Betagenon AB announces new CEO and new Chairman of the Board

Betagenon AB, a Sweden-based company focused on development of AMPK activator compounds, today announced that James Hall BM, BCh, D.Phil has joined this month as CEO.  Dr. Hall brings extensive senior healthcare and life science experience, including 12 years with AstraZeneca.  While there, he held a number of commercial, R&D and Business Development roles, including VP Global Marketing for the CV/GI Therapy Area, Global Product VP for Crestor and VP Evaluation for the CV/Metabolism/Renal Therapy Area.  Prior to this he was a member of the Pharmaceutical/Medical Products practice at McKinsey & Co.  He has a BM, BCh in Clinical Medicine and a D.Phil in Cell Physiology from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

Prof. Thomas Edlund, Ph.D., founder of Betagenon, will lead the ongoing scientific interrogation of the target as the Chief Scientific Officer, and joins the Board of Betagenon this month. 

"I am incredibly excited to join Betagenon as we build on the scientific leadership of Thomas and the team, and drive to clinical proof of concept and show what direct activation of AMPK can deliver to patients," said James.

"Having known James professionally for a number of years, I am delighted that he has agreed to take the company and program forward in this next stage of development," said Thomas.

Betagenon also announced that Dr. Gunnar Olsson, MD, Ph.D, has been elected as Chairman of the Board at the recent AGM.  Dr. Olsson brings more than 30 years' experience in drug development, including 25 years at AstraZeneca. While at AstraZeneca Dr. Olsson held a number of senior roles in Global R&D including Senior VP and leader of the CV & GI Therapy Area. He certified in Cardiology and Internal Medicine in hospitals associated to Karolinska Institutet, where he was adjunct professor for 12 years. In recent years Dr Olsson has worked with innovative biotech companies in the Scandinavian region as board member or advisor. He is currently Chairman of the Board of IRLAB AB and Athera Biotechnologies AB and is a member of the Board of Gesynta AB. 

Dr. Olsson succeeds Andreas Nordberg as Chairman.  Mr. Nordberg will continue as a member of the Board.

Betagenon is a clinical stage company that develops its proprietary first in class AMPK activators as therapies for diseases and conditions associated with the global epidemic in metabolic disorders and an aging population.