Erik Heegaard is a medical specialist, PhD, DMSc, and works as Chief Medical Officer at Evaxion. He is responsible for strategic development and tactical implementation of the clinical studies for Evaxion’s research programs. This includes providing direct medical/physician oversight for phase I/II and proof of concept clinical trials, and clinical input into all aspects of discovery and preclinical development, from target selection to preclinical and regulatory strategy, and tactics.
Numerous former research and clinical positions have enabled a deep-rooted methodological mindset and patient-centric approach, which were leveraged working as a consultant and manager for six years at Statens Serum Institut. Bavarian Nordic Inc. later hired Erik Heegaard as Director of Medical Affairs, followed by an assignment with the US Government, which augmented the expertise in people leadership, international health and biotechnology program management, and business strategy. Subsequently, as chief medical officer of the oral GLP-1 project at Novo Nordisk, he successfully completed phase I and II, and served as chief architect of the global phase III clinical development program. Abundant people leadership-, late-stage clinical development, and commercialization experience from running oncology medical affairs in Novartis and Seagen.