Tell us more about yourself and what motivated you to found Arxx, which has since become Calluna Pharma following the merger with Oxitope.
I was born in Norway and lived there until I moved to Copenhagen to study medicine. I never actually considered medicine as a career path until I trained as a medic during my mandatory service in the Norwegian Armed Forces which triggered my interest in clinical work.
What motivated me to co-found Arxx was my ambition to make a larger impact than I felt I was having at my existing job. Arxx co-founder Dr. Rizwan Hussain and myself started looking at the biology of a protein known as S100A4 and the broader class of DAMPS (Damage Associated Molecular Patterns or alarmins).
We were immediately captivated by their therapeutic potential. To further validate our approach, we engaged with Professor Eugene Lukanidin’s research group in Copenhagen, the pioneers in S100A4 research.
Their foundational work, supported by high-quality publications and collaborations with leading global labs, provided a solid scientific starting point for a drug development program. We were incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Jörg Klingelhöfer, a key member of Professor Lukanidin’s group, join us as our third co-founder, bringing invaluable expertise.
Years later, the merger with Oxitope to form Calluna Pharma was a strategic move to combine our strengths and accelerate the development of our DAMP-targeting antibodies. It’s been an exciting journey, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, especially with the dedicated team we’ve built.
Congratulations on the successful fundraising rounds over the years — what were the key ingredients that helped you convince investors to back a company working in such a complex space like fibrosis and inflammation?
Although I enjoyed clinical work as a doctor, I found it very rewarding to do clinical research and ultimately use those skills to design clinical trials for testing of new drugs. I’ve spent the last 15 years of my career in both big pharma and smaller biotechs in a variety of drug development and medical roles.
Thank you! I think it came down to a few key things. First, we had solid science and a collective keen understanding of the target biology.
Second, we validated our concept with world-leading experts in fibrosis which made a big impact and gave us the courage to move forward.
And third, given the background of my co-founder Rizwan Hussain and myself in big pharma and medical affairs, we were able to link the exciting science with a commercial value proposition that resonated with investors.
Beyond that, you have to be super-focused and efficient with your time and capital when you run a small biotech with high ambitions.
What has been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur and how do you balance your role as a scientist/clinician with that of an entrepreneur?
One of the biggest challenges is navigating the complexities of building a company from the ground up, especially with a lean team. You must wear many hats and learn quickly.
Balancing the scientific and clinical aspects with the entrepreneurial side is definitely a juggling act. You have to be able to focus on the big picture and long-term objectives, but you also need to fully comprehend the details and all the operational considerations.
Having a strong co-founder team has also been instrumental. The joy of achieving something together with a group of people with a shared goal has been a huge motivator.
What drives you?
Ultimately, it’s the potential to make a real difference and having an impact. I’m driven by the challenge of building something meaningful and innovative, especially with the combination of scientific discovery, biology and the intellectual stimulation of trying to solve incredibly complex questions under pressure.
Can you highlight some career achievements you take pride in?
I’ve enjoyed all the roles I’ve had in my career – from treating patients at the bedside to doing research and working in the pharma industry. But what I’m most proud of is definitely bringing CAL101 to Phase 2 clinical trials with Arxx/Calluna.
That was a huge accomplishment for our small team and we’re now in a position to ultimately test the therapeutic hypothesis.
You’ve led clinical development in both startups and large pharma — how does the pace and pressure compare, and what lessons from big pharma helped you most at Arxx?
The pace in a startup is much faster and decisions are made very quickly, but the resources are often more limited. In my current job, every meeting I attend has a clear purpose and feels important which is not always the case in a much larger organization.
My jobs in big pharma taught me to work in a highly regulated environment. When we started Arxx we knew that in order to succeed, we needed to build a company that adhered to the rigorous quality and documentation standards that are required in this business, but we were conscious not to let that stand in the way of creativity and taking calculated scientific risks.
Who or what has shaped who you are?
I’ve always admired people who combine intellect and vision with an ability to care for other people and treat them well. Although I’ve never met him, P. Roy Vagelos showed that a brilliant scientist and a highly successful business leader can also be a profoundly compassionate human being, using his influence as CEO of Merck to advance treatments for neglected diseases.
My family and friends help me think about other things than drug development which is crucial to absorb the ups and downs of life in a biotech.
What’s your long-term vision for Calluna, and how do you see its role evolving in the fibrosis and inflammation therapeutic landscape over the next 5–10 years?
Our long-term vision is to become a leader in developing DAMP-targeting therapies for fibrosis and inflammation. We believe our approach has the potential to help patients suffering from different diseases driven by chronic inflammation and fibrosis.
What is one interesting fact about yourself that few people know of (a hobby, etc.)?
I don’t really have any crazy hobbies and frankly raising a family takes most of my attention outside of work at the moment. I’ve always been a big sports nerd and I particularly follow football quite closely – and now my boys also like to watch games which is a great way to unwind.
Even though I’m far from being very good at it, what also works great as a stress reliever for me is to pick up my guitar and play for a while.
What advice would you give to other scientists or clinicians thinking of founding their own biotech startup?
Go for it! But be prepared for challenges and focus on the execution. It’s easy and necessary (!) to dream big, but ultimately it comes down to translating those dreams into day-to-day operational work to make progress.
And what is for sure the most important advice is to hire people smarter than you, that know things you don’t, and build a collaborative team culture where everyone pulls in the same direction.
And last, be persistent don’t give up easily and believe in your vision and the ability of your team to execute it.