Swedish and Danish Life Science – are there still untapped synergies?
The life science sector is undergoing more rapid changes than ever. These are driven by deeper insights into biology thanks to e.g. high throughput technologies within genomics and proteomics, more precise molecular imaging technologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Additionally, with new targeted treatments for rare diseases, developments within immunotherapy and the rapidly growing area microbiome, the future looks bright. However, it also brings new challenges that need other solutions.
The conference programme
In the introductory session, Anthony Gemmell, Senior Director for Transactions in the J&J London Innovation Center will set the scene by talking about the global life science landscape. Following this introduction, what could be more relevant than to ask Jenni Nordborg, Head of the Swedish Office for Life Science and Carsten Kjær Joensen, her Danish counterpart, to take the stage and share the respective nations’s strategies? The region made up by Lund/Malmö and Copenhagen, also known as Medicon Valley is also represented on the panel by Petter Hartman. Lisa Kirsebom, an experienced science journalist will act as moderator.
Nobody can have failed to notice the tremendous advances in immunotherapies over the past decade. In the session on Immuno-Oncology, Jan Olov Sandberg, Country Medical Lead Sweden, will talk about the current landscape followed by a panel discussion where issues including the challenges when it comes to partnering in such a fiercely competitive environment. For instance, how can you convince the in-licencing contacts you meet during partnering to champion you internally? And what about clinical trials? Every company wants to work with respected opinion leaders from the best clinics, but with so on-going trials, are there enough patients for inclusion? Another topic under discussion will be diagnostics for both early detection and therapy monitoring. Medicon Valley including many of the companies in Medicon Village, the host of the conference, is a powerhouse for immuno-oncology, thus yet another reason for choosing this topic for the conference.
As with any knowledge intensive industry, attracting competence is a key factor and one session is therefore devoted on how to attract (and retain) talent and competence in the MVA-region. Furthermore, and as evident from the theme of the conference, extra focus will put on how to make collaboration work. In two sessions, the moderator will lead discussions with experts on how to get the most out of out-sourcing work to consultants (the virtual company model) and what it takes to run value-generating partnerships with service providers in late stage drug development, IPO and market access programs..
Finally one of the afternoon sessions will center around how some major research investments in the region can benefit developers of new drugs, read more in a separate article in this publication.
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