Nordic Life Science 1
TOP STORIES ACQU I SITIONS // AGREEMENTS // COLLA
BORATIONS PHARMA Lundbeck and Contera Pharma collaborate The two companies have announced a strategic research collaboration aiming to accelerate the discovery and development of innovative oligonucleotide-based medicines for patients living with serious neurological conditions. IN-DEPTH REVIEW Modern Biotech in Finland Biotechnology employs 19,400 people in Finland. Modern biotech is growing, but regulation and commercialization slow it down. THE COMPANIES WILL explore novel RNA-targeting treatment approaches designed to deliver transformative benefits for patients worldwide, they state, leveraging Lundbeck’s neuroscience experience and Contera’s oligonucleotide expertise and RNA discovery platforms. Through this collaboration, Lundbeck retains the option to advance these promising candidates into later-stage clinical development and global commercialization. Under the terms of the agreement, Contera will receive an upfront payment and full research funding R&D AstraZeneca BioVentureHub and Thermo Fisher Scientific collaborate A team from Thermo Fisher will co-locate with AstraZeneca scientists to work on collaborative R&D projects with a focus initially on chromatography, molecular genomics and proteomics. s “WHEN TWO GLOBAL life science leaders join forces in an open innovation environment, truly exceptional conditions for breakthrough discovery and progress are created. Welcoming Thermo Fisher Scientific into BioVentureHub at AstraZeneca’s strategic R&D campus in Gothenburg – adjacent to GoCo Health Innovation City – marks a significant step and 14 | NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG unlocks dynamic opportunities for open scientific co-creation between AstraZeneca and Thermo Fisher Scientific,” says Magnus Björsne, CEO, AstraZeneca BioVentureHub. NLS u for each target. The company will also be eligible for milestone payments tied to preclinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial achievements, along with tiered royalties on future net sales of any resulting products. “This agreement validates our RNA discovery engine and will accelerate our mission to deliver innovative medicines to patients with high unmet needs. By joining forces with Lundbeck, we can create strong synergies and advance the potential of oligonucleotide therapeutics,” says Thomas Sager, CEO, Contera Pharma. NLS ETLA'S (a private, non-profit economic research institute) new report “The Finnish Biotechnology Sector: Status, Growth and Challenges” presents, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of the scope and dynamics of the industry. Finland hosts 834 biotechnology companies, with a combined turnover of EUR 7.1 billion and 19,400 employees. At the core of the country’s modern biotechnology are 124 companies, generating EUR 220 million in value added, and employing around 2,800 people. The appetite for growth is exceptionally strong, but the biggest hurdles are regulatory approval processes and weaknesses in sales, marketing, and distribution. Finland’s modern biotech field is young, the report also shows. Four out of five companies are less than 15 years old. According to the survey results, 76% of companies are strongly growth-oriented – far higher than the business sector average (19%). Still, the growth faces several obstacles: 58% cite regulatory approval processes as a barrier, while commercialization challenges also remain, especially in sales and marketing expertise and the functionality of sales/distribution channels. Financing also slows growth: equity financing is most critical for many investments, while debt financing is emphasized less. NLS * In this report, modern biotechnology refers to technologies based on molecular biology (e.g. drug and diagnostics development, enzymes, biomaterials, synthetic biology). In Finland, the enzyme sector is particularly strong, while value creation is concentrated to pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and industrial enzymes. s M ö j a g B n r n e , C E O , A s t r a Z e n e c a B i o V e n t u r e H u b