Saniona utvecklar en bred pipeline av behandlingar som riktar sig mot sällsynta sjukdomar och sjukdomar i centrala nervsystemet, baserat på sin egenutvecklade plattform för läkemedelsupptäckt inom jonkanaler .
Bolagets pipeline består av SAN711 (fas II-redo för essentiell tremor), SAN2219 (akuta repetitiva anfall) och SAN2355 (fokala anfall, från Kv7-programmet). Dessutom har bolaget utlicensierat obesitasbehandlingen tesofensine till Medix, med ett potentiellt marknadsgodkännande i Mexiko under 2025.
Bolaget har även framgångsrikt etablerat strategiska partnerskap med bolag som Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim och Productos Medix, vilka är avgörande för att möjliggöra utveckling på viktiga marknader.
Förstärkning av ledningsgruppen
Saniona har utsett Johnny Stilou till ny finanschef (CFO). Stilou har en M.Sc i företagsekonomi och revision från Copenhagen Business School och har genomfört Executive Management Programmet vid handelshögskolan INSEAD i Frankrike. Som medlem av Sanionas ledningsgrupp kommer han att rapportera direkt till vd.
I en kommentar till utnämningen säger Thomas Feldthus, vd för Saniona, till BioStock:
– We are thrilled to welcome Johnny Stilou as Saniona’s new CFO. His extensive experience in corporate finance, strategic partnerships, and guiding companies through transformative phases is precisely what we need at this stage. Johnny has a proven track record of ensuring financial discipline and leveraging partnerships to accelerate growth. As we advance our clinical programs and explore new opportunities, his expertise will be critical in optimizing our financial strategy, enhancing investor relations, and securing the resources needed to achieve our vision. I am confident that with Johnny on board, Saniona is better positioned to become a leader in developing groundbreaking treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Kommentarer från CFO
Vi kontaktade Johnny Stilou för att ta del av hans kunskaper kring finansiell strategi, kapitalmarknader och planer för att stödja Sanionas långsiktiga tillväxt.
Johnny, can you start by sharing some highlights of your career and how they have prepared you for your role at Saniona?
– Certainly. Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working across several dynamic biotech and pharmaceutical companies, including Nuevolution and Veloxis Pharmaceuticals. At Nuevolution, I managed the company through its listing to the main market and ultimately its acquisition by Amgen. At Veloxis, I played a key role in taking the company from pre-clinical stage through clinical stages, regulatory filings and launch of a product. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of financial strategy, capital markets, and the importance of aligning financial planning with scientific and commercial goals.
At Nuevolution and Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, you played a pivotal role in the companies’ acquisitions by Amgen and Asahi Kasei, respectively. What were the most important lessons you learned from these experiences?
– Both acquisitions were the result of a clear vision, disciplined execution, and strong alignment between the scientific, operational, and financial aspects of the business. I will however also emphasize the value of building trust—with investors, partners, and internal teams, which is imperative to attract potential partners. Finally, timing and readiness matter. You need to be prepared for opportunities when they arise, which means having your financials, data, and story in order at all times.
In your view, what are the most critical factors for a biotech company like Saniona to attract significant partners?
– First, we need a strong scientific rationale backed by solid data. The connection between a drug candidate’s mechanism of action and the underlying biology of the disease has to be clear and robust. That’s the foundation of everything.
– Second, we have to focus on areas of high unmet need where there’s a real potential to transform the standard of care. Drug development is costly and complex, so it’s essential to invest resources in candidates that offer significant benefits over what’s already available.
– Third, clinical program sophistication is key. It’s about designing rational drug development programs and, especially in CNS disorders, establishing biomarkers that can demonstrate early on whether a compound is doing what it’s supposed to do at the brain level. Being able to detect relevant pharmacology with achievable doses makes all the difference.
– Finally, as mentioned previously you need trust, which you build through long-term relationships, and by being prepared for opportunities when they arise, which means having your financials, data, and story in order at all times.
What role do you see strategic partnerships playing in Saniona’s future, and how will your experience help in forging such collaborations?
– The Acadia deal was a testament to the quality of molecules that the Saniona team continues to produce, especially considering the challenging economic environment we’re all navigating.
– The exciting part is that the other assets in the pipeline come from the same “production line.” They are high-quality compounds with clear value propositions and the potential to address multiple indications. We’re confident that as we continue to advance these assets, the interest from potential partners will only grow. So, yes, more deals are definitely on the horizon.
As Saniona’s CFO, how do you plan to shape the company’s financial strategy to support its continued development and long-term growth?
– My approach is to ensure that our financial strategy is tightly aligned with our scientific and business goals. That means disciplined capital allocation, proactive investor engagement, and a focus on building a sustainable financial foundation. We’ll look to diversify our funding sources, optimize our cost structure, and ensure that every investment we make supports our strategic priorities. At the same time, we’ll maintain the flexibility to seize new opportunities as they arise—whether through partnerships, licensing, or other strategic initiatives.
Innehållet i BioStocks nyheter och analyser är oberoende men BioStocks verksamhet är i viss mån finansierad av bolag i branschen. Detta inlägg avser ett bolag som BioStock erhållit finansiering från.
