Klaria Pharma Appoints Jesper Wiklund as Chief Executive Officer
Stockholm – Jesper Wiklund has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Klaria Pharma (Klaria) as of November 28, 2019. He brings over 25 years of international commercial experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry to Klaria. He will succeed Scott Boyer, who will continue his full-time involvement with the company in the newly created role of Chief Scientific Officer.
The appointment comes as Klaria enters a new stage of growth with a strong commercial focus. In the coming two years the company will likely receive the approval of its first medicine, Sumatriptan Alginate Film for the treatment of acute migraine. In addition, multiple pipeline programs will likely advance into clinical development. To ensure this growth, Klaria is now increasing the focus on out-licensing to pharmaceutical companies and also on financing. Given his 25 year track record and network in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, the appointment of Jesper Wiklund is an important first step in this transformation of Klaria.
Jesper joins Klaria from New York based Oberland Capital, a health care focused private investment firm with over $1.2 billion in capital commitments where he served as Managing Director, Europe. Prior to that, he was CEO of drug development company InDex Pharmaceuticals based in Stockholm, Sweden. He was born in 1969, holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from St. Mary’s College of California.
“Jesper Wiklund’s track record in business development includes completing multiple M&A transactions, in- and out-licensings with international pharmaceutical companies and financings with top-tier Scandinavian and international investors. Jesper is the right person to lead the organization as we aggressively pursue the next stage of growth of our company where focus will be on out-licensing and the strengthening of our financial position.” said Björn Littorin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Klaria Pharma.
“I am delighted to join Klaria Pharma at this exciting time for the company. One year from now we should be ready to file our most advanced program, Sumatriptan Alginate Film, for approval. The key priority of the company is to find the right commercial partners for this program, both in Europe and the United States. Klaria is also looking to bring a number of our pre-clinical pipeline programs into clinical trials. To fund these clinical trials, we will need to partner with pharmaceutical companies as well as our current and future investors. My focus as CEO will be on securing the partnerships that will help us maximize the value of our assets, says Jesper Wiklund.”
Scott Boyer, previously CEO and now CSO of Klaria concluded “Jesper’s skill set is a good complement for Klaria at our current stage of development and there is also a strong cultural fit. I look forward to working together with him to build a company which will realize the full value of our pipeline and soon-to-be commercial programs.”
About Jesper Wiklund
Mr. Wiklund joins Klaria from Oberland Capital where he served as Managing Director, Europe. Oberland Capital is a private investment firm with over $1.2 billion in capital commitments focused on the global healthcare industry. Previously, he was the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of InDex Pharmaceuticals, a Swedish drug development company focused on the gastrointestinal market with an asset in phase II development. At InDex, he sourced, negotiated and closed an out-licensing transaction with Almirall. Prior to joining InDex, he was responsible for Business Development at Swedish Orphan Biovitrum. Mr. Wiklund has worked in the United States for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Elan Pharmaceuticals as well as in Germany for Evotec. Over the course of his career, Mr. Wiklund has completed strategic transactions with an aggregate value exceeding $1 billion and he has raised four rounds of Venture Capital from top-tier European Investors. He holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in Biology from St. Mary's College of California.
For more information, visit the Klaria Pharma Holding website klaria.com or contact:
Scott Boyer, CSO Klaria Pharma Holding AB (publ)
scott.boyer@klaria.com
Tel: +46 8-446 42 99
This is Klaria Pharma Holding AB
Klaria (Klaria Pharma Holding AB) is a Swedish listed pharmaceutical company that develops innovative, rapid-acting products. By combining patented technology of a film that attaches to the oral mucosa and well proven pharmaceuticals, the company has developed a drug distribution concept with many benefits and potential uses. Klaria is listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Markets under the short name KLAR. FNCA Sweden is Certified Advisor (info@fnca.se, +46(0) 8-528 00 399) for Klaria Pharma Holding AB. For more information, see www.klaria.com.