Samuel Lagercrantz: The government’s performance in healthcare and life sciences so far

Since the change of government in Sweden, developments in the healthcare sector have shown promising signs, but the outlook in life sciences is less promising, writes Samuel Lagercrantz in an editorial.

Looking for greater Nordic cooperation – “We have Norway and Finland in our sights”

How can Medicon Valley Alliance bring the big pharmaceutical companies back to the organisation? Life Science Sweden discussed this topic and others with the cluster organisation’s new radar pair.

KI’s new President: “We need to work closer together”

A closer link between research and education and a stronger “we-feeling” are aims that Annika Östman Wernerson sets out to achieve as the new President of Karolinska Institutet. She will not give up her research entirely though. “I think it’s crucial to maintain a close presence in the business,” she says.

“I am driven by the desire to develop a product that can be sold worldwide”

Ranked number one in the world by the WHO in diarrhoea research and soon in phase III studies for its vaccine candidate – Scandinavian Biopharma is rushing forward in the pursuit of the world’s first ETEC vaccine. Meet the company’s CEO Björn Sjöstrand.

Column: ”Cheating with pea flowers and does it matter whether you are right?”

Is it possible to forgive shortcuts or outright cheating in science - if it turns out that the researcher was ultimately right? Anna Törner discuss this topic in a column.

Editorial: ”AI that both impresses and frightens”

”In the past, I've rarely been particularly impressed by something that was produced by AI. But this is something completely different”, Samuel Lagercrantz writes in an editorial.

The new Astra Zeneca CEO: “An incredibly exciting phase”

Almost 27 years have passed since Per Alfredsson from Södertälje stepped into Astra Zeneca as a newly hired engineer. After countless different roles, including heading the production of the company’s Covid vaccine, he is now advancing to the absolute top.

Sweden is organising a large life science conference as part of the EU presidency

On 26-27 June, Sweden will host a European meeting on life science.

ALS – When the body has given up, but the brain persists

The nerve disease ALS gradually deprives the patient of control over the muscles and, eventually, also of speech. The eyes continue to function, though, and with the help of, among other things, a Swedish-developed invention, communication with the outside world can continue. “It’s their window to the world,” says ALS researcher Caroline Ingre.

“We are Europe’s hotspot in life science”

The Medicon Valley Alliance has worked for competence development in life science in Denmark and Sweden for a quarter of a century. Anette Steenberg, CEO, sees the anniversary as a recognition of MVA’s explosive power.

A green nursery for biotech rooted in the Scanian soil

Red Glead has established itself as one of Lund’s largest companies in pharmaceutical development. Life Science Sweden went to Skåne and met two of the founders, Johan Evenäs and Martina Kvist Reimer.

“We need to keep investing in research and innovation”

Jenni Nordborg has worked for just over four years to highlight life science in Sweden. Her mandate as national coordinator ends in December 2022. ““Life sciences has been a long-term priority of governments since many years and I have no doubt that the ambitions will be strong going forward”, says Jenni Nordborg.

Lucy Robertshaw: Did you know Stockholm wants to be in top 5 in the world for Life Sciences?

Karolinska Institutet Solna Campus has certainly become the next “Kendall Square”, writes Lucy Robertshaw in a column.

The first vaccine derived from cowpox

The British rural doctor could not forget the words of the peasant girl. Could that really be true? A couple of decades later, on 14 May 1796, he performed the world’s first smallpox vaccination, and a medical breakthrough had occurred.

Paolo Macchiarini in court – “The sole intent was to cure”

Paolo Macchiarini’s surgical procedure was illegal, life-threatening and caused severe and prolonged suffering to patients the prosecution claimed when the trial against the Italian surgeon began on Wednesday last week.

Björn Arvidsson: ”We need to change perspective”

If you say “life science” to a person on the street and ask them to explain what it is, you will probably get no good answer. The same question to your network will generate as many versions as the people you ask. Most likely, we will miss many opportunities with our lack of communication, writes Björn Arvidsson in a column.

GMP-expert värvas som utbildningschef på Key2compliance

Magnus Jahnsson har anställts som ny Director of Training & Courses på Key2compliance, ett konsultföretag med fokus på att bistå företag inom life science.

Lucy Robertshaw: There is a bio revolution happening right now

Lucy Robertshaw is both proud and excited to be taking the baton of moderating this year’s Pharma Outsourcing event.

Marie Gårdmark: Do EMA and FDA talk to each other?

Of course they do! The collaboration started already in 2003, writes Marie Gårdmark in a column.

Pilots want to live too

A world-class research village

Eight years ago, Medicon Village was set up in Lund. Since then, this hub for research, innovation and business has developed enormously, and today the life science village is home to over 150 organisations, employing more than 2,200 people.

Krönika: Can regulators keep up with innovation?

New technology has increased the understanding of disease mechanisms and enabled approval of products targeting small but specific patient populations; sometimes referred to as precision medicine. Gene- and cell therapies have reached the market, exemplified by CAR-T cells, and the research pipeline is promising. In addition, the medical device field is constantly growing creating new solutions to address patient needs.

Brexit looking back and looking forward

More than 3 years have passed after the vote and there is still uncertainty around the outcome although the UK December 12 election set a clearer course towards an exit early 2020.

They’re all doing it – buying drug research

December 12 the time has come for this year's annual partnering meeting Pharma Outsourcing in Stockholm. In Sweden this is a growing business, with Recipharm as the biggest CRMO of the country.