Biobanking in Finland Biobanking

19.12.2018 7.15 p.16 What is Read this journal: lukusali.ﬁ > Terveys a biobank?

FinnGen is a unique model BioDataBanks are BioDataBanks are Finnish biobanking is Finnish biobanking is Biobank activities enjoy Biobanking is in the frontline Biobanking is in the frontline

for public-private partnership for public-private partnership in genomic research z z z z the key to new innovations the key to new innovations for better health among the world’s best among the world’s strong support by Finns support strong Professor Olli Carpén, a member of Professor the Steering Committee of BBMRI-ERIC z of personalized medicine

& Personalized Medicine & Personalized Biobanking in Finland Biobanking

Lääkärisanomat z Medical Journal Biopankki_2018_KANSI_1.indd 3 Mapping The Treatment Path of The Future!

We have a common goal; to provide means for data-driven decision-making for better healthcare and work towards economically sustainable, effective and more individualized treatment care. To reach this goal, Future Care Finland was born.

Future Care Finland is a platform that highlights Finnish innovations, technologies and applications that aim to facilitate customized patient care.

The focus of healthcare is transforming from traditional disease treatment to prediction and prevention of diseases while maintaining health and wellbeing.

The content of the site is categorized into Prevention, Diagnostics, Treatment, Evaluation of effectiveness and Follow-up sections. In addition, Real World Evidence is included as a separate category to highlight the possibilities of utilizing health-related data in decision- making, sustaining health and promoting the development of customized care.

The site is powered by Medaffcon Oy. Medaffcon provides research and expert services for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare actors. These include real-world evidence studies utilizing biobanks, hospital data lakes, national registries and other relevant data sources.

www.futurecarefinland.fi Advancing Future Healthcare

!Biopankki_2018_2-4.indd 2 19.12.2018 7.19 EDITORIAL The substantial increase in genomic data is transforming Interesting topics health care and disease Personalized medicine means prevention diseases are not treated or prevented solely on the basis of a symptom, new era is beginning in the field of medicine, thanks to imp- diagnosis or, for example, the location roved accessibility and scientific availability of genomic and of a cancerous tumor, but instead with Aother health data. This opens up exciting opportunities for re- much greater precision.” searchers and other players in the field to make treatment, diagnos- Professor Olli Carpén, p. 10–11 tics and disease prevention increasingly personalized. This publication provides insight into this highly interesting topic. The focus is on ge- In August 2017 initiated FinnGen nes, the entire human genome, biobank operations and personalized research project providing genomic medicine, not to mention the unprecedented partnerships that mo- information for 500 000 individuals dern genomic and biobank research and health technology can offer and 10 % of the Finnish population is Finnish professionals. These are hot topics right now. among the foremost biobank genetics projects in the world.” My interest in biobanks and personalized medicine was sparked in the fall of 2015, when I was working on the official newsletter ofTurun Professor Mark Daly, p. 32 Lääketiedepäivät (Lääkärisanomat 2/2015) and an article on a scientific symposium on this theme, together with Kati Elima, Clinical Lecturer It is very likely that FinnGen in Molecular Medicine and Adjunct Professor at the University of Turku. will lead to breakthroughs in disease The same newsletter featured an interview with MSD Finland’s Policy prevention, diagnosis and treatment and Communications Director, Ph.D. and build a foundation for health Finland is currently one (Economics) Petri Lehto, who pre- innovations and personalized of the world’s leading viously headed Finland’s Innovation treatments.” countries in biobank Policy Department at the Ministry of Professor Aarno Palotie, p. 6–8 and genetic research.” Employment and the Economy. Leh- to gave me inspiring insight into the Finland is well positioned to opportunities of Finnish biobank operations, genome strategy and compete for international clinical genomic medicine from the perspective of individual citizens, natio- trials in the ﬁeld of genetic medicine. nal health, health-care resources and international collaboration and The Finnish Biobank Cooperative research funding alike. One of the greatest sources of inspiration for (FINBB), established in August 2017, the biobank magazines I have worked on was Finland’s Genome Stra- and the Finnish Genome Center tegy Working Group’s proposal for a national genome strategy, which (preparations for establishment of the was published in spring 2015, with the guiding principle of ”Impro- Center are ongoing) provide valuable ving health through the use of genomic data”. support in this respect.” Director, Policy and Communication Finnish medical genetics and genomics experts and specialized bo- Petri Lehto, p. 30 dies, such as biobanks, universities and health-care units, are internationally esteemed and sought after as collaborators. The increase Biobanks have many important in genomic data is highly welcome for Finland in many ways, and goals: promotion of population health, Finland is absolutely intent on tapping into the opportunities it of- identiﬁcation of disease mechanisms and fers to promote health care and the treatment of diseases in a bid to promotion of production development tackle the global health-care challenges of our times – and to be ab- linked to health and welfare and le to provide the best possible care to people around the world also hospital care.” going forward. “As we still have diseases with no effective treatment, Biobank Director, Sirpa Soini, p. 25 there is a need for new innovations,” as Professor Aarno Palotie sta- tes in his interview on pages 6–8. Like him, many other interviewees The Finnish Biobanks Cooperative for this magazine are also top experts in their fields. (FINBB) was established to serve and facilitate development of member This special issue provides first-line information on genomics, biobanks and to provide a single entry biobanks and the advances made in related research, innovation and increasingly personalized medicine. We hope you point – one-stop-shop service model – to enjoy the magazine! biobanking services on a national and international level.” M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen CEO Marco Hautalahti, p. 20–21

!Biopankki_2018_2-4.indd 3 19.12.2018 13.03 Biobanking in Finland & Personalized Medicine

Biobanking in Finland & Personalized Medicine

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND EDITORIAL WORK 6.–8. Change is inevitable! Genomic 30. A new era in medicine is dawning Maj-Leena Tuhkanen, Licentiate of Medicine medicine and biobanks offer Finland as genetic and genome information tel. +358 50 542 7672 exceptional opportunities increases in volume [email protected] Aarno Palotie Petri Lehto PUBLISHER Lääkärisanomat 9. Finland aims to retain its position as SIG accelerates enterprises Mäkikatu 3 B 51 a forerunner in genomic medicine FI-70110 Kuopio Jari Forsström Kimmo Pitkänen and Ilpo Tolonen LAYOUT Terveystalo Biobank Finland is the first Graphic Designer 10.–11. Professor and cancer researcher privately owned biobank in Finland Marjukka Aronen Olli Carpén: ”Biobank operations are a [email protected] Markku Nissilä source of national pride” PRINT VOLUME 31. Blood Service Biobank – a new 12 000 copies 11. Genomic and molecular medicine dimension for extending donors help PRINTED BY are exciting! PunaMusta, December 2018 Kati Elima The Association of Cancer Patients cooperating and developing Hemato- DISTRIBUTION 12.–14. Suomen Posti Oy FinnGen is a concrete manifes- logical Biobank tation of the potential of Finnish Minna Anttonen ISSN 1455-9374 biobanks 32. Unique Finnish genomics scene FinnGen study in a nutshell attracts top scientist to cooperate and work in Finland 16.–17. What is a biobank? Mark Daly

Participation in biobank research 33. An excellent example from Finland: HUS and AMCH are globally in frontline 18.–19. Finnish biobanks and contact of biobank and clinical research persons Anne Pitkäranta and Juha Tuominen 20.–21. CEO of FINBB – Marco Hauta- The ambassadors of biobank spread an lahti – comes from the pharma industry important message and they have gained more agreements than expected! FINBB is building an ecosystem for health and wellbeing innovations 34. Professor Mikko Niemi, one of world’s leading pharmacogenetics experts Finnish Hospital Biobank Directors believes: ”Finnish biobank research can achieve 22.–23. Medaffcon pioneering biobank breakthroughs in pharmacotherapy” and real-world evidence research efforts in Finland Biobank Professor Arto Mannermaa looks Maija Wolf and Werneri Tuompo brightly to the future 25. The Biobank pioneers are pleased with current situation and trustful with the future Sirpa Soini and Lila Kallio

26.–27. Finland – innovation powerhouse for next generation pharma Minna Hendolin and Sampo Sammalisto

28.–29. Customers comments about biobanking in Finland are excited Professor Olli Carpén photo (frontpage): and encouraging Hannu Aaltonen

!Biopankki_2018_2-4.indd 4 19.12.2018 7.19 Finnish biobanks

Valvira (the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health) has granted a license to ten biobanks altogether, out of which four are operating in the whole of Fin- land and six biobanks in the area of hospital districts.

