Check out the short video for a glimpse into the event. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

Neuropathic pain causes a huge personal burden to those affected due to disability and loss of quality of life. People living with the condition may experience either constant or sporadic bursts of shooting pain, burning pain, as well tingling sensations, numbness, insomnia and emotional problems. Due to its complexity and variability, doctors tend to recommend a combination of treatment methods for pain management which can include over-the-counter pain relievers, topical treatments, physical therapy and psychological counselling.

Opioids are increasingly being prescribed for neuropathic pain. This is concerning because opioids carry a high risk of addiction, misuse, and overdose. Additionally, chronic use can lead to tolerance and dependence, making it harder to manage pain and increasing the potential for serious side effects. This trend contributes to the ongoing opioid crisis, straining public health resources and impacting patients’ overall well-being.

The varying causes, symptoms and scarce treatment options for this ‘invisible illness,’ plus its debilitating nature, illustrate the significant need for continued research and development of more effective and safer treatment options.

The Novo Holdings Seed Investments’ portfolio company, Hoba Therapeutics (‘Hoba’), is developing novel restorative therapeutic compounds targeting the peripheral nervous system to address the underlying causes of chronic neuropathic pain and hearing loss.  

Based in Copenhagen, Hoba has leveraged its team’s expertise and breakthrough science in pain research, to develop a pipeline based on the discovery of a novel family of endogenous human proteins: meteorin and cometin. These neurotrophic factors are crucial for the migration, growth and survival of nerve cells during development, as well as the maintenance and plasticity of adult neurons.

The Danish biotech is developing two novel biopharmaceutical compounds, out of which the lead candidate is a non-opioid targeting neuropathic pain:

HB-086, Hoba’s lead candidate, is a non-opioid compound targeting Chemotherapy-Induced Chronic Neuropathy (CIPN) and other chronic pain indications.

Hoba was founded by Novo Holdings and Borean Innovation, an incubator funded by the Danish government in 2017. The Company recently raised €23m ($24.7m) in a Series A financing round to further develop its pipeline.

We spoke to Hoba’s Founder & Chief Development Officer (CDO), Kenneth A. Petersen, MD, PhD, Torsten M. Madsen, Chief Executive Officer, and Camilla Petrycer Hansen, Principal, Novo Holdings Seed Investments, to find out more about the Company, the recent fundraising, and outlook for the future.

What is Hoba’s mission?

Kenneth A. Petersen: Hoba is developing innovative, disease modifying therapies to alleviate, prevent and treat chronic neuropathic pain. Our mission is to develop more effective and safer options for those affected so they can continue living their lives without these debilitating conditions. Our pipeline has the potential to offer the first biopharmaceutical drugs for pain management. The impact will not only redefine the therapeutic landscape for these conditions but will position Hoba as an innovative company in the life science sector.

What are the key challenges in addressing the high unmet medical needs of neuropathic pain?

Torsten M. Madsen: Due to the complexity of the nervous system, there are many different types of neuropathic pain with varying causes and symptoms, hence the condition has long been considered a heterogeneous and difficult clinical issue to address, resulting in a lack of a gold standard diagnostic – and unsatisfactory responses to treatments. Additionally, due to all the variables with the condition, conducting clinical trials can be challenging with regards to both recruitment and variability in inherent challenges with relying on endpoints based solely on patient-reported pain scales.

At Hoba, we plan to address these challenges, initially by a strong focus on the lead indication, CIPN, which will ensure homogeneity of the pain syndrome and enable better clinical evaluation.

What advances and/or technologies does Hoba have to address these unmet medical needs?

Torsten M. Madsen: Our pipeline comprises two therapeutic proteins with unique actions on sensory nerve cells and surrounding support cells that are crucial for the migration, growth and for their maintenance and plasticity as adult neurons.  Our lead asset HB-086 targets the peripheral nervous system through a unique mechanism of action (MoA) whereby it reverses neuropathic pain and has shown analgesic and long-lasting relief in multiple models of chronic neuropathic pain in preclinical data.

What does the development of Hoba’s pipeline mean for the Company and the future for patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain?

Kenneth A. Petersen: Due to the unique properties of our pipeline drugs, meteorin and cometin, Hoba has the potential to produce the first biopharmaceutical drugs for pain management.

Torsten M. Madsen: The development of disease modifying therapies with minimal side effects provides a huge opportunity to bring significant benefit to those living with these debilitating conditions.

What are the upcoming milestones we can expect to see from Hoba in the next 12 months?

Torsten M. Madsen: Thanks to the €23 million ($25 million) secured in Series A fundraising, we will be advancing HB-086 through late pre-clinical development and Phase 1 clinical studies, specifically targeting CIPN as an initial indication for chronic neuropathic pain disorders.

What is the potential impact of Hoba’s lead candidate HB-086 in chronic neuropathic pain?

Kenneth A. Petersen: Chronic neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition that has major consequences for a patient’s daily routine, work ability and quality of life. The preclinical data for HB-086 have demonstrated long-lasting relief in different types of chronic neuropathic pain. Thus, the compound shows great potential in improving the quality of life for millions with the condition, which has long been a particularly challenging condition to diagnose and treat.

What excites you about Hoba?

Camilla Petrycer Hansen: Neuropathic pain has long been considered a clinically difficult condition to diagnose and treat. With its innovative pipeline based on a novel family of neurotrophic factors and their unique mode of actions, and a high-profile team of seasoned pharma executives, Hoba is meeting this challenge head on. Furthermore, the preclinical data for the Company’s lead program show unprecedented positive results across key neuropathic pain models, which is exciting and hopefully these effects will translate to patients.

What made Hoba stand out?

Camilla Petrycer Hansen: Hoba has presented a package of preclinical data, generated in multiple different labs and in various models of chronic pain. The robustness of this data along with the potential for disease modification in these debilitating disorders is attractive to us.  The fast onset and long-lasting analgesic effects differentiate it from today’s standard of care and would bring great benefit to patients living with neuropathic pain. In addition, Hoba’s leadership team is comprised of seasoned industry professionals with decades of international leadership experience – spanning all phases of biotech, pharma and business development at companies including Syndesi Therapeutics, NatImmune, IO Biotech, Lundbeck, Roche, J&J and Genmab. Altogether this provides a great foundation for advancing Hoba’s therapies through the clinic, and ultimately bringing them to patients.

What was Novo Holdings’ role in the start of the Company?

Camilla Petrycer Hansen: Novo Holdings’ Seed Investments arm, the early-stage investment team, has a keen focus on company creation. It is a modality-agnostic investor and builds world-leading biotech companies by helping to back science that has the potential to have a major impact on patients. We can provide not only big capital but also strategic insight and top-level team building capability. Seed Investments was one of two founding investors of Hoba and we have provided capital, an investor and executive network, and know-how to ensure that Hoba had the optimal conditions for success.

Skeletal muscles are essential for human movement and account for about 40% of the body mass. They enable various behaviors such as breathing, eating, walking, and speaking by contracting in response to electrical signals. These signals originate in the brain and travel through motor neurons to reach the target muscle. The motor neuron signals are then transmitted to muscle fibers in a process called neuromuscular transmission. Successful neuromuscular transmission is required to activate muscle contractions. However, if neuromuscular transmission is impaired, movement can become difficult.

Neuromuscular diseases are a group of disorders that affect approximately 14 million people globally and are characterized by progressive damage to muscle fibers. They can result in symptoms such as muscle weakness and excessive fatigue, which can occur at any stage in the activation of muscle fibers. Some neuromuscular diseases have a genetic basis or an autoimmune etiology, while others have no known genetic cause and develop during a person’s lifetime.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an example of a genetic condition that affects the motor neuron and the neuromuscular junction (where nerves and muscle fibers meet). It is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord and impacts the muscles used for activities such as breathing, eating, crawling, and walking [1].

