Antonio Di Rocco
Senior CAR T Network Manager
Modena,MO
Summary
A passionate professional with a highly successful background in Operations, Strategic Marketing and People Management, Market Access within the competitive pharmaceutical industry. Possesses excellent financial, communication and negotiation skills, the ability to influence decisions and develop positive customer relationships. Enjoys being part of, as well as managing, motivating, training and developing, successful and productive teams and thrives in highly pressurized and challenging working environments. Currently accountable for EMA/AIFA market approved hematology drugs’ field operations, delivering strategic initiatives for two global CAR T launches in MM and NHL settings.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Manager, CAR T Centers Network Manager
Bristol Myers Squibb
01.2021 - Current
- As part of the Onco-Hematology Commercial Operations Unit, I am the main-point-of-contact with the Multiple Myeloma and Lymphoma treatment site:
- Led organized Deployed actions plan in line with the EU Strategy to meet companies’ targets (31 MIO € cross country);
- Evaluate, Select treatment sites and Lead organized onboarding process for CAR T authorized centers;
- Evaluate market dynamics, conducted competitive market analysis and future scenario planning to explore new business opportunities to ensure portfolio profitability and efficient engagement process for Hema treatment centers;
- Build and strengthen company collaboration with a broad range of Hema-oncology experts at national level;
- Ensure appropriate strategies and plans implementation co-leading sales team and Market Access;
- Lead contract negotiations and strategic discussions on new Therapy in place and unique business model for the targeted account;
- Responsible for driving revenue growth through effective customer, business, and P&L management;
- Drove the digital strategy for CAR T division (HCP’ VR applications…), in 2024 won “LeFonti Award” as The best innovation idea in VDR setting for healthcare.
- Provided strong leadership to enhance team productivity and morale.
- Led cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and deliver high-quality results.
- Established strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, ensuring long-term partnerships and repeat business.
- Collaborated closely with peers from other departments to drive organizational success jointly as one cohesive unit.
- Executed appropriate staffing and budgetary plans to align with business forecasts.
WW Cell therapy Franchise and Operations, Special Project Manager (Ad interim role)
Bristol Myers Squibb
12.2022 - 11.2023
- Reporting to the Global Sr Director of WW CTopS Excellence and Franchise:
- Co-lead update of new cell therapies value proposition for hematological setting (e.g. deploy new Strategic Imperatives into tactics) collaborating with GMA, Brand Lead, HEOR, cross-functional partners fostering initial awareness of local therapy market access;
- Built collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships between headquarter and ExUS affiliate ;
- Secured BMS operational excellence by ensuring the VoC and VoP capability to meet the needs and company expectations;
- Built the cross-collaborative milestones across the company to ensure the success of Go-To-Market and Marketing strategy;
- Developed and implemented marketing strategies to use for launches, rebranding campaigns and promotions.
Cell Therapy Applications Manager, Immunotherapy and Onco-Hematology
MiltenyiBiotec LTD
12.2018 - 12.2020
- I led the team of Clinical Application Specialists working closely with manufacturing and clinical authorized treatment sites in the UK at national level, (Immunotherapy and based CAR T protocol from Phase 1 to MAA stage):
- Promoted to Team leader in recognition of consistently exceeding performance expectations and developing C-Suite level cross-functional relationships with internal and external stakeholders;
- Managed the cross functional team (direct report of product experts and dotted of service engineers’ cross country) ensuring adequate levels of performance, facilitating synergies between functions and supporting personal development plans as well as definition of variable reward system and SFE
- Assisted with the review and approval of protocols to facilitate transitioning from pre-clinical to clinical phase I/II/III;
- Built collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships across the MB network, including 20 private biotech/pharma ;
- Create centralized strategic plans to share knowledge, develop strategy, and drive initiatives.
Cell Therapy Application Specialist, Onco-Hematology and Immunology
MiltenyiBiotec LTD
05.2017 - 11.2018
- I have built onsite scientific and commercial expertise for all present and potential stakeholders within immune-hematology arena including adoptive therapy setting (e.g. Phase I-III):
- Led organized onboarding process for CAR T manufacturing centers;
- Continuous training for Sales Force - periodic updates on ATMP medical need, scaling -up - out topics and operational training activities;
- Developed KOL advocacy assistance on ATMP manufacturing model originated by MB pre-clinical studies- Observational Sponsored studies;
- Supported the IND submission with reference letter for master file when moving the ATMP manufacturing and clinical efforts from the UK to US;
- Liaised interactions with investigators regarding the ongoing clinical trial, research and clinical portfolio questions;
Senior Scientist- ATMP Pulmonary/Respiratory
Videregen Limited LTD
01.2016 - 04.2017
- Project leader in supporting Clinical and Manufacturing Sites for the execution of clinical trial in upper airways and respiratory disease treatment from pre-clinical asset to Phase I/II.
- Trained medical staff for the implementation of TEP- based trial (Ph I - TETRA);
- Drove a solution set across development team and production department through market requirements, product contract, and positioning; analyzed new potential partner alliances and found out 2 new hospital across EU;
- Prepared dissemination materials for regional update at national corporate meeting developed and delivered medically meaningful and commercially useful presentations for HCP to maximize acceptance and ensure proper utilization of the TEP platform;
- Delivered pharmacoeconomic data (including quality, cost and patient outcomes), then utilized competitive intelligence to address process deviations.