Read more: www.bbmri.fi/en www.biopankki.fi/en

!Biopankki_2018_5-8.indd 5 19.12.2018 7.49 Change is inevitable! Genomic medicine and biobanks offer Finland exceptional opportunities

Recent developments in medicine and innovations that promote health and wellbeing beneﬁt individuals, public health and the national economy. Researchers are excited about recent advances in genetic medicine that are based on the massive increase in genomic data, i.e. information about an individual’s genetic makeup.

rofessor Aarno Palotie, Research has opened up an entirely new perspec- range of genetic information will even- Director of the Human Genomics tive on scientific research and on sup- tually lead. Expectations are high, but PProgram at the Institute for Mo- porting and promoting health and well- we should not promise more than we lecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), has being. It is worth noting that, thanks to can deliver. I have compared the cur- long been one of the best-known genetic new advances in the field, genetic infor- rent advances in genetic medicine with researchers in the world. In addition, he mation can increasingly be used not only the invention of the computer: No one is a faculty member in two top global re- for rare diseases, but also for more com- could have foreseen what would hap- search organizations in genetic medicine: mon ones. pen and the major role that computers the Broad Institute and Massachusetts In addition to his research work, Palo- would come to play in our lives. General Hospital. His past positions in- tie is known for his significant contribu- clude a professorship at the Universi- tions to Finnish biobank activities and 2) Auria Biobank and THL Biobank ty of California Los Angeles (UCLA), genetic medicine in general. Some of his received their operating licenses on 10 Senior Group Leader at the Wellcome views relating to the topic are presented March 2014. Since then, ten biobanks Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge and below. have started operations in Finland (the Director of the Finnish Genome Cen- Helsinki Urological Biobank merged with tre (the activities of which were merged 1) There is more genomic data availab- the Helsinki Biobank in May 2016). The with FIMM in 2007). le now than ever before, and the volumes task of biobanks is to collect and store blood Palotie’s research focuses on studying continue to grow. How is this affecting re- and tissue samples and health data for me- the genetic mechanisms underlying cen- search on health and wellbeing? dical research and product development. tral nervous system diseases, such as mi- What is the role of biobanks and what is graines, schizophrenia, autism and epi- - The increase in genomic data is very their contribution to Finnish and inter- lepsy, and developing diagnostics. In re- welcome and provides many new op- national genetic research and clinical care? cent years, he and his research group – portunities and perspectives for study- as well as other researchers around the ing human health, wellbeing and dis- - Finnish biobanks and the material world – have been able to take advan- eases. However, it is still too early to they contain are unique in the world, and tage of the surge in genomic data and the say where these new research oppor- they are also attracting international re- major study designs that it offers. This tunities based on a considerably wider search investments and offer opportuni-

!Biopankki_2018_5-8.indd 6 19.12.2018 7.49 Linda Tammisto

ties for collaboration with top universities netic information and health data. It pro- miliarize themselves with issues relating and other research institutes worldwide. vides valuable information on the mecha- to biobanks and genetic medicine – in - It should be noted that, while there nisms of diseases, on prognoses, and on the addition to the health and social services are many biobanks around the world, effectiveness and usefulness of treatment. reform – and lead the preparation of the Nordic biobanks occupy a special posi- National Genome Strategy. tion due to, for instance, their long tra- 3) Aarno Palotie was a member of Finland’s - The genome strategy was published ditions in and exceptionally good con- genome strategy working group behind the in June 2015, and the proposed actions ditions for genetic and epidemiological proposals for the National Genome Stra- will ensure that genomic data is used ef- research, i.e. research on public health. tegy. Why should Finland invest in the fectively in health care and in decision- Blood and tissue samples have been col- operating models described in the genome making relating to the promotion of lected in other countries, too. Howev- strategy, such as the genome center that is health and wellbeing. Genome Center er, the practical problem in many coun- currently being established? Finland will play a key role in this con- tries is that these samples cannot be text. One of its main tasks will be to sup- linked with registered health data in the - Thanks to the increase in genom- port the implementation of actions pro- same way as in Finland and other Nor- ic data and constantly evolving infor- posed in the National Genome Strategy. dic countries. This is one of the concrete mation technology, experts in different The genome strategy is aligned with the reasons – in addition to large sample col- fields are better equipped than ever to national eHealth and eSocial Strategy lections, health registers and progressive study issues relating to health and dis- developed by the Ministry of Social Af- biobank legislation – why Finland is cur- eases. And this opportunity should also fairs and Health and the Health Sector rently among the global forerunners in be taken advantage of, as it provides us Growth Strategy for Research and In- genetic medicine. with new ways of meeting the challenges novation Activities. - However, biobanks serve not on- facing our health-care system and helps - The establishment of the genome ly for genetic research; but the material us to provide all Finns with the best pos- center is an investment in the health of they contain also lays the foundation for sible care now and in the future. It is be- every Finn. a wide range of medical research. One of yond admirable that officials from the the fastest-growing research fields related Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and 4) Increase in genetic and genomic know- to biobanks is research that combines ge- Health have been willing and able to fa- ledge will change the everyday work of

!Biopankki_2018_5-8.indd 7 19.12.2018 7.49 “Health-related research is not just a cost item: it also provides opportunities for innovative business and for improving the population’s wellbeing.”

physicians and other health care professio- to reducing the human burden and so- important, as people can react to drugs nals in terms of examination methods, tre- cial costs caused by the most common very differently, both in terms of effi- atment and preventive health care. So far, diseases in Finland – not to mention cacy and harmful effects. genetic tests and information have been the positive impact that it will have on used to diagnose rare diseases and identi- the work capacity and functional abil- - A prime example of drug research fy high-risk susceptibility to specific disea- ity of Finnish people. drawing on new genetic information is ses. What is your vision of how the increase the development of PCSK9 inhibitors in genomic data will transform the treat- 5) It takes some 8–12 years and costs mo- that can lower LDL cholesterol. These ment of patients and the maintenance of re than a billion dollars to develop a new drugs are used to treat patients with he- their health? drug. Will modern genetic research based reditary lipid metabolism disorders, such on a considerably larger base of materials as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). - At the moment, there are strong than before facilitate and accelerate the de- - The pharmaceutical industry is the indications that in the future, health velopment of new drugs and the identifi- only party that develops new drugs, and promotion and the treatment of dis- cation of new indications for already ap- it has invested strongly in the creation of eases will be increasingly based on in- proved drugs? genetic research groups recently. It’s great dividual genetic information. Howev- that some of these multimillion-dollar er, genetic information will not radi- - Partly yes. For instance, genet- research investments have been made in cally change the clinical work of phy- ic medicine can help to select from Finland and offered Finnish people long- sicians and nurses or traditional health among several new drug targets those term employment. care functions. Rather, genetic infor- that should be taken further in the - As we still have diseases with no ef- mation will become an element that drug developing pipeline to become fective treatment, there is a need for new complements and further specifies potential drugs. Once the drug has innovations. other examinations and treatments. Its been developed and produced genetic

use can mean more personalized care, knowledge can be used to determine References: improved quality of life, more eﬀective to whom the new drug should be rec- www.fimm.fi prevention of diseases and ultimately ommended based on their individual www.helsinki.fi increased longevity. This will contribute genetic makeup. Such information is Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_5-8.indd 8 19.12.2018 7.49 Helsingin Biopankki Sami Mannerheimo

Kimmo Pitkänen

Ilpo Tolonen

“Foreign investments in Finland aims to retain biobank research will also bring new jobs its position as a forerunner and wellbeing to Finland.” in genomic medicine

innish medical genetics and ge- in biobanks to be utilized for research re- Genome Strategy helps us tap into these nomics experts and specialized lated to health and well-being. So far, opportunities, and thereby even to make Fbodies, such as biobanks, universi- Finland is second to no other country in treatment breakthroughs comparable to ties and health-care units, are in high de- terms of attractiveness in this respect, de- penicillin or develop new methods re- mand as collaborators, even on a global spite the tough and ever-increasing com- lated to identifying illnesses. This kind scale. There are numerous reasons for this, petition in the sector. of research, however, is costly, and Fin- and here we take a look at some of the Finland’s upper hand on the interna- land alone does not have the financial re- main ones. Answering the questions are tional research front is the sum of many sources required: international collabora- the Director of Helsinki Biobank, Kim- factors, the most important of which is tion and partnerships are necessary. Fin- mo Pitkänen, and the CEO of Docrates our ability to simultaneously offer ex- land’s Genome Strategy and the Govern- Cancer Center in Helsinki, Finland, Ilpo pertise and data in both genetic re- ment’s decision on the establishment of a Tolonen, who comes from a pharmaceu- search and biobanks. The genotype of genome center to harmonize and benefit tical background. Finns is uniquely homogeneous, stand- the operations of all biobanks – as well as ing out from many other demographic the establishment of the Finnish Biobank What makes Finland a forerunner in uti- groups when it comes to research. Fin- Cooperative – send an important mes- lizing the potential of genetic and genomic land is a global leader in the development sage to international scientific research- data? of health technology, and we are recog- ers and funding bodies that investing here nized as a nation of world-class informa- and starting up co-operation projects Finland is an exceptional country when it tion and communications technology. with Finnish experts is worthwhile. I’m comes to genetic and health-related data. very happy to see that international phar- We have been collecting and storing both Why is Finland’s National Genome Stra- maceutical companies and other research tissue samples and other health-related tegy also important from an international organizations, including universities, are data, with a long-term view, for several point of view? interested in Finnish biobanks’ resources decades. These collections now offer an (samples and health databases). important and valuable source of data for Exciting opportunities have opened up research purposes. Finnish biobank legis- for Finland, thanks to substantially im- lation is also among the most progressive proved, faster and cheaper availability of

in the world, enabling the data contained genetic, genomic and health data. The Author: M.D Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_9.indd 9 19.12.2018 12.43 Genetic information helps in cancer treatment, among other things

Personalized medicine means diseases are not treated or prevented solely on the basis of a symptom, diagnosis or, for example, the location of a cancerous tumor, but instead with much greater precision. One such example is the genomic profiling of a cancerous tumor and the resulting choice of targeted medicine. Hannu Aaltonen

Professor Olli Carpén is a member of the Steering Committee of BBMRI-ERIC

Professor and cancer researcher Olli Carpén: ” Biobank operations are a source of national pride”

Biobank research that links genomic and other biological data with health data is of broad interest to researchers, and it is being used as a means of researching matters related to health, well-being and the treatment of diseases in a way that would otherwise be difﬁcult or even impossible. Genomic data, i.e. information about a person’s genetic make-up, has increased considerably and is expected to make medicine increasingly personalized.

hese are very interesting times in of being the first biobank professor in the treatment of diseases. Finland also has the field of medicine, and certain Nordic countries (University of Turku, long traditions in both genetic and epi- Taspects of the field are even head- 2013–2015). Carpén has also been a key demiological research, i.e. national health ed in an entirely new direction, along figure in planning and launching the op- research. Our laws also support research, with the better availability and scientif- erations of Auria Biobank. Alongside his and the atmosphere in which we work in ic usability of the entire human genome. duties as a professor, he is also Helsinki this field is motivational in many ways. Researchers are excited about this new Biobank’s Research Director. direction, and they believe that thanks Have there been any interesting develop- to genomic research, medicine could What made you interested in biobanks and ments lately on the biobank front? take a quantum leap forward in certain motivated to work on and promote issues respects. Researchers cannot, however, related to biobank operations? - There is always a lot happening in the make promises about the future. There is biobank world. One of the biggest new nevertheless much hope in the air – and - Finnish biobanks are of an excep- developments is the establishment of the with good reason. tionally high standard and contain very Finnish Biobanks Cooperative (FINBB), Olli Carpén, a professor of pathology diverse material. They open up entirely which brings together, coordinates and at the universities of Helsinki and Turku, new, even unprecedented, opportunities professionally serves hospital biobanks is a pioneer in the field of biobank re- for Finnish researchers and their collabo- that operate in different locations. FINBB search in Finland. He also has the honor rative partners to promote health and the launched its operations in August 2017

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 10 19.12.2018 9.19 “Advancements in genomic medicine have opened up unprecedented opportunities to research and develop increasingly personalized treatment, diagnostics and disease Genomic and molecular prevention.” medicine are exciting!

and is based in Turku. The establishment Genomic and molecular medici- of FINBB was a very forward-looking ne may sound either very exotic and decision by the Finnish Government, and distant to everyday life or hopelessly boring and theoretical - in contrast to it enables significantly broader and more what they really are. These concepts harmonized and diverse use of the blood simply mean that the diagnostics, and tissue samples, as well as the related treatment and etiology of a disease data, that are stored in hospital biobanks is brought to the level of genes and throughout Finland for research purpos- molecules, the ultimate goal being personalized medicine. Health care es. FINBB also facilitates communica- professionals already daily encoun- tion and collaboration between external ter patients whose disease has been parties, such as pharmaceutical compa- diagnosed or treated by utilizing mo- nies and foreign researchers and Finnish lecular medicine. It is great to follow the big changes and huge possibili- biobanks and researchers. This helps take Ulla Roine/Kuva-Pajula Oy ties opening up through the current Finnish medicine forward and brings us developments in molecular, genomic, not only financial investments but also in- and biomedicine.” ternational recognition. - It is wonderful to see how our health- Clinical Lecturer in Molecular Medicine, Adjunct Professor care system has appreciated the impor- Kati Elima tance and opportunities of biobanks – , Univercity of Turku both promoting clinical research and ac- celerating the introduction of personalized medicine as a part of patient care. One concrete example of this is Finn- ish university hospitals’ approach of aiming to offer as many patients as possible the opportunity to participate in biobank operations. The goal is to build a sample base that is exceptionally broad even by international standards as an integral part of the hospitals’ normal operations, which will go a long way in developing Finnish patient care and disease prevention. Behind this brand of nationally har- Lauri Hannus monized operations is Finland’s globally unique network of hospital biobanks. With their active approach, Finnish hospital biobanks are continually consolidat- ing their role in patient care. A previous Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen gave his sample to biobank at a biobank bus in Suomi Areena Event in July 2017. The sample was collected by bioanalyst Roosa-Maria Sjösten from SataDiag. Also the Minister of Family Af- References: fairs and Social Services Annika Saarikko as well as Member of Parliament Juha www.utu.fi Rehula gave their samples at the bio bank bus www.helsinki.fi

Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 11 19.12.2018 13.06 Studio Petteri Kitti

”Moments from the FinnGen K ii launching event in December 2017”

”The FinnGen study plans to utilize 500 000 unique samples collected by a nationwide network of Finnish biobanks.”

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 12 19.12.2018 13.10 ”Every Finn can be a part of the FinnGen study by giving a biobank consent. We invite every citizen on a common journey to advance medical research and build wellbeing!”

FinnGen is a concrete manifestation of the potential of Finnish biobanks

Genomic medicine and digitalization will revolutionize the ways we maintain our health and treat diseases in the future. However, to achieve this goal, high-quality research and a growth mindset supporting new types of international collaboration projects between the public and private sectors are needed. FinnGen study is a poster child for this.

inland is the land of opportuni- University of Helsinki) has been the Funding FinnGen ties for biobank research and the key person behind the study since the FFinnGen study, launched in 2017, extensive planning phase. As the Sci- study is a big investment is one concrete manifestation of this po- entiﬁc Director of the study, Palotie is from Business Finland tential. It is a broad academic-indus- excited about the immense research trial collaboration between the Finn- potential of this globally unpresented ish biobanks and their respective Uni- project. According to Palotie, it is very ”Business Finland wanted to support versities, University Hospitals, the In- likely that FinnGen will lead to break- the FinnGen project, because of its stitute of Health and Welfare (THL), throughs in disease prevention, diagno- potential to promote healthcare inno- sis and treatment and build a founda- vations and to boost the growth bu- the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service sinesses. The study attracts internatio- and several international pharmaceuti- tion for health innovations and person- nal businesses and investments into cal companies. With a current budget alized treatments. Furthermore, it will Finland.” of 70 M€ it is the largest ever medical increase the international visibility of study performed in Finland. Finnish research and biobank expertise Minna Hendolin Senior Director Research Director, Professor Aar- abroad and promote us as an attractive Health & Wellbeing, Business Finland no Palotie from FIMM (the Institute research partner. The main responsibil- for Molecular Medicine Finland at the ity of the coordination and execution

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 13 19.12.2018 13.10 FinnGen Partners 103 000 new samples collected in year 1

Neurology Other N=2129 N=15332

Ophtalmology Oncology N=11850 Hospital biobanks N=15332

Pulmonology Cardiometabolic N=8544 N=30125

Gastroenterology Rheumatology N=5661 N=5779

FinnGen study in a nutshell

Budget: 20 M€ of the project funding comes from the Business FinnGen utilizes the extensive longitudinal registry data availab- Finland (the Finnish innovation funding, trade, investment, and le on all Finns. The opportunity to define informative and multi-di- travel promotion organisation) and approximately 50 M€ from mensional phenotypes from this data is the key element of Finn- international pharmaceutical companies. Aarno Palotie warmly Gen. Data from these registers provide longitudinal, life time follow- acknowledges all the participating universities, hospital districts up data from each Finnish resident. Combining data from different and research organisations which significantly contribute to registries provides opportunities to construct reliable disease end- the study by providing their expertise and workforce for samp- points as well as novel long-term phenotypes of disease progressi- le collection. Biobanks from all over the country have a key role on and therapeutic response. in collecting new samples and data. The study also utilizes cer- During the first year, FinnGen has already delivered genotype tain existing sample collections that have been transferred to a and health data from 102 000 Finns. The amount of data will inc- biobank. rease throughout the project, with 40–50 000 individuals added The data created during the study will be used to deepen our every six months. As envisioned, FinnGen has also given a strong understanding about the origins of diseases and their treatment boost to the Finnish biobank network with more than 108 000 new and for prioritising drug targets based on genomic information, samples collected, 30 000 of which are included in the current da- enabling more efficient drug development pipelines and better ta freeze. individualized drug treatment choices. Thanks to the unique cooperation model, immense potential of FinnGen capitalizes on Finland´s decades-long investments the Finnish research environment for genetic studies and the favo- in Finnish health care, health registries, epidemiological rese- rable progress of the study during the first year, FinnGen has been arch and biobanks. found as an attractive opportunity by many pharmaceutical companies. FinnGen aims to produce comprehensive genome variant data of 500 000 biobank participants, representing one of the largest stu- FinnGen aims to open new possibilities for domestic biotechno- dies of this type. The genome data is combined with health data ori- logy companies, several of which have already expressed interest ginating from multiple national health registries. and the Finnish business environment.

of the study lies with the researchers unprecedented research project rep- is, however, the positive attitude of the at the University of Helsinki and the resenting one of the largest studies of Finns towards participating in medical progression of the sample collection this type. The fact that we were able to research projects, says Palotie. at the Helsinki Biobank. Essentially, convince our funders about the ben- FinnGen is a national research project efits of running this type of study in and its most significant findings can be Finland is an indication of the Finnish More information: found on anyone’s sample and benefit expertise and we are very grateful for www.finngen.fi people around the world. that! The single most important fac-

- The FinnGen study is a globally tor behind the success of the FinnGen Authors: Ph.D. Mari Kaunisto and M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 14 19.12.2018 9.19 Health care innovations are giving them a life-long journey they never expected

Good health is vital to all of us; as are sustainable solutions to the most pressing health care challenges we are facing globally.

We at Pﬁzer are committed to applying science and our global resources to improve health and well-being at every stage of life. Our goal is to ensure that people have the opportunity to lead healthier lives with access to safe, effective and innovative treatments

PP-PFE-FIN-0237-17122018 when they need them.

