Johan Emilsson, newly appointed CEO of Sprint Bioscience answers questions #femsnabba at The world of stock markets about its success in a tough, competitive market. The company is driven by demonstrating how effective drug development can be with the right mindset and expertise, and by improving the lives of those affected by cancer.

Johan Emilsson, you have been the new CEO of Sprint Bioscience for just over a week, tell us about your first impressions?
The atmosphere is very positive and there is a huge sense of urgency. The agreement signed with Day One Biopharmaceuticals for the VADA cancer programme in August has really left its mark on the entire organisation, which is absolutely glowing with energy. I also see that there is a huge amount of knowledge within the company and a depth of research that is impressive.

Where would you say Sprint Bioscience is?
The agreement with Day One was crucial as it means that the company is now well financed The proceeds from this agreement alone are expected to finance our ongoing operations for the next two years. The stability it provides is welcome and we now have very good conditions to further develop the company and create value for our shareholders.

What will your contribution be?
I have a background in business development in life sciences, mainly from Ferring Pharmaceuticals where I worked for 10 years, most recently as Head of Business Development in one of Ferring's divisions. I believe that my experience can be valuable at Sprint Bioscience and hope that my wide network of contacts can open some doors for us. I hope to be able to help us get good leverage on the deep knowledge that exists within the company and the breadth of the portfolio.

What can a shareholder expect from you as a company?
We naturally want to generate returns for our shareholders and I am optimistic that we will be able to do so given the strong position we are now in. We are in a very exciting position for the future as we are well funded with an interesting internal and external pipeline. Our internal programmes are attracting a lot of interest and our out-licensed programmes have the potential to generate good revenues for the company. The fact that we are also active in research that can improve human health I see as an important added bonus.

What will you focus on in the near future? 
I am currently conducting a review to familiarise myself with the entire company in depth. I expect that together with the Board we can further refine the strategy and ask to come back on that.