About us

Memo Therapeutics AG, an Ipsen company is a late-stage biotech company developing best-in-class therapeutic antibodies to transform the lives of patients with viral infections.

Our mission

Our mission is to improve the standard of care for patients with viral infections.

Our lead program, potravitug, currently in Phase II development, is the most potent antibody ever tested in clinical trials to treat BK polyomavirus (“BKPyV”) infection in kidney transplant recipients. BKPyV infection can lead to nephropathy, loss of kidney function, as well as organ failure, rejection and death.
Find out about Memo Therapeutics AG mission

Team

Management

Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Erik Van Den Berg
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Erik van den Berg

CEO, BOARD MEMBER
Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Christoph Esslinger
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Christoph Esslinger, PhD

CSO, CO-FOUNDER
Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Jurgen Beck
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Jürgen Beck, MD

CMO
Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Gerald Parzmair
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Gerald Parzmair, PhD

CDO
Frits van Alphen
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Frits van Alphen, MD

CDO
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Lars Spenger
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Lars Spenger

CFO
Alexander Bastian Banner
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Alex Bastian

VP Commercial Strategy
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Kristie Clemmer
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Kristie Clemmer

VP CLINICAL OPERATIONS
Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Matthieu Delincé
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Matthieu Delincé

VP Technology
Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Maartje Verschuur
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Maartje Verschuur, PhD

VP CMC & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
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Michael Cordes

Senior Director Quality Management
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Lisanne van Kouterik

General Counsel

Board of Directors

Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Paul Carter
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Paul Carter

INDEPENDENT CHAIRPERSON
Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Erik Van Den Berg
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Erik Van Den Berg

CEO, BOARD MEMBER
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Hadrien Bouchez
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Hadrien Bouchez, PhD

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Philippe Dro
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Philippe Dro, PhD

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Veronica Gambillara Fonck
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Veronica Gambillara Fonck, PhD

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Thomas Harth
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Thomas Harth, PhD

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Ellen Rietmann Ahl

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Robert Schier
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Robert Schier, PhD

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Christian Schneider
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Christian Schneider, PhD

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Our partners

Pharmaceutical companies

In 2022 we entered into a research and development collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical. Under the terms of this collaboration agreement, we are leveraging our DROPZYLLA® technology to discover antibodies for oncology targets.
Ono

Ono Pharmaceutical

Research universities

Nephrology: We are collaborating with the University Hospital of Zurich and the University Hospital of Bern (Inselspital) to support our lead program for the treatment of BKPyV infection in kidney transplant recipients.

Nephrology

University Hospital Of Bern

University Hospital of Bern

University Of Zurich - USZ

University Hospital of Zurich

Industry forums

We are members of the Transplant Therapeutic Consortium and Transplantation Associated Virus Infections forums which aim to advance the regulatory sciences for the treatment of transplantation associated viral infections and its associated morbidities by facilitating an exchange between regulatory agencies, academia and industry.

The Forum, for collaborative research

TAVI Forum

Transplant Therapeutics Consortium (TTC)

TTC

Our partners

Pharmaceutical companies

In 2022 we entered into a research and development collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical. Under the terms of this collaboration agreement, we are leveraging our DROPZYLLA® technology to discover antibodies for oncology targets.
Ono

Ono Pharmaceutical

Research universities

Nephrology: We are collaborating with the University Hospital of Zurich and the University Hospital of Bern (Inselspital) to support our lead program for the treatment of BKPyV infection in kidney transplant recipients.

Oncology: We are collaborating with the Faculty of Excellence at the University of Basel and with the ETH Zurich.

Nephrology

University Hospital Of Bern

University Hospital of Bern

University Of Zurich - USZ

University Hospital of Zurich

Oncology

ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich

University Of Basel

University of Basel

Industry forums

We are members of the Transplant Therapeutic Consortium and Transplantation Associated Virus Infections forums which aim to advance the regulatory sciences for the treatment of transplantation associated viral infections and its associated morbidities by facilitating an exchange between regulatory agencies, academia and industry.

The Forum, for collaborative research

TAVI Forum

Transplant Therapeutics Consortium (TTC)

TTC

Our investors

We are proud to partner with the following leading life science investors.