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that manifests clinically as muscle weakness and muscle fatigue. Although some patients only experience ocular symptoms, the majority have more generalized symptoms. An exacerbation of generalized muscle weakness can result in a life-threatening myasthenic crisis, requiring respiratory support. Beyond muscle weakness and muscle fatiguability, many patients also report central fatigue, experienced as a lack of physical and/or mental energy, which is associated with reduced quality of life [2].

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) is a group of inherited conditions that damage the peripheral nerves. The peripheral nerves are found outside the main central nervous system and control the muscles. CMT causes muscle weakness, and reduction in muscle size (atrophy), and some loss of sensation in the lower legs and feet. CMT also often causes contractures (stiffened joints due to abnormal tightening of muscles and associated tissues), and sometimes, curvature of the spine (scoliosis or kyphosis). There are no US Food and Drug Administration or European Commission approved therapies for CMT, but physical therapy, braces and other orthopedic devices, and even surgery can help individuals manage and improve symptoms [3]. Additional treatments are needed to help relieve symptoms, aid mobility, and increase independence and quality of life for people with the condition.

Neuromuscular conditions can have a profound impact on a person’s functional tasks. Those living with these conditions often struggle to live independent lives. Many of these conditions have no cure, but some treatments can help manage the symptoms and slow down the disease progression. Some prescription medications can alleviate muscle pain, cramps, stiffness, and weakness, while others can address nerve impulses and muscle strength. Additionally, if the disorder is caused by autoimmune issues, like MG, immunosuppressant or immunoglobulin therapies can be recommended. Other treatments include physical therapy and assistive devices. However, many neuromuscular diseases still lack effective therapies, with very few options approved that target the muscle, and this area represents one with a significant unmet need.

Yet, there is hope for patients living with these conditions as new treatment options are being explored.

NMD Pharma: An active future made possible by the power of science

NMD Pharma is discovering and developing novel therapeutics for neuromuscular diseases by developing new muscle-targeted approaches to improve the activation of the muscle fibers at the neuromuscular junction. The Company is currently developing this approach for three different neuromuscular disorders: spinal muscular atrophy, myasthenia gravis, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

NMD Pharma’s unique experimental platform focuses on ion channel function and electrophysiology of skeletal muscles. The Company is developing small molecules that block a specific type of ion channel (ClC-1) that is found only in skeletal muscles. These molecules could have a beneficial effect on various neuromuscular diseases where muscle activation is failing causing muscle weakness and excessive fatigue, which limit patients’ ability to move and live independently.

In November 2023, NMD Pharma announced it has raised €75 million in Series B financing to further progress the development of its lead programs. Proceeds from the financing will be used to complete three Phase 2 studies with NMD670, the Company’s lead ClC-1 inhibitor. The three studies will evaluate the novel mechanism of ClC-1 inhibition in AChR and MuSK antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (gMG), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, respectively.

We spoke to NMD Pharma’s CEO and Co-Founder, Thomas Holm Pedersen, and Partner, Morten Graugaard Døssing of Novo Holdings, to find out about the Company, its recent financing, and plans for the future.

Thomas Holm Pedersen, CEO and co-founder of NMD Pharma

1. When you founded NMD Pharma in 2015, what was your vision?

NMD Pharma has of course changed a lot since it was founded in 2015. It is now more established and a clinical-stage company. However, our vision has not fundamentally changed. It remains all about creating a future in which patients with neuromuscular disease live better and more independent lives.

2. What advances does NMD Pharma bring to addressing this unmet medical need?

We have a unique experimental platform focusing on ion channel function and the ability to activate the skeletal muscle under conditions of weak or inconsistent signalling from the brain and neuron. With this platform we are developing small molecule inhibitors of skeletal muscle-specific CIC-1 ion channels that aim to enhance muscle force production, muscle quality, and ultimately to provide meaningful improvements in muscle function and mobility. We also plan to further explore the initial preclinical data that suggests the potential of our platform to add new neuronal connections to skeletal muscle or strengthen newly formed connections under dysfunction caused by disease.

