Bali, Dubai, San Diego, San Francisco, New York and Boston.
Last year in Boston, we were lucky enough to meet Mr. Gregory Mannix from Life Science Nation who introduced us to the event and showed us the benefits of using the RESI conference for our fundraising process.
CD: What stage of fundraising is Untech in and what were you looking to accomplish at RESI?
ARV: During the pitch challenge in the RESI event, we have formally opened our Series A. That is to advance with our clinical development plan in FDA for our first clinical indication. Our intention was to know more about the professional VC mindset and what they are looking for in therapeutic projects. By talking with them, we improved our complete data room and pitch deck and now we consider we are “investor ready”.
CD: What worked well for you at a RESI conference?
ARV: I think that the most important thing is that we have known an incredible ecosystem of entrepreneurs that share with us our same problems and concerns. We validate that our project could result in interest even for VCs that are used to seeing hundreds of projects every month. We get several contacts not only with investors but also with different services companies that could provide us with all that we need regarding regulatory, clinical development, business development and even seeking non-dilutive funds.
CD: Congratulations on your third-place finish in the RESI Boston June Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC)! What does this success mean to Untech?
ARV: When you start a life science project in a place that is far away from where everything occurs, it’s really important to continuously validate your plan and your knowledge. This prize is exactly that because the judges of the contest are people with a lot of experience and well recognized in the field. Each question from this kind of person is always useful to learn more about those things you can’t learn in other ways. So, we are really happy for their validation, and this encourages us to keep going on this path.
CD: What advice would you like to provide to fellow entrepreneurs?
ARV: Life science projects are usually long-term and very complex ones. It could take many years if you don’t validate your assumptions. That validation usually comes from experienced people and this kind of contest is an incredible opportunity to have access to that experience. The most important thing is not to win but to validate your assumptions. For my colleagues entrepreneurs in Latin America: We normally start our entrepreneur path with very low self-confidence. Don’t do that. You can do anything, you just need to learn how.
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