Dr. Vladimir Cmiljanovic is a visionary pharma entrepreneur, renowned medicinal chemist, and accomplished cancer scientist with over 15 years of experience in oncology drug development. With his sister Natasa, he co-discovered bimiralisib (PQR309), a promising oral and brain-penetrant dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor for various cancer indications. Vladimir's contribution to the field of PI3K-AKT-mTOR research has earned him numerous accolades, including the 2009 Camille and Henry Dreyfus Award, the 2010 Swiss Venture Kick, the 2011 Novartis and University of Basel Excellence Scholarship, the 2021 Nikola Tesla Award from the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and the 2023 Tesla Spirit Award from the US Tesla Science Foundation.
Vladimir has an impressive track record of successful biotech ventures. In 2011, he founded PIQUR Therapeutics, attracting over 85 million USD of funding and building it into an international biotech company. In 2014, he won the Northwest Switzerland Young Entrepreneur Award, and in 2015, the Swiss Economic Forum Award. In 2016, he founded TargImmune Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on cancer cell-targeted immunotherapies, which raised 22 million USD in seed funding. In 2018, he founded Swiss Rockets, a leading biotech incubator and accelerator for start-ups, and in 2020, RocketVax AG to develop a second-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. In 2021, he acquired all the assets of PIQUR AG and founded TORQUR AG to continue the independent development of bimiralisib in cancer indications.
Vladimir's entrepreneurial skills, global network of scientists, experts, and investors, and commitment to innovation in the fight against cancer make him an ideal leader for biotech ventures. With a background as a professional handball player and national player for Serbia, Vladimir brings a unique combination of athletic drive and scientific expertise to his endeavors.