MÉLANIE MESTDAGT
Rue des Fougères 9B, 4052 Beaufays, Belgium · +32 479 602 792 · [email protected] Born: 01/02/1979 · One child
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Profile
Seasoned CEO in the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors with strong expertise in innovative product development, cross-functional team leadership, fundraising, and industrialization. Over 20 years of experience spanning from research to market authorization, with a proven track record in high-growth environments and strategic board-level leadership.
Professional Experience
• CEO – EyeD Pharma & UniD Manufacturing
Liège, Belgium · 07/2019 – Present
- Leading two organizations (97 FTE) focused on long-acting drug delivery implants.
- Raised €45M in equity and €25M in non dilutive financing; oversaw design and construction of new manufacturing facilities (€30M investment).
- Full oversight of R&D, regulatory and medical affairs, clinical trials, manufacturing and quality systems.
• CEO – EyeD Pharma
Liège, Belgium · 12/2016 – 07/2019
- Raised €25M in equity financing.
- Scaled company to 35 FTE.
- Managed all development stages through to market authorization.
• CEO – EyeD Pharma / Manager – Biofinance Consulting
Liège, Belgium · 10/2013 – 12/2016
- Developed innovative ophthalmology drug delivery products.
- Provided financial and fundraising consultancy for biotech firms (public grants, CAPEX/OPEX optimization).
- Frequent interaction with DG06, AWEX, and the European Commission
• Funding Coordinator – Uteron / Mithra / Actavis
Belgium · 03/2010 – 10/2015
- Managed R&D budgets and secured public funding for infrastructure and development.
- Acted as liaison between R&D and finance departments.
• Postdoctoral Scientist & Scientific Coordinator – University of Liège (ULG)
Liège, Belgium · 10/2006 – 03/2010
- Managed scientific and financial aspects of regional and EU-funded projects (50 FTE).
- PhD Researcher – FNRS Télévie & Aspirant
Liège, Belgium · 10/2001 – 10/2007
PhD thesis in oncology, Laboratory of Tumor and Developmental Biology, University of Liege, Belgium
Education
- PhD in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences ULG (2007) Thesis: 'Implications of chemokines in mammary tumor progression'
- DEA in Biomedical Sciences ULG (2002)
- Master in Biomedical Sciences ULG (2001)
- FELASA Certification Animal Experimentation License (2002)
- Private Courses Entrepreneurship and Finance (ULG HEC, 2011)
Board Memberships & Affiliations
- Board Member AWEX (Wallonia Export-Investment Agency) (Since 09/2022)
- Vice-President Biowin Health Cluster of Wallonia (Since 06/2020)
- Board Member European Biotech Campus (EUBC) (Since 08/2024)