Nordic Life Science 1
THE LATEST LIFE SCIENCE CAREER NEWS FROM THE NORD
IC REGION CEO OF ZELLUNA IMMUNOTHERAPY COO OF ALLIGATOR BIOSCIENCE CEO OF METACURUM DIRECTOR OF HILIFE NAMIR HASSAN joined Zelluna as CSO from Immunocore. Previously, Hassan had a leadership role in the discovery research organization within GSK, and has also worked at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. He received a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford in T-cell Biology. “I joined Zelluna because I believe in the potential of TCR targeting as a means to drive therapeutic benefits in patients fighting solid cancers. I am particularly excited by the recent progress we have made to accelerate Zelluna’s allogeneic TCR-NK strategy,” says Hassan. “Hassan has made an invaluable contribution to Zelluna since he joined the company. He has a strong scientific background, particularly in the TCR therapeutic space, and was previously responsible for leading research through to early clinical trials, as well as growing biotech organizations. This experience has given him excellent scientific and multi-organizational perspectives which will be crucial as CEO of Zelluna,” says Hans Ivar Robinson, Chair of the Board, Zelluna. 20 NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG MALIN CARLSSON comes most recently from a position as Vice President, Head of Translational Medicine at Ferring Pharmaceuticals. In Alligator’s management team, Carlsson will have overall responsibility for the company’s clinical projects, with emphasis on the development plans for the candidate drugs mitazalimab (ADC-1013) and ATOR-1015, both of which are planned to start phase II clinical studies in 2020. Carlsson is a medical doctor with specialist qualifications and a Ph.D. in clinical immunology. She also has many years of industrial experience from various senior roles in major international pharmaceutical companies. “To be able to contribute and develop the cancer treatment of the future is an opportunity that is too good to turn down. With my broad experience from clinical studies in immunology and of strategic organizational development in the pharmaceutical industry, I hope to add know-how that will make a difference. I really look forward to becoming part of Alligator,” says Carlsson. LOTTA BERG has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Umeå University and she has worked since May 2017 in the project that resulted in the formation of the company MetaCurUm Biotech. Berg officially started her new position in the company in October. MetaCurUm Biotech is a spin-off from Umeå University and was founded by Professor Maréne Landström and her collaborators. The company is a resident at Umeå Biotech Incubator. “This is a new role for me. I have contributed to the development from an academic innovation project to a commercial company. To take on the role as CEO and continue to develop the company is inspiring and challenging,” says Berg. “To develop a new drug takes a long time and we have made progress. We are currently conducting an important study to show that our treatment works in a cancer model. When the study has been completed we will focus on raising capital to continue the development of our drug candidate,” adds Berg. OLLI SILVENNOINEN has been appointed as Director of the Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) at the University of Helsinki. Previously, Silvennoinen has served as Director of the Institute of Biotechnology, which operates as part of HiLIFE. Prior to that, Silvennoinen worked as a professor and Director of the Institute of Medical Technology at the University of Tampere. He also spent several years of his career in the United States. Silvennoinen graduated with a doctoral degree from the University of Helsinki in 1988. “I am convinced that HiLIFE plays a critical and strategic role in representing the toplevel life science research conducted at the University of Helsinki and developing multidisciplinary activities across campus boundaries, something which is increasingly important for the University’s global impact,” Silvennoinen states. “Silvennoinen has an extensive and multidisciplinary international research network, as well as a clear vision for the future development of HiLIFE,” says Paula Eerola, Vice-Rector of the University of Helsinki. PHOTO STIG JARNES PHOTO VEIKKO SOMERPURO