Developed skills and lines of research

Bandiera obtained his degree in Chemistry from the University of Pavia and his PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Genoa. He began his career in the pharmaceutical industry, working at Farmitalia Carlo Erba, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Pharmacia Corp., and Nerviano Medical Sciences. His research activity started as a medicinal chemist in the central nervous system therapeutic area and later moved into oncology, where he served as project leader on programs focused on the discovery of αvβ3 integrin antagonists, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and arginine methyltransferase inhibitors. In the field of kinase inhibitors, he contributed to the discovery of entrectinib, which was approved by the FDA in August 2019 and by the EMA in 2020 for the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
In 2008, he joined the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa, where he established the Medicinal Chemistry group within the then Department of Drug Discovery and Development. From September 2013 to December 2024, he served as Principal Investigator of the D3-PharmaChemistry research line. His research activities have focused on the identification of new drugs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, cystic fibrosis, and cancer. Bandiera was Principal Investigator of the preclinical phase of the FFC Ricerca strategic project Task Force for Cystic Fibrosis aimed at discovering new modulators of mutant CFTR protein activity. A compound discovered by his team was licensed in 2021 to the U.S. biopharmaceutical company Sionna Therapeutics.
From January 2025 to March 2026, he was a Visiting Scientist at the Italian Institute of Technology, where he completed his research on modulators of non-coding RNA activity for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. Bandiera has authored over 100 papers in international journals and is an inventor on 45 patent applications as well as several granted patents.
Since 2025 he is a member of the Research Valorization Team at FFC Ricerca.

Patents with FFC Ricerca

1. Method for the preparation of pyrazole derivatives as modulators of CFTR protein
   Inventors: Bandiera Tiziano, Bertozzi Fabio, Berti Francesco, Rodriguez-Gimeno Alejandra, Sorana Federico, Romoli Filippo, Calogero Francesco
   Holders: Fondazione Istituto Italiano Tecnologia (IIT), FFC Ricerca.
2. Compounds and composition for the treatment of cystic fibrosis
   Inventors: Bandiera Tiziano, Bertozzi Fabio, Zaetta Giorgia, Sorana Federico, Caci Emanuela, Ferrera Loretta, Pedemonte Nicoletta, Galietta Luis Juan Vicente
   Holders: Fondazione Istituto Italiano Tecnologia (IIT), Istituto Giannina Gaslin, FFC Ricerca
3. Compounds and composition for the treatment of cystic fibrosis
   Inventors: Bandiera Tiziano, Bertozzi Fabio, Giacomina Francesca, Giovani Simone, Sorana Federico, Caci Emanuela, Ferrera Loretta, Pedemonte Nicoletta, Galietta Luis Juan Vicente
   Holders: Fondazione Istituto Italiano Tecnologia (IIT), Istituto Giannina Gaslin, FFC Ricerca
4. Pyrazole derivatives for the treatment of cystic fibrosis
   Inventors: Bandiera Tiziano, Bertozzi Fabio, Di Fruscia Paolo, Sorana Federico, Caci Emanuela, Ferrera Loretta, Pedemonte Nicoletta, Galietta Luis Juan Vicente
   Holders: Fondazione Istituto Italiano Tecnologia (IIT), Istituto Giannina Gaslin, FFC Ricerca
5. Heterocyclic derivatives for the treatment of cystic fibrosis
   Inventors: Bandiera Tiziano, Bertozzi Fabio, Di Fruscia Paolo, Rodriguez-Gimeno Alejandra, Sorana Federico, Berti Francesco, Caci Emanuela, Ferrera Loretta, Pedemonte Nicoletta, Galietta Luis Juan Vicente
   Holders: Fondazione Istituto Italiano Tecnologia (IIT), Istituto Giannina Gaslin, FFC Ricerca

Projects funded by FFC Ricerca as Principal Investigator

FFC/TFCF fase preclinica
Task Force for Cystic Fibrosi

Projects financed by FFC Ricerca as a partner

FFC/TFCF 3ª fase
Task Force for Cystic Fibrosis

FFC/TFCF 2ª fase
Task Force for Cystic Fibrosis

FFC/TFCF 1ª fase
Task Force for Cystic Fibrosis