3. How has NMD670 performed in Phase 1 trials?

In October 2022 we announced top-line results from a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of NMD670 in patients with myasthenia gravis. The data provided the first clinical proof of the mechanism of action of NMD Pharma’s ClC-1 chloride ion channel inhibitor in patients suffering from myasthenia gravis. NMD670 was found to be safe and well tolerated, with clinically significant improvements in the Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Score in patients and changes in electrophysiological endpoints that demonstrated target engagement and restoration of neuromuscular transmission.

4. How will the recent funding be used?

We plan to accelerate the development of our lead drug candidate (NMD670) in already planned Phase 2 clinical studies for generalized MG and SMA and will also allow us to expand into a Phase 2 clinical trial for CMT. With this funding, we now have a higher probability of successfully helping even more patients suffering from rare neuromuscular diseases. Additionally, the funding allows us to advance additional assets in the pipeline from preclinical stages into the clinic, build our team and capabilities in Denmark, and establish a strong and growing presence in the United States.

5. What are the upcoming milestones we can expect to see from NMD Pharma in the next 12 months?

We plan to initiate three Phase 2 clinical studies of NMD670 in MG, SMA, and CMT over the next 12 months. We’ll also be able to recruit more employees in the organization in Denmark and the US.

Morten Graugaard Døssing, Partner at Novo Holdings

1. When you invested in NMD Pharma in 2016, what made the Company stand out?

We were attracted to the deep scientific understanding of the founding team as it related to the pathophysiology of a range of neuromuscular disorders and of the specific role of the ClC-1 ion channel in modulating muscle contractility. The team had really pioneered this field and had a well-thought-through therapeutic rationale for how to improve muscle function in areas of significant unmet medical need.

2. What was Novo Holdings’ role in the start of the Company?

Novo Holdings worked with the team while still at the University of Aarhus and provided pre-seed funding to validate the concept in an in-vivo model of myasthenia gravis. As part of the funding, we provided access to professional guidance and know-how, which has been critical for the successful development and transformation of NMD Pharma from a start-up to a fully integrated biotech company.

3. What excites you about NMD Pharma?

Almost 90% of neuromuscular diseases are classified as rare diseases and NMD is truly addressing a high unmet medical need with a unique experimental platform focused on the discovery of novel targets for developing first-in-class treatments.

4. How do you plan to continue to support the Company following its recent financing round?

As a board representative on behalf of Novo Holdings, I will continue to be a strong supporter of the company. We are highly active investors with a hands-on approach, and I have frequent catch-up calls with various members of the team on different topics — from introductions to other potential investors to pharma companies looking to understand more about NMD and our unique approach.

5. How will patients with Neuromuscular disorders benefit from the potential impact of NMD Pharma’s lead therapeutic?

The ultimate goal for NMD Pharma’s pipeline is to improve symptoms, increase mobility, and improve quality and length of life. In addition, we are exploring a potential disease-modifying effect of our treatment due to the prolonged function of the muscle fibers which seems to have a more longer-term effect and durable effect on patients.

Neuromuscular disease treatments moving in the right direction was originally published in de novo on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia, affecting an estimated 4.5 million people in Europe alone.

AF mostly affects the elderly population, impacting an estimated 5–10% of people over the age of 70. An ageing population is a key contributor to the rise in AF prevalence, which, in the EU and US combined is predicted to affect 25 million patients by 2030.

AF is associated with an impaired quality of life, an increased rate of hospitalization, and an increased risk of stroke and death. AF-related strokes are currently estimated to account for up to 20% of all strokes. The expected rise in AF patients will also cause a major increase in the economic burden of AF patients.

