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Aqilion hires Martin Johansson as medicinal chemistry expert

Martin Johansson holds a doctorate in organic chemistry from Lund University, Sweden, where he is currently an Associate Professor at the Center for Analysis and Synthesis. He has almost 20 years’ experience of medicinal chemistry and commercial drug discovery. Martin has previously held positions as senior researcher in AstraZeneca’s organization for Discovery R&D, in Södertälje, Sweden; Chief Scientific Officer at Respiratorius AB, which develops drugs for the treatment of cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry at Trent University in Peterborough, Canada. In recent years, Martin has worked for several drug development companies on a consulting basis, including as project manager at Glactone Pharma AB, one of Aqilion’s project companies. Martin will begin working as Senior Director Medical Chemistry at Aqilion in August.

“Martin Johansson’s extensive expertise in medicinal chemistry will be an important and strong addition to Aqilion’s ability to analyze new project ideas. His broad experience from drug discovery projects targeting a variety of disease areas and indications will also be a great asset to and a driving force for our pipeline. We are extremely pleased that Martin has chosen to join the Aqilion team and I look forward to an exciting collaboration moving forward,” says Sarah Fredriksson, CEO of AQILION AB.

About AQILION AB
Aqilion is a Swedish life science company that identifies unique pharmaceutical projects at an early phase in the drug discovery process and develops them in preparation for clinical trials. The goal is to demonstrate the clinical and commercial potential of the medical innovation to attract industrial partners and buyers, who in turn have the capacity to continue clinical development and take the product to market. The business model is based on involvement at an early stage and close collaboration with the innovator, regardless of whether the project is initiated by an external researcher, internal development project, or industrial partner. Aqilion prefers projects aimed at niche markets. Specialty medications (high-cost, high complexity and/or high touch drugs) and orphan drugs (drugs to treat diseases so rare that they would be unprofitable to produce without government assistance) are particularly interesting. Aqilion has its headquarters in Helsingborg, Sweden. Please visit www.www.aqilion.com

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