About us
Pharma Holdings AS
Pharma Holdings AS develops novel drugs for treatment of microbial infections. The Company was founded in 2017 as a spin-off of Lytix Biopharma, which was established in 2003 to commercialize world-class research in the field of lytic peptides. The technology was founded by scientists working at the University of Tromsø and University Hospital of Tromsø, Norway.
Strengths of Pharma Holdings position:
- Large market, large unmet need, with increasing opportunities
- World-class science
- Diversity of indications
- Potential for new opportunities beyond the initial indications (e.g. through reformulation and new administration routes)
- Multi-level partnering opportunities
Pharma Holdings Management
Pharma Holdings is a small and cost-effective company without its own laboratories or research facilities, using a network of high-quality contract research organizations and contract manufacturing organizations. The company has experienced advisors in all critical functions such as product development, regulatory affairs, design and execution of clinical trials.
Christian Lütken, CEO
years of experience in the fields of pediatrics, family medicine, emergency medicine and occupational medicine. He has management experience as previous Head of Department in a private healthcare company. In recent years Christian has been working in DNB’s Global Healthcare team financing healthcare companies globally, and also working closely with the Norwegian healthcare startup scene comprising all subsegments of the healthcare industry including med.tech, pharma, bio tech, digital health and healthcare services.
christian.lutken(at)pharmaholdings.no
Christian is located in Oslo, Norway
Torsteinn Erlingsson, CFO
Master Science degree in Fishery Science from UiT, the Arctic University of Norway. He has more than 25 years of experience from corporate finance and business development. In his tenure in corporate finance Erlingsson worked on several biotech transactions, and in Pharma Holdings Mr. Erlingsson has secured equity financing for the relaunch of the development of our lead drug candidate.
torsteinn.erlingsson(at)pharmaholdings.no
Torsteinn is located in Tromsø, Norway
Niklas Hammarstedt, CQO
He has more than 10 years of experience from working within the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries specifically in roles within Quality Control, production management, project management and Quality Assurance.
The majority of his experience was gathered working at Octapharma AB starting in QC, then as Head of Production Documentation managing master batch records, batch record review and company SOPs, and finally working in QA. In his last position, as CQO at Atlas Antibodies AB, Niklas has been focusing on defining and building quality routines into a company-wide quality management system, from a compliance and sustainability perspective, combined with adapting best practices. Process compliance and efficiency together with supportive system implementation, integration and optimization were key needs and focus areas throughout previous positions.
niklas.hammarstedt(at)pharmaholdings.no
Niklas is located in Stockholm, Sweden
Johnny Ryvoll, VP Projects
johnny.ryvoll(at)pharmaholdings.no
Johnny is located in Tromsø, Norway
Francois-Xavier Frapaise, CMO
FX Frapaise (Xavier) holds a MD from the University of Paris and brings on board over 40 years’ experience in the Pharma Industry (Sanofi, Abbott, Bayer, Merck, Gruenenthal as well as in several start-ups) in different roles such as VP R&D and Medical Affairs, CMO, CSO, and CEO. He has an extensive experience of international drug development (phase I to IV) and interaction with the FDA/EMA. One major focus of his experience is in the field of infectious diseases, such as Covid-19, RSV, hepatitis and C. difficile infections.
Xavier is located in Paris, France
Pharma Holdings Contracted Advisors
Pharma Holdings is a small and cost-effective company without its own laboratories or research facilities, using a network of high-quality contract advisors and worldwide Key Opinion Leaders.
The company has highly experienced advisors in all critical functions such as Target Product Profile, drug development, regulatory affairs, design and execution of clinical trials.
Davey Smith, Scientific Advisor US
Dr. Smith obtained an MD from East Tennessee State university in 1996, is board certified in infectious diseases and is a professor of Medicine at University of San Diego. He was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2015 and works as Head of Division of Infectious diseases and public health at UC in San Diego. Since 2003 he has been awarded 37 mill USD in federal funding as PI.