Purpose of Pﬁzer Finland is as well to accelerate science and develop the Finnish society.

This is just the beginning.

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 15 19.12.2018 9.19 Brieﬂy in biobank

What is a biobank?

Samples for clinical studies and diagnostic purposes have been collected throughout the history of medicine. Methods for collecting samples and consent practices have varied greatly, depending on the legislation and policies of each period. The difference between traditional sample collections and the new biobank concept is that samples collected in a biobank can be used for a variety of future research needs, not just for a deﬁned speciﬁc research purpose.

Biobanks are composed of samples and information of the large number of samples, their age, or for any other In addition to biological samples, appropriate sample and comparable reason, the notiﬁcation about the transfer of the donor-related information is also collected with the donor’s sample collection to the biobank will be done publicly. The permission. Information has been collected, for example, by samples can be transferred to the biobank in both cases, as questionnaires, during sampling, in the context of a medical long as the donor does not forbid the transfer. The donor examination, or during hospitalization. The data is stored in also has the right at any time subsequently to deny the use accordance with proper data processing and management of samples and data in biobank research, by giving written practices, as deﬁned by law. notice to the biobank.

2) Old and new biobank samples New samples that are collected from 1.9.2013 onward for biobank research will be collected based on the donor’s The samples stored in a biobank can be divided into two cat- informed consent to donate the samples to the biobank and egories according to their date of collection: use them in biobank research.

1) Old samples are samples that have been collected before The use of samples in research 1.9.2013 for treatment, diagnostic purposes or medical research. The transfer of these samples to the biobank requires The samples and associated data are an important resource the assent of the regional Ethics Committee and the deci- for medical research. The samples can be used, for example, sion on the use of the samples for biobank research from to study the etiology of diseases or to develop and validate Valvira. new diagnostic methods. The sample- and data sets can also be used for the development of personalized medicine, The sample donors will be notiﬁed of the planned transfer, aimed at preventing, detecting and treating diseases in ways so that they may disallow the transfer or, alternatively, give that are adapted to suit each patient individually. For exam- a new informed consent for biobank research. If personal ple, there are numerous types and forms of cancer, and each communication to each sample donor is not possible in view patient reacts diﬀerently to the various treatments and drugs

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 16 19.12.2018 9.19 Participation in biobank research

Donating samples to a biobank is voluntary. A request to donate samples for biobank research can come in a variety of ways. For example, in population studies a person can receive an invitation letter in the mail. Du- ring a hospital visit, a patient can be asked whether he or she would be interested in donating his or her samples, such as a small piece of tissue from a biop- sy or excess blood taken at the laboratory visit, to the hospital’s biobank.

The potential sample donors will receive detailed information about biobank research and data privacy issues, after which they can decide whether to donate their Sairaanhoitaja-lehti/Leena Koskela samples. Sample donors can also at any time withdraw their consent and prohibit further use of their samples. Samples collected prior to September 1 2013, by hospitals or in research projects, can also be transferred to the biobank. The transfer of old samples requires the assent of the Regional Ethics Committee, as well as the sample donor’s consent.

The sample donor has the right to In Finland there is a strong national research nursing network. know where the sample taken of him or The trained research nurses have got a key role in biobank her is located sample collection. Jaana Koski-Alhainen was the first research know which studies their sample has been nurse in Finnish biobanks. assigned to obtain general information about results from the study that the sample was used for decide whether to be informed about biobank available. Therefore we expect that it will become increas- research findings that may be relevant to his/her ingly important to know the specific nature of an individu- own health al tumour and to find the most effective treatment for each know about the research results and development individual patient. This requires extensive, often long-term, work if it may have a positive impact on studies that also combine data from various registries. the patient’s own disease cancel the consent regarding the use of the sample in a single study or in all studies The advantages of a biobank deny the transfer of a previously donated sample to a biobank The comprehensive use of existing sample collections in medical research has many benefits. Citizens do not have Consent and withdrawal of consent to be invited on multiple occasions to participate in surveys According to the biobank law, each sample donati- and donate new samples. Also, samples that have been col- on requires a written consent of the sample donor or lected at great expense can be used more efficiently for re- of his/her guardian. If a person is willing to donate a search purposes, aiding in the development of better treat- sample, he/she receives a consent document to fill out ments and medications. The development work can be done and sign. in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, so that the The donor may later cancel the consent or restrict the use of the sample at any time without giving any research results can be translated into better treatments and reason. The withdrawal or restriction should be made drugs. The success of the biobank operation relies on good in writing to the biobank, according to the biobank’s cooperation and trust between donors and researchers. specific instructions. The withdrawal of consent is documented in the biobank’s consent register, after which the samples and the information will no longer be used.

Reference: www.biopankki.ﬁ/en

!Biopankki_2018_10-17.indd 17 19.12.2018 9.19 Finnish biobanks and contact persons

Valvira (the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health) directs and supervises the biobank activity in Finland, and maintains a national biobank register. Before starting to operate the biobank has to obtain a licence from Valvira.

Valvira has granted a licence altogether to ten biobanks, from which four are operating in the whole of Finland and six biobanks in the area of hospital districts.

Auria Biobank Hematological Biobank (FHRB Biobank)

Auria biobank is a hospital integrated clinical biobank operating Hematological Biobank is owned by the Finnish Association of in Turku, Finland. It is jointly owned by University of Turku and Hos- Hematology, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland and Finnish pital districts of Southwest Finland, Satakunta and Vaasa. Auria bio- Red Cross Blood Service. The Association of Finnish Cancer Patients bank was authorized to operate in March 2014. Auria has a collec- is also involved in Hematological Biobank. Biobanks’s research area tion of over 1,5 million FFPE tissue samples and ongoing collecti- covers the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of he- on of tissue and blood samples. Clinical data generated as part of matological disorders. Hematological Biobank is a national bio- the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of the patients is obtained bank and collects samples and data from patients with hematolo- from the hospital’s EHR systems and can be linked to the samples. gical disorder in all Finnish hematological units that have made an The results from biobank studies will return to the biobank to add agreement on sample collection. The aim of the Hematological Bio- value to samples and to be used in new studies. bank is to collect a comprehensive and high quality sample and data repository for hematology research. The Hematological Biobank Contact Person: was registered in Valvira’s (National Supervisory Authority for Wel- Lila Kallio, Acting Director fare and Health) national biobank registry on July 15, 2014. [email protected] Contact Person: Kimmo Porkka, Principal Investigator [email protected] THL Biobank

THL Biobank belongs to the National Institute for Health and Wel- fare. THL Biobank’s registered areas of research include population’s Helsinki Biobank health promotion, identification of factors involved in disease mechanisms, and disease prevention. THL Biobank is a country-wi- Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUCS) -area of special res- de biobank and hosts a remarkable collection of population and di- ponsibility and the University of Helsinki have established a clinical sease-specific samples for research purposes. The National Super- biobank that supports the translational research done in the regi- visory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) granted THL Bio- on, and network with national and international biobanks. The re- bank a licence to operate on 10 March 2014. search field of Helsinki Biobank is the research done in health and medical science in HUCS area. Helsinki Biobank operates to sup- Contact Person: port research which aims at promoting population health, under- Sirpa Soini, Director standing the factors in disease mechanisms or the development [email protected], [email protected] of health care products. The biobank obtained a licence to operate from the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, Valvira on April 21, 2015.

Contact Person: Kimmo Pitkänen, Director [email protected]

!Biopankki_2018_18-19.indd 18 19.12.2018 13.16

Northern Finland Biobank Borealis Central Finland Biobank

Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District (PPSHP), the University The Central Finland Health Care District and the University of Jy- of Oulu (UO), Nordlab and the hospital/healthcare districts of Lap- väskylä established a biobank in Jyväskylä that aims to promote land, Länsi-Pohja, Central Ostrobothnia and Kainuu have establis- research and to support the development of diagnostics and treat- hed a biobank in Northern Finland. The Biobank Borealis obtained ment. The Central Finland Biobank was registered to Valvira natio- a licence to operate from Valvira on July 10, 2015. nal biobank register on October 29, 2015.

Contact Persons: Contact Person: Seppo Vainio, Director Marjukka Friman, Production Manager Pia Nyberg, Project Manager [email protected] [email protected], [email protected] [email protected]

Blood Service Biobank

Finnish Clinical Biobank Tampere The research area of Blood Service biobank is health promotion and prevention of diseases and is specialized in transfusion medi- Finnish Clinical Biobank Tampere (FCBT) was established by Pir- cine. The biobank collects samples from blood donors during their kanmaa Hospital District, University of Tampere, Etelä-Pohjanmaa blood donation. The Blood Service biobank was registered in the Hospital District and Kanta-Häme Hospital District. FCBT’s role is national biobank registry by the National Supervisory Authority for to support disease prevention, studies on the effectiveness or si- Welfare and Health (Valvira) on May 30, 2017. de effects of treatment of patients, and studies exploiting patho- logical findings. The main focus of the biobank, in accordance with Contact Persons: the research strategy defined by the University of Tampere and Pir- Jukka Partanen, Research Director of the Blood Service kanmaa Hospital District, is research in cardiovascular disease, can- Tiina Wahlfors, Development Manager of the Blood Service cer, immunology and type 1 diabetes. FCBT’s licence to operate [email protected] was granted by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, Valvira, on September 8, 2015. The aim is to start sample collection gradually during 2016. Terveystalo Biobank Finland Contact Person: Kimmo Savinainen, Director Terveystalo Biobank Finland’s registered areas of research in- [email protected] clude population’s health promotion, identification of factors in- [email protected] volved in disease mechanisms, and disease prevention. Terveystalo Biobank Finland was registered to Valvira national biobank register on October 11, 2017.

