Annexin celebrates 10 years and the largest owner takes a seat on the board
Annexin Pharmaceuticals AB (publ) announces that it is 10 years since the company was founded with the goal of developing Annexin A5 protein into a new medicine. One of the earliest investors was Mikael Lönn, who already in 2016 became a significant owner and who today is the single largest owner in the company. At the Annual General Meeting in May 2024, Mikael Lönn was elected as a new ordinary member of the Board of Directors of Annexin Pharmaceuticals.
In 2014, Annexin Pharmaceuticals AB was founded and the Annexin A5 project, the basis for the drug candidate ANXV, was acquired from Medirista AB, owned by Dr. Anna Frostegård and Professor Johan Frostegård. Annexin Pharmaceuticals was listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market in 2017 and is today a world-leading biotechnology company in the field of Annexin A5 therapies with a focus on patients with diseases where there is a high unmet medical need with a large market potential.
Currently, a phase 2a study is conducted in patients with the eye disease retinal vein occlusion (RVO) with top-line data expected in the summer of 2024. Preclinical studies in cancer are also underway with two projects – ANXV as an immunomodulatory drug where the body's immune system is helped to attack cancer cells, and as a conjugate-drug where ANXV acts as a transporter of a chemotherapeutic drug directly to cancer cells.
"I am proud of the position the company has achieved during these 10 years. Annexin's entire team has worked with dedication and focus to give the company and our drug candidate ANXV a solid position for the future, primarily in terms of pre-clinical and clinical data as well as a solid patent portfolio. I hope that the promising efficacy signals in the phase 2 study with the eye disease RVO will be confirmed by top-line data expected during the summer. We have seen an increased interest from pharmaceutical companies and leading ophthalmologists, and we are increasingly invited to present at congresses and specialist meetings. I am really looking forward to being part of driving the company forward – 2024 will be an exciting year in Annexin's history!" says Dr. Anna Frostegård, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at Annexin Pharmaceuticals.
Mikael Lönn was elected as a new ordinary member of the Board of Directors of Annexin Pharmaceuticals at the Annual General Meeting in May 2024. Mikael is a physician with extensive experience as a business leader and entrepreneur, primarily in healthcare. He has extensive experience in financial investments and solid experience from advising and active board involvement in a number of start-up and growth companies. Mikael has been a shareholder in Annexin Pharmaceuticals since 2016 and is currently the largest owner with 25.9 percent of the capital and votes in the company.
"I met Anna Frostegård for the first time in the summer of 2016 and became immediately interested in Annexin and the drug candidate ANXV since it has the potential to be used in many different diseases and fill a gap where there are currently no effective treatments. The positive news from the ongoing RVO study is a step in this direction, and the early-stage cancer initiative is very interesting with great opportunities. It is an exciting time in the company's history and therefore one reason why I, as the single largest owner, take a more active role as a board member. I look forward with confidence to an exciting 2024," says Mikael Lönn, the company's largest shareholder.
This document has been prepared in a Swedish and English version. In the event of any deviations, the Swedish version shall prevail.