In May 2024, we announced that we had successfully closed our Series C financing at CHF 45M with Pureos Bioventures, Kurma Partners and Ysios Capital joining as new investors.

Adjuvant Capital

Adjuvant Capital

Kurma Partners

Kurma Partners

Pureos Bioventures

Pureos Bioventures

Vesalius Biocapital

Vesalius Biocapital

Ysios Capital

YSIOS Capital

Zurcher Kantonalbank

Zurcher Kantonalbank

Memo Therapeutics Logo with An Ipsen Company
Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Erik Van Den Berg

Erik van den Berg

Chief Executive Officer, Board member

Erik van den Berg is the CEO of Memo Therapeutics AG, bringing over 25 years of industry experience and a proven track record in leadership and company growth. He is the former CEO of AM-Pharma and holds chairmanships in Step Pharma and TargED Therapeutics. He has orchestrated over 20 transactions and partnerships, notably a $600 million alliance with Pfizer, a $290 million partnership with Kyowa Kirin, and has secured over $500 million in equity and debt financings for biotech firms from seed to IPO. Erik holds an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Utrecht and an MBA from Manchester Business School.

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Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Christoph Esslinger

Christoph Esslinger, PhD

Chief Scientific Officer

Christoph Esslinger is the CSO of Memo Therapeutics AG, having founded the company in 2012. Christoph has more than 25 years of industry experience with significant therapeutic antibody expertise. He was previously Chief Technology Officer at CT Atlantic and Director of Antibody Technology at Neurimmune where he co-invented Aducanumab. Christoph has a PhD in Cancer Immunology from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research.

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Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Jurgen Beck

Jürgen Beck, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Jürgen Beck is the CMO of Memo Therapeutics AG. He was formerly CDO at PAION, VP Clinical and Medical Affairs at PROMETH-ERA and VP and Head of Clinical Operations at InterMune. Jürgen is a highly experienced medical executive, having managed the clinical development of six drugs which have been brought to market (Pirfenidone, Remimazolam, Alfuzosine, Mmisulpride, Mizolastin and Pramipexole). He holds both an MD and MBA, from the University of Würzburg.

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Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Gerald Parzmair

Gerald P. Parzmair, PhD

Chief Development Officer

Gerald Parzmair is the CDO of Memo Therapeutics AG. He previously spent more than eight years at Serum Life Science Europe (formerly Vakzine Projekt Management), serving as CSO and subsequently COO. He is a geneticist and molecular biologist by training, experienced in immune pharmacology and signal transduction. Throughout his career he has managed 6 mAbs from candidate stage, through Phase I-III until MAA/BLA. Gerald holds a PhD in Infection Immunology from the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, and an MSc in Genetics from the University of Salzburg.

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Frits van Alphen

Frits van Alphen, MD

Chief Development Officer

Frits van Alphen is the CDO of Memo Therapeutics AG. He has 30 years of international experience in clinical development and medical affairs in companies ranging from start-ups to big pharma, with expertise in nephrology and rare diseases, most recently with the development and sale of Inositec to Vifor Pharma. Previously as Chief Medical Officer at Vifor Pharma, Frits successfully led several assets through clinical development to market authorization. At Vifor Pharma, he oversaw the development of Velphoro® and obtained line extensions for Ferinject®. Frits also spent four years at Roche in senior product development and compliance roles, culminating in the role as Global Head of Product Development Excellence. Earlier in his career, he designed and executed the global clinical development plan of Vesicare® at Yamanouchi (now Astellas). Frits worked for several years in anesthesiology and intensive care and earned his medical degree (MD) at Leiden University, the Netherlands.

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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Lars Spenger

Lars Spenger

Chief Financial Officer

Lars Spenger is the CFO of Memo Therapeutics AG. He has over 15 years of experience in public and private companies, private equity and investment banking. Prior to joining Memo Therapeutics AG, he was Deputy CFO and Head of M&A and Group Controlling at ORIOR (SWX:ORON), with previous roles at Capvis Equity Partners as Associate Director and Baird as Analyst. Lars has completed over 15 M&A, equity, and debt transactions totaling more than $4 billion. He has completed the Program for Leadership Development (Executive MBA) at Harvard Business School, is an ACCA Qualified Accountant, and has a BSc in Finance and Technology & Management from the University of Illinois.

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Alexander Bastian Banner

Alex Bastian

VP Commercial Strategy

Alex Bastian is the VP of Commercial Strategy of Memo Therapeutics AG and is an experienced commercial leader in the biotech sector. He was formerly VP of Commercial & Patient Access at AM-Pharma, where he led market access for an innovative in-hospital therapy for acute kidney injury. Alex has also held various senior roles in big pharma including Pfizer and Amgen in addition to small biotech with Galapagos and Incyte Corporation in both Europe and the US. He is completing a Doctor of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA, has an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, USA.
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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Kristie Clemmer

Kristie Clemmer

VP Clinical Operations

Kristie Clemmer is the VP of Clinical Operations at Memo Therapeutics AG. She is an accomplished global clinical research leader with over 20 years of experience directing international clinical operations. She most recently served as VP Clinical Operations at AM-Pharma and has held senior leadership positions at the Contract Research Organizations PRA Health Sciences and PPD. She holds a BSc degree in Nursing with a Minor in Biology from Barton College.

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Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Matthieu Delincé

Matthieu Delincé

VP Technology

Matthieu Delincé is the VP of Technology at Memo Therapeutics AG, overseeing technology-related research and leading the Company’s recombinant IgG and oncology programs. Prior to joining Memo Therapeutics AG, Matthieu led the single-cell microfluidics platforms at HiFiBiO Therapeutics in the USA, supporting multiple antibody discovery campaigns and biomarker discovery efforts. He trained at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Harvard University, and the University of California, Berkeley, and holds a PhD in Biotechnology and Bioengineering from EPFL.

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Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Dr Maartje Verschuur

Maartje Verschuur, PhD

VP CMC and Supply Chain Management

Maartje Verschuur is the VP of CMC and Supply Chain Management at Memo Therapeutics AG with over 19 years of experience in biologics drug development and manufacturing, and extensive knowledge on the late-stage development and commercialization of biologics. Prior to Memo Therapeutics AG, she held numerous senior Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) roles at biotech companies including AM-Pharma, Venn Life Sciences, Batavia Biosciences and AbbVie. Maartje has a PhD in Molecular/Cell Biology from Leiden University and an MSc in Biotechnology from Wageningen University.

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Michael Cordes

Senior Director Quality Management

Michael Cordes is the Senior Director of Quality Management at Memo Therapeutics AG, with over 20 years of experience in life science quality management. He most recently served as Quality Lead at Seagen, which was recently acquired by Pfizer, where he established global quality systems and led European quality operations for clinical trials and commercial products. He previously held numerous quality management roles with increased responsibility at Celgene, Merck, and Streuli Pharma. Michael holds an MBA and BSc in Engineering and Management from FFHS Zürich, and a Professional BSc in Analytical Chemistry from Aprentas, Muttenz.

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Lisanne van Kouterik

General Counsel

Lisanne van Kouterik is the General Counsel at Memo Therapeutics AG, with over a decade of specialized legal experience in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Lisanne was most recently the General Counsel at HUB Organoids which was acquired by Merck KGaA in December 2024. She previously served as Senior Legal Counsel at AM-Pharma. Prior to this she spent seven years at Axon Lawyers providing strategic legal guidance to life science companies. Lisanne holds dual qualifications with LLMs in Private Law and Commercial and Corporate Law, alongside a BSc in Biology from Utrecht University.

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Meet the Memo Therapeutics AG team, Paul Carter

Paul Carter

Independent Chairperson

Paul Carter has had an extensive executive career in the biopharma space, with commercial and M&A expertise spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. He has over 10 years of experience working in the virology field at Gilead Sciences, most recently as EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, where he oversaw over $30 billion dollars of sales and contributed to multiple M&A transactions. He is currently a Board Member for a wide range of public and private companies including Kyowa Kirin International, HutchMed and Immatics, and has held prior Board roles at Alder BioPharmaceuticals, acquired by Lundbeck for $2 billion, and VectivBio acquired by Ironwood Pharmaceuticals for $1 billion. He has a BA in Business Studies from the Ealing School of Business and Management.