Biobank of Eastern Finland Contact Person: Markku Nissilä, Director, Clinical Research and Biobank, Terveystalo The Biobank of Eastern Finland was established by the hospital [email protected] district of North Savo, The South Savo Social and Health Care Aut- hority, the hospital district of Eastern Savo, Siun sote – Joint munici- pal authority for North Karelia social and health services and the University of Eastern Finland. The Biobank of Eastern Finland aims to mediate high quality human samples and related data to medical research to promote development of new products and services that promote public health. The Biobank of Eastern Finland was registered to Valvira national biobank register on October 29, 2015.

Contact Person: Arto Mannermaa, Biobank Professor [email protected] The source of this text: www.bbmri.fi/en

!Biopankki_2018_18-19.indd 19 19.12.2018 13.16 Finnish Hospital Biobank Directors Petra Roth/Foto Alexandra

Marco Hautalahti Teijo Kuopio Lila Kallio Kimmo Pitkänen

CEO of FINBB – Marco Hautalahti – comes from the pharma industry

arco Hautalahti, M.Sc (Bi- FINBB at the epicenter of the Finnish ology), MBA, has over 20 biobank system, especially today with FINBB is building Myears of experience in inter- a government strategic initiative to national pharma and health care busi- strengthen both national and interna- an ecosystem for ness, including roles in research and tional biomedical research in Finland,” health and wellbeing development, commercial operations, says Marco Hautalahti. ”Biobanking innovations and over 10 years in general manage- aims at improving patient outcomes ment and European leadership roles. and these services are expected to fun- ”FINBB is the missing link between ex- Hautalahti joined Finnish Biobanks damentally change our healthcare sys- perts and data. As the world’s leading Cooperative (FINBB) from Biogen tem for the better and enable econom- biobank network we advance biome- International Ltd where he was re- ic growth in health care innovation.” dical research by offering researchers sponsible for Nordic rare disease busi- ”FINBB appointed Marco as Chief from academia and industries a one- stop-shop service model for access to ness operations and commercialization Executive Officer, effective 15th of biobank samples and unique health in Europe and Canada. Before this, as June, 2018. Marco is a dynamic lead- data. We want to be a key partner in CEO of the private Finnish cancer er with broad networks and I am con- biobanking globally. At this moment hospital Docrates Ltd he led its do- ﬁdent he will be successful in build- we are, for example, serving FinnGen mestic and international operations ing a functional infrastructure and a Pharma Partners. All profit FINBB makes returns to our and previously successfully managed one-stop-shop service model in Finn- founding partners, universities and and developed international reproduc- ish hospital biobanks for both academ- hospital districts to reach patients´ ca- tive health and sport health care servic and healthcare company scientists,” re,” says Marco Hautalahti. ices in diverse health care companies. says Timo Veromaa, Chairman of the ”I am absolutely enthusiastic to join Board of FINBB.

!Biopankki_2018_20-21.indd 20 19.12.2018 9.48 services on a national and international level. Biobanks are expected to accelerate both academic and company-driven biomedical research. FINBB plays also an important role in the practical implementation of the national health sector growth strategy and in building the national genome and cancer centers as well as the health data service operator.

Why Finland?

Finland’s unique genetic heritage is characterized by a small, isolated initial population that has experienced rapid growth over the past few hundred years. Our biobank samples and population-wide health registries will provide enormous possibilities for identifying the genetic basis of rare and common diseases. It also gives important information about preventive and personalized medicine. New treatments will be Seppo Vainio Kimmo Savinainen Veli-Matti Kosma developed faster than before using samples given to hospital biobanks and health data. The most important factor is the positive attitude of Finns towards FINBB integrates services and operations research, which it is astoundingly high. Over 90 % of – making it easier to cooperate with Finns consent to donating their samples to a biobank hospital biobanks upon request. With Finland’s advanced biobank law, the genetic innish biobanks cooperative (FINBB) was established by six Finn- homogeneity and public conﬁdence in the authori- Fish universities and the six largest hospital districts in the Autumn of ties provide great preconditions for conducting top- 2017 to serve and facilitate development of member biobanks and to pro- level biomedical research. vide a single entry point – one-stop-shop service model – to biobanking Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

BRIDGING A GAP Building an Ecosystem for Innovation PARTNERSHIPS FINNISH FINNISH UNIVERSITY FINNISH HOSPI- REGIONAL STRATEGIC UNIVERSITIES HOSPITALS TAL DISTRICTS BIOBANKS PARTNERS PHARMA COMPANIES

Tampere University Hospital

OULU UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

FINBB creates an advanced biobank infrastructure and acts as the missing link between unique data and biomedical professionals

!Biopankki_2018_20-21.indd 21 19.12.2018 9.48 Studio Petteri Kitti Oy

Werneri Tuompo, Jr. Scientific Project Manager, Maija Wolf, Sr. Scientific Advisor and Development Lead, Jaa- na Ahlamaa, Medical and Market Access Director, Ulla Montonen, Marketing Lead, Mariann Lassenius, Sr. Scientific Advisor and RWE Lead

Medaffcon pioneering biobank and real-world evidence research efforts in Finland

esearch utilizing biospecimens ies and has currently several ongoing, in- Finnish hospital biobanks (Figure 2). and data collections available in volving stakeholders from both private To briefly summarize the report (fully Rbiobanks has an established and and public sector. The common goals of accessible from Medaffcon website ht- growing role in the field of healthcare these studies are to provide means for da- tps://www.medaffcon.fi/en/materials/), and biomedical research. Finland has ta-driven decision-making in healthcare Finnish hospital biobanks have created a several key features that makes it an ide- and work towards economically sustain- unique research infrastructure in Finland. al country for biobank and other relat- able, effective and more individualized By May 2018, archived diagnostic sam- ed real-world evidence (RWE) studies. treatment care. ple collections, consisting of 11 million These include genetically isolated popula- To showcase the activity and huge po- samples from three million individuals, as tion background, comprehensive health- tential in Finland of advancing individu- well as selected research collections gath- care system, strong governmental sup- alized care to national and internation- ered in the hospital districts, had been port and enabling legislation, as well as al stakeholders, Medaffcon has recently transferred to the biobanks. The latter in- unique identification numbers that pro- launched Future Care Finland website, a cludes, for example, the Finnish materni- vide means of linking data further to na- platform that highlights Finnish innova- ty cohort, FMC, a globally unique sam- tional registries dating back several dec- tions, technologies and applications that ple collection consisting of two million ades (Figure 1). aim to facilitate customized patient care serum samples obtained from one mil- Medaffcon Oy is a Finnish company (www.futurecarefinland.fi). lion women stored in Biobank Borealis that provides expert and research servic- of Northern Finland. es for biobank and other RWE studies. Survey on the current operational sta- In addition to retrospective samples, The company has been pioneering pri- tus of Finnish hospital biobanks collected before the Biobank Act took vate sector-sponsored biobank research effect, all hospital biobanks are actively efforts since the establishment of the first As a part of the Future Care Finland gathering new prospective samples from biobanks in Finland (2014). Since then, effort, Medaffcon has in collaboration consented people. By May 2018, close Medaffcon has performed already more with the University of Eastern Finland to 80 000 new samples had been col- than twenty biobank and registry stud- assessed the operational status of the lected. With the uniformly high motiva-

!Biopankki_2018_22-25.indd 22 19.12.2018 10.11 tion, support from the hospital districts and launch of new research efforts, such as FinnGen, the pace of collecting new (A) Examples of clinical data avai- (B) Data from several sources can be samples is expected to rise quickly in the lable for biobank studies interlinked using personal ID upcoming years. Demographics (age, gender etc) Already now, just five years after the Resource Diagnoses Biobank Act took force, numerous stud- utilization (ICD-10 codes) ies have been initiated that utilize biological material and related data governed by Radiation Death Retirement therapy EMR certificates the hospital biobanks. By May 2018 there texts were already close to two hundred posi- Operations Treatment Prescriptions tive decisions made regarding biobank and Pathology lines study requests. Of these, 62 % involved procedures research efforts with public and 38 % Hospital Laboratory Hospitalizations with private sector partners. Initiated pharmacy results biobank studies involving private sector partners have included those conducted Figure 1. One of the strengths of the biobank research environment in Finland is the pos- with Finnish commercial companies or sibility to link health-related data from various data sources by using the personal identifi- the Finnish subsidiary of a global com- cation number. Sample-related clinical data available for biobank studies (A) can be further pany as well as those conducted directly linked with other relevant data residing in national registries (B). For research purposes, da- with international companies. ta is provided in a format that prohibits the recognition of individual donors. To summarize, through high-quality samples and associated data, the six Finnish hospital biobanks provide excellent opportunities to study diseases and facilitate the development of individualized therapies. This has led to the initi- Biobank Borealis of ation of both national and international Northern Finland biobank research activities in Finland. To Population: 740 000 Consent gathering: 01/2016 further advance this development, there Sample gathering: 10/2016 are currently several actions ongoing in Biobank of Finland that aim to support the use of Eastern Finland health and wellbeing data. The main re- Population: 550 000 Consent gathering: 09/2016 form concerns the legislation regarding Sample gathering: 09/2016 the law for secondary use of health and Biobank of social data, the genome law and the revi- Central Finland sion of the biobank Act. Population: 260 000 Consent gathering: 10/2017 While there are currently hundreds Sample gathering: 12/2017 of biobanks in Europe and only a frac- Finnish Clinical Biobank tion of them reside in Finland, Finn- Tampere Population: 1180 000 ish biobanking stands out due to several Consent gathering: 04/2016 strengths and has the potential of claim- Sample gathering: 05/2016 ing the forefront in biobank research ac- Auria biobank tivities also internationally. Population: 900 000 Consent gathering: 05/2014 At Medaffcon, we believe that biobanks Sample gathering: 04/2015 provide an enormous opportunity to ad- Helsinki Biobank vance better healthcare. We are excited to Population: 2 000 000 be part of this development and deter- Consent gathering: 11/2015 Sample gathering: 11/2015 mined to use our expertise towards these goals.

