Basel Metropolitan Area
I am CEO at Helix Biopharma, a public biotech oncology company. Helix is a clinical stage company developing a novel antibody enzyme conjugate for lung cancer and second to theird generation ADCs Previously, I was the Founder-CEO of Laevoroc, a Swiss oncology company spearheading the development of LR 09, a novel PNP inhibitor poised to revolutionize treatment for leukaemia patients facing relapse post-stem cell transplantation, which are now all part of the Helix pipeline. Prior to founding Laevoroc, I spent 20 years shaping the oncology landscape with multinational Pharma companies, building the Mundipharma Group’s first European oncology business from the ground up and introducing groundbreaking oncology drugs across Europe that achieved sales nearing $1 billion. A PhD in pharmacology and Board-Certified Physician, before entering the industry I spent 13 years as an MD at the University Hospital in Frankfurt working on preclinical and translational projects in oncology and cardiology.
After working as Chief Medical Officer since July 2024, I was now appointed Chief Executive Officer at Helix Biopharma since March 2025. Helix is a public, dynamic oncology company gaining traction with its clinical stage antibody-enzyme contstruct but also now expanding the pipeline with nove, second-third generation ADCs for treating solid tumors.
I founded the Laevoroc Group (Laevoroc Oncology and Laevoroc Immunology), driven by an imperative to re-open the investigation of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (“PNP”) inhibitors for the treatment of leukaemia patients who relapse after stem cell transplantation. Collaborating with BioCryst veteran Shanta Bantia, and through strategic partnerships with top-tier chemists in China and a distinguished team at UCLA, Laevoroc has re-engineered LR 09 (Ulodesine hemiglutarate) and unveiled its unprecedented mode of action as an immune-oncology agent. This effort has culminated in a seminal publication in the JCI in 2022 (https://www.jci.org/articles/view/160852), marking a pivotal leap towards offering a lifeline to over 30,000 patients annually without current treatment options, heralding a new dawn in oncology. • Seed funding of $1.5M has propelled us through pivotal pharmacology work and production scale-up; • Orphan Drug Status granted by the FDA, positioning Laevoroc for accelerated regulatory pathways and market exclusivity; • Seminal publication in the JCI (2022): https://www.jci.org/articles/view/160852 • Robust patent portfolio until 2041 safeguarding our compound and reinforcing our competitive edge; • With over 30,000 patients globally facing bleak prospects post-transplant, our target market is poised for disruption and has significant commercial potential. Prior to founding Laevoroc, I spent 20 years shaping the oncology landscape with multinational Pharma companies, building the Mundipharma Group’s first European oncology business from the ground up and introducing groundbreaking oncology drugs across Europe that achieved sales nearing $1 billion. A PhD in pharmacology and Board-Certified Physician, before entering the industry I spent 13 years as an MD at the University Hospital in Frankfurt working on preclinical and translational projects in oncology and cardiology.
The new company Mundipharma EDO GmbH is developing early stage assets in oncology for the Mundipharma Group of independent associated companies. We are in-licensing biologics and small molecules and we are as a privately funded company the ideal partner for biotech companies. Our strength are fast decision making, flexibility in deal structures and excellent execution. We bring oncology medicines into humans - straightforward and with competence.
- Portfolio and Pipeline Strategy to build a global oncology business - Strategic review and setting the direction for further investments into oncology products - Defining the priorities in terms of indications, territories and fields of use to maximise the business - Supporting the approach to business development and acquiring new assets - Structuring and overseeing the approach to build an early stage oncology pipeline