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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Hadrien Bouchez

Hadrien Bouchez, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Hadrien Bouchez is a Partner at Kurma Partners who has participated in a dozen investments of the Kurma Biofund II and III funds. Hadrien has actively contributed to the creation of several portfolio companies such as Corlieve Therapeutics (sold to uniQure), Emergence Therapeutics (sold to Lilly), Imcheck Therapeutics, Flamingo Therapeutics as well as Ermium Therapeutics where he serves as Board member. Hadrien holds a PharmD from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Lille, and a MSc in Entrepreneurship from the ESSEC Business School.

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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Philippe Dro

Philippe Dro, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Philippe Dro is a Partner at Adjuvant Capital. He is trained in industrial pharmacy and finance. He has built a successful career in the European biotech and medtech sectors, serving on the boards of several startups and scaleups, initiating and executing notable strategic transactions. His experience includes CEO of GlycoVaxyn, leading it through to its acquisition by GSK. Before that, he led Endoart as CEO through a successful turnaround leading to its acquisition by Allergan. He holds a PharmD from University of Grenoble, France and an MBA from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Lyon, France and Cranfield School of Management.

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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Veronica Gambillara Fonck

Veronica Gambillara Fonck, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Veronica Gambillara Fonck serves as Partner at Pureos Bioventures. She was the founding CEO of GlycoEra, a Zurich-based company with a glycoengineering platform for novel antibodies in autoimmune diseases, oncology and neurology. She was also a co-founder and the CEO of LimmaTech Biologics, a spin-off of GlycoVaxyn to service GSK. Before that, Veronica was in the executive team of GlycoVaxyn developing innovative vaccines for infectious diseases. She was instrumental in the acquisition of the company by GSK in 2015. Veronica is a bioengineer with a PhD in life science from the EPFL Lausanne.

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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Thomas Harth

Thomas Harth, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Thomas Harth serves as Partner at Ysios Capital and is responsible for executing and managing portfolio investments. He has been involved in several portfolio investments and is currently a board member at Tagworks pharmaceuticals and Anaconda Biomed. Prior to joining Ysios, Thomas was a Senior Associate at Gimv focused on early-stage life science investments, where he was involved in investments in Anjarium biosciences, Kinaset Therapeutics, Fire1, ONWARD (EBR:ONWD), Biotalys (EBR:BTLS), JenaValve, and Breath Therapeutics (sold to Zambon). He holds an MSc in Bioengineering and Applied Economics, both from the University of Ghent.

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Ellen Rietmann Ahl

Non-Executive Director

Ellen Rietmann Ahl is an Investment Manager at Swisscanto by Zürcher Kantonalbank, where she focuses on growth-stage life technology investments across Europe. Prior to joining Swisscanto in 2022, she accumulated several years of experience in various roles within startups, including four years as the CEO of a medical device startup she co-founded. Ellen holds an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management specializing in biology and chemistry, from Chalmers University in Sweden and the Technical University of Munich in Germany.
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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Robert Schier

Robert Schier, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Robert Schier joined Swisscanto Invest at Zürcher Kantonalbank in 2018 as a Member of Senior Management, Investment Director PE/VC. He has many years’ experience in the healthcare and life sciences sector with a background in biotech and as investment director and/or partner in various venture capital firms, such as Inventages Venture Capital and Seventure Partners. He received the Keystone Award for Excellence in Research for his outstanding doctoral thesis, which he completed at the University of California, San Francisco. He then completed an executive MBA program at the European University Munich and is the author of several scientific publications and patents. Robert holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna and an MPharm from the University of Vienna.

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Meet the team at Memo Therapeutics AG, Dr Christian Schneider

Christian Schneider, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Christian Schneider serves as Managing Partner at Vesalius Biocapital. He has extensive work and investment experience in the areas of diagnostics, medtech and therapeutics. Before transitioning to venture capital, he held various positions in R&D at Boehringer Mannheim and Centocor. Christian holds a PhD in Immunology from the University of Munich and an MBA from Penn State University.

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Memo Therapeutics AG has been acquired by Ipsen

Ipsen