Napoleone Ferrara

Napoleone Ferrara was involved in the isolation and cloning of VEGF and demonstrated its role in angiogenesis. His work helped lead to the development and initial approval of bevacizumab for use in colorectal cancer. He was also involved in the clinical development of ranibizumab as a potential therapy for wet AMD. Today, his lab investigates non-VEGF-related angiogenesis mechanisms which may lead to therapies effective in anti-VEGF non-responders, in particular the role of the microenvironment and of factors produced by immune cells and fibroblasts in resistance to VEGF inhibitors.