Dr. Smith was the protocol co-chair for the ACTIV-2 trial, which was part of the U.S. government’s response to COVID-19. He was also invited as speaker at Nobel Price symposium 2022 in Stockholm for the theme Covid-19 therapeutic interventions
Davey is located in San Diego, California, USA
Martin Hoenigl, Scientific Advisor EU
Dr Hoenigl helds an MD from University of Graz and is holding an appointment as Associate Professor for Translational Mycology at the Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz. Dr. Hoenigl has expertise in conducting research on clinical mycology, including fungal diagnostics and pharmacology of antifungal drugs and correlation with clinical findings, as well as virology with a focus on HIV and respiratory viruses. He is the current president of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM), and the Vice Chair of the EHA Infections in Hematology SWG. He was awarded researcher of the year 2011 and is an author on 250 publications in the field of infectious diseases.
Martin is located in Graz, Austria
Lars Heggelund, Scientific Advisor Nordic
Dr Heggelund holds a MD from university of Trondheim and became Specialist in Infectious Diseases in 2008. He is head of Research at Drammen Hospital, senior consultant at section of infectious disease and adjunct Professor at University of Bergen. His scientific focus is Microbiological and clinical immunological studies in infectious diseases, particularly airway infections and human immunodeficiency virus infection, which has led to 60 scientific publications. Dr Heggelund has been Chairman in Specialist Committee for Infectious Diseases, The Norwegian Medical Association
Lars is located in Drammen, Norway
Cecil Nick, Regulatory Strategic Advisor
Cecil Nick, Vice President (Technical), at PAREXEL Consulting has been working in regulatory affairs and clinical development for over 40 years and has expertise inter alia in the development of anti-infective medicines including having supported many COVID-19 therapeutic interventions. Mr Nick has applied his extensive scientific, drug development and regulatory experience in supporting clients with clinical development plans and regulatory strategies for EU, US and global approval.
He is a Fellow of TOPRA and has been a guest lecture at UCL, Cardiff University and Greenwich University MSc Programs and Biotech Module leader for the TOPRA MSc course. He was on the editorial panel of SCRIP Clinical Research and has authored many articles on regulatory and clinical development issues
Cecil is located in Surrey, UK
Dr. René Bommer – nasal spray expert
Dr.Bommer has over 30 years’ experience from academia and the pharmaceutical industry. After various research positions in pharmaceutical chemistry and in molecular biology he joined the delivery device and dispenser industry. René published several articles in medical device and packaging journals and was regularly invited as a speaker at international drug delivery conferences and has been chairing the annual Nasal Drug Delivery Conference in London. Dr. Bommer is founder and owner of PharmAccel Consulting
Rene is located in Moos, Germany
Board of directors
Bernt Endrerud
Chairman
Endrerud is an active innovator and investor. He has established and led several successful businesses and has more than 30 years of experience as a business owner and developer. Endrerud is the owner of Care Holding AS, which is one of the main shareholders of Pharma Holdings AS
Anki Malmborg Hager
Board Member
Anki Malmborg Hager has extensive experience from starting life science companies originating from Lund university research. She is currently the CEO of Lead Biologics International AB. Her past experience includes CEO of PainDrainer AB, SenzaGen AB, Cantargia AB, XImmune AB and Diaprost AB, and before that, Investment Director at LU Bioscience AB and VP Business Development at Alligator Bioscience AB.
Education: PhD in Immunotechnology, MSc in Chemical Engineering, Pharma MBA.
Other appointments: Board director at SenzaGen AB, NanoEcho AB, Lead Biologics International AB and Hager Consulting AB.
Agneta Svedberg
Board Member
Agneta Svedberg holds a M.Sc. in Radiophysics and a B.Sc. in Medicine from Lund University, and an Executive MBA from Executive Foundation Lund (EFL). Work experience: More than 30 years of experience in drug development from leadership roles in both biotech and pharma, including VP Clinical Development at Camurus AB, COO of Zealand Pharma A/S, CEO of Cantargia AB, and Senior Vice President, Clinical Development at Genmab A/S.
Håvard Selby Ebbestad
Board Member
Håvard Selby Ebbestad has since 2010 been CEO of Fürst Medisinsk Laboratorium, Norway’s largest medical laboratory. Past positions include the CEO of the Norwegian subsiduaries of Pfizer, Pharmacia and Zeneca. He has Master’s degrees in Pharmacy (University of Oslo) as well as Management (McGill University, Montreal).