The Stockholm-based biopharma company, which develops immunotherapies for myeloid blood cancers, says the appointment strengthens its operational capacity and expertise in business development and pharma partnerships as it moves toward late-stage clinical development.

Hans Preusting has several decades of experience in the biochemical and biopharmaceutical industry, including as COO and Chief Business Officer at uniQure. There, he contributed to the development of the first gene therapy approved in the Western world, led several major pharma partnerships, and was part of the team behind the company’s Nasdaq IPO in the US. He has since worked as a consultant to a wide range of biotech and pharma companies. Before joining Mendus’ board, he provided the company with operational and regulatory expertise and helped set up a process development team for the manufacturing of vididencel. He holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Groningen and an MBA from Rotterdam School of Management.

“His experience and commitment have been crucial to Mendus’ development. He has helped lay the foundation for our cell therapy capabilities and the development of our manufacturing processes,” says Erik Manting, CEO of Mendus. “The timing could not be better, given our growing clinical pipeline in myeloid blood cancers and our increased focus on late-stage product development.”

“After supporting the company as a board member, I look forward to taking on an active leadership role at this important stage. I am convinced of the transformative potential of our lead candidate vididencel as an immunotherapy for myeloid blood cancers,” says Hans Preusting.