Next-generation leadership
We value partnership, collaboration, and the power of science to create something bigger than ourselves.
Imunon is led by an experienced, innovative, and capital-savvy management team with a track record of bringing products to market at global brands like Lilly, Biogen, Science 37, Valentis, Genemedicine, Novamax and more.
Stacy R. Lindborg, Ph.D.
President, Chief Executive Officer & Board Director
Stacy R. Lindborg, PhD, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Imunon in May 2024. Dr. Lindborg has served on Imunon’s Board of Directors since June 2021. Dr. Lindborg has nearly 30 years of pharmaceutical and biotech industry experience with a particular focus on R&D, regulatory affairs, executive management and strategy development. She has designed, hired and led global teams, guiding long-term vision for growth through analytics and stimulating innovative development platforms to increase productivity. Prior to joining Imunon, Dr. Lindborg was Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Executive Officer at BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics where she will remain a member of the company’s Board of Directors. At BrainStorm she was accountable for creating and executing clinical development strategies through registration and launch and progressed its novel cell therapy for ALS through a positive Phase 3 Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) study with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She interacted frequently with investors and analysts, represented the company in the scientific community as well as with the media, and played an active role in discussions with potential business partners.
Dr. Lindborg previously was Vice President & Global Analytics and Data Sciences Head, responsible for R&D and marketed products at Biogen. She began her biopharmaceutical career at Eli Lilly and Company where over the course of 16 years she assumed positions of increasing responsibility, including Head of R&D strategy.
Dr. Lindborg received an M.A. and Ph.D. in statistics, and a B.A. in psychology and math from Baylor University. She has authored more than 200 presentations and 90 manuscripts that have been published in peer-reviewed journals, including 20 first-authored. She has held numerous positions within the International Biometric Society and American Statistical Association and was elected Fellow in 2008.
Douglas V. Faller, MD, PhD
chief medical officer
Dr. Faller, an internationally recognized oncologist/hematologist and scientist, has nearly 30 years of pharmaceutical and biotech industry experience with a particular focus on clinical R&D, discovery, regulatory affairs, and strategy development. He has worked with small molecules, gene therapies, biologics and cell therapies to address a range of malignant and non-malignant diseases and disorders, including rare and genetic diseases, and neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. He has extensive experience in early-stage development as well as global late-stage development and world-wide marketing approvals. He has taken molecules (including those discovered in his own academic laboratories) from first-in-human studies in the clinic, through registrational trials, international regulatory approvals and commercial launch. Prior to his position with the Company, Dr. Faller served as Chief Medical Officer of Skyhawk Therapeutics beginning in 2024, where he led the development of splicing modulators for the treatment of oncological and neurological disorders. From 2022 through 2024, he served as Chief Medical Officer of Oryzon Genomics, leading the development of epigenetic-modifying small molecules in oncology and neuropsychiatric disorders, and prior to that role, from 2015 through 2022, Dr. Faller was Executive Medical Director at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, where he led multiple programs in hematologic oncology, solid tumor malignancies and rare diseases, from first-in-human to global registrational trials and post-marketing trials. He was also extensively involved in Business Development for oncology, hematology and rare diseases. Dr. Faller was the scientific founder and CMO/CSO of Viracta Therapeutics, which he joined in 2019 and remained through 2021, after it became publicly traded and launched a pivotal trial of his therapeutic. Dr. Faller is the scientific founder or co-founder of four biopharma companies. Prior to working full-time in the biopharmaceutical industry, Dr. Faller was a professor at Harvard Medical School, and an attending physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He founded and directed the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Boston University, where he also served as the first Grunebaum Professor for Cancer Research, Vice-Chairman of the Department of Medicine, and Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry, Pediatrics, Microbiology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Faller received a B.S. in biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an MD from Harvard Medical School, and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in cancer molecular biology. He has authored more than 300 abstracts, 230 presentations and 375 manuscripts that have been published in peer-reviewed journals. He is certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Josh Blacher
interim chief financial officer
Mr. Blacher currently serves as Interim Chief Financial Officer of Imunon, Inc. He has been an employee of Danforth Advisors since September 2022, where he has served as interim chief financial officer in a consulting capacity for numerous public life sciences companies. Prior to joining Danforth Advisors, Mr. Blacher served as Chief Business Officer at InMed Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: INM) from April 2018 to August 2019, as Chief Financial Officer of Therapix Biosciences (Nasdaq: TRPX) from April 2017 to April 2018, and as Chief Financial Officer at Galmed Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: GLMD) from October 2014 to March 2017. Earlier in his career, Mr. Blacher held senior positions at Teva Pharmaceuticals, Deutsche Asset Management, and Morgan Stanley. Mr. Blacher holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yeshiva University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Columbia Business School.
Stephen G. Machatha, Ph.D.
senior vice president, technical operations
Stephen G. Machatha, Ph.D., serves as Senior Vice President, Technical Operations and Site Head, Huntsville, at IMUNON. Dr. Machatha brings more than 20 years of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry experience spanning technical operations, CMC, manufacturing, product development, quality, regulatory affairs, and commercial supply.
