Our History

Orphazyme was founded in Denmark in 2009 based 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. One of the lead authors of that paper, Thomas Kirkegaard Jensen, is a founder of our company and our Chief Scientific Officer.

Today, we have translated that scientific discovery into a late-stage clinical development program. We are working to obtain regulatory approvals that will allow us to bring a novel treatment to patients, applying our knowledge of heat shock proteins (HSPs) for the benefit of people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases.

Our Core Values

COURAGE

PERSEVERANCE

CARE

INTEGRITY

We believe that we are stronger together and we leverage this strength every day to translate our passion and dedication into action. To do this, we must show up for each other and for the patients and communities we serve. We launched a hashtag that we feel reflects the culture and drive of all Orphazyme employees:

#WhyWeShowUp

We’re all part of this team because of a shared energy and a shared vision. We’re on the verge of making a real difference for people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases. These are people who have been waiting far too long for treatment innovation. We have the chance to change that by supporting these patients, deepening our connection to them and making sure they don’t face their journey alone. This is #WhyWeShowUp. Even if we each show up for slightly different reasons, the important thing is that we do.
Global Leadership Team
Anders Vadsholt, MBA

Anders Vadsholt, MBA

Chief Executive Officer & Chief Financial Officer

  • MBA from Melbourne University, MSc in Commercial Law and Economics from Copenhagen Business School
  • Joined in 2016
  • 25 years' biotech and corporate finance experience
  • Previously at Topotarget, Bankinvest Biomedical Venture, and Carnegie Investment Banking
Global Board of Directors
Georges Gemayel

Georges Gemayel

Chairman of the Board

  • Member since 2012
  • Chairman of nomination committee
  • Born 1960, American nationality
  • Georges Gemayel holds a Master's degree and a PhD degree in Pharmacology from Paris-Sud University and a Docteur d´Exercice en Pharmacie from the St. Joseph University
Bo Jesper Hansen

Bo Jesper Hansen

Deputy Chairman of the Board

  • Member since 2010
  • Chairman of the remuneration committee
  • Born 1958, Danish nationality
  • Bo Jesper Hansen holds a MD and PhD degree in Medicine from the University of Copenhagen.
Andrew Mercieca

Andrew Mercieca

Board Member

  • Member since 2022
  • Chairman of the audit committee
  • Born 1966, British nationality
  • Andrew Mercieca holds a BA in Accounting and Finance from University of Portsmouth and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Our Science

Learn how we are pioneering a novel treatment for people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases.

Our Research

Learn about our pipeline.