Elisabeth Jarnæss appointed co-chair of CONNECT

With Elisabeth Jarnæss as its new chair, CONNECT aims to strengthen collaboration between public and private partners and help more cancer patients gain access to precision medicine in Norway.

Elisabeth Jarnæss is the new co-chair of CONNECT.

CONNECT, Norway’s public–private consortium for precision cancer medicine, has appointed Elisabeth Jarnæss, Head of Medical Affairs Oncology Scandinavia and Medical Lead Norway at AbbVie, as co-chair of its board.

Jarnæss will represent CONNECT’s private-sector partners alongside co-chair Sigbjørn Smeland, Head of the Cancer Clinic at Oslo University Hospital, who represents the public sector.

Sharper priorities

Since CONNECT was established in 2020, both the consortium and the field of precision medicine have developed considerably. Jarnæss said CONNECT’s new, more focused strategy will provide a clearer framework for the next phase of its work.

“Our priorities are to increase access to diagnostics and treatment, facilitate more clinical studies—particularly early-phase trials—and improve access to biomarker and genomic data as a foundation for real-world evidence,” she said.

The consortium will also explore how artificial intelligence can improve both access and efficiency across these processes.

Closing the implementation gap

Jarnæss emphasised that public–private collaboration is essential if Norway is to adopt new cancer treatments effectively. Rapid scientific progress is creating treatment opportunities for more patient groups, but the systems responsible for assessing and implementing these solutions do not always move at the same pace.

She noted that Norway is falling behind several neighbouring countries, and said bringing public and private partners around the same table can help identify practical solutions to shared implementation challenges.

“We all share the same goal: that every person with cancer receives the best possible treatment at the right time,” Jarnæss said.

Building bridges

For Jarnæss, the new role is driven by a desire to help more patients gain earlier and better access to diagnostics and the right treatment.

“I want to contribute commitment, a collaborative approach and a strong focus on building bridges between the stakeholders who need to work together,” she said. “I believe we can achieve a great deal by combining different perspectives and turning that collaboration into concrete results for patients.”