Prior to joining IMUNON, Dr. Machatha served as Chief Development Officer at Aldeyra Therapeutics, where he led CMC operations, translational science, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and clinical operations. Earlier in his career, he held leadership and technical positions at Synageva Biopharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Alexion Pharmaceuticals; Cubist Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Merck; and CyDex Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Ligand Pharmaceuticals.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Machatha has contributed to the development and regulatory approval of multiple pharmaceutical and biologic products, including KANUMA® (sebelipase alfa), NEXTERONE® (amiodarone HCl), EVOMELA® (melphalan), and SESQUIENT® (fosphenytoin sodium). His experience spans the advancement of complex products from development and scale-up through regulatory approval, manufacturing, and commercialization.
Dr. Machatha earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, an M.A. in Chemistry, and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Arizona.
Kristin Longobardi, MBA
Senior Vice President, strategic operations
Kristin Longobardi was appointed Sr. Vice President, Strategic Operations for Imunon in October of 2024. She comes to Imunon with over 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotech experience driving process optimization and efficiency, portfolio management, financial planning and analytics, and operational strategy development. Prior to Imunon, Ms. Longobardi held a variety of leadership positions at Biogen for over 20 years, most recently, Vice President, Quality Operations and Performance responsible for driving global R&D quality and compliance, operational productivity, alliance management, and executional efficiencies. Prior to that, she was a Sr. Director of Business and Financial Operations first for Biogen Clinical Operations and then for all of R&D, spanning from 2009 to 2016. Before then, she was in Corporate Finance at Biogen. Ms. Longobardi began her career as a scientist at Genome Therapeutics working on DNA sequencing and analysis for the Human Genome Project and other microbial pathogens for drug development and diagnostics. Ms. Longobardi received a Bachelor of Science from Bucknell University and an MBA from Babson College.
Michael H. Tardugno
Executive Chairman and Director since July 2022
Michael H. Tardugno’s career has been focused exclusively in healthcare, with 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Mr. Tardugno was appointed Executive Chairman of Imunon, Inc. Board of Directors on July 19, 2022. Mr. Tardugno served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Imunon from January 3, 2007 to July 18, 2022. He was elected to the Board of Directors on January 22, 2007. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Tardugno served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mylan Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Mylan Laboratories, a transdermal drug company. He was a founding member of management of Songbird Hearing, Inc., a privately held startup, and held the positions of Senior Vice President of Technical Operations at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Senior Vice President of Technology Development and Manufacturing for Bausch & Lomb. Mr. Tardugno began his career in 1977 with Abbott Laboratories, where he held positions in pharmaceutical operations. Mr. Tardugno holds a BS in Biology from St. Bonaventure University and completed the Harvard Business School executive program.
Frederick J. Fritz
Director since July 2011
Frederick J. Fritz was appointed to the Board of Directors in July 2011. He is the CEO and Founder of NeuroDx, a development-stage diagnostic device company focused on the neurosurgery market. Mr. Fritz joined NeuroDx from Valeo Medical, a biotech company he founded in 2003, to develop the world’s first noninvasive diagnostic test for endometriosis. Prior to that, Mr. Fritz was President and CEO of Songbird Hearing, a medical device company spin-off of Sarnoff Corp. Mr. Fritz began his career in marketing management and new product development. He joined Schering Plough’s Wesley Jessen in 1985 as Vice President, Marketing and Sales. He was promoted to general manager of Schering’s OTC pharmaceutical business in 1988 and of the podiatric products business in 1990. Additionally, Mr. Fritz was President of Coleman North America from 1995-1997. He holds an Engineering degree from the University of Illinois, from which he was graduated Summa Cum Laude, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Donald Braun, Ph.D.
Director since December 2015
Donald Braun, PhD, joined Imunon in 2015 and brings over 30 years of research expertise in oncology, with a focus on immunotherapy and effectiveness and impact of chemotherapy protocols on various cancers and tumor types. Prior to his retirement in 2016 Dr. Braun served as Vice President Translational Research and Chief Science Officer at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Prior to the CTCA, he was the Scientific Director of the Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine and Immunology at Rush Medical College in Chicago, and the Administrative Director of the Cancer Institute and a Professor of Surgery with tenure at the Medical College of Ohio. Dr. Braun has been appointed to and served on more then a dozen federal government and public advisory committees on oncology and immunology. He received his PhD in Immunology and Microbiology from the University of Illinois at the Medical Center in Chicago.
