Napoleone Ferrara (born 26 July 1956 in Catania) is an Italian-American molecular biologist who joined University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center in 2013 after a career in Northern California at the biotechnology giant Genentech, where he pioneered the development of new treatments for angiogenic diseases such as cancer, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy.^[1] At Genentech, he discovered VEGF—and made the first anti-VEGF antibody—which suppresses growth of a variety of tumors. These findings helped lead to development of the first clinically available angiogenesis inhibitor, bevacizumab (Avastin), which prevents the growth of new blood vessels into a solid tumor and which has become part of standard treatment for a variety of cancers.^{[citation needed]} Ferrara's work led also to the development of ranibizumab (Lucentis), a drug that is highly effective at preventing vision loss in intraocular neovascular disorders.^{[citation needed]}

Ferrara received his medical degree from the University of Catania, Italy, in 1981, and joined Genentech in 1988. He did his postdoctoral research at University of California, San Francisco.^[2]

At UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Ferrara, a member of the National Academy of Sciences since 2006, serves as Senior Deputy Director for Basic Science and is a Distinguished Professor of Pathology in the UC San Diego School of Medicine, where he will continue cancer drug research targeting angiogenesis.^{[citation needed]} He is presently focusing on investigating mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis alternative to VEGF, in particular the role of factors produced by myeloid cells and fibroblasts in mediating resistance to VEGF inhibitors.^{[citation needed]}

For his VEGF discovery, he won a Lasker Award in 2010.^[3] In 2013, he was awarded the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for his work.^[4] He has received numerous other awards, including the General Motors Cancer Research Award (2006), the ASCO Science of Oncology Award (2007), the Pezcoller Foundation/AACR International Award (2009), the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research (2011), and The Economist's Innovation Award for bioscience in 2012.^{[citation needed]} Grand Prix scientifique de la Fondation Lefoulon-Delalande in 2005.^[5]

In September 2014, Ferrara was awarded the António Champalimaud Vision Award, awarded by the Champalimaud Foundation.^[6]

2023, Keio Medical Science Prize.^[7]

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