LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE – a survey of companies in the sector
426 companies 7 500 employees Medtech largest subsector Half of companies are located in science parks LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE
– a survey of companies in the sector PREFACE
This analysis has been prepared by Øresundsinstituttet as part of the Interreg- There are 426 life science enterprises in Skåne, and together they employ 7 500 people in the region. That is around 1 500 more than the number of people employed by the same compa- project Greater Copenhagen Life Science Analysis Initiative and was written by nies five years ago. In the interim, 92 new life science enterprises have emerged in Skåne. Kristoffer Dahl Sørensen, Sofi Eriksson, Camilla Neve Lieknins and Emil Persson. More than half of Skåne’s life science businesses are based in science parks, and medtech
is the largest subsector in the region: these are several of the main results of the survey of Project manager for analytics: Jenny Andersson companies presented in this report. In addition, Skåne’s life science businesses responded to Overall project manager: Johan Wessman questions about their needs for new staff and for new expertise in the future. It emerged that the primary need is for more competences in STEM, as well as sales and marketing. Translation: Justina Bartoli The coronavirus pandemic has changed the situations of many businesses, but the life Cover photo: News Øresund science sector appears to be one of the sectors to have weathered the crisis well to date. This is also apparent in Skåne; this spring, around 100 of Skåne’s life science companies November 2020 answered questions about whether the coronavirus pandemic had made it necessary for them to dismiss staff members. Around 80 per cent responded that this had not been the case; a smaller subgroup comprising 12 companies had or expected it would be necessary to GREATER COPENHAGEN LIFE SCIENCE ANALYSIS INITIATIVE is an EU-project aimed dismiss employees because of the pandemic. at increasing knowledge about the region’s life science cluster. The focus is on the demand for labourers, future expertise needs, and more. The project has received Approximately 60 of the businesses in Skåne in this survey are active on both sides of the funding through the EU-programme Interreg Öresund-Kattegatt-Skagerrak and will Øresund Strait. Around 100 Danes work in life science companies in Skåne, and 20 of them continue until 31 December 2021. The project’s lead partner is Medicon Valley Alliance, have a Danish CEO. These are several examples of links across the strait that are evident in and the partner is Øresundsinstituttet. Region Skåne and Region Zealand are co- this report based on the Danish-Swedish Medicon Valley. funding the project. Conducting a survey of the life science sector is a challenge. The sector comprises many scientific disciplines and areas of focus, and there is no established statistic definition that encompasses the entire life science sector. Øresundsinstituttet and Medicon Valley Alliance thus identified a need to supplement analytics with manual research in which life science enterprises are surveyed via direct contact and interviews. This report is the result of that MEDICON VALLEY is the bi-national life science cluster spanning Eastern Denmark and the collaboration and a part of the joint Interreg-project Greater Copenhagen Life Science Analy- Skåne region of Southern Sweden. Today, the sis Initiative. The businesses’ future needs are surveyed with a special focus on labour force Danish-Swedish region is marketed interna- and expertise, and forthcoming reports will also review the university training programmes tionally with the name ‘Greater Copenhagen’, offered in the life sciences. In addition, they will focus more intently on the sector’s links and its increasing population has reached across the Øresund Strait, and Denmark’s life science enterprises will be surveyed, as Skå- more than four million residents. In Sweden, ne’s have been here to offer a comprehensive depiction of the Danish-Swedish life science the same geographical area is often called the ‘Øresund Region’. cluster Medicon Valley, which is Scandinavia’s largest.
