“While many work on delivery and anti-inflammatory drugs, few focus on Astaxanthin like we do, and it would compete in the broader anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic market dominated by major brands.”
In this episode, I talked with Orn Almarsson, co-founder of Axelyf, where he shared his journey from Iceland to becoming a prominent figure in the biotechnology industry. He discussed his experiences at Moderna and the development of the mRNA COVID vaccine, Spikevax. He reflects on the challenges faced in drug development, the importance of mentorship, and the founding of his own company, Axelyf, which focuses on anti-inflammatory solutions. Orn emphasizes the significance of hiring passionate individuals, the need for feedback in recruitment, and the value of networking and mentorship for career success.
Here's what you're in:
- What success has he worked on Spikevax mRNA COVID vaccine, and what has he learned from it?
- What is Axelyf and its mission?
- What contributes to challenges in drug development?
- How important are integrity and transparency in building a company culture?
- What qualities of an individual is important when it comes to hiring?
- How promising Astaxanthin as an anti-inflammatory agent?
- Why Delivery systems are as important as the mRNA itself?
- Why feedback is important in hiring process?
Timestamps:
02:06 From Iceland to California
05:55 Joining Merck and Early Experiences
07:44 The Moderna Journey and Spikevax
15:26 Founding Axelyf and Its Mission
22:39 Industry Observations and Hiring Insights
32:14 Advice for Aspiring Professionals
About Orn
- Orn Almarsson, co-founder of Axelyf, an Icelandic biotechnology start-up focusing on designing and developing medicines for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.
- Orn is a pharmaceutical scientist turned executive with 30 years in the industry and has worked with multiple products including the Covid vaccine, Spikevax at Moderna.
- He has a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from UC Santa Barbara, originally from Iceland but now lives in Massachusetts.
Connect with OrnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%C3%B6rn-almarsson-9511b86/ About Axelyf
- Axelyf is an Icelandic biotechnology start-up focusing on designing and developing medicines for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.
- The company is working on developing anti-inflammatory drugs using astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant extracted from microalgae. This aims to address unmet medical needs related to inflammation and scarring in diseases such as liver disease.
- Axelyf is also exploring lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies for RNA therapeutic delivery, which could improve the targeting and effectiveness of these treatments.
Company Website: https://www.axelyf.com/
Pipeline: https://www.axelyf.com/pipeline
About me
My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.
In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.
Connect with me:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/
Website: https://www.discera-search.com/
