Houssam Ibrahim graduated from the University of Geneva (Switzerland), where he received a Diploma of Pharmacy and obtained a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1989. Before joining Debiopharm International S.A. (Switzerland) in 1992, he worked in Quality Management and Regulatory Affairs at Merck Serono.
For more than 28 years, Houssam has been in charge at Debiopharm for Oxaliplatin (rec. INN), from the chemical drug substance intended for clinical trials up until the worldwide approved drug product (Eloxatin®, Elplat®, Dacotin®, Dacplat®) which is a standard of care for metastatic colorectal & pancreatic cancers. In addition, he is the co-inventor of several patents including the ready to use aqueous formulation patent for the Eloxatin® solution product (Sanofi) approved by the FDA in 2002, for the Elplat® solution product (Yakult Honsha) approved by the PMDA in 2010 and for the Dacotin® solution product (Dr Reddy’s Laboratories) approved by the CDSCO in 2020.
On a contract basis and together with his team, Houssam was also in charge of the CMC development and industrial setup of Xevinapant/Debio 1143 (IAP antagonist), Naratuximab Emtansine/Debio 1562 (anti-CD37 ADC), Debio 1124 (Minigastrin-Lu177), Debio 0123 (Wee1 kinase inhibitor), Afabicin/ Debio 1450 (FabI inhibitor), Debio 1347 (FGFR 1, 2, 3 inhibitor) and Alisporivir/Debio 025 (Cyclophilin inhibitor).
- Primary/Complementary Interactive Styles: Mastermind/Romantic
- Interactive Combination: The Social Reformer
- In a film, he’d be played by: Paul Newman
- Common Leadership Characteristic: A visionary for social issues