AF patients are often treated with antiarrhythmic drugs as well as anticoagulants to prevent stroke, but invasive ablation techniques such as pulmonary vein isolation are also used as a treatment in some patients. Antiarrhythmic pharmacological treatments include:

• “Acute cardioversion” of AF, aimed to bring the heart back to its normal rhythm (sinus rhythm)

• “Maintenance therapy”, a chronic drug therapy aimed at maintaining sinus rhythm and preventing the recurrence of AF.

These existing drug therapies generally have a limited effect and are associated with the risk of serious adverse events, hence, there is a considerable patient need for developing better and safer drugs.

Acesion Pharma’s Breakthrough: SK Channel Inhibition Offers New Hope for Atrial Fibrillation Treatment

A Novo Seeds portfolio company, Acesion Pharma ApS, develops more efficacious and safe drugs for the treatment of AF. Acesion Pharma aims to achieve this through novel drugs that inhibit SK ion channels, which are relevant for regulating heart rhythm.

In March of 2023, Acesion announced positive Phase 2 data where clinical proof of mechanism for SK channel inhibition was achieved — increasing the prospects of a mechanism that could be the first new drug approach to AF in 20 years. Subsequently to these Phase 2 data, the Company published compelling pre-clinical data for its second-generation oral SK channel inhibitor, developed for chronic oral maintenance treatment to prevent AF recurrence, in May of this year.

We spoke to Acesion’s CEO, Anders Gaarsdal Holst, MD, PhD, and Partner, Jørgen Søberg Petersen of Novo Holdings, to find out about the Company, its recent data, and the outlook for the future.

Anders Gaarsdal Holst, Acesion’s CEO

What is Acesion’s vision?

Acesion Pharma will develop more efficacious and safe drugs for the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (AF), the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia.

What advances does Acesion bring to addressing this unmet medical need?

Existing drug therapies generally have a limited effect and are associated with risk of serious adverse events. However, Acesion’s science is based on the novel concept of treating Atrial Fibrillation (AF) by inhibiting the SK channels. SK channels are ion channels present in the heart where they are relevant for regulating the heart rhythm. Acesion and others have generated data showing that inhibiting these channels results in antiarrhythmic effect while avoiding the safety issues of the existing therapies, namely a risk of causing life-threatening cardiac rhythm disturbances (proarrhythmia). This is the first new pharmacological approach to treating AF in the last 20 years.

How does AP31969 differ from current available treatments on the market?

AP31969 is a molecule that besides being a potent SK inhibitor is also optimised for removing a lot of the barriers that the existing drugs have for their use. We have ensured that it has a low risk of drug-drug interaction as AF patients are often on a lot of other medications. In essence, what we are aiming for with this molecule is to make it safer for patients and easier to prescribe for the physicians and with this, opening up a much more widespread use of drugs to treat AF.

What does the preclinical data mean for Acesion?

The preclinical data generated has shown that AP31969 has a low risk of proarrhythmia with robust differentiation compared to existing drugs. This indicates that AP31969 has an improved cardiac safety profile and provides us with confidence in our plans to progress to a phase 1 trial.

What’s next for Acesion? What are the upcoming milestones we can we expect to see from Acesion in the next 12 months?

Upon the positive preclinical results, Acesion has completed toxicology studies for AP31969 in preparation for the phase 1 trial we anticipate to begin within this year (2023).

What is the potential impact of Acesion’s lead therapeutic in Atrial Fibrillation?

With the numbers suffering from AF forecast to grow dramatically in the coming years, and with the many safety issues associated with currently available drugs, there is a great unmet need for safer AF treatments. Acesion’s 2nd generation molecule shows great potential for this novel class of compounds for the treatment of chronic AF and will hopefully be able to expand the use of pharmacological therapy for AF.

Jørgen Søberg Petersen, MD, PhD, MBA, Partner at Novo Holdings

What excites you about Acesion Pharma?

Acesion is developing a new, novel approach to treating AF, a condition forecast to affect 25 million people in the US and EU in 2030. These impressive, first-in-class, clinical proof-of-concept data for its second-generation asset significantly de-risks the Company’s SK channel inhibitor program — the first new approach to treating AF in 20 years.

