NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Angela Vollstedt, PhD, MBA, to its Board of Advisors, reinforcing the company’s strategic shift toward pivotal development and licensing of its lead drug candidate, ProTrans, for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Dr. Vollstedt currently serves as Global Director of Cell & Gene Therapies Portfolio Management at Novartis, where she leads cross-functional teams in the development, scaling, and commercialisation of advanced therapies.
With 20 years of global pharmaceutical leadership experience and a unique dual background in molecular biology and business management, she offers valuable insight into how large pharmaceutical companies assess scientific quality, manufacturability, and commercial readiness when evaluating licensing opportunities. Angela’s addition to the Board of Advisors marks an important strategic step as NextCell prepares to enter the next stage of its journey—from development to partnership. She will join Professor Per-Ola Carlsson, principal investigator of all clinical trials involving ProTrans (ProTrans-1, ProTrans-2, ProTrans-Repeat, and ProTrans-Young), and Dr. Eric Strati, PharmD, MBA, a commercial strategist with a proven track record in the successful development and launch of MSC therapies, including Alofisel and Ryoncil.
Together, these three distinguished experts form a well-rounded and complementary advisory team:
“We are proud to welcome Angela to our advisory board,” said Mathias Svahn, CEO of NextCell Pharma AB. “She brings a unique perspective that complements the strengths of both Per-Ola and Eric. With this team in place, we are more prepared than ever to advance ProTrans toward out-licensing and commercialisation.”
ProTrans is an allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy developed to treat type 1 diabetes. It has demonstrated long-term efficacy from a single infusion, with clinical benefits including preserved insulin production, improved BMI, and stabilised blood pressure.
In early April 2025, the first administrative age group analysis of the ProTrans-Young study—comprising 30 patients aged 12–21 years—was completed and shows a positive trend toward preserving insulin production. This encouraging result strengthens our belief in ProTrans' potential and sets the stage for the next critical milestones. The younger cohort (30 patients aged 7–11 years) is currently being enrolled, with the primary endpoint analysis of the full trial expected in the second half of 2026.
For more information about NextCell Pharma, please contact
Mathias Svahn, CEO
Patrik Fagerholm, CFO
Tel: +46 8 735 55 95
E-mail: info@nextcellpharma.com
Website:www.nextcellpharma.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/NextCell-Pharma
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NextCellPharma
For more information about Cellaviva, please contact
Sofie Falk Jansson, CEO Cellaviva AB
Tel: +46 8 735 20 10
E-mail: info@cellaviva.se
Website:www.cellaviva.se
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cellavivasverige
Instagram: https://www,instagram.com/cellaviva
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The company's shares are listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market.
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About NextCell Pharma AB
NextCell Pharma is a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing ProTrans, a patent-protected platform based on allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from umbilical cord tissue. Using a proprietary selection algorithm, ProTrans delivers optimised cell tailored to specific indications. In type 1 diabetes, a single infusion has been shown to preserve insulin production and delay disease progression for at least five years. A Phase III trial is planned to commence upon securing a commercial partner. ProTrans is also being evaluated for other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. NextCell’s subsidiaries include Cellaviva, Scandinavia’s largest private stem cell bank, and QVance, the Nordic region’s first dedicated provider of quality services for developers of advanced therapies.