Reference: Tuompo W, Hemmilä P, Wolf M. Current operational Figure 2. Finland has six registered, operational hospital biobanks. These biobanks are owned status of the Finnish hospital biobanks. 10/2018. by the corresponding hospital districts and universities, and they operate in determined Free download: https://www.medaffcon.fi/en/materials/ Authors: Werneri Tuompo, Jr. Scientific Project Manager healthcare regions in Finland. Figure demonstrates the demographic locations of the hos- Maija Wolf, Sr. Scientific Advisor and Development Lead pital biobanks, population coverage and the timepoints of starting the consent and sample gathering. The total population base of the hospital biobanks covers 5,5 million inhabitants, which is approximately the same as the official population base of Finland.

!Biopankki_2018_22-25.indd 23 19.12.2018 11.47 RETURN HEALTH RELATED GENETIC BIOBANK DATA FOR SAMPLE DONOR’S BENEFIT

Donors rarely, if ever, receive any genetic health related information, even when their samples have already been genotyped or sequenced.

Cooperation between Negen and Biobank enable the return of genetic health related data in automatized and cost-effective way, for the donor's beneﬁt.

Reported traits and features can be customized to ﬁt the use case and available data sets.

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!Biopankki_2018_22-25.indd 24 19.12.2018 10.11 here has been biobanking operation in Finland since March 2014 Twhen Auria Biobank in Turku city and the THL Biobank by National Insti- tute of Health and Welfare got their au- thorization from Valvira, i.e. the Nation- al Supervisory Authority for Health and Welfare. After that ten biobanks have opened in Finland (the Helsinki Uro- logical Biobank merged with the Hel- sinki Biobank in May 2016). The THL Biobank Director, LL.M. Sirpa Soini Lila Kallio Sirpa Soini and the Acting Director, Ph.D. Lila Kal- lio in Auria Biobank tell that their experience of the operating biobanks so far are excellent and encouraging for further development. Many positive cases have The Biobank pioneers already happened and the future looks bright. You can get acquainted with their comments of biobanking in the enclosed are pleased with current text. situation and trustful Director, LL.M. Sirpa Soini, THL Biobank with the future ”THL Biobank is part of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) THL Biobank grants access to biolog- Acting Director, Ph.D. Lila Kallio, and provides access to THL’s nationwide ical samples and data to research projects Auria Biobank population-based legacy cohorts col- that are of high scientific quality and im- ”Auria Biobank has been greeted well. lected since 1965 for research purposes. pact, and that correspond with the re- The infrastructure provided by Auria Nowadays, THL Biobank’s cohorts are search areas of THL Biobank. has increased possibilities for coopera- enriched with omics data. For instance, it THL Biobank, like other Finnish tion among academic researchers both started collecting DNA-samples already biobanks, has many important goals: locally, nationwide and internationally in 1992. THL Biobank’s sample collec- promotion of population health, iden- as well as for public-private-partnerships. tions include lifestyle data and lab val- tification of disease mechanisms and The functions of Auria – as well as of all ues. Thus its collections provide highly promotion of production development other Finnish biobanks – are based on valuable and internationally unique re- linked to health and welfare and hospi- the special credits of the Finnish society: search material. Researchers can, for ex- tal care. Currently THL Biobank’s col- public healthcare, electronic health da- ample, analyse samples, interviews and lections include ca 200 000 study par- ta, operational legislation and ultimately measurements acquired 20 years earlier ticipants. pro-research population. These together and try to find out factors that have con- THL has coordinated the nation- guarantee excellent conditions to Finland tributed to onset of a disease later in life. al biobank network BBMRI.fi to ad- to make success in biobank research and If some rare type of cancer would sud- vance the Finnish biobank field in Fin- many international and Finnish enter- denly become more common, research- land since 2014. BBMRI.fi is an active prises like Orion Oyj (which invests ten ers could go back to samples collected member of BBMRI-ERIC, the Euro- percent of its revenue in research and decades earlier to find out whether a vi- pean biobanking research infrastructure. product development) have been inter- ral disease prevalent at that period could All Finnish biobanks` aim is to build a ested in the services and research possi- have increased the risk of the disease. The treasure-trove for the national and global bilities offered by Auria.” linking of THL’s cohorts to similar col- medical community, helping researchers lections in other countries gives research- and clinicians to find novel ways to build ers a stronger tool to promote health, to better healthcare for everyone. We be- study factors affecting diseases and to de- lieve that biobanks are an elemental part velop new treatments. Research collabo- of solving global health problems. We’d ration is important due to the complex- like thank our sample donors, without ity of the factors behind the diseases that them our ambitious projects would not cause the greatest global burden. been made possible.” Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_22-25.indd 25 19.12.2018 14.21 Finland – innovation powerhouse for next generation pharma

Due to its enabling legislation, long history in clinical research and extensive digital health registers and databases, Finland offers best-in-class environment for pharmaceutical companies. The country’s research & development ecosystem welcomes international partners to leverage the unique innovation platform to develop solutions to worldwide health challenges.

harmaceutical development is in- consent’, meaning that researchers don’t would eventually become, says Dr. Minna creasingly difficult. Dr. Sampo need to ask for permission to use samples Hendolin, Senior Director of Health & PSammalisto, programme manager in new projects. Wellbeing at Business Finland. of the Personalised Health programme Sammalisto mentions the personalised at Business Finland, points out that all An excellent enabler in a trust-based medicine project FinnGen as the flag- the ‘easy’ cures have already been found; society ship of Finland’s attractiveness for foreign what’s left is the tricky business. pharmaceutical investments. The project - On top of this, the regulation be- Sammalisto notes that Finland and its in- combines genome information with dig- comes stricter and stricter and financial stitutions, such as the National Institute ital register data to better grasp the health pressure is ever intensifying. Basically, for Health and Welfare THL, have tra- effects of our genomes, and ultimately it companies are expected to create bet- ditionally gathered extensive records of aims to improve health through genetic ter medicine faster and more cost-effi- socioeconomic and medical data, which research as well as identify new therapeu- ciently, but that’s easier said than done, forms a strong base for health sciences. tic targets and diagnostics. he explains. As technology advances, the existing da- Adding to existing databases, Finns Thus, companies are looking for re- tabases are of unprecedented value. tend to be keen to take part in many dif- liable solutions that enable conducting - The Biobank Act is an excellent ena- ferent types of studies. Sammalisto em- high-quality research and development bler and very innovation-friendly. One of phasises that as Finland is a very trust- in an efficient manner. This is where Fin- its exceptional features is the ‘recall op- based society and officials and academics land can step in to help: the country’s tion’, which allows for researchers to in- are well-respected by the general public, lengthy tradition in medical research, vite biobank sample donors to take part participation rates can seem sky high in highly educated clinicians and research in further research projects, Sammalisto comparison to many other countries and professionals, organised and established tells. are often admired by foreign researchers. infrastructure and, perhaps most impor- Today, the coverage of population- tantly, wide-ranging and readily available based digital health registers and patient Closing all possible gaps digital data offer huge opportunities to records is 100 % and the development of both local and global innovators. integrating individual’s real-life data, My- Boosting the pharmaceutical and health For example, the relatively recent Data, to the national patient information industries is high on the government’s Biobank Act allows for previously collect- system KANTA is well on the way. agenda, too. Hendolin compliments ed samples to be transferred to biobanks - When biological sample and data Finland’s interest in advancing enabling and made accessible to researchers. The collection began several decades ago, no legislation. The National Health Sector act also comprises the concept of ‘broad one could predict how precious this asset Growth Strategy for Research and In-