What does the future look like for patients with AF?

Currently, drug therapy for AF is cumbersome and associated with the risk of serious side effects. However, if Acesion succeeds with developing AP31969, this will be a gamechanger as it will be easier for physicians to prescribe these drugs to treat their AF patients.

What made Acesion stand out?

Acesion’s technology is based on basic research initiated in 2008 at University of Copenhagen and drug discovery and chemistry insights from the Company NeuroSearch. This provided Acesion with a strong scientific foundation along with a fantastic management team, which we saw great potential in.

What was Novo Holdings’ role in the start of the Company?

Novo Holdings initially invested in Acesion in December 2011 and remains the largest shareholder. In addition to capital, Novo Holdings has consistently provided access to professional guidance and know-how, which has been critical for the successful development and transformation of Acesion from a start-up to a fully integrated biotech company.

Atrial Fibrillation on the Rise: Challenges and Opportunities for Safer Treatment Options was originally published in de novo on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

While patients with common bleeding and thrombotic disorders have had access to preventative treatments for more than a half-century, no such measures exist for less-common disorders. For these underserved men, women, and children, life is paralyzingly unpredictable. A bleeding or thrombotic event can strike at any moment, from a simple menstrual period to a routine dental procedure, and cause symptoms so severe that by the time they reach a hospital, it may be too late.

Hemab, a rare bleeding disorder company initially funded through Novo Holdings’ company creation and building efforts, is leapfrogging technological advancements to deliver the first ever prophylactic treatments and functional cures for the full spectrum of genetically driven bleeding and thrombotic disorders to prevent life-threatening complications and offer patients a new lifeline. Hemab’s mission is to ensure that every clotting disorder patient has the security and peace of mind they deserve. Its novel therapies are designed to accumulate, modulate, and at times recruit endogenous clotting factors already present in the blood to the site of injury to enable patients to form clots at the right times and in the right places.

In February 2023, Hemab announced the closing of its oversubscribed $135M Series B financing to advance the first prophylactic treatments for bleeding and thrombotic disorders. This followed the Company’s $55M Series A financing in July 2021, co-led by Novo Holdings.

We spoke to Hemab’s CEO, Benny Sorensen and Board Director Jørgen Søberg Petersen of Novo Holdings to find out about the Company, its recent financing, and its outlook for the future.

Benny Sorensen, MD, PhD, CEO & President of Hemab

1. What is Hemab’s vision?

Hemab’s vision is to deliver the first ever prophylactic treatments and functional cures for the full spectrum of genetically driven bleeding and thrombotic disorders to prevent life-threatening complications and offer patients a new lifeline.

2. What advances does Hemab bring to addressing this unmet medical need?

Leveraging validated advanced technologies and key insights into the biology of clotting,. Hemab’s therapeutic candidates bind the body’s native clotting factor(s) with high specificity and affinity. This binding can stabilize the native clotting factor(s), preventing breakdown and allowing accumulation to therapeutic levels. The state-of-the-art technology also allows, when necessary, to recruit native clotting factors directly to the site of injury.

3. How will the funds raised in the latest financing be used?

The financing will support Hemab’s scientific and corporate growth plans through 2025, including the completion of the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical study of lead candidate HMB-001 in Glanzmann Thrombasthenia. The funds will also be used for the initiation of pivotal studies, the start and completion of Phase 1/2 clinical evaluation for HMB-VWF in von Willebrand disease, and future pipeline evolution. Hemab is — targeting the development of 5 clinical assets by 2025.

4. What are Hemab’s upcoming milestones? What can we expect from Hemab in the next 12 months?

In the next 12 months, we expect to complete our Phase 1 clinical study of HMB-001.

5. What is the potential impact of Hemab’s lead therapeutic in Glanzmann?

Current treatments for Glanzmann Thrombasthenia are designed to treat bleeding, instead of preventing it. However, Hemab is developing the first ever prophylactic treatment. HMB-001 is a bispecific antibody that binds and stabilizes endogenous factor VIIa (FVIIa) with one antibody arm and TLT-1 on activated platelets with the other arm. It was designed to be a first-in-class prophylactic treatment for Glanzmann Thrombasthenia with potential for other debilitating rare bleeding disorders.

