Press release -
QureTech Bio expands workforce following major investment
Umeå-based pharmaceutical development company QureTech Bio is hiring more people as it intensifies its work to combat antibiotic resistance.
“We recently received a major investment which has created long-term security in the company. With more people in place, we can now really push on and look to the future”, says Helén Fält, who was recently appointed the new CEO of QureTech Bio.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing problem and cause some medicines to become ineffective. QureTech Bio has set out to remedy this, and is working on three projects aimed at treating tuberculosis, chlamydia and infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The company has developed new substances with various mechanisms that can either function as traditional antibiotics, enhance the effect of existing antibiotics or disarm bacteria instead of killing them.
Venture capital company Nascent Invest recently bought shares in QureTech Bio as part of a targeted new share issue. A total of SEK 14.4 million was invested in the company by Nascent Invest along with existing co-owners such as Nordiska Centrumhus.
Annica Rönnbäck has a PhD in Molecular Biology and works as a Project Coordinator at QureTech Bio. Her role involves maintaining close contact with partners and consultants and supporting management with operational work. She is now joined by two new colleagues - Mari Bonde and Souvik Sarkar.
Souvik Sarkar gained his PhD in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology in India, and has worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Umeå University. He will work with the chemistry development of the substance classes that form the basis of QureTech Bio’s three core projects.
“QureTech Bio offers an interdisciplinary environment where many different competencies work together to solve complex biological problems related to antibiotic resistance. Working here gives me a fantastic opportunity to refine my knowledge in chemical synthesis and drug development”, says Souvik Sarkar.
Mari Bonde, who has a PhD in Molecular Biology, is currently primarily working with QureTech Bio's projects that target infections caused by antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive bacteria.
“It is both exciting and challenging to work with the development of new treatments for one of the greatest threats to global health today. Together with the fantastic team of competent colleagues at QureTech Bio and our partners, I hope to be able to contribute knowledge and energy that will help advance our projects towards a viable drug candidate”, says Mari Bonde.
QureTech Bio was founded in 2010 to take exciting discoveries made within the academic research groups and transform them into medicines that can save lives. The hope is to be able to contribute to more effective future treatments for infectious diseases.
“We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues. The World Health Organisation has classified antibiotic resistance as a threat that is as equally serious as the climate crisis, so it is vital to develop medicines that can solve this problem. We have extremely exciting results, and with more talented colleagues in our team we can now work faster towards our goals”, says Helén Fält.
For further information please contact:
Helén Fält, CEO QureTech Bio
helen.falt@quretech.com
+46 73-822 70 18
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Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) is one of Sweden’s state-of-the-art business incubators within the life sciences. We help researchers to use their data to the benefit of patients and citizens, improving their health. We support and train entrepreneurs in the fields of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical engineering, and act as a bridge between academia, medicine and the business community.
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