!Biopankki_2018_26-27.indd 26 19.12.2018 10.57 novation (2014–2018) work has focused primarily on closing all possible gaps that could hinder the country from becoming a global forerunner in the health industry and creating strong centres of expertise and innovation ecosystems in the country. The Biobank Act is an obvious exam- nologies throughout the whole society. All and licensing authorities, ensuring that ple of the government’s support for inno- these put together, we’re creating an intel- pharmaceutical companies and other re- vation, and the changes proposed to the ligent and competitive environment to do searchers have access to all needed infor- law will make it fully compliant with the business in Finland, Hendolin tells. mation under just one (figurative) roof. EU’s General Data Protection Regulation For example, the Finnish Biobank Coop- (GDPR). There are also other forthcom- Global giants taking note erative (FINBB) offers biobanks services ing laws on genomics as well as the sec- related to sample and data processing, law ondary use of social and health data that Finland is in a unique position, both and communications. will improve the legislative environment within the European Union and glo- Many global pharmaceutical giants are but also set the framework for important bally. Sammalisto notes that what makes already leveraging Finland’s capabilities infrastructures National Genome Centre Finland different from others isn’t just and expertise, with FinnGen as the larg- and Data Permit Authority as well as Da- one thing but rather a rare combination est public-private programme. Individual ta Service Operator. of factors, ranging from electronic med- biobanks, like Auria in Turku, have sev- Both Sammalisto and Hendolin see ical records, innovation-friendly legisla- eral ongoing projects with global phar- Finland building research and innovation and pro-research citizens to the fact ma clients. tion ecosystems that entwine public and that the country hosts one of the largest - Biobanks often provide the platform private organisation and institutions. population isolates in Europe, which can for new medical innovations, which can - In addition to the national health pol- help make genetic discoveries faster than then be commercialised, and new enter- icies and the investments to infrastructure in heterogeneous populations, as well as prises will be born. The medical industry that are meant to support the develop- unique identification numbers that allow is global by default, because health con- ment of a fruitful research environment, for combining medical data across mul- cerns each and every one of us, Sammal- there are many strategic and policy initia- tiple sources. isto says. tives regarding the utilisation of artificial Finland is also constructing a nation- intelligence and other exponential tech- al structure comprising service operators Author: Anne Salomäki

!Biopankki_2018_26-27.indd 27 19.12.2018 10.57 Studio Petteri Kitti Studio Petteri Kitti

Anssi Linnankivi Tarja Jalava and Arndt Schmitz

Pfizer Finland is very pleased with Finnish biobanks Finnish biobanks have been open- minded, ﬂexible and professional partners for Pﬁzer Finland. This is the message we constantly tell to our New York headquar- ter. For instance our registry study about metastatic breast cancer produced valuable information about treatment of the disease. However, in our activities with biobanks and hospitals we aim further. For instance in the breast cancer study a novel visualization of reporting the treatment lines were developed by PhD Antti Karlsson at Auria Biobank. Moreover, we have supported to NLP approach (natu- ral language processing) in order to an- alyze non-structural information. Antti Karlsson has developed the NLP algo- rithm that can classify smoking status of patients from the text even better than human. The same approach can also be used for detecting the stage of breast cancer. Earlier this work demanded a lot of manual work. In our company´s activities we don’t only focus on traditional ways of production of real world evidence. Together with the very skilled experts from the biobanks and hospitals we can explore innovative ways of producing the data and reporting the results.” Senior Health Economics Manager Juha Laine, Pfizer Oy

28 Juha Laine

!Biopankki_2018_28-34.indd 28 19.12.2018 11.49 Ulla Roine/Kuva-Paijula Oy

Kimmo Aro Heikki Ukkonen

Customers comments about biobanking in Finland are excited and encouraging

The Finnish Biobank Cooperative There is a lot of work to do. For exam- The ongoing FIN-HF heart failure (FINBB) was established in August 2017, ple, biobank research is needed to develop patient characterization study, which is and it creates excellent opportunities for new molecules and diagnostic tools, such conducted in collaboration by Novartis research collaboration with Finnish hos- as genome profiling, to support timely and Finland Oy, Turku University Hospi- pital-based biobanks. No other country effective treatment selection.” tal and Auria Biobank, has brought im- has a similar setup, and it thus provides portant information to help physicians a clear competitive advantage to Finland. Medical Director Anssi Linnankivi, and nurses on the treatment of these pa- It enables closer collaboration whereby Roche Oy tients. The study has also brought global things can be developed and fostered to- knowledge about the specific characteris- gether for the benefit of the patients. tics of different heart failure types as well as health care resource use and thus helps Finland has refined the biobank op- Collaboration with a Finnish biobank to guide the treatment decisions. It has erations into a world class innovation op- enabled the validation of the predictivity been surprising how broad information portunity, and Finland has good chances for our genome based risk assessment we have been able get from a retrospec- of taking on the mantle of a pioneer in analysis for Finnish national diseases, cor- tive biobank study.” personalized medicine. The pharmaceuti- onary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. cal company Bayer has had excellent ex- Without this kind of collaboration, the Chief Physician, Docent Heikki Ukko- periences of collaborating with Finnish predictivity of the genomic panels used, nen, Turku University Hospital and Medi- biobanks.” would be a lot more based on an assump- cal Advisor, Ph.D. Jenni Huusko, Novartis tion. We are enthusiastic to continue our Finland Oy Dr. Arndt Schmitz, Head of Research collaboration with the biobanks.” Biobank at Bayer AG (Germany), and Tar- ja Jalava, Head of Clinical Project Man- CEO Kimmo Aro, Negen, Finland agement II Oncology Strategic Business Unit

at Bayer (Finland) Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_28-34.indd 29 19.12.2018 11.50 A new era in medicine is dawning as genetic and genome information increases in volume

Finland could become the model SIG accelerates enterprises country for utilising genetic information he Genome Industry Special Interest Group and a global trailblazer in the field. The T(SIG) was funded by Healthtech Finland in first signs are already there,” says Petri August 2017 aiming to accelerate the produc- Lehto, Ph.D. (Economics), Director, tion and application of genomic data and ge- Policy and Communication at MSD netic tests in health care and for people’s wellbeing overall. Ph.D. Jari Forsström was the first Finland Oy, previously Head of Inno- elected chairman from Abomics Ltd. ”There vation at the Ministry of Employment are technologies, such as pharmacogenetics, and the Economy. available for the health care systems to utilize. Petri Lehto is well versed in issues The Genome Industry is thriving to get these related to the health industry and has innovations as part of the system and availab- been actively involved in their develop- le for all. Improving the patient safety and cut- ting costs is relevant for all,” says Forsström. ment for several years. Lehto assumed the post of Director, Policy and Com- munications at MSD Finland Oy at the beginning of 2015. Before this, he held the position of Senior Adviser for industrial affairs at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. In his previous duties, Lehto focused particularly on the direction of Finland’s innovation policy. At MSD, too, Lehto is interested in promoting innovation activities in cooperation with actors and experts representing various sectors of industry.

This is an interesting time in Finland. However, Finnish economy needs new openings in industry and new activity. On the other hand, there is con- siderable potential for growth and development, including opportunities related to the samples and health information stored in Finnish biobanks. Terveystalo Biobank Utilisation of this information could put Finland on the global map and attract huge investments from international investors,” says Petri Lehto. Finland is the first privately He believes that Finland is well positioned to compete for international owned biobank in Finland clinical trials in the ﬁeld of genetic medicine. The Finnish Biobank Coop- erveystalo Biobank Finland was granted erative (FINBB), established in August 2017, and the Finnish Genome Ta license by Valvira (the National Supervi- Center (preparations for establishment of the Center are ongoing) provide sory Authority for Welfare and Health) on the valuable support in this respect. 12th October 2017. Dr. Markku Nissilä works as the responsible director in close collaborati- Genetic research is developing at leaps and bounds. This is mostly due to on with business administration director Lasse the fact that thanks to new technology, we have seen a dramatic reduction Parvinen, who is in charge for clinical trials and biobank activities within Suomen Terveystalo in the time needed for genome sequencing – analysing the full gene map Plc. Mr. Parvinen and Dr. Nissilä regard biobank of the human genome – and the associated costs within the past few years. activities as one of the core functions of Suo- At the same time, medical research combining genetic and health informa- men Terveystalo as a means of bringing perso- tion has also become one of the fastest-growing research sectors. “ nalized healthcare to the customers. Suomen Terveystalo is focused on working age population and provides occupational healthcare Finnish experts in genetic medicine are internationally recognised and services to 800 000 people across Finland, as respected, and we now have an excellent opportunity to showcase our well as specialist healthcare close to a million strengths and attract investments to Finland.” customers. Terveystalo Biobank Finland is part of Suomen Terveystalo Plc, listed on OMX Hel- Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen sinki (TTALO).

!Biopankki_2018_30.indd 30 19.12.2018 12.48 The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service (FRCBS) runs its own biobank, and it’s easy for donors to join the Blood Service Biobank

in connection with blood Studio Petteri Kitti donation. Biobank samples can be given at all ten blood donation centers and since January 2019 Blood donors can also help via biobank. Photo of nurse Riina Heikura (left), Satu Kos- also in mobile blood service kela donating blood and Elina Salokangas, Tiina Wahlfors, Jonna Clancy and Jukka sessions all around the country. Partanen who all work with Blood Service Biobank.

