Piet De Doncker Takes the Helm at Onicor

TILBURG, the Netherlands, 21 October 2026, Onicor, a Dutch medical technology company, has appointed Piet De Doncker, PhD, as its new Chief Executive Officer. De Doncker, who previously led the development of itraconazole pulse therapy for onychomycosis at Janssen Research & Development, will now guide Onicor's efforts to advance its personalized nail orthosis for treating fungal nail infections.

De Doncker brings extensive experience in antifungal and dermatology drug development to the role. His career highlights include his work at Janssen Research & Development, where he played a pivotal role in developing itraconazole pulse therapy, a one-week-per-month oral dosing regimen that has become a widely used treatment for fungal nail infections. He has also held senior R&D leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson, including leading its dermatology R&D team and serving as Vice President, Head of Strategy and Portfolio Management, Infectious Diseases. Additionally, he has worked in antifungal research and development at STADA, contributing to over 30 scientific publications on the treatment of fungal infections.

Onychomycosis, a common and persistent fungal infection of the nail, affects an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the general population and up to 50 percent of people over the age of 70. The condition is notoriously difficult to treat, with topically applied nail lacquers struggling to penetrate the hard nail plate. Oral antifungals require months of treatment and carry a risk of side effects and drug interactions. Moreover, the infection recurs in 10 to 53 percent of patients after treatment. Onicor is addressing these limitations by developing a personalized nail orthosis. This thin, custom-fit cover, produced by 3D printing, is designed to fit over the infected nail, keeping an antifungal solution in close, continuous contact with the nail plate while shielding the nail from the outside environment. The goal is to deliver the drug locally, where the fungus resides, to improve treatment efficacy and patient adherence, reduce reliance on systemic medication, and lower recurrence rates.

Onicor operates under an ISO 13485-certified quality management system and collaborates with leading industry and academic partners, including scientific advisors from Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Onicor is a Dutch medical technology company based in Tilburg, the Netherlands, developing technology-driven, personalized solutions for onychomycosis. By combining biomedical engineering, medical mycology, and clinical expertise, Onicor is developing next-generation nail orthoses that enhance local antifungal delivery directly where it is needed.