Jørgen Søberg Petersen, MD, PhD, MBA, Partner at Novo Holdings.

1. What excites you about Hemab?

Hemab is developing the first ever preventative treatments for rare clotting diseases. The Company’s pipeline is exciting because it allows for widespread expansion into a range of underserved bleeding and thrombotic disorders and is serving patients that have been left behind despite recent innovative therapies.

2. What does the future look like for patients with rare blood-clotting diseases?

With companies like Hemab researching and developing innovative preventative treatment methods, we hope patients with rare blood-clotting diseases will soon have effective first line treatment available to them, to be able to have a safer and better quality of life.

3. How does Novo Holdings support companies like Hemab?

We provide capital, network and know-how to transform promising life-science discoveries into successful biotech startups. We focus on company creation and building biotech startups in the Nordic region. Our Seed Investments aims to develop strong and competitive companies that we finance all the way to a commercial exit.

4. What is Novo Holdings' investment strategy?

Our mission at Novo Holdings is to invest in innovation to benefit people and the planet.

5. What motivated you to invest in Hemab and how do you see its potential for impact?

As a founding investor and the Company’s largest shareholder, we are excited to support Hemab in the next phase of its plan to build the ultimate clotting company, with a Nordic foundation and global footprint. Hemab and its assets hold enormous potential to significantly improve the lives of patients living with rare blood-clotting disorders.

6. What was Novo Holdings’ role in the start of the Company?

The Company was created in 2020 by the early-stage investment and company creation team of Novo Holdings. The Seed Investment team worked closely with the founders to develop a commercially attractive business plan to maximize the potential of Hemab’s promising technology platform where Novo Holdings co-led the $55M Series A financing.

Learn more about Hemab and Novo Holdings.

Hemab’s Blood Clotting Therapies at the heart of human resilience was originally published in de novo on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science with an interview with Cristiana Pires, co-founder and CEO of Asgard Therapeutics, one of our portfolio companies.

What inspired you to pursue a career in science?

My tremendous curiosity growing up and the aspiration to do something meaningful inspired me to pursue a career in science. I have long held an interest in understanding human physiology, disease, and the development of new therapies. I trained as a PharmD and then started my scientific career with a Ph.D. in biomedicine, focusing on using cell reprogramming strategies to develop cell therapies for retinal degeneration. As a Postdoc, I was motivated to use basic scientific discoveries and translate them into innovative therapies that could have a real impact on the lives of patients.

Together, with my co-founders, we developed innovative technology allowing the induction of antigen-presenting cells using a direct reprogramming approach. This opened a pioneering possibility to develop new cancer immunotherapies to reinstate tumor immunogenicity, leading to the incorporation and spin-out of our company Asgard Therapeutics from Lund University in 2018. I have been CEO of Asgard since its inception and I have devoted my work to bringing our vision of cancer immunotherapy based on in-vivo direct reprogramming to reality.

What are the biggest barriers you have faced as a woman in science?

I am a trained pharmacist and scientist in the life sciences field, one of the few fields in STEM where women are widely present and successful. As I transitioned to the biotech world, I noticed fewer women in leadership roles in start-ups, companies, and on the investor side. However, I have been, and continue to be, fortunate to meet and interact with strong, successful women, in leading positions such as CEOs, VC investors, mentors, and coaches; all of which have set a great example for me and have helped me along the way.

What is your advice for young women looking to forge a career in research/STEM?

Trust in your abilities, do not question yourself. Surround yourself with inspirational leaders, who become mentors along the way.

What do you enjoy most about working in STEM?

