# Sharon Cunningham

> Sharon Cunningham is the CEO and co-founder of Shorla Oncology, a specialty pharmaceutical company she launched in 2018 with Orlaith Ryan out of Clonmel, Ireland, focused on reformulating oncology drugs for women's, orphan, and pediatric cancers. A PwC-trained chartered accountant with an MBA from UCD Smurfit, she relocated from Waterford to Boston in 2021 to lead Shorla's U.S. commercialization, which now includes four FDA-approved products. She was named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland 2024 (with Ryan) and represented Ireland at the EY World Entrepreneur competition in 2025.

- **Role:** CEO & Co-Founder at Shorla Oncology
- **Organizations:** Shorla Oncology, MassBio (Board of Directors), Forbes Business Council, YPO, EirGen Pharma (former), PricewaterhouseCoopers (former), OPKO Health (former)
- **From:** Stradbally, County Waterford, Ireland
- **Nationality:** Irish
- **Education:** BSc, Finance, University College Cork, MBA, University College Dublin, Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Certificate in Healthcare Innovation, MIT & Harvard Medical School, Certificate in Healthcare Leadership, Columbia University, ACA - Chartered Accountant, PwC (training)
- **Known for:** Co-founded and grew Shorla Oncology to four FDA-approved oncology drugs, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland 2024 (joint winner with Orlaith Ryan), Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur 2019

## Career timeline

- **pre-2018** — Head of Finance at EirGen Pharma for seven years; Compliance Officer and SOX disclosure committee member at OPKO Health following its acquisition of EirGen.
- **2018** — Co-founded Shorla Oncology in Clonmel, Ireland, with Orlaith Ryan.
- **2019** — Named Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur.
- **2020** — Named on Irish Times list of 50 people to watch; Shorla wins Local Enterprise of the Year.
- **2021** — Relocated from Ireland to Boston to lead Shorla's US commercialisation.
- **2023** — FDA approval and US commercial launch of JYLAMVO (oral methotrexate) with EVERSANA.
- **2024** — Named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland (with Orlaith Ryan); JYLAMVO expanded FDA approval for pediatric indications.
- **2025** — Represented Ireland at EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year; Shorla raised Series B, portfolio grows to four FDA-approved drugs.

## Achievements

- Co-founded and grew Shorla Oncology to four FDA-approved oncology drugs
- EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland 2024 (joint winner with Orlaith Ryan)
- Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur 2019
- Irish Times '50 people to watch' 2020
- AACSB Influential Leader 2023
- Worldwide Association of MBAs Best Entrepreneurial Venture Award (2020)
- Raised approximately $43.3M in total funding for Shorla Oncology
- Board Director, MassBio

## Latest updates

- **2025-09** — Shorla Oncology closed most recent funding (Series B).
- **2025** — Named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland 2025 winner, representing Ireland at the World Entrepreneur competition.
- **2024-11** — Shorla receives supplemental FDA approval expanding JYLAMVO into pediatric ALL and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

## Links

- Website: https://shorlaoncology.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-cunningham-0401121b/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ShorlaOncology

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/sharon-cunningham
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-08