Nordic Life Science 1
BUSINESS // COMMENTARY Finns Fighting Cancer – A
SMALL NATION WITH GLOBAL IMPACT Finland may be modest in population, but it has built one of the world’s most connected and capable cancer research ecosystems. Hospitals, universities, startups, and national initiatives work together in a culture that values trust, openness, and shared purpose. T E X T B Y N I N A P U L KKI S D 74 | NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG ECADES OF STEADY investment in education, biomedical research, and digital infrastructure underpin this strong position. Among Finland’s key assets are its national health registries and biobank networks, which securely link its volumes of genetic, clinical, and lifestyle data. The Finnish Biobank Cooperative (FINBB) coordinates this system through the Fingenious portal, which gives researchers access to data and samples across all public biobanks in Finland. Together, these resources accelerate biomarker discovery, enable personalized treatments, and form a strong foundation for new diagnostics and therapies. Collaboration as a superpower Finland’s cancer research flourishes because of its deeply connected ecosystem, which is data-rich, ethically grounded, and internationally engaged. Initiatives such as FICAN, Cancer IO, and iCAN bring together hospitals, universities, and companies to advance translational cancer research and precision medicine. Based in Turku, the Finnish Drug Discovery Center (FDDC) is a state-owned initiative dedicated to transforming early-stage innovations into potential medicines. The center works closely with universities, research institutes, and industry, and evaluates promising drug targets, coordinates discovery-phase projects, and helps teams prepare for investment and industrial collaboration. Its mission spans all therapeutic areas and modalities, accelerating the journey “from lab to label.” Since its founding, FDDC has assessed dozens of projects and made its first equity investment in 2025, backing the Finnish cancer therapy company Kohde Pharma. While challenges remain – such as limited late-stage funding and the need for stronger international partnerships – Finland’s biobank and data infrastructure still hold vast untapped potential. As access models evolve and digital tools mature, integrating biobank data with clinical research will become an even stronger driver of innovation. Finland’s pipeline of cancer-focused startups continues to grow, supported by initiatives like Business Finland’s Research to Business and investors such as Nordic Science Investments and Innovestor Life Sciences. What unites these innovators is not just technology, but purpose: from detecting disease early to reawakening the immune system, Finland demonstrates how a small country can have a global impact in the fight against cancer.