Nordic Life Science 1
TOP STORIES BUSINESS ANNETTE SÄFHOLM, CEO, GEDEA
BIOTECH The Swedish government has presented its national life science strategy – a point of departure for them to turn propositions and ambitions into reality, states SwedenBIO. T Annette Säfholm, CEO, Gedea Biotech F IN A NC IN G THE WOMEN’S HEALTH COMPANY HAS BEEN AWARDED FUNDING FROM EU’S HORIZON 2020 TO ACCELERATE INTRODUCTION OF ANTIBIOTIC-FREE TREATMENT FOR VAGINAL INFECTIONS. HE GRANT WILL fund completion of the clinical trial program and preparation work for market introduction of the company’s antibiotic-free treatment for vaginal infections. Partners in the program are Link Medical Research in Norway and Nottingham University Hospitals in the UK. According to the Fast Track to Innovation (FTI), part of the EU Horizon program, the justification to select Gedea Biotech as a recipient of the funding is based not only the significant medical need, but also on the resultant opportunity to replace current treatments involving antibiotics. Several strains of bacteria and fungi are already resistant to current treatments. “We are delighted to have received this funding enabling us to launch the product earlier than otherwise would have been the case. We now look forward to initiating the work on our next clinical trial in Europe, together with our partners in Norway and the UK. We expect to launch our first product, that treats and prevents bacterial vaginosis in 2021,” says Annette Säfholm, CEO, Gedea Biotech. HE SWEDISH LIFE SCIENCE Industry is now expecting that both the governmental office and different authorities will convene the efforts made by the sector itself in order to make Sweden a stronger life science nation, states Helena Strigård, Director General of SwedenBIO. For example, efforts to attract and maintain life science establishments in Sweden and efforts with the goal to strengthen home-grown companies’ abilities to grow and meet demands from the global market. This requires, says Helena Strigård, both quick preparations of proposals building on regular changes and resources in the upcoming budget proposition so that the life science office has administrative efficiency enough to act. All eight areas that the government has proposals about are important for the sector, states SwedenBIO, and they are therefore supporting the life science office’s choice to work broadly with the complex prerequisites that a sector located in the borderlines between industry, healthcare and academia is facing – not just the limited approach which was originally presented in the government’s roadmap. “There is no reason to waste energy by screaming yourself croaky about what is most important. That energy should instead be used on implementing,” says Helena Strigård. 12 NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG