The people behind KP405
IAN LAQUIAN M.SC. MBA – CEO
Mr. Laquian is an active life science entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in building companies, franchises, portfolios and products. He has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry assuming senior roles within R&D, Business Development, and Marketing while at Nycomed/Takeda. His main area of focus is CNS disorders and was critical in developing Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ CNS therapeutic area strategy and portfolio, overseeing the development of key assets in dementia, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s Disease, and directing R&D and commercial efforts for Takeda/Lundbeck’s marquee antidepressant Brintellix. Previously, Mr. Laquian was an Executive-in-Residence at Novo Holdings, providing operational, strategic, and board support for a number of CNS focused biotech companies. He is currently an advisor to the BioInnovation Institute (BII).
DR. CHRISTIAN HÖLSCHER PHD – CSO
Dr. Holscher is a professor of neuroscience at the Henan University of Chinese Medicine, China. His group is pioneering the development of novel drug treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, with specific focus on researching the interaction between diabetes and neurodegeneration, leading to the discovery of the neuroprotective properties of incretin analogues. A key opinion leader authoring over 180 scientific publications and two books, his research has been funded by the Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Cure Parkinson’s Trust, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, and The Wellcome Trust. Dr. Holscher is a previous recipient of a Lundbeckfonden visiting professorship to Copenhagen University and is also a visiting professor at Shanxi Medical University in Taiyuan, China, where extensive research in animal models of neurodegeneration is ongoing.
DR. MIKAEL THOMSEN PHD – CDO
Dr. Thomsen led clinical pharmacology at Novo Nordisk, where he ran the first human dosing of liraglutide, and later held the same role at Novartis. He has since been development or scientific lead at a number of European biotech companies, including Probiodrug, Sound Biotech, Contera Pharma, Initiator Pharma, Avilex Pharma and Saniona. At Kariya he leads the development of KP405 and sits on the Board of Directors.
DR. JOHN CONNELL MD – CCO
Dr. Connell is Chief Scientific Officer of MAC Clinical Research, one of Europe’s largest independent contract research organisations. He has worked on Phase I to IV international clinical trials, with a particular focus on neuropsychiatry and neurodegeneration. At Kariya he leads clinical strategy for the KP405 programme and sits on the Board of Directors.
Board of directors
- Ian LaquianChairman
- Claus Elsborg OlesenBoard member
- Christian HölscherBoard member
- Mikael ThomsenBoard member
- John ConnellBoard member