Column: ”We need to exploit the benefits of the regulations“

You don’t need to search long on the Internet to find lists of the most innovative countries with Sweden ranking at the top. Sweden generally offers good conditions for growing new solutions, but it is also becoming increasingly clear that we are challenged in one area – regulations, writes Björn Arvidsson in a column.

He saved lives with his theories – was ostracised and ended up in a mental hospital

Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865) undoubtedly possessed plenty of persistence, diligence and sound reasoning skills – but he was hardly blessed with luck and timing.

"Unclear proposal from the EU Commission on how to solve the MDR challenges"

Even before the EU regulation on medical devices (MDR) came into force, medical technology companies and doctors were concerned that it would endanger the availability of medical devices in the EU. Unfortunately, the fears have come true.

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.

“Everyone is screaming for talent”

Attracting talent is one of the life science industry’s major future challenges, which was one of the conclusions of the panel discussion that ended the New Horizons in Biologics & Bioprocessing conference on 15 December.

Vicore tar in 200 miljoner — utvecklar behandling mot lungfibros

Göteborgsbaserade Vicore Pharma, som utvecklar behandlingar för svåra lungsjukdomar, har tagit in 200 miljoner kronor via en riktad nyemission.

He is zooming in on topical preparations

According to Zelmic CEO David Sagna, topical products in drug development is a growing market, and to keep pace with the development, the company is awaiting approval for its new GMP facility.

Swedish breakthrough in Alzheimer’s: “We can finally present great data”

Treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are currently among the hottest topics in drug development. Two Swedish research companies with high ambitions and successes in the field participated in Bioscience 2022 conference at Life City in Hagastaden, Stockholm.

Neanderthal genes and Nobel Prize in a popular lecture at Bioscience

An inherited gene variant from our ”evolutionary cousins” – the extinct Neanderthals – may affect how our bodies break down certain drugs. “It’s only a matter of time before we actively start screening for it,” said KI researcher Hugo Zeberg when describing the study at Bioscience 2022.

Neandertalgener och Nobelpris i populär föreläsning på Bioscience

En nedärvd genvariant från våra "evolutionära kusiner" – de utdöda neandertalarna – kan påverka hur våra kroppar bryter ner vissa läkemedel. "Det är en tidsfråga innan vi börjar screena aktivt för den", sa KI-forskaren Hugo Zeberg när han berättade om studien vid Bioscience 2022.

Stort vetenskapsmöte igång i Life City

She is Sweden´s new Minister of Healthcare

Today, Tuesday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who leads the Moderate Party and the centre-right coalition in Sweden, presented the government's new ministers. Christian Democrat Jakob Forssmed gets the role of Minister for Social Affairs and Acko Ankarberg Johansson (also of the Christian Democrat Party) becomes Minister for Health Care.

“We need to build flexible operating theatres”

Flexible operating theatres, micro-sensors on surgeons to monitor their well-being and 3D images projected onto organs to be operated on. These are a few ideas that three specialist surgeons are suggesting for the operating theatre of the future.

Rätt inställd hörapparat kan minska tinnitusbesvär

Enligt en studie från Lunds universitet kan en enkel undersökning och rätt inställning av hörapparater minska tinnitusbesvär.

Promising Alzheimer’s study data sends Bioarctic stock soaring

The drug candidate lecanemab from Swedish company Bioarctic significantly slowed down the deterioration in patients with early on-set Alzheimer’s, according to preliminary results from a phase III study.

Nobelpriset i medicin går till Svante Pääbo

Den svenske forskaren Svante Pääbo tilldelas årets Nobelpris i fysiologi eller medicin.

Dansk-svensk mikrobiom-satsning lockade företag och talanger

Fem mikrobioföretag har etablerat sig och över 100 internationella talanger har anställts inom ramen för Microbiome Signature Project i Öresundsregionen. Alla uppställda mål har överträffats, skriver projektorganisationen i ett pressmeddelande.

Biosimilars bring price pressure, but are they sufficiently used?

When biosimilars were introduced just over 16 years ago, hopes were raised that they would give many more patients access to effective but otherwise extremely expensive treatments with biological drugs. So, how well has Swedish healthcare used biosimilars? The answer partly depends on whom you ask.

Chalmers anmäler misstänkt oredlighet i studie om armprotes

Chalmers har anmält en av forskarna bakom en studie om en tankestyrd armprotes för misstänkt oredlighet, uppger Dagens Medicin.

Allvarliga komplikationer utelämnades i känd svensk studie om armprotes

I en internationellt uppmärksammad fallstudie rapporterade forskare vid Chalmers och Göteborgs universitet lysande resultat för tre patienter som testat en tankestyrd armprotes. Men vad de inte berättade är att en fjärde försöksdeltagare drabbades av allvarliga komplikationer, skriver Forskning & Framsteg.

FOKUS Patient turns international

FOKUS Patient is arranging conferences over 3 days in October, and this year, the focus will be on international collaborations.

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.

Anders Blanck about his 17 years at Lif: “The industry is enjoying greater public trust now"

The announcement came as a surprise to those around him, but according to the protagonist himself, the timing was excellent. Anders Blanck is now leaving Lif – a decision that has been growing for some time. “I have been pretty much married to my mission. However, I will turn 56 this autumn, and if I’m going to do something else in my professional life, now is the time,” he says.

Genes from Neanderthals can affect the correct drug dosage

A fifth of all Europeans carry gene variants inherited from Neanderthals, which cause certain drugs to break down more slowly. This may have implications for the drug doses they should take.