Dr. Teresa Nunes is on a relentless pursuit to help the biopharma industry bring groundbreaking medicines to light for patients in need around the world. As Chief Medical Officer at Allucent—a global provider of drug development solutions focused on the distinct needs of small to mid-sized biotech companies—Dr. Nunes is in a unique position to help the industry foresee and overcome some of today’s most pressing drug development challenges, in order to drive healthcare into a brighter future.
With over two decades of extensive clinical and industry experience, her expertise has been instrumental in designing and executing numerous clinical development programs that have led to successful market approvals in both Europe and the United States, including life-changing therapies for adults and children alike.
Having been involved in over 100 Phase I to IV clinical trials, Dr. Nunes has collaborated with sites worldwide, spanning North and South America, Europe, South Africa, and Asia. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and meticulous approach to patient recruitment and data quality have been crucial in accelerating the pathway to market for many therapies.
Equally important as her many professional accolades, which also include over 45 peer-reviewed articles and more than 100 scientific abstracts. Dr. Nunes brings a deep passion for helping people by addressing unmet medical needs. With a particular focus on neuroscience and rare disorders, she is driven by a mission to deliver high-quality, safe, and effective new therapies to transform the lives of patients worldwide.
Dr. Nunes’ impressive career and contributions to medical innovations warrants a closer look at the passion, perseverance, and pursuit of excellence that have defined her journey.
How Dr. Nunes Found Her Calling in Drug Development
Dr. Nunes’ journey into the field of drug development began long before her tenure at Allucent. Born to parents who were both deeply involved in healthcare, her fascination with medicine was nurtured from a young age. This early exposure led her to pursue a career in medicine, with an initial focus on patient care. However, as she advanced in her studies and career, she realized that her true passion lay in the broader impact she could have through drug development.
Reflecting on this pivotal shift, Dr. Nunes shared, “I started to see that there was another side to medicine where I could positively impact peoples’ lives beyond patients in one clinical practice – that’s what drew me to drug development, and it’s what continues to motivate me to this day.”
Her academic journey includes earning degrees including her MD, MSc, and MBA, which provided her with a robust foundation in medical science and business management. This combination of training and skills uniquely positioned her to explore the complex field of pharmaceutical development.
Her early career was marked by significant roles in clinical development, where she gained hands-on experience in managing clinical trials and navigating regulatory requirements. Dr. Nunes’ time in a previous Clinical Research Organization (CRO) exposed her to the complexities of the drug development process and the critical role of rigorous clinical research.
A Vision for Tailored Support
Dr. Nunes joined Allucent almost three years ago, attracted by the company’s unique vision to support the drug development needs of small and mid-sized biotech companies. The company was purpose-built for this mission, offering end-to-end drug development solutions, a bench of deep expertise, and a nimble partnership approach.
“When I first spoke to our former CEO and current chairman, Dr. Mark Goldberg, about the prospect of joining Allucent, I was impressed by his unique vision and drawn by the opportunity to help shape a company where I felt I could have the greatest impact,” she explains. “I wanted to be in an environment where I could be part of an A-Team of experts and work directly with our clients in the most meaningful way. At Allucent, our clients are working across cutting-edge therapeutic categories and modalities. Still, some have very small in-house teams and need specialized support in navigating the various stages of development. As a global CMO, I’m able to provide a holistic view and connect our partners with the right experts across our network to meet their needs. And I get to leverage my own expertise in complex therapeutic areas to help solve their challenges.”
A Day in the Life of a Chief Medical Officer
As CMO, Dr. Nunes oversees Allucent’s global medical and pharmacovigilance teams. Her responsibilities include guiding clinical development plans, ensuring regulatory compliance, and supporting clients with medical monitoring and pharmacovigilance support throughout the drug development lifecycle. She highlights the importance of her team’s diverse expertise, noting, “My team brings deep experience across numerous therapeutic areas and has a profound understanding of both local regulations and global market trends. This enables us to support a wide range of projects, from early-stage clinical trials to post-marketing both from a medical and a pharmacovigilance perspective.”
A typical day for Dr. Nunes involves a mix of strategic planning, team coordination, and direct client interaction. She starts her mornings by reviewing ongoing projects and checking in with her teams to ensure everything is on track. This is followed by meetings with clients to discuss their needs and how she can best support their projects.
