Revolutionizing early-stage prostate cancer care
Alessa Therapeutics is developing a proprietary drug-delivery platform for sustained and localized release of clinically proven therapies to effectively treat early-stage prostate cancer
The Most Common Male Cancer
Each year, over a million men worldwide are diagnosed with localized prostate cancer with limited treatment options.
Alessa’s Focus
There is an immediate need for a therapy that has fewer side effects for those men who are not well served with active surveillance for their high risk of progression.
Team
Alessa Therapeutics was founded by Dr. Pamela Munster and her team at the UCSF Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, with a shared mission to create innovative advancements in oncology and the treatment of solid organ diseases.
Mr. Gallagher has over 33 years of experience as a biotech executive and serial entrepreneur. He was previously Co-Founder, President & Board Member at Zentalis Pharmaceuticals. He also co-founded Zavante and Ray Therapeutics. He currently serves as board member of Opus Genetics (Chair), Crosslink Therapeutics (Chair) and SelectION. He previously served on the boards of VelosBio (acquired by Merck), Retrosense Therapeutics (acquired by Allergan), Ray Therapeutics and Immusoft.
Pamela Munster, MD
Founder, Director & Chief Scientific Advisor
Dr Munster is the Founder, Chief Scientific Advisor and a Director of Alessa. She is a NCI-funded physician-scientist and practicing oncologist with 30 years of experience in early drug development and translating research discoveries into clinical testing. As the director of the Phase I program at UCSF and program leader for Molecular Oncology and Hereditary Cancer she has been the Principle Investigator of over 400 clinical trials. She is extensively published and serves as a scientific advisor to multiple pharmaceutical companies including ArtBio, Immunoscape, Kumquat, Caris, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, JNJ, Merck and others.
Dr. Collins leads business development and strategic planning at Alessa. At Mission BioCapital, Zach has managed over a dozen investments and served in several interim executive roles across therapeutic areas. Prominent investments Zach led or supported include SiteOne Therapeutics (acquired by Eli Lilly), Vedere Bio (acquired by Novartis), and Nuvig Therapeutics.
Dr. Rairkar has over 22 years of experience leading drug–device combination development from concept to regulatory approval. She has held senior CMC roles at Antiva Biosciences, Chrono Therapeutics, Incline Therapeutics (acquired by The Medicines Company), Alza (a Johnson & Johnson company), and Discovery Laboratories, driving innovation and operational excellence across every stage of development.
Bonnie Wettersten has over 20 years of experience offering strategic direction and coordination of global clinical operations in oncology. Prior to joining the Alessa Team, Bonnie was the Global Clinical Operations Head at OSIPharmaceuticals (acquired by Astellas Pharmaceuticals), GlaxoSmithKline (Therapy Area Head), and Aventis Pharma (acquired by Sanofi).
Mr. Gallagher has over 33 years of experience as a biotech executive and serial entrepreneur. He was previously Co-Founder, President & Board Member at Zentalis Pharmaceuticals. He also co-founded Zavante and Ray Therapeutics. He currently serves as board member of Opus Genetics (Chair), Crosslink Therapeutics (Chair) and SelectION. He previously served on the boards of VelosBio (acquired by Merck), Retrosense Therapeutics (acquired by Allergan), Ray Therapeutics and Immusoft.
Pamela Munster, MD
Founder, Director & Chief Scientific Advisor
Dr Munster is the Founder, Chief Scientific Advisor and a Director of Alessa. She is a NCI-funded physician-scientist and practicing oncologist with 30 years of experience in early drug development and translating research discoveries into clinical testing. As the director of the Phase I program at UCSF and program leader for Molecular Oncology and Hereditary Cancer she has been the Principle Investigator of over 400 clinical trials. She is extensively published and serves as a scientific advisor to multiple pharmaceutical companies including ArtBio, Immunoscape, Kumquat, Caris, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, JNJ, Merck and others.
Dr. Peter Carroll
Co-Chairperson
Dr. Carroll is a Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), which is consistently ranked as one of the top urology departments in the country and as one of the leading recipients of National Institutes of Health funding for urology. He holds the Ken and Donna Derr-Chevron Distinguished Professorships in Urology.
