ReBio Pharma Taps Ocular Oncology Star to Tackle Untreated Eye Cancer

TURKU, Finland and GENEVA – July 22, 2026 – In a move that signals a pivotal transition from preclinical research to clinical-stage execution, European biotechnology firm ReBio Pharma has appointed Professor Mandeep Sagoo as its Chief Medical Officer. The strategic recruitment of one of the world's foremost experts in eye cancer underscores the company's commitment to advancing its lead candidate, RBP-01, for primary uveal melanoma—the most common and a notoriously difficult-to-treat primary eye cancer in adults, which currently has no approved therapies.

This appointment is more than a leadership shuffle; it's a significant de-risking event for the privately-held company and a beacon of hope for a patient population with limited options. Professor Sagoo will now spearhead ReBio’s clinical and medical strategy, leveraging his vast experience to guide RBP-01 through the complexities of clinical trials and regulatory pathways.

A Strategic Hire to Bridge the Clinical Gap

For an emerging biotech firm, securing a leader of Professor Sagoo’s caliber is a powerful validation of its scientific platform and clinical strategy. With nearly three decades of experience spanning clinical care, translational research, and biotechnology, he brings a rare combination of hands-on patient treatment and drug development insight. His credentials place him at the pinnacle of his field: he serves as Professor of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology at the prestigious UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust, two of the UK's leading medical institutions.

An academic powerhouse, Professor Sagoo has authored over 220 academic papers and 21 book chapters, with his work appearing in high-impact journals like Nature. His influence is further cemented by his leadership roles, including chairing the Global Ophthalmology Committee of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and his recognition on the Ophthalmologist Global Powerlist 2026 for innovation. His prior experience contributing to industry-sponsored uveal melanoma programs provides him with an intimate understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this specific therapeutic area. This background makes him uniquely qualified to navigate the development of RBP-01.

"Mandeep has been instrumental in shaping our scientific and clinical vision as a trusted adviser to the Company, and we are delighted to welcome him to the executive team as Chief Medical Officer," commented Roi Raz, Chief Executive Officer of ReBio Pharma. "This is a transformative period for ReBio as we progress towards our first clinical studies. Mandeep’s experience will play a critical role in guiding our development strategy and helping us deliver innovative, eye- and vision-preserving therapies to patients with significant unmet medical need."

Targeting a Formidable and Untreated Cancer

The urgency of ReBio's mission is rooted in the grim reality of primary uveal melanoma (UM). While standard local treatments like radiation therapy can control the primary tumor, they often come at the cost of severe vision loss and have failed to improve long-term survival rates. The most alarming statistic is that approximately 40-50% of patients will develop metastatic disease, typically in the liver, where the prognosis is poor and median survival is only about one year. Despite decades of research, no therapies are currently approved specifically for primary UM.

Scientific breakthroughs have, however, illuminated a clear biological target. Over 90% of uveal melanomas are driven by mutations in the GNAQ or GNA11 genes, which perpetually activate the Protein Kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway, fueling tumor growth. This makes PKC inhibition a highly compelling therapeutic strategy. Several companies are pursuing this pathway with oral PKC inhibitors, such as darovasertib, which has shown promise in clinical trials, especially in combination with other agents. Yet, systemic oral drugs face inherent challenges in treating eye diseases, including difficulty achieving sufficient concentration in the eye (ocular bioavailability) and the risk of off-target side effects throughout the body.

A Differentiated Approach with SiSu® Technology

This is the precise challenge ReBio Pharma aims to solve. Founded in 2015 and backed by investors such as Kinled Holding, Innovate UK, and WI Harper Group, the company has focused on a core innovation: its proprietary SiSu® therapeutic amplifier technology. This platform enables the design of drug conjugates that can be delivered locally to the site of disease, providing a precise, programmable, and sustained release of a therapeutic agent while minimizing systemic exposure.

ReBio’s lead candidate, RBP-01, is a first-in-class PKC inhibitor built on this SiSu® platform. It is designed for direct intravitreal injection into the eye, where it is programmed for continuous release. This approach seeks to maintain a high, therapeutically effective concentration of the drug directly at the tumor site, a feat difficult to achieve with oral medications. By containing the potent drug within the eye, the company hopes to maximize its anti-tumor activity while avoiding the systemic toxicities that have limited other PKC inhibitors.

Professor Sagoo himself highlighted the elegance of this strategy. "ReBio is taking an innovative and highly differentiated approach to ocular oncology," he stated. "The potential of PKC inhibition in uveal melanoma is biologically compelling. The challenge has been delivering it safely and effectively to the eye, and the Company’s SiSu® therapeutic amplifier technology is designed to do exactly that, achieving continuous therapeutic exposure at the tumour site while minimising unwanted systemic effects. With no approved therapies currently available for primary uveal melanoma, the need is urgent, and I am excited to join the team and help advance RBP-01 into the clinic."

The Path Forward: Navigating the Clinical and Regulatory Landscape

With Professor Sagoo at the clinical helm, ReBio Pharma is now squarely focused on moving RBP-01 into human trials. The company's strategy appears well-aligned with the priorities of global health regulators. Given that primary uveal melanoma is a rare disease with a significant unmet need, RBP-01 is a prime candidate for Orphan Drug Designation from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This designation provides numerous development incentives, including market exclusivity upon approval, fee waivers, and enhanced regulatory support.

Furthermore, therapies addressing serious conditions with no adequate alternatives may be eligible for accelerated approval pathways. Such programs can shorten drug development timelines, allowing a potentially transformative therapy to reach patients sooner based on surrogate endpoints. The appointment of a CMO with deep regulatory and clinical trial design experience is critical for successfully navigating these expedited routes. For investors, this clear regulatory strategy, combined with a validated biological target and a novel delivery technology, presents a compelling case for a company on the cusp of a major value inflection point as it enters the clinic.