Throughout all that she does, Dr. Nunes’ is laser-focused on what brought her to this field in the first place: helping patients. Recounting one example of why having the right clinical development partner is crucial to achieving this goal — particularly for smaller biotech companies — she explained, “In one instance, we had a client with an innovative treatment for a rare neurological condition but no experience in clinical trials. We stepped in, developed a comprehensive clinical development plan tailored to their unique needs, and guided them through every stage of the process. Today, that therapy is in clinical stage of development, bringing hope to patients who previously had none.”
Leading with Innovation and Technology
Allucent employs progressive technology to streamline clinical trials and enhance drug development processes. By integrating advanced data analytics and digital tools, the company helps its clients conduct more efficient and effective clinical studies.
“By leveraging our deep expertise coupled with cutting-edge technologies, we have an opportunity not only to help our clients succeed in ways that are more time- and cost-effective than ever before, but also to help drive the industry’s evolution as a whole,” Dr. Nunes explains. A prime example of this innovation is the use of decentralized clinical trials (DCTs). DCTs utilize digital health technologies to collect data from patients in their own homes, reducing the need for in-person visits and making participation in clinical trials more convenient. She elaborates on the impact of this approach, “Decentralized trials are a game-changer, especially for rare disease studies where patients might be spread across wide geographic areas. By bringing the trial to the patient, we’re able to gather robust data while making it easier for patients to participate. DCTs make it easier to recruit and retain patients, increase diversity and inclusion, and hold immense potential to aid in the development of more and better treatments for the rare disease community and others.”
Allucent’s recent achievement in receiving a BARDA-funded Project NextGen award to support a COVID-19 vaccine decentralized clinical trial is a prime example of how the company is at the forefront of innovative research. Reflecting on this milestone, Dr. Nunes notes, “Receiving the BARDA award was a significant milestone for us. It underscores our expertise and belief in the power of DCTs, as well as our ability to handle high-stakes projects to deliver results that make a difference.”
Impact on the Healthcare Industry
Because small and mid-sized biotech firms are at the forefront of innovation, Allucent is helping them navigate the drug development journey by helping them play a critical role in the broader advancement of healthcare. This is particularly important for patients with rare or complex diseases, many of whom have limited or no treatment options.
This commitment to advancing healthcare through innovative partnerships is embodied in Allucent’s leadership and company culture. Dr. Nunes, whose guidance has fostered a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment, is the driving force behind this crucial work. Her team’s success in managing diverse and challenging projects reflects her ability to inspire her colleagues and help cultivate a mission-driven culture. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is seeing the tangible impact our work has on patients’ lives,” she shares. “Knowing that our efforts are helping to bring new treatments to market that will improve patient outcomes is incredibly fulfilling. It’s the driving force behind all that we do.”
She also emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with clients. “We see our clients as partners,” she explains. “Their success is our success, and our experts are 100% vested in working alongside them every step of the way.”
Advice for Aspiring Healthcare Professionals
Dr. Nunes is also very much vested in mentoring the next generation aspiring to make a difference in the healthcare industry. She encourages medical professionals to explore diverse career paths, underscoring that while clinical practice is hugely important and might be the best choice for some, there are an array of interesting roles to consider – such as medical affairs, regulatory affairs, and clinical development –that are critical to the field and have a profound impact on patients’ lives and the health and well-being of humanity as a whole.
She emphasizes continuous learning, industry awareness, and research experience to foster critical thinking and innovation in healthcare, recommending business acumen development and networking. She stresses the importance of practical experience, adaptability, and resilience, viewing success in healthcare as a commitment to lifelong learning and growth.
Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Dr. Nunes is highly enthusiastic about the future for Allucent, the small and mid-sized biotech companies it serves, and where the industry is heading as a whole.
“Innovation and a deep understanding of the scientific and regulatory landscape are key to success,” she asserts. “We are committed to helping our clients navigate the complexities of drug development in order to realize the potential of their innovations and bring life-changing therapies to patients worldwide.”
One of the future initiatives she is excited about involves leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical trials. AI can quickly analyze vast amounts of data, identifying patterns and predicting outcomes more accurately than traditional methods. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way clinical trials are conducted, making them faster, cheaper, and more reliable. “AI is set to transform our industry,” she predicts. “From patient recruitment to data analysis, its applications are endless. At Allucent, we’re exploring ways to integrate AI into our processes to provide even greater value to our clients.”
“Every day, we’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” she concludes. “And in doing so, we’re not just advancing science—we’re changing lives.”
