Mart Saarma

Hermo Pharma Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company which aims to discover and develop cutting-edge therapeutic approaches for currently untreatable medical needs, particularly in the field of neurology. The company's R&D programs are based on scientifically innovative concepts. These concepts are being developed through preclinical and early clinical development phases with the aim gaining partners prior to late clinical development phases and finally marketing. The company was founded in 2008 by professors Mart Saarma, Eero Castrén, Heikki Rauvala and Dr. Henri Huttunen. The company operates in close collaboration with several academic laboratories affiliated with the University of Helsinki. Hermo Pharma Ltd. operates according to the 'virtual business model'. This means the company outsources the majority of business functions outside of its core business areas, while controlling the key technology assets and strategic partnerships with a small but highly capable group of people managing operations. As the company's overheads are kept lower than traditional biopharmaceutical companies much more of its financial resources can be utilized directly to achieve business goals. Hermo Pharma Ltd. is a privately owned, venture capital backed company. Its current investors include Helsinki University Funds and Seed Fund Vera Ltd.

Mobidiag Oy provides molecular diagnostic for infectious diseases. It develops and provides microarray-based Prove-it technology for early and diagnosis of life-threatening pathogenic microbes causing severe infections. Its Amplidiag product line comprises products for gastrointestinal pathogens and utilizes quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction technology. The company was founded by Mart Saarma in 2000 and is headquartered in Espoo, Finland.