CEO Today Europe Awards

57 www.ceotodaymagazine.com CEO Today Europe Awards 2018 switzerland Where do you see Helsinn in five years’ time? We aim to continue our leadership in cancer supportive care as we seek to support more patients in their cancer journey through continued innovation. We hope that the IV formula of our next generation CINV product, Akynzeo, will be given market approval by the FDA this year, and our goal, subject to approval is to launch this in the first half, providing a more efficient treatment option with best-in-class efficacy. We have some exciting programmes in our pipeline which we hope to develop. We hope to be able to report real progress in cancer therapeutics, with our lead product Pracinostat on the market – it is now in Phase III studies. Helsinn is always evolving, and we believe our unique industry network will help us stay in touch with leading- edge innovation in cancer supportive care and cancer therapeutics. Is your goal for Helsinn to remain a family business over the long term? We’re proud to be a family business and have no immediate plans for this to change, it’s impossible to speculate over the longer term. Whatever happens, we will remain true to our family values of quality, integrity and respect. What do you like to do to relax? Having played basketball for many years, I still like to relax by practising sports, in particular, swimming, skiing, scuba diving and walking in the mountains. I love art collections and reading books on science, medieval history and religions. I am also strongly involved in charity educational programs in Africa, building primary and secondary schools. Helsinn Group Helsinn is a privately owned pharmaceutical group with an extensive portfolio of marketed cancer care prod- ucts and a robust drug development pipeline. Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the everyday lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integ- rity and quality. The Group works across pharmaceuticals, biotechnol- ogy, medical devices and nutritional supplements and has expertise in research, development, manufacture and the commercialization of therapeutic and support- ive care products for cancer, pain and inflammation and gastroenterology. In 2016, in conjunction with the Group, Helsinn created the Helsinn Investment Fund to support early-stage in- vestment opportunities in areas of unmet patient need (more details below). The company is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, with operating subsidiaries in Switzerland, Ireland, the U.S., Monaco, and China, as well as a product pres- ence in approximately 190 countries globally. To learn more about Helsinn Group please visit www. helsinn.com Helsinn Investment Fund In the Group’s 40th year of operations, Helsinn launched ‘The Helsinn Investment Fund’, applying its fundamen- tal core values of quality, integrity and respect, and drawing on over 40 years’ expertise in research and development and commercialization of therapeutic candidates in cancer care, pain and inflammation and gastroenterology. The fund aims to help companies with innovative tech- nologies transform new ideas into commercial solutions with the potential to positively impact health-related quality of life of patients. The fund looks to invest into companies and assets in areas with exceptional re- search and development into innovative technologies, diagnostics, across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food supplements. www.helsinn.com Q Q Q