Management Team

Uli Hacksell, Ph.D. has served as our Chief Executive Officer since September 2000 and as a member of our board of directors since October 2000. From February 1999 to September 2000, he served as our Executive Vice President of Drug Discovery. From August 1991 to February 1999, Dr. Hacksell held various senior executive positions at Astra, a pharmaceutical company, including Vice President of Drug Discovery and Technology as well as President of Astra Draco, one of Astra's largest research and development subsidiaries, where he directed an organization of more than 1,100 employees. From August 1991 to May 1994, he served as Vice President of CNS Preclinical R&D at Astra Arcus, another subsidiary. Earlier in his career, Dr. Hacksell held the positions of Professor of Organic Chemistry and Department Chairman at Uppsala University in Sweden and also served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry. Dr. Hacksell received a Master of Pharmacy and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from Uppsala University.

Thomas H. Aasen, CPA has served as our Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer since April 1998. Prior to joining us, Mr. Aasen held the position of Senior Director of Finance and Administration at Axys Pharmaceuticals, a publicly traded life sciences company formerly called Sequana Therapeutics, where he was employed from June 1996 to April 1998. Earlier in his career, Mr. Aasen held various financial management positions including Director of Finance at Genta, Inc. and Director of Accounting at Gen-Probe, Inc., both publicly traded life sciences companies, and Audit Manager at KPMG Peat Marwick. He has over 23 years of professional finance and accounting experience focused primarily on the life sciences industry. Mr. Aasen received a B.S. degree with honors from San Diego State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

John J. Kaiser was appointed Vice President, Strategic Marketing and Commercial Development, effective
February 11, 2008. Mr. Kaiser joins ACADIA from Eli Lilly & Co. where he held a variety of marketing and commercial management positions over a more than 25-year career. Prior to joining ACADIA, Mr. Kaiser served as Director, Neuroscience Strategy and New Product Planning where he was responsible for the development of Eli Lilly’s global neuroscience commercial strategy. Previously, he held senior level positions in global commercial development, market research, and brand management. In these various roles, Mr. Kaiser was responsible for establishing the business and brand strategy for Cymbalta^®, developing global market research in support of the successful launch of Zyprexa^®, and managing the global Prozac^® brand and associated marketing activities. Earlier in his career at Lilly, he served as Managing Director of Eli Lilly Netherlands, and held a variety of positions in pharmaceutical sales and sales management. Mr. Kaiser earned a Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy.

Brian Lundstrom has served as our Senior Vice President, Business Development since November 2004. Prior to joining us, Mr. Lundstrom held the position of Vice President, Business Development at Genzyme Corporation where he led the integration and outlicensing of assets from SangStat Medical Corporation that he had joined in 2000 and helped grow through partnering until sale of the company to Genzyme in 2003. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lundstrom held increasingly senior business, clinical and product development positions with discovery-based and commercially operating Oxford GlycoSciences (1998-2000), Novo Nordisk (1990-1997) and Immuntech (1986-1989). Mr. Lundstrom has negotiated over 40 deals on discovery technologies, clinical-stage product candidates and marketed products. He holds an M.S. in biotechnology from the Danish Technical University and an MBA equivalent degree in international business and finance from Copenhagen Business School and Seattle University.

Roger Mills

Roger G. Mills, M.D. has served as Executive Vice President, Development since June 2006. Prior to joining us, Dr. Mills held the position of Vice President, Development at Pfizer Global R&D for a five-year period. In this capacity, he was responsible for the management and direction of drug development activities at the Pfizer site in La Jolla, California, and played a key role in the development of Sutent®, a new multikinase inhibitor for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Mills held senior clinical management positions at Gilead, where he served as project leader in the development of Tamiflu®, a leading treatment for influenza, and at Abbott Laboratories, where he played an important role in the development of antiviral drugs. Earlier in his career, he held several senior positions at the Wellcome Foundation, including Scientific Advisor for Group Marketing and Therapeutic Area Head, Cardiovascular Marketing. Dr. Mills received his medical degree at the Charing Cross Hospital Medical School in London and his specialized medical training at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London.

Bo-Ragnar Tolf, Ph.D. has served as our Vice President, Chemistry and Managing Director of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals AB since January 2001. From 1991 until joining us, Dr. Tolf held various positions at Astra, including deputy head of preclinical research in the areas of central nervous system and pain disorders at Astra Zeneca, Vice President of Preclinical Research and Development at Astra Arcus, head of Central Nervous System Preclinical R&D at Astra Arcus, and Director of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at Astra Arcus. From 1989 to 1991, Dr. Tolf was head of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at Kabi. From 1985 to 1989, Dr. Tolf served as Manager of Pharmaceutical R&D at Pharmacia Ophthalmics AB. Dr. Tolf completed his postdoctoral work at Stanford Research Institute and at Stanford University. Dr. Tolf received a Master of Pharmacy degree and a Ph.D. in Organic Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Uppsala University in Sweden.



