Nordic Life Science 1
NORDIC LIFE SCIENCE EDITOR IN CHIEF: MALIN OTMANI
ART DIRECTOR: ANNIKI SKEIDSVOLL EDÉN REPORTERS: ELLEN R. DELISIO, CHRIS TACHIBANA ENGLISH PROOFREADING: GAIL ADAM REPRO: LENA HOXTER COVER PHOTO: JENNY ÖHMAN PRINTED BY: ÅTTA.45 2020 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: MATTIAS OLME PRODUCT MANAGER: ADAM RÅSBERG MARKETING & SALES: ANDRES VARGAS ANDRES@NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG +46 8 588 941 56 COPYRIGHT 2020 BY MEDIAVALUE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WHITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. A MAGAZINE FROM MEDIAVALUE MV INFORMATION AB, KINDSTUGATAN 1 111 31 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN PHONE: +46 8 588 941 51 SUBSCRIPTION: ONE YEAR PRINT AND ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION: 1 990 SEK / 199 EUR / 219 USD 01. FOUR PRINTED ISSUES OF THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE 02. ALL ISSUES ONLINE, READABLE ON YOUR PREFERRED DEVICE 03. WEEKLY NEWS UPDATES FROM OUR NEWSLETTER NORDIC LIFE SCIENCE NEWS CALL: +46 8 588 941 52 OR SIGN UP AT: NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG The new coronavirus, SARSPARTNERS: CoV-2, was first detected in December 2019 and today, April 6th, it has gone global, it has been declared a global pandemic and it has turned societies upside down. Here in the Nordic region, right now, acute challenges include assuring and expanding the capacity of our healthcare systems, our hospitals and our heroic healthcare workers, ensuring enough medical and hospital equipment and protective utilities, and in a common effort, try to decrease the spread in our societies in order to keep our elderly or those with underlying conditions safe. There is also a need for better diagnostics, improved treatments and eventually, an effective and safe vaccine. The Nordic life science industry, just like all industries, has been affected by the crisis, including for example delayed or halted clinical trials, investment deals put on hold, and the hard decisions of having to let staff go. But this industry also has a very important role in handling this societal crisis, and perhaps, also the privilege some may say in all of this, to actually be able to do something as a response to this emergency. Every day I see examples of creative problem-solving and solidarity in this industry, people rolling up their sleeves and doing their duty, and more. We have scientists collaborating across borders and across disciplines, working long hours in the lab, sharing data and knowledge. Some companies are shifting their R&D towards compounds that might benefit COVID-19 patients, and some are increasing their critical production, or shifting it to manufacture to disinfectants. There are also genetics, screening and biobanks initiatives, grants and funding opportunities, and let’s not forget, industry organizations that are trying to speed up our decision-making processes in order to help and facilitate the task of the industries and ensuring that the supply chains are working. Now more than ever, it is clear that it is critical to safeguard the Nordic life science industry and cherish its abilities both in developing life-saving treatments and in responding to a pandemic. I also hope that one of the lessons from this pandemic will be that common efforts and collaborations, in the Nordic region as well as globally, will be of the highest priority when we prepare for the next one. MALIN OTMANI EDITOR IN CHIEF FOR DAILY UPDATES OF THE NORDIC LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRY, VISIT: NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG.