Management

Dr. Fruchtman joined Onconova in January 2015 as Chief Medical Officer.  He was promoted to President in July 2018 and to CEO in January 2019.  He has extensive experience in large and small biopharmaceutical companies and has led successful clinical development programs while serving in senior positions at Ortho Biotech Products, Novartis, Allos Therapeutics, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and Syndax Pharmaceuticals.

Previously, Dr. Fruchtman was on the faculty of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Director of the Stem Cell Transplantation and Myeloproliferative Disorder Programs at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He is an author of more than 170 lectures, presentations, books, chapters, and abstracts and serves as an external reviewer for multiple medical journals.

Dr. Fruchtman received his medical degree from New York Medical College with the distinction of membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha honorary medical fraternity.

Mr. Guerin joined Onconova Therapeutics in September 2013 to augment the financial reporting, forecasting, and internal controls capabilities of the company following the IPO in July 2013.  Prior to joining Onconova, Mr. Guerin worked as an interim senior finance & accounting executive facilitating the post-acquisition integration activities of newly-acquired private equity portfolio companies.  Previously, Mr. Guerin was the VP Finance & CFO of Cardiokine, Inc. through that company’s filing of a New Drug Application and the sale of the company.  Prior to joining Cardiokine, Mr. Guerin was Director, Financial Reporting & Internal Controls at Barrier Therapeutics, Inc. during Barrier’s IPO and follow-on offering.  Mr. Guerin started his career at Coopers & Lybrand in Philadelphia.  He received his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from DeSales University and has earned the CPA, CMA, and CFM professional certifications.

Richard “Ric” Woodman, M.D., joined Onconova as Chief Medical Officer in November 2018. Prior to joining Onconova, Dr. Woodman served as Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Clinical Development and Medical Affairs (USCDMA) which is responsible for all phase IB-IV oncology/hematology clinical programs. Ric provided strategic medical and scientific leadership for both marketed and development-stage compounds.

Previously, Ric served as Franchise Head for Hematology in Global Medical Affairs at Novartis Oncology. His responsibilities included global oversight of non-registration clinical programs and studies for Tasigna(r), Glivec(r), Odomzo(r), Panobinostat(r), Midostaurin(r) and CTL019. Before joining Novartis Oncology, Dr. Woodman was Senior Medical Director with Johnson & Johnson leading the Oncology franchise at Ortho Biotech Products, LP, where he supervised both investigator- and company-sponsored oncology and hematology studies for Procrit(r) in the U.S.

Dr. Woodman joined the faculty of the University of Calgary in Canada in 1990 and held appointments as Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Oncology and was a full member in the Immunology Research Group. He served as Acting Head for the Division of Hematology and Hematological Malignancies for the University of Calgary and Calgary Health Region, and acted as a consultant in adult and pediatric hematology at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Tom Baker Cancer Center, Foothills Medical Center, and Calgary Laboratory Services.

Dr. Woodman completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Scripps Clinic and Research Institute in the Department of Experimental Medicine, and has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of hematology and immunology. He received his medical degree from the University of Calgary in June 1981.

Dr. Maniar received his B.S. in Pharmacy from Bombay College of Pharmacy and his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of Connecticut. He has led the development and commercialization of several pharmaceutical products and medical devices during his career. Prior to joining Onconova, Dr. Maniar was with SRI International, where he served as Senior Director, Formulations and Drug Delivery. He has authored more than 100 patents, publications, and presentations in the field of pharmaceutical sciences.

Mr. Avi Oler joined Onconova’s Management Team in December 2018 as Vice President, Corporate Development and General Counsel.  Mr. Oler is primarily responsible for business development, investor relations, and legal affairs of the Company.

Mr. Oler served most recently as Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff to the CEO of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.  During his tenure, he was instrumental in the company’s progress and productive licensing activities.  He served in varied roles of increasing responsibility, as a member of the executive management team, the corporate development team, and as Head of Alliances and Legal Affairs.  Due to a series of successful accomplishments, he was named Chief of Staff. 

Previously, Mr. Oler practiced corporate law at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.  Prior to this, he was a financial research analyst at the Center for Financial Research & Analysis, and an investment banker with Lehman Brothers in London.

Mr. Oler holds a JD from Northwestern University School of law with Distinction, an MBA from Kellogg School of Management with Distinction, and a Master of Science in Politics of the World Economy from the London School of Economics.  He earned his undergraduate degrees, magna cum laude, from the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania.