Swiss Rockets Appoints Dana Novac, MD, MA, as Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Novac succeeds Bruno Osterwalder, who has served as interim Chief Medical Officer in addition to his role as Chief Oncology Strategy Officer. Mr. Osterwalder will now continue to focus exclusively on his position as Chief Oncology Strategy Officer, supporting the advancement of Swiss Rockets’ oncology vision and pipeline strategy.

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Novac will oversee the advancement of Swiss Rockets’ clinical development strategy, with a focus on accelerating innovative therapies for patients with high unmet medical needs in oncology and beyond.

“Dana brings a rare combination of deep scientific rigor, strategic clinical leadership, and operational excellence,” said Dr. Vladimir Cmiljanovic, CEO of Swiss Rockets. “Her extensive experience across global oncology development programs, combined with her commitment to advancing patient outcomes, makes her ideally positioned to lead our medical organization through its next phase of growth.”

“We are also deeply grateful to Bruno for his leadership as interim CMO during an important period for the company,” Dr. Cmiljanovic added. “His continued focus on oncology strategy will remain instrumental as we advance our pipeline and long-term scientific vision.”

Dr. Novac has more than 18 years of international experience in oncology medical affairs and clinical development, spanning leadership roles across biotech and global pharmaceutical organizations including Nanobiotix, Ipsen, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Pfizer.

Since joining Swiss Rockets in 2025 as Senior Medical Director, Dr. Novac has led the medical development of bimiralisib across oncology and dermatology indications, including responsibility for the pivotal Actinic Keratosis development program. She has also played a key role in shaping the clinical development strategy across multiple Swiss Rockets subsidiaries.

Prior to Swiss Rockets, Dr. Novac served as Global Medical Development Director at Nanobiotix, where she led late-stage development programs for NBTXR3 in head and neck cancers in combination with radiotherapy. Earlier in her career, she held senior oncology development positions at Ipsen Innovation, where she contributed to the advancement of radiopharmaceutical diagnostic and therapeutic programs and helped develop accelerated clinical development strategies in theranostics.

“I am honored to take on the role of Chief Medical Officer at Swiss Rockets during such an exciting stage of the company’s evolution,” said Dr. Novac. “Swiss Rockets is building a unique innovation ecosystem focused on translating breakthrough science into meaningful therapies for patients. I look forward to working alongside our teams and partners to advance our pipeline and deliver impactful medicines to patients worldwide.”

Dr. Novac earned her MD from the University of Timisoara and later completed BA and MA degrees in Psychology at the Université Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg. She is recognized for her expertise in oncology clinical development, lifecycle management, strategic medical affairs, and cross-functional leadership in global development environments.