Louis E. Metzger IV, Ph.D.

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, dGenThera, Inc.

18F PET-enabled design of exquisitely matched theranostic pairs: A compelling case for 211At treatment of solid tumors

SPEAKER BIO

Dr. Louis Metzger is the Co-Founder and CEO of dGenThera, a next-generation targeted radiotherapeutics company advancing a differentiated pipeline of theranostic agents optimized for safety, scalability, and precision oncology. dGenThera’s proprietary chemistry enables exquisitely matched theranostic pairs—leveraging Astatine-211 (211At), Iodine-131 (131I), and Fluorine-18 (18F)—with engineered stable carbon-halogen bonds to drive accurate dosimetry, improve patient stratification, and reduce off-target toxicity.

Louis and his dGenThera cofounders demonstrated compelling in vivo efficacy data with their lead small molecule asset, and built a unique biomolecule labeling/tagging platform that expands addressable solid tumor indications. The company is currently raising funds to support clinical translation and strategic partnering.

Louis brings deep cross-sector experience spanning biopharma R&D, synthetic biology, and oncology drug discovery. Prior to founding dGenThera, he held leadership roles (including as CSO) in biotech startups. He spent nearly six years at Novartis Pharma, where he founded and led a novel small molecule discovery program and contributed to many cross-functional oncology and infectious disease programs. He also assisted Novartis’s search and evaluation efforts, helping scout and evaluate external biotech partnerships.

Louis holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Duke University and conducted postdoctoral research in Structural Biology & Biophysics at the University of California San Francisco. He advises several biotech companies. At the World Astatine Conference, he will discuss how dGenThera’s platform is poised to bring cost-effective, scalable 211At-based radiotherapeutics to global oncology markets.

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