Copenhagen and Malmö, 18 November 2020
Johan Wessman Øresundsinstituttet FOTO: NEWS ØRESUND FOTO:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Summary ...... 6
2. Company survey ...... 10
3. Malmö ...... 18
4. Lund ...... 28
5. Northwest Skåne ...... 44
6. Elsewhere in Skåne ...... 52
7. Sector overlap ...... 60
8. Labour market and the need for expertise ...... 68
9. Opportunities and challenges ...... 80
10. Danish presence in Skåne ...... 94
11. Groups ...... 100 FOTO: NEWS ØRESUND FOTO: 12. Appendix - statistics and method ...... 104 SUMMARY 426 enterprises Skåne’s life science sector comprises 426 companies. Around half of them can be classified as micro-companies NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: PHOTO: BIOGAIA PHOTO: with nine employees or fewer. There are around 100 small companies with 10-49 employees and ca 25 me- dium-sized companies with 50-249 employees. Six life science companies with more than 250 employees were HALF OF THE COMPANIES ARE LOCATED IN identified. While most of the enterpris- SCIENCE PARKS. Of the 426 life science com- es are micro-companies, two-thirds of panies identified, around half are located in the employees work in medium-sized or parks Medeon, Ideon, Medicon Village and the large companies. incubator SmiLe. With its 225 registered compa- nies, Lund is the municipality in Skåne with the POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT greatest number of life science companies. FOR LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE 92 new companies DESPITE STRUCTURAL 92 new life science enterprises have seen the light of day since 2015. To- CHALLENGES gether, they employ around 220 people. 7 500 64 of the newly-founded companies are According to the most recent company The 426 life science enterprises identified in Skåne are growing in Lund Municipality. on the whole and employ ca 7 500 people locally in Skåne. There data available, the life science indu- are approximately 1 500 more employees in the businesses stry employs 7 500 people in Skåne. surveyed than there were five years ago. Most of the companies MALMÖ IS THE LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE CITY. The sector has grown in recent years interviewed reported that it has not been necessary to dismiss Malmö and Lund have traded places since – in 2015 there were just under employees because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, mea- sures are needed to resolve structural challenges relating to e.g. 2015, and Malmö is now Skåne’s largest 6 000 people working at Skåne’s life the funding climate, and there is both a need for – and a short- life science city in terms of the number of science companies. Employment age of – more competence in STEM and sales and marketing. employees at the companies surveyed. The has increased in all of Skåne and in city’s life science companies employ around various subsectors, but the majority of Employment has risen since 2015 2 700 people. CMO-consultancy and medtech the employment increase has been in The region has highlighted the life sciences as one of Skåne’s six specia- are the largest subsectors, and in terms of Skåne’s largest urban centres for the list areas. The survey shows that this strength consists of 426 identified employment, the CDMO PolyPeptide is largest life sciences: Malmö and Lund. life science businesses, and that these businesses have generated with its 279 employees. 1 500 new jobs in Skåne in five years. Around 7 500 people are employed by the life science companies according to the most recent figures available from 2018-2020. The rise in employment corresponds to ca 25% as compared to 2015, when approx. 6 000 people were MEDTECH LARGEST SUBSECTOR. employed in the life science companies surveyed. Positive employment In terms of employment and turnover, the development has thus been evident in all of Skåne – both in Malmö largest subsector is medtech – medtech com- and Lund and in northwest Skåne and elsewhere in the region, where Helsingborg and Kristianstad are the largest cities. Lastly, all of the life PHOTO: CELLAVISION PHOTO: panies employ ca 3 100 people. Medtech is also science subsectors, i.e. medtech, biotech, pharma, contract research the largest subsector in Lund and outside the and -manufacturing, as well as ICT and foodtech, have grown – largest urban centres in Skåne. Medtech is the particularly the life science enterprises focused on ICT and biotech. second-largest subsector in Malmö and Helsing- borg. The second-largest subsector in Skåne on the whole is pharma, followed by contract research and biotech. LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 7 SUMMARY SUMMARY
Malmö and Lund – life science centres Over time and today still, ownership change has Most of Skåne’s life science sector is concentrated altered Skåne’s life science sector in both positive around Malmö and Lund – the two main cities in and negative ways, in both Malmö, Lund and PHOTO: BIOGAIA PHOTO: the so-called MalmöLund Region. 341 of the 426 Helsingborg. For example, the medtech sector in THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 life science companies in Skåne were identified in Lund has been transforming since 2013, when the Many businesses have avoided dismis- the two urban centres. In addition, ca 68% of all American medtech group Baxter International Inc. sals despite the coronavirus pandemic of those employed in the life science companies acquired the largest and oldest part of Gambro, identified in Skåne are in these two cities. Both which was de-listed from the Stockholm market The coronavirus pandemic has contributed cities have seen employment rise since 2015, but in 2006, acquired by two Swedish investment to an unemployment rate of 11.1% in Skåne there has been particular growth in the compa- companies and subsequently divided into three in September 2020, according to the Swedish nies identified in Malmö, which employ ca 2 700 companies. The ownership decision will mean Public Employment Service. While the today. That corresponds to a ca 46% development; fewer employees at Baxter in Lund by 2022. In commerce-, industry-, service- and hotel-, restaurant- and transportation sectors in Skå- the same