About us

The story about Rarity Bioscience

Rarity was founded 2021 based on a discovery by Dr Lei Chen, PhD in molecular biology and a member of Professor Ulf Landegrens team at the Department of Immunology, Genomics and Pathology at Uppsala University.

Discovery in molecular biology

Rarity Bioscience was founded in 2021 as a spin out from Uppsala University to further develop and commercialize the superRCA assay technology. 

The superRCA technology was first discovered and developed in 2015 by PhD Lei Chen and Professor Ulf Landegren in the Molecular Tools group at the Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology. The initial aim was to continue the successful development of padlock probe and rolling circle amplification to generate secondary rolling structures that could increase the signal intensity of existing protocols. 

Rarity Bioscience – the story

As with most scientific discoveries, the path is not always straight, but the superRCA came out as an extremely powerful amplification tool with unique allele distinction suitable for single variant mutation detection. 

The first application in Leukemia was studied together with Uppsala Academic Hospital and SciLifeLab during 2018-2020 as a retrospective benchmarking study that showed that the Rarity superRCA was able to detect common mutations in Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a greater sensitivity than current test practice i.e. ddPCR and NGS. In addition, a study of multiple follow-up samples showed that relapse could have been detected up to three months earlier. (Lei et al. Nature Communication)

Sustainability

Vision & Mission

Our vision is to democratize mutation detection.

Our mission is to improve clinical decisions and patient outcome by offering fast, sensitive, and reliable mutation detection technology at the right time.

At Rarity Bioscience sustainability is a belief that we embody in our products and services as well as in our workplace. Do you want to know more about how we are contributing to sustainability from a health, social and economical perspective? 

 

Management Team

Lei Chen Rarity Bioscience

CO-FOUNDER & CTO

Hanna Kocken Rarity Bioscience

DIRECTOR QUALITY & REGULATORY

Alexander Kele Rarity Bioscience

DIRECTOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Board of Directors

Per Matsson Rarity Bioscience

CO-FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Ulf Landegren Rarity Bioscience

CO-FOUNDER & BOARD MEMBER

Mikael Smedeby Rarity Bioscience

CO-FOUNDER & BOARD MEMBER

Nils Landegren Rarity Bioscience

BOARD MEMBER

Idar Kreutzer Rarity Bioscience

BOARD MEMBER

Ove Öhman Rarity Bioscience

BOARD MEMBER

Career

Are you ready to join the future of precision diagnostics?

At Rarity Bioscience we are aiming at radically improving cancer diagnostic. We are developing a technology with the power of saving people’s lives. 

Our journey has just started, and we look forward to expand the team. Are you the one we are looking for?

Join our vision to democratize mutation detection

Open positions at Rarity Bioscience

Join us and feel the joy of creating and developing processes ‘from scratch’, rather than maintaining structures that have been in place for decades. 

We are aiming at radically improving cancer diagnostic and are expanding our Business Development team.

Sustainability at Rarity Bioscience

Our vision is to democratize mutation detection. By offering fast, sensitive, and reliable mutation detection technology we support diagnostics and treatment of genetic diseases – aiming to facilitate accessible and affordable healthcare to all. 

We provide precision diagnostics capabilities as the Rarity superRCA technology enhance targeted analysis of point mutations. This also makes it extremely useful in drug development and target therapy assessment. Our products can be an enabler for detection and precision medicine for cancer care. 

The superRCA technology has been developed to be operated using existing lab equipment to further support sustainability. Assay read-out is done using a flow cytometer, instrumentation that is commonly used in clinical and research settings to identify and quantify cells. It is a strategy for sustainable consumption and production to utilize equipment already available at standard labs. It also means that samples do not have to be sent to distant specialty labs due to lack of local capacity or availability.

At Rarity Biosciences we are committed to creating a sustainable workplace culture that prioritizes a healthy and inclusive culture. We are pleased to have a diverse team that represents different backgrounds and perspectives, and we are actively working to ensure equal representation in leadership. To support our employees’ physical and mental health, we provide a wellness hour that allows them to focus on their personal wellbeing. We also organize team-building activities, promoting collaboration and teamwork. 

We are committed to make sustainability part of everything we do, and we are constantly looking for new ways to promote a healthier workplace and contribute to a more sustainable world.

LINUS BOSAEUS, CEO

Experience and previous assignments

Director of Operations (2019-2021) and VP Operations Clinical Trials (2021) at NuvoAir. Head of Development (2012-2016) and CEO (2016-2018) at Endovab. Research Engineer and FOI including risk management and long term planning. Board member at Endovab, and Muntra, a cloud based journal system for dental care.

  • Master of Physics, Uppsala University
  • Product development and management, University of Colorado
  • 10 years of experience from medtech, including as CEO and Director of Operations
  • Startup experience, including fundraising, M&A, Scale up, recruiting, certification and regulatory approval (CE and FDA)
  • Four peer review publications, three as first name author
  • Co-inventor of five medical device related patents
  • Engineer at heart, businessman at mind

LEI CHEN, CO-FOUNDER & CTO

Experience and previous assignments

Bachelor’s Degree in biotechnology (2004-2008) at Nanjing University, China. 
Master’s Degree in Applied Biotechnology (2008-2010) at Uppsala University, Sweden. 
Host seminars in Liquid Biopsy course at EMBL (2018-2021).
Active collaborations with the IVD industry on the consulting base.

  • PhD Molecular Tools, Uppsala University,
  • Inventor of the SafeLock technology
  • 10 years of experience in in vitro diagnostics
  • Inventor of 4 patents/applications
  • Five peer reviewed publications.

