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.

She creates pharmaceuticals on a 3D printer

The correct dosage for each individual, regardless of whether the pharmaceutical is for a seriously ill child or a frail elderly person, is the mission of a well-advanced project with 3D-printed drugs at Uppsala University. “It will soon be available in clinics”, says Christel Bergström, who is heading the project.

Scharlakansfeber hos barn väcker oro i Storbritannien

Ett ovanligt stort antal fall av scharlakansfeber har fått Storbritanniens hälsomyndigheter att uppmana föräldrar till uppmärksamhet på sina barns symtom.

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.

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.

Oncopeptides läkemedel godkänt i Storbritannien

Studie: Apkoppor kan smitta före symtom

Över hälften av dem som fått apkoppor i det pågående utbrottet kan ha smittats av personer som ännu inte haft några symtom av sjukdomen, enligt en brittisk studie.

Alert from the Swedish Medicines Agency: Many complications with gastric balloons

According to the Swedish Medicines Agency, an increasing number of serious complications are being reported in procedures with gastric balloons as a method for weight loss. The authority fears significant shortcomings in the information to patients both

Cytel Inc acquires the SDS Group

The multinational statistical software developer and contract research organization Cytel Inc, headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, acquires the Swedish consulting company SDS Life Science.

“We aim to be a start-up company with an academic spirit”

Chronic pain and Alzheimer’s are two diseases that plague many people worldwide and seem impossible to cure. However, Huddinge-based company Alzecure is working on developing drugs for both conditions.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

Marie Gårdmark: Potential step change – EU regulators get to play with data

A new pilot from EMA is starting in September to assess wether the analysis of 'raw data' by regulatory authorities improves the evaluation of marketing approval for new medicines. Marie Grådmark writes in a column that she is looking forward to the outcome of the pilot to hopefully then understand if “in house” analyses actually will add value.

Swedish-Danish meeting at Medicon Village: “One of the most important life science congresses”

For the eleventh year, The Future of Swedish and Danish Life Science was held on Wednesday, and the event continues to function as a connecting link between the life science sectors of both countries. This year’s event attracted nearly 450 visitors.

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.

Anna Törner: Kalashnikovs in a new guise

Thanks to resisting European regulatory authorities, Europe has been spared the opioid epidemic. In the 1960s, the situation was the opposite as the American pharmaceutical authority, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), refused to approve thalidomide (Neurosedyn), writes Anna Törner in a column.

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.

Björn Arvidsson: “We need robust and recognized ecosystems for continued competitiveness”

“We have idea carriers and excellent innovation opportunities, and now we must invest in creating ecosystems that provide them with even better growth opportunities,” Björn Arvidsson writes in a column.

Marie Gårdmark: New incentives for orphan products on its way

"Let’s hope that the learnings from development of new therapies for rare diseases will spill over to more common conditions, orphan products paving the wave for drug development in a broader context", writes Marie Gårdmark in a column.

No demand for new Covid vaccine – “It will probably be discarded”

So far, just under 6 000 doses of the Covid vaccine from Novavax have been used in Sweden, leaving over 1.4 million doses in stock. “They will probably be discarded due to lack of demand in Sweden as well as globally,” says Sweden’s National Vaccine Coordinator Richard Bergström to Life Science Sweden.

Anna Törner: To kill your darlings

Hopes were high when Anna Törner and her colleague started a study on a dietary supplement that seemed unbelievably good. “Enthusiastically, we dreamed of exciting results and perhaps a publication in a high-impact journal,” she writes in a column.