Blood Service Biobank has had a busy start The Blood Service Biobank was es- Blood Service Biobank tablished in summer 2017 and started collecting samples in the end of 2017. – a new dimension for This Biobank is special as it has the potential to compile a valuable collection of blood donor samples and informa- extending donors help tion. The Blood Service Biobank will facilitate for instance research on blood donors’ health and wellbeing. In addi- ting sick. This makes an excellent op- lects samples and data from patients tion the collected samples can be used portunity to study predictive biomar- suﬀering from hematological diseases. in medical research for example as a kers and develop methods for disease The objective is to support the devel- control group. prevention and prediction overall. opment of new methods for the diag- Blood donors can be considered as nostics and treatment of hematologi- healthy individuals who are willing to The Finnish Hematology Registry cal disorders and improve the progno- help others. Regular donors can al- and Clinical Biobank promotes rese- sis of patients suﬀering from these dis- so be sampled several times over the arch on hematological disorders orders. years and at the same time also health and life style data can be asked. It is al- The Blood Service is also involved in Reference: so likely that the same individuals will the Finnish Hematology Registry and www.bloodservice.fi consent to the hospital biobanks if get- Clinical Biobank (FHRB), which col- Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

The Association of Cancer Patients cooperating and developing Hematological Biobank

Biobanks are key players when new cancer treatments are developed. This is why Cancer Patients are willing to do their share by increasing biobank awareness and tell about biobanks’ activities. The more high quality samples biobanks are able to collect and the more biobank research develops the better are the changes for patient to survive for example from cancer. At the moment every third Finn will get cancer Lauri Hannus during their life time.” Executive Director Minna Anttonen, The Association of Cancer Patients

!Biopankki_2018_28-34.indd 31 19.12.2018 11.51 Linda Tammisto

Professor Mark Daly, Director of the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki Unique Finnish genomics scene attracts top scientist to cooperate and work in Finland

igh-quality biobanking and biobank reseach attracts talents Who is Mark Daly? Hto Finland. An excellent example of this is Professor Mark Daly from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Professor Mark Daly has made seminal discoveries in understanding the details of the and Massachusetts General Hospital. structure of the human genome and developing software tools to analyse the impact of genetic variations on various diseases. His own special interest in science are autism, The University of Helsinki has recruit- ADHD and other psychiatric diseases as well as inflammatory diseases. Daly has over ed him to lead the Institute for Molecu- 400 scientific publications, and in his new job he will be the top cited scientist in Finland lar Medicine Finland (FIMM) in spring with over 130 000 citations. 2018. ”In August 2017 initiated FinnGen research project providing genomic information Daly is a distinguished scientist who for 500 000 individuals and 10 % of the Finnish population is among the foremost bio- has made major contributions to hu- bank genetics projects in the world. And there are so many new opportunities in which man genetics and genomics during his partnership with the Finnish population can advance research and industry in a world- 20-year career. While spending most of leading fashion – and at the same time have Finns first in the world to receive the medical benefits of genome information in clinical settings. I envision FIMM can become the his time nowadays in Finland, Daly will pre-eminent institution in human genetics in Europe, including through the new part- still continue his active role as Institute nership between the University of Helsinki and Broad Institute, together with the Nordic Member and co-director of the Medical EMBL Partnership in Molecular Medicine. This will provide an outstanding opportunity and Population Genetics Program at the for FIMM, and research throughout Finland, in the coming years,” says Daly. Broad Institute, establishing a close partnership between the University of Hel- sinki and Broad Institute. focused on translational research and uti- - Mark Daly’s recruitment exemplifies - I am extremely pleased that Mark lizing genome data to empower disease our new strategy to invest into top re- Daly has taken the helm of FIMM at prevention and personalised treatment search and partnerships, commented To- this time when lots of interesting things and currently has a staff exceeding 200 mi Mäkelä, the chair of the recruitment are happening in genomics locally and and an annual budget of 20 M€. FIMM committee and Director of HiLIFE. nationally, says Jukka Kola, the Rector of is also part of the new Helsinki Institute the University of Helsinki. of Life Science HiLIFE at the Univer- During the first ten years FIMM has sity of Helsinki. Authors: Ph.D. Mari Kaunisto and M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_28-34.indd 32 19.12.2018 13.28 ”Research-positive atmosphere and active development of the infrastructure and services which

Matti Snellman researchers need are some of the advantages of HUS as an employer and research and innovations partner.”

CEO Juha Tuominen, HUS An excellent example from Finland: HUS and AMCH are globally in frontline of biobank and clinical research

he Academic Medical Center sities of applied sciences and the private class clinical research as a critical func- THelsinki (AMCH), one of the sector. tion and a competitive advantage rather best medical campuses in Europe, HUS – as well as other university hos- than just an expense. This creates a posi- brings top research, teaching, and medi- pitals in Finland – is actively involved in tive climate for research and attracts tal- cal care together every day. The core of clinical research which creates new in- ents to HUS. AMCH’s work is close cooperation be- formation, which forms the basis for – Clinical research is important to us tween the Helsinki University Hospital future healthcare including biobank- all and it requires broad-range multidis- (HUS) and the University of Helsinki. ing and personalized medicine. On be- ciplinary co-operation. Most of HUS’s In addition HUS is strengthening coop- half of HUS, professor Anne Pitkäranta, over 2000 doctors and a growing amount eration in clinical research together with, HUS Research Director, says that the of other health and social care profes- among others, Aalto University, univer- hospital management appreciates high- sionals are active in clinical research, Pitkäranta continues.

HUS offers concrete support The ambassadors of biobank spread an to researchers important message and they have gained The HUS Research Center employs a research director and seven other staﬀ more agreements than expected! members. The HUS Research Center aims to create a better framework for individual researchers, an international environment and a well-developed research infrastructure and career opportunities, which ensure innovation in research. – I am very happy and proud, that AMCH produces more than 2000 new

Teemu Perhiö/THL scientiﬁc publications and more than 130 theses on the wide range of research each year – without forgetting the numerous clinical reach and biobank sample collecting every day in HUS. We are making future improvements in health and well- Sami Koskelainen (left), Leila Sandvik, Anna Blubaum, Vili Kostamo, Inari Linko- la, Lotta Räsänen ja David Grifﬁn being now!

Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen 33

!Biopankki_2018_28-34.indd 33 19.12.2018 11.51 Professor Mikko Niemi, one of world’s leading pharmacogenetics experts believes: ”Finnish biobank research can achieve breakthroughs in pharmacotherapy”

- Things are looking exceptionally the model works, the same principle can good for drug development at the mo- be applied to other drugs as well in the ment and we are experiencing interesting future, Niemi believes. times in this field. There is a lot to look out for, Niemi says. National center for drug development is most welcome Virtual patients help choose the right medication The government of Finland has decided to establish a national drug development Our understanding of the human ge- center. The center is intended to operate nome, or the complete set of humans’ as an independent research institute that DNA, has increased significantly in the works together with universities, Univer- past few years and genome-based re- sity Hospitals and other research organi- search will expand the ways in which ge- sations. Mikko Niemi sees that employ- nomic information is used in pharmaco- ees of Finnish biobanks and University therapy. This is also the goal of the ongo- Hospitals all have in-depth knowledge inland is one of the global pioneers ing pioneering project of Mikko Niemi and experience of clinical trials, and he in genomic medicine and health and his research group. The goal of the hopes that these organizations could be Ftechnology at the moment. This research project is to develop a model actively involved in the operations of the offers an excellent environment for new that can be used to select the best choles- new center. fields at innovations in pharmacogenetic terol-lowering drug (statin) for a patient - Finland satisfies all the requirements research and the development of more based on their individual genetic makeup of becoming a trailblazer in personalized personalized pharmacotherapies. These and other personal characteristics. medicine, and the drug development are the thoughts of Mikko Niemi, Pro- - In a way, the digital model now be- center is an important step towards this fessor of Pharmacogenetics at the Uni- ing developed is a virtual patient which goal. versity of Helsinki and the Chief Physi- is used to simulate the benefits and dis- cian at HUSLAB, who has been one of advantages of different drugs on individ-

the best-known and most awarded and ual level. The development of the model Reference: www.husresearch.fi cited researchers worldwide in his ﬁeld is well underway and its functionality is for years now. set to be tested in a randomized study. If Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

Biobank Professor Arto Mannermaa looks brightly to the future

inland is among the top countries within biobanking and we can expect that the biobank research done – like research concerning the whole genome of an Findividual – can even lead to breakthroughs in advancing public health and holistic care of diseases. Research in biobanks increases strongly and this sets de- mands also to universities as well as to establishing new professorships. At the mo-

ment there is one biobank professor in Finland: Professor of Personalised Medicine Pentti Vänskä and Biobanking Arto Mannermaa at the University of Eastern Finland. He is also the Research Leader and Associate Manager of the Biobank in Eastern Finland. Author: M.D. Maj-Leena Tuhkanen

!Biopankki_2018_28-34.indd 34 19.12.2018 13.30 TERVEYSTALO BIOBANK FINLAND The ﬁrst privately owned biobank in Finland

Terveystalo Biobank Finland is part of Suomen Terveystalo Plc, the largest healthcare service company in Finland. We offer versatile healthcare, occupational healthcare and specialist services in approximately 180 clinics around Finland. The laboratory network is the largest in Finland. Our customers include private individuals, companies and communities, insurance companies and the public sector. Nearly 9,000 healthcare professionals work at Terveystalo. We have more than 3 million appointments with a physician annually.

Terveystalo Biobank Finland works in close collaboration with Terveystalo Clinical Research which is the largest site management organization in Finland. Almost one million people have given their consent so we can contact them based on their health information. This offers a unique opportunity to pre-select and recruit suitable research subjects quickly and cost- effectively. The new insights that can be found from the clinical and genomic data Terveystalo is working with, can improve the quality of healthcare as well as drug development.

We would be happy to discuss any research idea. Please contact chief physician Markku Nissilä at +358 40 078 8020, [email protected] or business administration director Lasse Parvinen +358 40 525 5481, [email protected]

Terveystalo Biobank Finland and Terveystalo Clinical Research are part of Suomen Terveystalo Plc, listed on OMX Helsinki (TTALO).

Untitled-1 1 19.12.2018 12.53 A QUEST TO INVENT A CALLING TO CURE

MSD FINLAND OY I MSD.FI I PAREMPAAELAMAA.FI @MSDFinland linkedin.com/company/msd-finland facebook.com/MSDFinland

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