BIO STUDIO PROJECT
OmniTx
OmniTx aims to develop first-in-class small molecule inhibitors of the previously undruggable CIP2A, with the aim to disrupt the PPIs of CIP2a with its downstream effector proteins and hence induce a specific anti-cancer effect. The uniqueness of OmniTx is the collaboration between DCS, UBC and BII, to combine world leading oncology science, virtual screening technology, and drug/business development in the same project.
About the Bio Studio program
The Bio Studio Program supports world-class entrepreneurial academic researchers in translating their science into innovative products and solutions. The program’s projects will join BII and establish a team that will work in BII’s office and lab space alongside other Bio Studio projects and start-ups. Bio Studio projects will be supported by a tailored program to develop the teams’ entrepreneurial and commercial competencies and by dedicated BII anchor helping guiding project progression.
"Marja Jäättelä is a professor, MD, and head of the Cell Death and Metabolism research unit at the Danish Cancer Society (DSC). At DSC, she also holds at position as the Director of the Danish National Research Foundation Center of Excellence for Autophagy Recycling and Disease. She received her MSc. from the University of Helsinki in 1989 and already became a Ph.D. from Helsinki University in 1990 with a disser..."
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"Bo Wiinberg is a Senior Biotech Advisor at Biobridge Partners and an Entrepreneur in Residence at BioInnovation Institute for the SpaceM and OmniTx projects. He has a decade of experience from Novo Nordisk, building and leading several units across the pharma value chain from discovery to commercialization. At Novo Nordisk, Bo has, among others, held positions of Director & Head of Haemophilia Biology, R&am..."
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Interview with Bo Wiinberg
Why have you decided to join the OmniTx project as an Entrepreneur in Residence?
After I left Novo Nordisk, I was looking for an opportunity to use my learnings I had from those years, combined with building something new. Helping commercialize cutting-edge technology was a good fit. OmniTx’s technology can be applied in many ways across R&D for drug development. Our task is to mature the technology and identify the best opportunities for commercial implementation—a detailed understanding of how drug discovery and development works is a clear advantage in that process.
What is your role as an Entrepreneur in Residence?
My role is to recruit and lead the team at BII to develop the technology to a stage where we can get external investors interested in funding the commercialization of OmniTx. To succeed, this includes all aspects of project management, performance management, budgeting, and the development of clear business goals for the team. We are also in constant contact with potential customers or partners to better understand their needs and how we might address them as we develop the platform to ensure a versatile and flexible solution that caters to the industry’s unmet needs.
What attracted you to become a part of BII’s entrepreneurial community?
On a personal level, it was a natural next step for me, having had both a successful academic and industry career. BII bridges those two and having experience from both parts gives me the expertise required to help projects transition from academia to the commercial space. However, there are still many vital learnings from the process, so this is also a growth and learning opportunity for me.
In addition to the individual company creation projects, there is also the ambitious overall BII mission, which includes increasing and professionalizing the Danish biotech community to make Denmark an even greater international hub for biotech startups. This is an exciting and compelling journey to be part of!
What are some of the biggest learnings from your career that you bring to your position as an Entrepreneur in Residence?
Experience establishing and developing efficient and empowered teams and driving projects towards a goal with a clear purpose. It might sound simple, but many factors must be aligned to be successful. There is no single formula, so having experience with what is needed when facing various difficult challenges is invaluable.
What are some of your near-term plans in this role?
I focus on continuously developing the team and ensuring we stay on track to deliver on what we set out to do—the first year involved establishing the team and transferring the technology to BII. In year two, we will focus on pivoting toward the optimal market for launch based on a thorough analysis of the opportunity landscape, which we completed at the end of the first year.
How did previous experiences shape your approach to the role of Entrepreneur in Residence?
Being in a startup environment can feel tumultuous at times forcing you to constantly navigate among several unexpected challenges that need to be solved. Thus, you can quickly feel forced into reactive instead of proactive mode. Since I have seen and tried quite a few things in my career, I am resilient to that pressure and can keep calm in the moment while also preparing for which challenges the project might face in the months and years ahead. I believe one of my finest tasks is to set the agenda for the next phase of OmniTx’s development journey.
“OmniTx aims to develop first-in-class small molecule inhibitors of the previously undruggable CIP2A, with the aim to disrupt the PPIs of CIP2a with its downstream effector proteins and hence induce a specific anti-cancer effect.”
“OmniTx’s technology can be applied in many ways across R&D for drug development. Our task is to mature the technology and identify the best opportunities for commercial implementation—a detailed understanding of how drug discovery and development works is a clear advantage in that process.”