HANNA KOCKEN, DIRECTOR QUALITY & REGULATORY

Experience and previous assignments

Thermo Fisher Scientific (2022-2015): Senior Manager Research & Development, Acting Director Regulatory Affairs, Quality and Regulatory Lead. ÅF/AFRY (2015-2011): Product Compliance Consultant, assignments for IVD, Medical Device and Life Science business. Bactiguard (2011-2005): Quality System Manager, Technical Product Manager, Project Manager. MeTaCot (2005-2003): Research Engineer.

  • Master of Science, Engineering – Royal Institute of Technology
  • 20 years in Life Science and Medical Device industry
  • 10 years in Quality and Regulatory compliance positions
  • Extensive experience from Quality Management, Regulatory Compliance, Product Development and Cross Functional Leadership

ALEXANDER KELE, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Experience and previous assignments

Director Marketing at Vironova AB (2021-2022). Cytiva/GE Healthcare: Sr PM Life Sciences Digital at (2018-2021); Sr Global Product Manager Bioprocess (2015-2018); Market Development Leader Pharma (2014-2015); Global Marketing Manager (2011-2015). Attana AB: Global Product & Marketing Manager (2008-2011). Application and sales specialist (2007-2008).

  • PhD in molecular medicine and disease genetics, Karolinska Institutet
  • Master of Science in Biomedicine, Karolinska Institutet
  • 15+ years global experience serving in life science start-ups and global matrix organizations
  • Extensive experience from business strategy & development, product development & life cycle management, strategic & tactical marketing and sales.
  • Extensive experience from leading & developing high performing multifunctional and multicultural teams across multiple geographies.
  • Experience from hardware, software, consumables and cloud native products in GLP and GMP regulated environments.
  • Five peer review publications and five industrial white papers.
  • Co-inventor on 1 pending patent
  • Scientist at heart, businessman at mind

PER MATSSON, CO-FOUNDER & DEPT. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Experience and previous assignments

Head of R&D (immunology) at Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur Inc. VP of R&D at Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, with development and registration of diagnostic products throughout the world including Europe, US and Japan.

  • MBA, PhD Biology SLU
  • Served as CSO of ThermoFisher ImmunoDiagnostics division (Phadia AB) for 9 years
  • Founder/co-founder of several early stage life science companies
  • Over 30 years of experience in IVD product development and the international Life Science industry, including R&D, medical and regulatory affairs, IP rights, strategy, mergers & acquisitions, and business development
  • Chairman of Scandinavian CLC board of EIT Health
  • Associate professor at Uppsala University and Swedish Agricultural University

ULF LANDEGREN, CO-FOUNDER & BOARD MEMBER

Experience and previous assignments

Research in my lab has resulted in 10 companies, including ParaAllele, Olink Bioscience (renamed Navinci), Halo Genomics, Q-linea, Olink Proteomics and Rarity Bioscience

  • Professor of Molecular Medicine, Uppsala University
  • Invented 46 patents/applications
  • Member of EMBO and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
  • Former senior visiting scientist at Riken, Yokohama and a Fellow of School of Engineering at Tokyo University

MIKAEL SMEDEBY, CO-FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Experience and previous assignments

General Counsel, Structures Freemont SA. Active as a lawyer since 1994. Member of the Swedish Bar Association. Executive positions at Advokatfirman Lindahl, including Managing Partner and Chairman of the Board. Member of the Board of Directors of BioArctic, 2014–2017. Special experience in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, financing and licensing.

  • Master of Law, Uppsala University
  • Partner at Lindahl Law firm
  • Over 20 years of experience in capital markets, mergers & acquisitions
  • Vast experience as a board member in public listed companies and financial institutions.
  • Chairman of the Board of Coeli Holding AB and Sallengruppen AB (including subsidiaries)
  • Board member of Smedeby Förvaltning AB

NILS LANDEGREN, BOARD MEMBER

Experience and previous assignments

Assistant Professor in Experimental Medical Genomics and group leader at Uppsala University

  • MD, PhD, Uppsala University
  • ERC Starting Grant recipient
  • Postdoc at Karolinska Institute, 2016-2020
  • Combined clinical and research internship in Uppsala, 2016-2018

IDAR KREUTZER, BOARD MEMBER

Experience and previous assignments

Former member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and has Co-Chaired their Vision 2050. Former member of The Norwegian Commission for Green Competitiveness (2015-2016). Appointed member of the Strategy Council for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global in 2013.

  • Master of Finance & Business NHH
  • Prior CEO of Storebrand and board member at several large corporations, including Hydor, Orkla, Norske Skog and more
  • CEO of Finance Norway
  • Member of the board at Aschehoug Forlag, NHH School of economics
  • Member of the Board of the University of Oslo
  • Member of The Minister of Climate and Environment’s Climate Policy Council, since 2014
  • Chairs the Nomination Committee at Orkla AS
  • Deputy Chairman of the Corporate Assembly of Statoil AS. Member of the Corporate Assembly of Norsk Hydro ASA
  • Member of the Strategy Council for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global since 2013

OVE ÖHMAN, BOARD MEMBER

Experience and previous assignments

Former senior research fellow at J&J and Pharmacia. Serial Entrepreneur, with several successful ventures.

  • Master of Science Linköping University, IMD Business school
  • CEO and co-founder at Astrego Diagnostics
  • Vast experience as a board member in IVD and lifescience startups
  • co-founder from several successful companies like Ginolis and Åmic