A reflection over the last year and looking forward!
My first year as CEO for QureTech Bio AB (QTB) has been both amazing and challenging!
No one has missed that 2021 has been another year where infectious disease has been in focus. For most people a certain virus has been on top of the mind – at QTB we haven´t missed that but keep our focus within the antibacterial field.
All the three projects which the company currently is working on have made great progress. We have developed new substances with improved properties and better formulation in both the Gram-positive project and the tuberculosis project and in vivo efficacy studies are planned for 2022. For the Chlamydia project we are looking for a collaboration to develop the project further.
The company’s patent portfolio has expanded during 2021 and the Chlamydia patent is now granted in USA, Europe, China, Japan, Australia, India, and Mexico. In addition, a patent for drug candidates for treatment of tuberculosis is granted in USA, Europe, China and Japan and a new patent application has been submitted to cover new and improved drug candidates in the Gram-positive project.
We also moved to new premises rented by Umeå Biotech Incubator AB Umeå Biotech Incubator. The new office is situated on level 5 with good view over Umeå University. We share common spaces with other startups who we exchange experiences with.
Due to covid-19 restrictions, I was not able to meet in person with our current employees Annica Rönnbäck (PhD, COO) and Mari Bonde (Ph D, Senior scientist, molecular biology) as regularly as I would have liked. In February Souvik Sarkar (Ph D, Senior scientist, chemistry), joined us and we met in person for the first time in June! However, thanks to good collaboration and technical platforms, we were able to manage the homework periods very well.
I also want to highlight and congratulate the great personal achievements for two of our founders:
Professor Scott Hultgren has been elected as member of National Academy of Inventors in the United States!
Professor Fredrik Almqvist has been awarded the prestigious Ulla and Stig Holmquist Science Prize in Organic Chemistry!
To set the spotlight on the importance of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), QTB participated in SwedenBIO Bio´s AMR task force and was also appointed national coordinator for BEAM Alliance.
For 2022 there are several exciting activities ongoing, and I am really looking forward to continuing the progress of the company and development of the important projects.
The great collaboration within the company and its affiliated is a basis to be able to reach the goals!
Thanks to your contribution!