Oncoinvent Strengthens Leadership Team

The company makes three important new appointments to the clinical and regulatory teams in preparation for the upcoming Radspherin^® phase 2 clinical trials

OSLO, Norway--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oncoinvent AS, a clinical stage company advancing a pipeline of radiopharmaceutical products across a variety of solid cancers, today announced that it has appointed Dr. Kari Myren, MD to the role of Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anne-Kirsti Aksnes to the role of Vice President Clinical Operations, and Mr. Stian Brekke to the role of Head of Regulatory Affairs.

Dr. Kari Myren is a medical professional with a strong clinical background with specialty training in surgery. She has ten years of experience from leading positions in both the pharmaceutical and MedTech industries relating to oncology and early phase immuno-oncology, as well as clinical experience from oncologic surgery. Dr. Myren has previously held the positions of Medical Advisor and Senior Medical Advisor at Novartis and Roche Diagnostics respectively. Dr. Myren comes to Oncoinvent from Photocure ASA where she held the position of Vice President Global Medical Affairs and Clinical Development.

Dr. Anne-Kirsti Aksnes is a multi-disciplinary clinical research professional with more than 20 years of experience within clinical research and development in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Dr. Aksnes has a strong knowledge of all aspects of clinical development and operations and a broad and reputable experiences with clinical studies in all phases (I-IV). She is a physiologist by training with a Medical Doctorate Degree (PhD) from Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Dr. Aksnes has held multiple senior positions including VP Clinical Development at Targovax ASA and Director of Clinical Research at G.E. Healthcare. Dr. Aksnes also held the position of VP Clinical Development at Algeta ASA and was responsible for the clinical development of Xofigo, a product that has gone on to become the world’s most successful and largest selling radiopharmaceutical.

Mr. Stian Brekke has worked in regulatory affairs since 2005, as a regulatory affairs manager, regulatory project leader and QPPV during 11 years in Pharmaq AS, and since April 2019 as a regulatory affairs director at SMERUD, based in Oslo, Norway. Mr. Brekke has led multiple regulatory submissions to various competent authorities, including marketing authorisation applications, orphan drug designation applications, variation applications, clinical trial applications etc. He has ensured regulatory compliance in close collaboration with clinical R&D units, specialized laboratories, consultants, and regulatory authorities as the regulatory representative in drug development projects.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to attract such qualified and experienced people such as Kari, Anne-Kirsti, and Stian to our team,” said Jan A. Alfheim, Chief Executive Officer of Oncoinvent. “I am looking forward to working with them to build Oncoinvent into a world leader in alpha-emitting radiotherapeutics. I would like to use this opportunity to thank Dr. Øyvind Bruland for all his efforts in the development of Radspherin^® to date, and I look forward to continuing our fine collaboration as he steps into his new role as Senior Medical Advisor and Head of the Radspherin^® Clinical Advisory Board for Oncoinvent”

Alfheim continued by saying, “I would also like to thank Kari Skinnemoen, our former Head of Regulatory Affairs for all her excellent work and contributions to the development of Radspherin^® these past four years and I look forward to her continued contributions to the Radspherin^® development as she begins her transition to retirement.”

About Radspherin^®

Radspherin^® is a novel alpha-emitting radioactive microsphere suspension designed for treatment of metastatic cancers in body cavities. The radium-224 based therapeutic, Radspherin^® has shown strong and consistent anticancer activity at doses being essentially non-toxic in preclinical studies. It is anticipated that the product can potentially be used to treat several forms of metastatic cancer.

About Oncoinvent

Oncoinvent AS is a clinical stage company developing innovative radiopharmaceutical technology that delivers precise, alpha-emitting particles across solid cancers. By leveraging internal manufacturing and supply chain capabilities to enable a clinical supply of radioisotopes, the company is advancing a pipeline of novel products that use alpha particles, a higher Linear Energy Transfer (LET) form of radiation, that can potentially eradicate cancer cells. Oncoinvent’s lead candidate, Radspherin^®, is designed for treatment of metastatic cancers in body cavities, and its versality allows it to be deployed for the treatment of a variety of cancer indications. Radspherin^® is in two ongoing Phase 1 studies to treat peritoneal carcinomatosis from both ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer.