The History of SAM Nordic

The evolution of SAM Nordic from 1997 to the present.

In 1997, the story of SAM Nordic began when Seija Ahlén started Seija Ahlén Medical AB. Seija was formerly the CEO of Map Medical in Sweden, but started her own shop and continued as a distributor of technetium generators for Map Medical in Sweden.

The story continued with the establishment of new partnerships and the launch of two diagnostic kits for cardiac and neurological exams in nuclear medicine—Cardiolite® and Neurolite® from Dupont. Shortly after, we began providing I-125 seeds for Brachytherapy in Prostate Cancer in partnership with Eckert & Ziegler Bebig.

2008 was a fascinating time; one could argue that the term Just-In-Time got a new meaning when SAM Nordic pioneered complex logistics by using a private jet to deliver FDG (FluoroDeoxyGlucose is a glucose analogue, labelled with the positron-emitting isotope Fluorine 18 (F-18)) from Berlin. This was also the year we started the partnership with AAA (Advanced Accelerator Applications). Novartis later acquired AAA. 

In 2010, we launched our proprietary technetium kit for cardiac diagnostics. 

In 2013, SAM Nordic was acquired by new owners. We were four employees at the time. Isabell Ahlén (daughter of Seija) and David Lundquist acquired the company, bringing new energy and ideas. This was also the year when SAM Nordic ApS was established in Denmark. 

Shortly after this, another key player and partner enters the picture. Tuomas Suikki joined, and we established SAM Nordic Oy in Finland. This was the start of SAM Nordic 2.0. 

In 2015, we started a collaboration with ANMI for the PSMA kit. Telix Pharmaceuticals later acquired ANMI. 

2016: The first gallium-labelled kit receives marketing authorisation in the EU & US. 

In 2016, we also launched a diagnostic kit for GEP-NETs in the Nordic & Baltic markets. The kit is the first-ever approved PET radiopharmaceutical kit. 

2017 marks a significant time when Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen became the first centre in the world to treat GEP-NET patients with regulatory-approved PRRT. (Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy). 

2018 New mission, “We contribute to patients in Europe receiving the best possible care, by making medical innovations accessible to all”. We refine and scale back to focus wholeheartedly on the products that truly align with our vision, shifting from being a “one-stop shop” to actually selling a concept—namely, theragnostics. 

In 2019, the company continues to evolve. We welcome Charlotte Boij, our new executive board member, who joins as Chairperson. 

In 2021, as the pandemic swept the world, we were compelled to find new ways to work. The Theragnostic Talks podcast was born out of this time. This is also the year when an additional external member of the board is elected. Sofia Bertling joins, and the Board is now 75 per cent female-led. Pioneers again, this time in gender equality and corporate governance. 

In 2022, we started the year with a new vision, “A world without cancer”. We are outgrowing our premises and moving into new, bigger and fresher premises, “The Reactor”, during the autumn. 

This year, we celebrate 25 years as a Company with our 25 co-workers. 

2022 is also the year we are awarded the Di Gasell. An award given out by Sweden’s most prominent business newspaper, Dagens Industri, to the fastest-growing companies in Sweden. A great acknowledgement of the entire team’s hard work! 

2023 is the year Isabell was appointed the prize "Entrepreneurial Winning Woman" in the Stockholm region. The jury’s statement was a genuine ode to our progressive yet humble CEO, capturing her dynamic and down-to-earth leadership style: “Business ideas are often born out of a strong desire to change, which is certainly true for this entrepreneur who exudes a true 'anything is possible' mentality. With a clear purpose and an ambitious vision, she runs a business that contributes to a better life for many people. With warm leadership and a strong sense of sustainability, she is a worthy winner”.

2024 Big celebrations to highlight over ten years of commitment towards the Swedish Childhood Cancer association by engaging the entire company to run with a cheque from our HQ to theirs. With our leadership’s passion and our co-workers’ dedication, we’ve raised over 535,090 SEK for cancer research, funding 1070 hours of research since 2013.