MVA Newsletter no. 11, November 2006
EDITORIAL
Increasing importance of biotech SMEs
By Stina Gestrelius, Deputy Managing Director, MediconValleyAcademy, sg@mva.org
Everybody seems to agree that Small and Medium sized Enterprises, SMEs, are key to future growth and wealth. While big companies can grow without adding employees, small enterprises do not have the same capabilities. In MediconValley, a vast majority of the life science companies are SMEs and everything that improves their conditions will also have an impact on the region.
For this reason the November news from the Danish and Swedish governments is very encouraging. The Danish globalisation council will allocate DKK 100 million in 2007 for innovation and entrepreneurship in new and small enterprises. In Sweden, Vinnova will continue with the popular Research and Grow programme whereby SMEs apply for 50% support to research or pre-R&D projects including demand studies. This programme was initially cancelled by the new government, but as a result of the efforts of Sven Andréasson, CEO of Active Biotech, and others the government has recognized its importance, and reinstituted it with a minimum funding of SEK 100 million for 2007.
The EU may become another important source for co-funding R&D in SMEs. In preparation for the 7th Framework Programme (FP7), MediconValleyAcademy and other networking organisations are involved in matchmaking public and private partners across regions. One such example of this is the PassPort project, the first meeting of which will be held in Medicon Valley 17 January 2007. The aim of this project is to provide SMEs with access to EU R&D funding. Another example is the forthcoming Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI). MVA will host a series of meetings to present and discuss the identified R&D demands, and initiate the building of a public-private consortium that can apply for funding to perform the (sometimes very detailed) strategic projects.
On a related note, last week’s meeting on Open Innovation Platforms gave several important messages to SMEs. Firstly, they must understand which parts of their IPR (background knowledge) need to be made available to other participants during projects. Secondly, the SMEs will be funded like public participants, e.g. with 75% of costs covered, in contrast to big pharma that will contribute with in kind resources. Finally, every consortium needs participation from big pharma in order to be recognised as a public-private partnership.
If you are interested in FP7 or IMI, you are welcome to join the forthcoming meetings or contact MVA directly for advice on how to initiate the process!
MVA NEWS
A strengthened communication
MVA has hired Anne Katrine Nørgaard as its new Communications Manager. Anne Katrine Nørgaard was previously a Senior Consultant for the PR-agency GCI Mannov (Denmark), where she was managing projects for life science clients.
“The MediconValleyregion and the member network of MVA offer great possibilities for knowledge sharing and business development within life sciences. I am looking forward to serving our members with news and updates on the various MVA activities that exploit these possibilities and support the development and growth of MediconValley. Not the least, I will put a strong effort into an efficient branding of the region nationally and internationally”, says Anne Katrine Nørgaard.
Anne Katrine Nørgaard can be contacted at akn@mva.org, +45 28 75 41 55 or + 45 35 32 41 55. Please contact her anytime with member news, ideas for MVA network projects, specific member needs or comments on MVA activities.
“All comments are welcome!” she says.
Anne Katrine Nørgaard is 31 years old and holds a Masters of Communication (cand.comm.) from Roskilde University, Denmark, as well as a degree in economic geography and regional development.
MVA MEMBER NEWS
New Danish-Swedish diabetes network
MVA has established a unique Danish-Swedish network working with diabetes, the Oresund Diabetes Academy. The Oresundregion is a global leader within diabetes and through the work of this new network their leadership position can be consolidated. MVA, Hovedstadsregionen and Region Skåne have established the network in cooperation with leading diabetes researchers and therapists from Danish and Swedish hospitals, regional universities, and pharmaceutical companies with Novo Nordisk as a central player. Read more
Santaris Pharma awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in Denmark
2006 has been very successful for Santaris Pharma. In March, the company raised EUR 40 million in new equity – the second largest private placement in MediconValleyhistory. In July, Santaris Pharma and Enzon announced that they signed a global collaboration agreement to develop novel cancer therapeutics. The deal has a growth potentialup toEUR 160 million. In October, Santaris Pharma was strengthened by the appointment of Claus Bræstrup, CEO of H. Lundbeck, to the Board of Directors. Santaris Pharma was founded in 2003 as a result of a merger between Pantheco and Cureon and the lead product SPC2996 has entered phase I/II trials (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia). Read more about Santaris Pharma in case story, see below.
Anamar receives SEK 50 million to prepare product out-licensing
MediconValleyAcademy member Anamar Medical has received SEK 50 million in financing from its largest shareholder, Koncentra Holding. The financing will help strengthen the company’s balance sheet before it goes about out-licensing its first drug candidate AMAP102, a melanocortin receptor (MCR) agonist. The substance is a new working mechanism for the treatment of inflammation and it has been documented for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Read more
New owner of WeAidU expands into diagnostic support
WeAidU has developed a system called CARE for the analysis, understanding and reporting of medical pictures taken with a radiationsensitive camera following the injection of radioactive molecules. The system is primarily a diagnostic tool. The first version of CARE is currently used in more than thirty clinics in Sweden, Denmarkand Finland. Read more
Danish government invests in innovation and entrepreneurship
The Danish Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs has agreed to provide DKK 350 million in 2007 growing to 400 million in 2008 for innovation and entrepreneurship. The agreement identifies four areas of special interest: user driven innovation, improvement of conditions for new and small enterprises, improvement of the quality and competences in new regional incubators as well as better access to venture capital, and finally improvement of the Danish marketing effort. Read more
Vinnova programme lives on – millions to Active Biotech and DuoCort
Active Biotech receives SEK 5 million from VINNOVA's (Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) program "Research and Grow" and the pharmaceutical company DuoCort, located in Helsingborg, receives SEK 3,4 million. This new funding confirms the interest of the Swedish government in supporting the “research and grow” project intended to stimulate research efforts in small enterprises. Read more
Section of Clinical Drug Development is established
The 26 October 2006Section of Clinical Drug Development, the Pharmaceutical Society of Denmark, was founded with 45 pre-registered members. The board consists of six pharmacists and a pharmacist student, all interested in drug development. The board also has an external advisor.
The objective of the section is to discuss and challenge standard practices within drug development. At present, four meetings are planned for 2006/2007 and will feature Danish and international speakers. Read more