Management Team Board of Directors Scientific Advisors Clinical Advisors		Home » About Us » Management Team Management Team Uli Hacksell, Ph.D. has served as our Chief Executive Officer since September 2000 and as a member of our board of directors since October 2000. From February 1999 to September 2000, he served as our Executive Vice President of Drug Discovery. From August 1991 to February 1999, Dr. Hacksell held various senior executive positions at Astra, a pharmaceutical company, including Vice President of Drug Discovery and Technology as well as President of Astra Draco, one of Astra's largest research and development subsidiaries, where he directed an organization of more than 1,100 employees. From August 1991 to May 1994, he served as Vice President of CNS Preclinical R&D at Astra Arcus, another subsidiary. Earlier in his career, Dr. Hacksell held the positions of Professor of Organic Chemistry and Department Chairman at Uppsala University in Sweden and also served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry. Dr. Hacksell received a Master of Pharmacy and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from Uppsala University. Thomas H. Aasen, CPA has served as our Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer since April 1998. Prior to joining us, Mr. Aasen held the position of Senior Director of Finance and Administration at Axys Pharmaceuticals, a publicly traded life sciences company formerly called Sequana Therapeutics, where he was employed from June 1996 to April 1998. Earlier in his career, Mr. Aasen held various financial management positions including Director of Finance at Genta, Inc. and Director of Accounting at Gen-Probe, Inc., both publicly traded life sciences companies, and Audit Manager at KPMG Peat Marwick. He has over 23 years of professional finance and accounting experience focused primarily on the life sciences industry. Mr. Aasen received a B.S. degree with honors from San Diego State University and is a Certified Public Accountant. John J. Kaiser was appointed Vice President, Strategic Marketing and Commercial Development, effective February 11, 2008. Mr. Kaiser joins ACADIA from Eli Lilly & Co. where he held a variety of marketing and commercial management positions over a more than 25-year career. Prior to joining ACADIA, Mr. Kaiser served as Director, Neuroscience Strategy and New Product Planning where he was responsible for the development of Eli Lilly’s global neuroscience commercial strategy. Previously, he held senior level positions in global commercial development, market research, and brand management. In these various roles, Mr. Kaiser was responsible for establishing the business and brand strategy for Cymbalta^®, developing global market research in support of the successful launch of Zyprexa^®, and managing the global Prozac^® brand and associated marketing activities. Earlier in his career at Lilly, he served as Managing Director of Eli Lilly Netherlands, and held a variety of positions in pharmaceutical sales and sales management. Mr. Kaiser earned a Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy. Brian Lundstrom has served as our Senior Vice President, Business Development since November 2004. Prior to joining us, Mr. Lundstrom held the position of Vice President, Business Development at Genzyme Corporation where he led the integration and outlicensing of assets from SangStat Medical Corporation that he had joined in 2000 and helped grow through partnering until sale of the company to Genzyme in 2003. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lundstrom held increasingly senior business, clinical and product development positions with discovery-based and commercially operating Oxford GlycoSciences (1998-2000), Novo Nordisk (1990-1997) and Immuntech (1986-1989). Mr. Lundstrom has negotiated over 40 deals on discovery technologies, clinical-stage product candidates and marketed products. He holds an M.S. in biotechnology from the Danish Technical University and an MBA equivalent degree in international business and finance from Copenhagen Business School and Seattle University. Roger G. Mills, M.D. has served as Executive Vice President, Development since June 2006. Prior to joining us, Dr. Mills held the position of Vice President, Development at Pfizer Global R&D for a five-year period. In this capacity, he was responsible for the management and direction of drug development activities at the Pfizer site in La Jolla, California, and played a key role in the development of Sutent®, a new multikinase inhibitor for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Mills held senior clinical management positions at Gilead, where he served as project leader in the development of Tamiflu®, a leading treatment for influenza, and at Abbott Laboratories, where he played an important role in the development of antiviral drugs. Earlier in his career, he held several senior positions at the Wellcome Foundation, including Scientific Advisor for Group Marketing and Therapeutic Area Head, Cardiovascular Marketing. Dr. Mills received his medical degree at the Charing Cross Hospital Medical School in London and his specialized medical training at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London. Bo-Ragnar Tolf, Ph.D. has served as our Vice President, Chemistry and Managing Director of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals AB since January 2001. From 1991 until joining us, Dr. Tolf held various positions at Astra, including deputy head of preclinical research in the areas of central nervous system and pain disorders at Astra Zeneca, Vice President of Preclinical Research and Development at Astra Arcus, head of Central Nervous System Preclinical R&D at Astra Arcus, and Director of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at Astra Arcus. From 1989 to 1991, Dr. Tolf was head of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at Kabi. From 1985 to 1989, Dr. Tolf served as Manager of Pharmaceutical R&D at Pharmacia Ophthalmics AB. Dr. Tolf completed his postdoctoral work at Stanford Research Institute and at Stanford University. Dr. Tolf received a Master of Pharmacy degree and a Ph.D. in Organic Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Uppsala University in Sweden. back to top