Our History

Orphazyme was founded in Denmark in 2009 on a scientific discovery about the role of heat shock proteins (HSPs), which was described in a well-cited article published in the journal Nature.

We translated this scientific discovery into late-stage clinical trials of our investigational drug candidate, arimoclomol, with the aim of developing new treatment options for people with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Niemann-Pick disease type-C (NPC).

At 2017 the company was listed at Nasdaq Copenhagen and in May 2022 the company sold all assets and business activities, including those relating to the development and approval of arimoclomol to KemPharm Denmark A/S, a wholly owned subsidiary of KemPharm, Inc.

In May 2023 a new board took was selected at the general assembly starting the proces of finding af new activity for the company.

The company is owed by approximately 12.000 shareholders.

Leadership Team
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Jakob Bendtsen

Chief Executive Officer

  • Joined in 2023
  • Educational background: MSc in Business Administration and Auditing
  • Competences: in-depth knowledge of M&A, accounting, tax and other finance matters.
  • Previously at Deloitte, Nets, Rockwool, Falck & William Demant
Board of Directors
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Michael Hove

Chairman

  • Member since: 2023
  • Born 1971, Danish nationality
  • Holds a bachelor in economic from 1995 from Copenhagen Business School.
  • Competences: Strategy, sales, financial, capitalstructure and M&A
  • Chairman/CEO/owner at Rovsing, Scandinavian Investment Group, Hydract, MH Investment, Antique 89, and Symmetry Administration.
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Jakob Bendtsen

Board Member

  • Joined in 2023
  • Educational background: MSc in Business Administration and Auditing
  • Competences: in-depth knowledge of M&A, accounting, tax and other finance matters.
  • Previously at Deloitte, Nets, Rockwool, Falck & William Demant
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Jakob Have

Board Member

  • Member since: 2023
  • Born 1981, Danish nationality
  • MSc in Business Administration and Auditing from Copenhagen Business School.
  • Competences: Auditing, Taz, compliance and M&A
  • Founder/boardmember: Nordic Compound A/S, Scandinavian Medical Services & Scandinavian Investment Group