My motivation comes from being challenged. As a scientist, there are always new questions, experiments, and concepts to develop, which give an unlimited number of challenges. In the biotech world, the challenges are different, and more focused on how to translate new technology into a new therapy that can benefit patients. These challenges with a sense of purpose are what make me continue my work and keep me motivated to work hard!

International Day of Women and Girls in Science — interview with Asgard Therapeutics’ CEO and… was originally published in de novo on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Entrepreneurs in and out of residence — a dual perspective on the role of EiRs in venture creation

Article by Joao Ribas (Novo Seeds) and Martin Bonde (former EiR, BiOrigin).

Venture capital funds that focus on the venture creation model often build teams of entrepreneurs-in-residence (EiRs). These teams bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in managing biotech companies, which may otherwise be hard to recruit to early-stage company creation projects. By having a dedicated EiR team, venture capital (VC) funds leverage experienced management and/or pharma experts to boost the chances of success of early-stage company creation. We describe below the perspectives of both entrepreneurs and VCs on working together in venture creation.

The EiR perspective — time and space to create a new venture

EiRs generally join venture funds with two distinct approaches. Some are looking to find the next company to build and helm, while others join with specific ideas on what to build next. In both cases, partnering with a venture fund early on can expedite the venture creation process and leverage resources harder to find solo.

From a personal perspective, an EiR takes advantage of having no downtime between positions while continuing active employment until a venture creation project is founded and launched. Within the work EiRs do, there is also often flexibility to transition from one project to another if unsuccessful.

The support and backing of VCs also mean EiRs have more resources available. They can remain up to speed with trends and analysis on different investment areas and topics and can additionally tap into the VCs’ network as well as directly work with the investment team. This stands in stark contrast with solo entrepreneurs who, by comparison, have limited resources and bandwidth.

Working on venture creation projects with a VC can lead to a higher chance of closing a financing round. The early understanding of the investor perspective, as well as the EiRs’ experience, can help shape the strategy and development plans of venture creation projects in a more cohesive and comprehensive manner, potentially resonating better with other VCs. Furthermore, access to the VC’s network can facilitate discussions and syndication for financing rounds.

The Venture Fund perspective — an opportunity to build experienced teams early-on

Venture funds, namely the ones focusing on venture creation, often build or hire teams of EiRs (some funds may use the term Venture Partner). The make-up of said teams can be very diverse, including serial management teams from biotech companies (C-level) as well as industry veterans from pharma companies.

From the perspective of accessing talent, VCs that choose to have an EiR team often avoid lengthy and sometimes difficult processes of searching and hiring candidates for new projects. This early-on access to talent allows VCs to augment the working bandwidth they can take on, while simultaneously tapping into and securing talent as it becomes available. EiRs can also seemingly transition from one project to another in case of project attrition, allowing VCs to work faster and smarter by “recycling” management teams.

Key experts and management hired as EiRs can help shape venture creation projects early on, potentially giving them a higher chance of success or, at least, a faster process to reach a no-go conclusion. The operational experience of EIRs can also drive venture creation projects faster in the earlier stages, as well as avoid mistakes of more inexperienced teams. Finally, the VCs can also tap into the EiR’s network, making it sometimes easier to find talent or consultants for projects, hire and grow teams, or select the best providers such as contract research organizations and more.

One of the challenges venture creators face is early access to experienced management, to help build and drive new venture creation. Having a group of seasoned EiRs can help VCs drive venture creation projects forward, leveraging the EiR’s experience to shape projects and take the right decisions early on. Ultimately, the interactions between EiRs and VCs can accelerate venture creation and lead to higher chances of success for the benefit of both parties.

As a venture creator, Novo Seeds has built a team of entrepreneurs-in-residence — BiOrigin — comprised of repeat C-level executives and industry experts. Our EiRs are an important part of our venture creation initiatives and play a crucial role in building them. Muna Therapeutics, a company that recently raised a $73M Series A financing round, is an example of the role and impact EiRs can have on building biotech companies.

Entrepreneurs in and out of residence — a dual perspective on the role of EiRs in venture creation was originally published in de novo on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.