Harvard University Research Fellow, Cell therapy based product in Cardiology setting
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
04.2013 - 12.2015
- Project leader in a Cohort study of human heart disease in US - phase I clinical trial in treating the hearth stroke condition :
- Reviewed, adapted and implemented local GxP guidelines, KPI and tactical plans regarding Cell therapy ongoing projects, patients support programs and multichannel partnerships;
- Ensured any protocol deviations were escalated in a timely manner and highlighting any non-compliance, performing quality checks to identify trends;
Education
Certificate - Drug Regulatory Affairs
Regulatory Affair Professional Society
09.2014
PhD - Regenerative and Molecular Medicine
Center for Regenerative Medicine “S.Ferrari”
Modena12.2012
Master Science degree - Molecular and Cellular Biology
Alma mater Studiorum, University of Bologna
Bologna12.2008
Bachelor Science degree - Biological Science
Alma mater Studiorum, University of Bologna
Bologna12.2006
Skills
- Strategic planning
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Operations management
- Cross-functional team coordination
- Troubleshooting and problem resolution
- Data-driven decision making
- Documentation and reporting
- Operations planning
- Cross-functional communication
- Organizational improvement
- Resource allocation
- Partnership development
- Budget administration
- Reporting oversight
- Sales channel analytics
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Team leadership
- Problem-solving
- Team development
- Work Planning and Prioritization
- Negotiation and conflict resolution
- Multitasking
- Customer relationship management
- Business analysis and reporting
- Computer skills
- Team building
- Scheduling and coordinating
- Business planning
- Goal setting
- Task delegation
- Negotiation
- Staff training
- Staff development
- Good judgment
- Revenue forecasting
- Attention to detail
- Lead generation
- Time management
- Talent development
- Corporate communications
- Influencing and negotiating
- Project planning
Accomplishments
Promoted as Team leader in the UK , development of Cell therapy program commercially approval , digital platform for HCP education
Languages
English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Italian
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Publications
- Pellegrini G, Rama P, Di Rocco A, Panaras A, De Luca M. Hurdles in a successful example of limbal stem cell-based regenerative medicine. Stem Cells. 2013 Aug 27.
- Pellegrini G, Rama P, Matuska S, Lambiase A, Bonini S, Pocobelli A, Colabelli RG, Spadea L, Fasciani R, Balestrazzi E, Vinciguerra P, Rosetta P, Tortori A,Nardi M, Gabriellini G, Traverso CE, Macaluso C, Losi L, Percesepe A, Venturi B, Corradini F, Panaras A, Di Rocco A, Guatelli P, De Luca M. Biological parameters determining the clinical outcome of autologous cultures of limbal stem cells. Regen Med. 2013 Jun 3
Training
cGMP guidelines for the use of stem cells in clinical trial; Schiff & Company, Inc. 2014
Index of Abbreviations when not included in the main text
- AE Adverse Events
- ATMPs Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products
- CoC Chain of Custody
- CoI Chain of Identity
- EMA European Medicines Agency
- GMA Global Medical Affairs
- GxP Good Practice guidelines
- HCP Health Care Providers
- HEOR Health Economics and Outcomes Research
- IIT Investigator Initiated Trial
- IST Investigator Sponsored Trial
- IMPD Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier
- IND Investigational New Drug application
- IPC In-process control
- KOL Key Opinion Leader
- LSCD Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency
- MAA Marketing Authorization Application
- MSA Master Service Agreement
- MB Miltenyi Biotech
- PD Process development
- PAT Process Analytical tests
- QC Quality control
- SHs Stakeholders
- SOP Standard Operating Procedures
- TEP Tissue engineering product
- VoC Voice of customer
- VoP Voice of process
Timeline
WW Cell therapy Franchise and Operations, Special Project Manager (Ad interim role)
Bristol Myers Squibb
12.2022 - 11.2023
Senior Manager, CAR T Centers Network Manager
Bristol Myers Squibb
01.2021 - Current
Cell Therapy Applications Manager, Immunotherapy and Onco-Hematology
MiltenyiBiotec LTD
12.2018 - 12.2020
Cell Therapy Application Specialist, Onco-Hematology and Immunology
MiltenyiBiotec LTD
05.2017 - 11.2018
Senior Scientist- ATMP Pulmonary/Respiratory
Videregen Limited LTD
01.2016 - 04.2017
Harvard University Research Fellow, Cell therapy based product in Cardiology setting
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
04.2013 - 12.2015
PhD - Regenerative and Molecular Medicine
Center for Regenerative Medicine “S.Ferrari”
Master Science degree - Molecular and Cellular Biology
Alma mater Studiorum, University of Bologna
Bachelor Science degree - Biological Science
Alma mater Studiorum, University of Bologna
Certificate - Drug Regulatory Affairs
Regulatory Affair Professional Society
Similar Profiles
Rosetta Dujat des Allimes RuizRosetta Dujat des Allimes Ruiz
Senior Clinical Site Monitor, at Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanySenior Clinical Site Monitor, at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Alyssa AliceaAlyssa Alicea
Quality Control Incoming Materials Associate at Bristol Myers SquibbQuality Control Incoming Materials Associate at Bristol Myers Squibb
Sujit GaddampallySujit Gaddampally
Manager - II - Regulatory Portfolio Manager at Bristol Myers SquibbManager - II - Regulatory Portfolio Manager at Bristol Myers Squibb
Adanna LynchAdanna Lynch
Bioprocess Associate at Bristol Myers SquibbBioprocess Associate at Bristol Myers Squibb
Çağla GerşilÇağla Gerşil
Lean Production Specialist at MOTOVARIO S.p.A.Lean Production Specialist at MOTOVARIO S.p.A.