Trio behind Alzheimer’s drug receives Uppsala University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award

The drug that slows down Alzheimer’s disease is already being used by more than 20,000 patients in 10 different countries – and could soon be available in Europe too. The success story is down to the two founders of BioArctic Lars Lannfelt and Pär Gellerfors and the company’s CEO Gunilla Osswald. Their achievement is now recognised by the Uppsala University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award.

“I am very happy and proud. I feel both gratified and honoured to receive the award,” says Lars Lannfelt, Professor Emeritus at Uppsala University and one of BioArctic’s two founders.

Lannfelt succeeded in understanding the causes of Alzheimer’s disease back in the 1990s. This also gave him the idea of developing an antibody that could slow down the disease. He founded the company BioArctic in 2003 along with Pär Gellerfors, when development was still at an early stage.

The two founders managed to establish a partnership with the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai. Since then, they have worked together to develop the antibody-based drug Lecanemab.

Used by patients in the US, Japan and China

Today, more than 20,000 patients are being treated with Lecanemab – the first drug on the market that has been shown in clinical trials to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

“I have always been motivated by the desire to help patients with better medicines and it’s great to feel that we are now helping patients around the world. It’s a privilege to have worked with Lars and Pär to realise their vision, together with colleagues at BioArctic,” says Gunilla Osswald, who holds a PhD from Uppsala University and has been CEO of BioArctic since 2014.

The drug is currently sold in 10 countries, including the United States, Japan and China. BioArctic and Eisai are now awaiting approval in 17 more countries and regions, including Europe.

Desire to build a Swedish pharmaceutical company

If Lecanemab is approved in Europe, BioArctic has agreed with Eisai to sell the drug jointly with them in the Nordic region. They have already opened subsidiaries in Norway, Denmark and Finland. Being personally able to sell the drug has always been important to the founders.

“A vision that Lars and I have had all along is that we want to build BioArctic into a ‘real pharmaceutical company’, engaged in both research and sales. Sweden used to have a huge pharmaceutical industry, of course. Then the decline set in. Our goal is to try to change this by staying in Sweden and creating a company that becomes a significant player,” says Gellerfors.

Read a longer interview with the trio behind BioArctic

Contact

Oskar Bosson, Head of Communication, BioArctic
+46 704 107 180
oskar.bosson@bioarctic.com

Award citation

The 2025 recipient of the Uppsala University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award has successfully addressed a growing global health problem. Through pioneering research and strong business acumen, they have contributed to a major innovation in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. For their outstanding achievement in taking an academic discovery all the way to an approved drug with the potential to change the lives of millions of people, the award goes to Lars Lannfelt, Pär Gellerfors and Gunilla Osswald.

About the prize

The Uppsala University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award recognises individuals who have made a crucial contribution to the successful commercialisation or implementation of a discovery or innovation based on research or education at Uppsala University, with considerable benefit to society.

The prize was established in 2021 by the Uppsala University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award Foundation, which seeks to raise the visibility of Uppsala University’s entrepreneurial culture. The prize money of SEK 500,000 is made possible by donations from the foundation’s ten founders.