Business Sweden’s new team is rolling out the blue-yellow carpet

According to Business Sweden’s life science team, the combination of substantial medical know-how and an ever-flourishing tech sector is a success factor for Sweden. “It’s a perfect storm, a beneficent, perfect storm,” says Programme Manager Britta Stenson.

Bought a tablet factory – and built his own empire

In 1995, Thomas Eldered was CEO of one of Pharmacia’s factories in the Stockholm area when the Swedish pharmaceutical giant, after a takeover, decided to move its production abroad. 34-year-old Thomas was facing an imminent risk of losing his job. However, instead, it actually turned out to be the starting point for one of the biggest success stories in Swedish life science.

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.

Newly discovered gene variant linked to protection against abdominal obesity

American researchers believe they have identified a rare gene mutation that protects against abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome. The ambition is that the discovery will lead to new treatments that can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes

BioVentureHub CEO: “Companies with a high degree of interaction achieve greater success”

For the first time since its inception, AstraZeneca’s BioVentureHub can now recruit new companies, as some of its tenants have grown significantly and are leaving the hub. This is the message from the biohub’s CEO Magnus Björsne in an interview, in which he also highlights a study that points out that companies with a high degree of interaction with other companies achieve greater success.

Tablet treatment for hair loss approved in the USA

The US Drug Administration has given a thumbs up for the first tablet treatment for spotty hair loss.

Collaboration for a simpler production of gene therapies launched

A collaboration between universities and companies aims at providing better production methods for the development of gene therapies. The initiative is led by Johan Rockberg, Professor at KTH.

Göran Stiernstedt: “We are the world’s worst at continuity”

Failed investments in primary care, an unreasonable system with online doctors and a public failure at coordinating the healthcare IT system. Göran Stiernstedt does not mind his language when describing the shortcomings of today’s healthcare system. “It makes me extremely frustrated,” he says.

New rules for diagnostic products, but who will certify them? “An extreme shortage area”

In less than two weeks, new and stricter EU rules will enter into force for thousands of products used in important diagnoses of, among other things, cancer and Covid-19. However, not one single institute in the entire Nordic region is able to certify the diagnostics companies’ products according to the new regulations. “In the end, it risks affecting patients,” says Anna Lefèvre Skjöldebrand, CEO of Swedish Medtech.

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 Ursing: Physicians new role in AI driven healthcare

”AI could be the key we need for tomorrow’s healthcare, but it is not a stand-alone tool”, writes Björn Ursing in a column about how the role for physicians changes in the era of AI.

Sweden and Denmark – this is how they choose their strategies

Scandinavia’s two major powers in pharmaceutical research have developed strategies for growth in life science, and both countries aim to become world leaders.

MVA:s CEO: “Our investments should improve people´s everyday lives”

Involuntary infertility and diabetes are two of the areas on the agenda of the Medicon Valley Alliance.

”Kriminella handlar allt mer med falska läkemedel”

Under coronapandemin har försäljningen av förfalskade läkemedel skiftat om till läkemedel och produkter för covid-19.

Norway finds its path in life science

The life science sector in Norway is on the rise.

Helena Strigård: The rise of the community

Sweden Bio´s CEO is looking back at the last decade of development in the industry. Something has shifted in the interdependence between small and larger companies.

Pilots want to live too

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.

Engage with your CMO early

Gordon Hutton is Materials Science Lead at Thermo Fisher Scientific’s, formerly GSK, small molecule API site in Cork, Ireland.

The perfect formula for decision-making

No one has the luxury not to take a decision, writes Helena Strigård at Swedenbio.

The best wealth is Health

We are living in a world where wealth more and more is measured in being able to do the things you like and enjoy in life. As the wealth increases in terms of economic strength, the expectation of a long and healthy life increases and with that a demand of enjoy life.

Opinion: Where do all the cool Swedish life science companies go?

It’s puzzling why Swedish life science companies hardly get a mention alongside Spotify, Skype, Klarna, King, iZettle, and other cool, innovative and successful ‘startups’ founded in Sweden.

Swedish life science in political focus

It feels like 2017 will be a good year for Swedish life science, says Anders Blanck, CEO at LIF.

Ny chef på Sectra

Mats Franzén är ny finanschef på medtechbolaget.