THE

TEAM

Tara Heitner

CEO & Founder

Dr. Heitner is a serial entrepreneur and scientist focused on the establishment and success of early stage biotech & pharmaceutical companies. She has worked with ten start-ups around the globe and played a key role in development, partnering and commercialization of cutting edge medical technologies and therapies. 

Kristian Hansen

CSO

Dr. Hansen is a former Novonordisk top manager with over 30 years of front-line experience in early stage drug development. He has managed preclinical and clinical R&D of peptide and small molecule diabetes drugs, some of which are on the market today. Dr. Hansen has filled many roles at Novonordisk from project manager to Vice President of R&D. In addition to his role at Abarceo, Dr. Hansen runs a pharmaceutical and biotech consulting firm and works with other biotech and pharmaceutical start-ups.

Claes Wollheim

Scientific Founder & SAB Member

Professor Emeritus

Lund University

University of Geneva

Prof. Claes Wollheim is an international authority on beta cells biology and diabetes research. Prof. Wollheim has played a role in advancing diabetes research including 40 years ago changing the view of diabetes from a disease dominated by insulin resistance to one in which beta cell dysfunction is also central. 

Albert Salehi

Scientific Founder & SAB Member

Professor Emeritus

Associate Professor of Islet Cell Physiology

Lund University

Prof. Salehi's work is focused on the complex aetiology fo type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the interaction between both genetic and environmental factors including nutritional and metabolic signals. His work addresses the need for T2D therapies to address the root causes and prevent the progressive nature of the disease.  

Annie Chandy

Chairman of the Board

Dr. Chandy is part of the Lund University Technology Transfer Unit where her responsibility is to help academics evaluate and develop early diabetes and other life science research projects and mature them along a commercial path to increase their commercial value. She manages the project evaluation process, develop the projects along a commercial path, manages pharma industry relationships and maintain a portfolio of IP-projects. Dr. Chandy represents LU Holding on the Board and with her understanding of the Swedish soft funding landscape has helped to fund the company through non-dilutive sources in its early days.

Ulrich Koch

Board Member

Dr. Ulrich Kock is an Economist by training and has worked for more than 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry. His pharmaceutical experience includes responsibilities in sales, marketing, strategy and licensing. Ulrich was Head of Business Development at Schering, where he coordinated Bayer's licensing activities in the Emerging Markets and is now Vice President for Negotiations in BD at Bayer AG. In addition, Ulrich is a long term member of the Board of the German Pharma Licensing Club. He has worked for 4 years in the United States and for 4 years in the United Kingdom. Ulrich is now based in Berlin, Germany. 

Mathias Kroll 

Board Member

Mathias Kroll is an advisor to Abarceo. Mathias began his career as a biomedical reseracher at Pasteur Institute working on HIV. He joined the pharmaceutical industry in discovery research functions, leading laboratories and departments in Bayer and Sanofi for six years before moving into business development for UCB based in Japan where he developed a strategic alliance with a domestic company. Mathias was subsequently in charge of the international marketing efforts for UCB's allergy franchise and from there moved to GSK Vaccines as Sr. Director of Business Development. He completed a multitude of transactions over the course of nearly eight years. Mathias is currently VP, Head of Global Business Development in Bavarian Nordic, a listed immune-oncology and vaccine company. 

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Mathias studied chemistry and biology in Germany and the US, virology in France, and management and finance in Switzerland and the UK. He holds a M.Sc. in chemistry, a M.Sc. in Biology, a diploma in virology and an M.B.A. from IMD in Switzerland as well as an PhD from this thesis work at Pasteur Institute in Paris.