An author or co-author of more than 700 publications, Dr. Carroll is currently the principal investigator or co-investigator for numerous scientific studies. Dr. Carroll has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions during his career, including the Eugen Fuller Triennial Prostate Award and the SUO Medal from the American Urological Association and the Society of Urologic Oncology, respectively. He has also a past awardee of the coveted Barringer Medal from the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons, the Société Internationale d’Urologie SIU Mostafa M. Elhilali Award, the Ramon Guiteras Award from the American Urology Association, the Exceptional Physician Award from UCSF and the Huggins Award from the Society of Urologic Oncology.
“Clinical research to date provides powerful evidence of Enolen’s potential as a treatment alternative for patients suffering from early-stage prostate cancer and one capable of avoiding the negative side effects of many current therapies,” said Dr. Carroll. “This is an exciting moment in Alessa’s evolution, and I look forward to the opportunity to help support the development of a clinical candidate that could help fill a persistent and glaring void in the prostate cancer treatment landscape.”
Dr. Neal Shore
Co-Chairperson
Dr. Shore is the Medical Director of The Carolina Urologic Research Center. He has conducted more than 400 clinical trials with a particular focus on genitourinary oncology indications and is an internationally recognized expert and researcher in systemic therapies for patients with advanced urologic cancers, such as prostate, kidney and bladder cancers.
Dr. Shore serves on the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Guidelines Committee for Bladder Cancer as well as the boards of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network and the Duke Global Health Institute. He is the Chair of both the Prostate Cancer Academy and the Bladder/Kidney Cancer Academy and the Co-Chair of the annual AUA International Prostate Forum. Dr. Shore also served/serves on the editorial boards of Reviews in Urology, Urology Times, Chemotherapy Advisor, OncLive, PLOS ONE, Urology Practice, JUOP and World Journal of Urology. He is also an Editor of both Reviews in Urology and Everyday Urology-Oncology and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
“The recent clinical demonstration of Enolen’s ability to safely and locally deliver enzalutamide to the prostate via sustained drug eluting implants was a groundbreaking achievement,” said Dr. Shore. “I look forward to working with Alessa’s talented and dedicated team to build upon this and its many other successes to date and to help bring a new and desperately needed prostate cancer treatment option to patients.”
Mr. Gallagher has over 33 years of experience as a biotech executive and serial entrepreneur. He was previously Co-Founder, President & Board Member at Zentalis Pharmaceuticals. He also co-founded Zavante and Ray Therapeutics. He currently serves as board member of Opus Genetics (Chair), Crosslink Therapeutics (Chair) and SelectION. He previously served on the boards of VelosBio (acquired by Merck), Retrosense Therapeutics (acquired by Allergan), Ray Therapeutics and Immusoft.
Pamela Munster, MD
Founder, Director & Chief Scientific Advisor
Dr Munster is the Founder, Chief Scientific Advisor and a Director of Alessa. She is a NCI-funded physician-scientist and practicing oncologist with 30 years of experience in early drug development and translating research discoveries into clinical testing. As the director of the Phase I program at UCSF and program leader for Molecular Oncology and Hereditary Cancer she has been the Principle Investigator of over 400 clinical trials. She is extensively published and serves as a scientific advisor to multiple pharmaceutical companies including ArtBio, Immunoscape, Kumquat, Caris, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, JNJ, Merck and others.
Dr. Collins leads business development and strategic planning at Alessa. At Mission BioCapital, Zach has managed over a dozen investments and served in several interim executive roles across therapeutic areas. Prominent investments Zach led or supported include SiteOne Therapeutics (acquired by Eli Lilly), Vedere Bio (acquired by Novartis), and Nuvig Therapeutics.
Dr. Rairkar has over 22 years of experience leading drug–device combination development from concept to regulatory approval. She has held senior CMC roles at Antiva Biosciences, Chrono Therapeutics, Incline Therapeutics (acquired by The Medicines Company), Alza (a Johnson & Johnson company), and Discovery Laboratories, driving innovation and operational excellence across every stage of development.
