Nordic Life Science 1
THE LATEST LIFE SCIENCE CAREER NEWS FROM THE NORD
IC REGION IN A NEW JOB Viktor Drvota CEO of Umecrine Cognition Balaji Prasad Chief Strategy Officer at Alvotech Renée Aguiar-Lucander CEO of Hansa Biopharma Marcella Origgi CEO of Valo Therapeutics VIKTOR DRVOTA, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor in Cardiology, has over 20 years of venture capital experience spanning numerous investments, significant fundraising campaigns, IPOs, and successful exits. As Head of Life Sciences at SEB Venture Capital (2002–2016), he served on the boards of several biotech and medtech companies. Prior to his venture capital career, Drvota worked as a Senior Consultant and Associate Professor in Cardiology at Karolinska Institutet/Hospital. He is currently the CEO of Karolinska Development and will continue in this role alongside his new position at Umecrine Cognition, spending 50% of his time on each role. “This dual leadership arrangement is a cost-effective approach to driving both companies forward, and I look forward to focusing more intensively on one of Karolinska Development’s largest holdings while serving both organizations,” says Drvota. BALAJI PRASAD has 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, first as a consultant and subsequently as a financial and equities analyst focused on the specialty pharma and healthcare sectors. He was most recently a director and equities analyst at Barclays, covering US specialty pharma and Alvotech was part of his portfolio. He served previously as portfolio manager at a Swiss asset management firm focusing on global specialty pharma and generics and led Barclays’ and Goldman Sachs’ India healthcare coverage from Mumbai. He earned his MD from Bangalore Medical College and MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. “I aim to bring my diverse experience from across multiple continents and network encompassing the pharmaceutical, asset management, and investment banking industries to drive Alvotech towards its goal of expanding affordable biologics globally,” says Prasad. RENÉE AGUIAR-LUCANDER served for seven years as CEO of Calliditas Therapeutics where she led the company through a dual listing on NASDAQ in both Sweden and the US. During her tenure, the company launched and commercialized the first ever approved drug for immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy in the US and until it was acquired by Asahi Kasei Corporation of Japan in September 2024. Prior to that, Aguiar-Lucander had a long and career in the healthcare investment sector, holding senior roles in funds such as Omega Funds and 3i Group. “I am delighted and honored to take up the position of CEO of Hansa during this exciting and challenging times. I hope to bring relevant perspectives from my previous roles, both with regards to capital raising and management, as well as insights regarding regulatory, commercial preparation and launch dynamics,” says AguiarLucander. MARCELLA ORIGGI joins from Johnson & Johnson Innovation and is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in immuno-oncology, precision medicine, and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). At Johnson & Johnson she was responsible for sourcing and advancing external innovation opportunities across oncology, immunology, rare diseases, and ATMPs. Her role included identifying new assets, engaging in external partnerships, and policy development to drive innovation in life sciences. Prior to that, she held key roles at Janssen’s Immunology Medical Affairs Department. “I am excited to join Valo at such a transformative time. I am looking forward to working with the talented team in Helsinki and Naples to drive clinical development across our expanded global footprint to advance life-changing treatments for patients worldwide,” says Marcella Origgi, new Chief Executive Officer, Valo Therapeutics. 20 | NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG PHOTO JANN LIPKA