Christine Pellizzari, JD
Director since June 2021
Christine Pellizzari, JD, was appointed to the Board of Directors in June 2021. Ms. Pellizzari most recently served as Chief Legal and Human Resource Officer of Science 37 (formerly Nasdaq: SNCE), a developer of leading decentralized clinical trial solutions, where she had global responsibility for both the legal and human resource functions and also oversaw quality and privacy. Ms. Pellizzari brings more than 20 years of leadership in the global pharmaceutical industry to Imunon. Immediately prior to joining Science 37, Ms. Pellizzari was Chief Legal Officer of Insmed Incorporated (Nasdaq: INSM), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with serious and rare diseases from 2013 to 2021. At Insmed Ms. Pellizzari had global responsibility for legal and government affairs including corporate governance, regulatory compliance, contracting, alliance management, clinical trial oversight, labor and employment, litigation management and intellectual property strategy and portfolio management. Prior to that, Ms. Pellizzari served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals (formerly Nasdaq: AEGR) from 2007 to 2012 and as Associate Counsel and then General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Dendrite International (formerly Nasdaq: DRTE) from 1998 to 2007. From 1996 to 1998, Ms. Pellizzari practiced law at Wilentz, Goldman and Spitzer in their corporate and healthcare group and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Reginald Stanton, Superior Court of New Jersey from 1994 to 1995. Ms. Pellizzari received a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts.
James E. Dentzer
Director since October 2022
Mr. Dentzer has been President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Curis, Inc. since September 2018. From March 2018 to September 2018, Mr. Dentzer served as Curis’ Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. From March 2016 to March 2018, Mr. Dentzer served as Curis’ Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Dentzer has also held the positions of secretary and treasurer from March 2016 to March 2019. Prior to joining Curis, Mr. Dentzer served as Chief Financial Officer of Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company, from December 2013 to December 2015. Prior to that, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Valeritas, Inc., a medical technology company, from March 2010 to December 2013. Prior to joining Valeritas, Inc., he was the Chief Financial Officer of Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. a biotechnology company, from October 2006 to October 2009. In prior positions, he spent six years as Corporate Controller of Biogen Inc., a biotechnology company, and six years in various senior financial roles at E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, a chemical, petroleum and biotechnology company, in the U.S. and Asia.
Jeffrey W. Church
interim Chief Financial Officer
Jeffrey W. Church joined Imunon in July 2010 as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Church was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Imunon in July 2013. The appointment marked Mr. Church’s resumption of the role of Chief Financial Officer, a position he held prior to his promotion to Senior Vice President in July 2011, while also granting him responsibility for corporate investor relations. In 2018, Mr. Church was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary and where he served in this capacity until his retirement in June 2024. In January 2026, Mr. Church was appointed interim Chief Financial Officer. He has over 30 years of experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, and SEC reporting. Prior to joining Imunon, Mr. Church held senior financial executive positions with several private and public clinical-stage life science companies, including Alba Therapeutics Corporation, Novavax, Inc., GenVec, Inc., and Meridian Medical Technologies, Inc. Mr. Church started his career in 1979 with the public accounting firm Price Waterhouse. Mr. Church holds a BS degree from the University of Maryland and received his Maryland Certified Public Accountant accreditation in 1979.
Khursheed Anwer, PhD, MBA
Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer
Khursheed Anwer, PhD, MBA, assumed the title of Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, upon Imunon’s June 2014 acquisition of EGEN, Inc., where he was President and Chief Science Officer, a position he held since 2009. He joined EGEN, Inc. in July, 2002, as Vice President of Research and Development, and directed the company’s clinical and research and development functions throughout his tenure at EGEN, Inc. Dr. Anwer has a PhD in Physiology/Pharmacology from Ohio University and received postdoctoral training from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Before joining EGEN, Inc., Dr. Anwer was Director of Pre-Clinical Development at Valentis, Inc. From 1993 to 1999, he served in several positions at GeneMedicine, Inc., where he led several research projects in the area of nonviral gene therapy. He has authored more than 40 publications in the area of nonviral gene therapy, resulting from his active career in research and development. Dr. Anwer has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Biology Department at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and a board member of the University of Alabama Business School, STEP.
Sebastien Hazard, M.D.
Executive vice president & chief Medical officer
Dr. Sebastien Hazard, M.D. was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Imunon in December 2023. Prior to joining Imunon, Dr. Hazard served as Senior Vice President, Head of Clinical Development at Bicycle Therapeutics plc from April 2021 through September 2023. Prior to joining Bicycle Therapeutics, Dr. Hazard served as Clinical Development Lead at GSK from June 2019 to April 2021. He also served as Senior Medical Director of Clinical Development from July 2018 to May 2019, and Senior Medical Director of Global Medical Affairs from August 2016 to July 2018 at TESARO, Inc. Dr. Hazard held various positions within Genentech including Medical Director in Lung Cancer of US Medical Affairs from November 2012 to July 2016. Earlier in his career Dr. Hazard served as an advisor to the head of the French Drug Agency and to the French Health Minister’s cabinet. Dr. Hazard holds a Doctorate in Medicine, Internal Medicine and Public Health from Paris VI Pitie Salpetriere an Executive MBA from INSEAD and Master’s degree in epidemiology and statistics applied to clinical research from Paris VI University.