Bonnie Wettersten has over 20 years of experience offering strategic direction and coordination of global clinical operations in oncology. Prior to joining the Alessa Team, Bonnie was the Global Clinical Operations Head at OSIPharmaceuticals (acquired by Astellas Pharmaceuticals), GlaxoSmithKline (Therapy Area Head), and Aventis Pharma (acquired by Sanofi).
Dr. Peter Carroll
Co-Chairperson
Dr. Carroll is a Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), which is consistently ranked as one of the top urology departments in the country and as one of the leading recipients of National Institutes of Health funding for urology. He holds the Ken and Donna Derr-Chevron Distinguished Professorships in Urology.
An author or co-author of more than 700 publications, Dr. Carroll is currently the principal investigator or co-investigator for numerous scientific studies. Dr. Carroll has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions during his career, including the Eugen Fuller Triennial Prostate Award and the SUO Medal from the American Urological Association and the Society of Urologic Oncology, respectively. He has also a past awardee of the coveted Barringer Medal from the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons, the Société Internationale d’Urologie SIU Mostafa M. Elhilali Award, the Ramon Guiteras Award from the American Urology Association, the Exceptional Physician Award from UCSF and the Huggins Award from the Society of Urologic Oncology.
“Clinical research to date provides powerful evidence of Enolen’s potential as a treatment alternative for patients suffering from early-stage prostate cancer and one capable of avoiding the negative side effects of many current therapies,” said Dr. Carroll. “This is an exciting moment in Alessa’s evolution, and I look forward to the opportunity to help support the development of a clinical candidate that could help fill a persistent and glaring void in the prostate cancer treatment landscape.”
Dr. Neal Shore
Co-Chairperson
Dr. Shore is the Medical Director of The Carolina Urologic Research Center. He has conducted more than 400 clinical trials with a particular focus on genitourinary oncology indications and is an internationally recognized expert and researcher in systemic therapies for patients with advanced urologic cancers, such as prostate, kidney and bladder cancers.
Dr. Shore serves on the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Guidelines Committee for Bladder Cancer as well as the boards of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network and the Duke Global Health Institute. He is the Chair of both the Prostate Cancer Academy and the Bladder/Kidney Cancer Academy and the Co-Chair of the annual AUA International Prostate Forum. Dr. Shore also served/serves on the editorial boards of Reviews in Urology, Urology Times, Chemotherapy Advisor, OncLive, PLOS ONE, Urology Practice, JUOP and World Journal of Urology. He is also an Editor of both Reviews in Urology and Everyday Urology-Oncology and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
“The recent clinical demonstration of Enolen’s ability to safely and locally deliver enzalutamide to the prostate via sustained drug eluting implants was a groundbreaking achievement,” said Dr. Shore. “I look forward to working with Alessa’s talented and dedicated team to build upon this and its many other successes to date and to help bring a new and desperately needed prostate cancer treatment option to patients.”
Investors
Alessa Drug Delivery System Overview
- Local drug delivery – potentially eliminates chemical castration-like side effects common to many effective prostate cancer therapies
- <30-minute outpatient procedure using equipment for routine biopsy
- Continuous drug release for 2+ years
- High loading capacity of up to 80% drug in candidate formulations
- All individual components have long track records of human safety
News
- Press Releases
- May 29, 2026
Alessa Therapeutics Announces Enolen Phase 1 Study Presentation Receives “Best Poster” Award at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting
SAN CARLOS, CA – May 29, 2026 – Alessa Therapeutics (“Alessa”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing novel localized drug delivery technology for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer, today announced that its recent presentation of positive preliminary safety and efficacy data from its Phase 1 trial of Enolen® at the 2026 American Urological Association (AUA) […]
- Press Releases
- May 22, 2026
Alessa Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Peter Carroll and Dr. Neal Shore to Lead Clinical Advisory Board
Internationally Renowned Prostate Cancer Researchers to Support Continued Clinical Advancement of Enolen SAN CARLOS, CA – May 22, 2026 – Alessa Therapeutics (“Alessa”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing novel localized drug delivery technology for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer, today announced the formation of its Clinical Advisory Board (CAB), with esteemed prostate cancer researchers […]