companies employed around 1 800 five Malmö, the contract research and -manufacturing ne were hit badly this spring, the life science years ago. In Lund, ca 2 400 work in the identified sector employs ca 300 more people compared to sector appears to have been spared. Of the companies, compared to 2 000 in 2015 – a positi- 2015, after e.g. the Chinese Shanghai Dongbao 125 life science companies interviewed in Skå- ve development of ca 21%. Although both urban Biopharmaceutical took over Ferring Pharmaceuti- ne, around 100 (ca 80%) responded in a poll centres have university and incubation environ- cals’ factory in 2006 and established its subsidiary conducted for this report by Øresundsinstitut- ments for the life sciences, the cities’ life science Rechon Life Science AB, which then expanded. In tet this spring that it had not been necessary environments differ. In Malmö for example, the Helsingborg, Pfizer sold Pharmacia’s local business to dismiss staff because of the coronavirus companies are fewer, but larger; there is a strong activity in 2006 to the world’s largest medical pandemic to date. A smaller group consisting representation of headquarters, national offices and products company Johnson & Johnson, which of 12 companies reported in the poll that they contract research and -manufacturing activities. renamed the site; last year they invested 20 million had or expected they would have to dismiss Lund’s profile has a stronger research orientation, EUR in what has since been known as McNeil AB. employees because of the pandemic. with larger universities and science parks, and It employs more people today than five years ago. there are a greater number of smaller R&D com- Outside of the region’s larger cities, HemoCue in panies and a prominent biotech subsector. Ängelholm was acquired by Danish Radiometer enterprises. The poll conducted also shows that Medical for 1.7 billion kr. in 2013; this has since 52% of the companies interviewed have not found Ownership changes influence sector increased profits and employee numbers. it difficult to recruit specific expertise; 48% report development the contrary. According to around one-fourth of 80% As in other sectors, acquisitions and new ow- STEM expertise and sales and marketing the businesses interviewed, the balance between nership structures can lead to a company’s expan- competence in shortage and demand fields of study in the educational system and the of 125 life science companies have not sion or relocation. The life science sector is by no Expertise in the natural sciences, technical, legal demand for specific competences in the life science found it necessary to dismiss staff means an exception, and acquisitions for billions and commercial areas are the primary areas in sector is suboptimal. Nonetheless, ca 9 out of 10 are a frequent occurrence. which the identified life science companies in of the companies interviewed report that they are On the contrary, a number of companies, e.g. Skåne, in all subsectors, see a shortage. These are not considering leaving Skåne due to a shortage of PolyPeptide Laboratories AB in Malmö, have also the areas in which the companies hope or expertise. seen an increase in commissions; the same expect to expand their staff, regardless of uncer- is true for the life science companies Xintela tainties related to Covid-19, as a poll conducted Life science companies in Skåne AB, Amniotics AB, SynAct Pharma, Viraspec MORE THAN 200 RESEARCH and Red Glead Discovery AB in Lund. Also by Øresundsinstituttet for this report showed. 72 Four essential efforts could improve the life science PROJECTS ABOUT COVID-19 positively for Skåne, 60% of the companies life science companies in Skåne expressed a need sector in Skåne overall: An improved investment- IN MEDICON VALLEY interviewed report that they expect to recruit for expertise, while 126 experienced that there and capital climate; more local and regional colla- new employees over the next year. The picture was a shortage of expertise. In other words, it can boration; fewer bureaucratic obstacles, and strong- might have changed since the spring however, Since this spring, over 200 research projects be difficult to recruit microbiologists, biostatisti- er education and training. This was revealed in a as some life science companies in the survey about the novel coronavirus that causes cians, production technicians, regulatory experts, poll conducted by Øresundsinstituttet to which reported a number of challenges due to the covid-19 have been started at universities and or salespeople with professional knowledge of the around 75 life science businesses in Skåne respon- pandemic, for example limited contact to the hospitals in Medicon Valley. In addition, many healthcare sector, postponed projects and businesses in the region are venturing into field. In general, individuals with expertise in the ded. In addition, around 20 companies emphasise clinical studies, problems with logistics and corona research, either with universities or STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering the importance of various other measures as well as uncertainties about e.g. the taxation of border on their own. More information can be found and Mathematics) are seen to be in shortage. The more international marketing of Medicon Valley. commuters. Together, these factors and in the report ’State of Medicon Valley 2020’, expertise in question is both broad and speci- Despite the need for these efforts to be implemen- others might negatively affect the number of downloadable from Øresundsinstituttet’s and fic competence in the natural sciences, and the ted, the companies interviewed report good infra- employees in the sector. Medicon Valley Alliance’s websites. companies seeking these competences include structure, high levels of education, a good research both small and large biotech, pharma and medtech environment and personal connections among the companies, and contract research and foodtech reasons why they are located in Skåne.
8 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 9 INTRODUCTION
PHOTO: BIOGAIA PHOTO: Upswing for the life science cluster in Skåne – 1 500 new jobs since 2015
After a long period characterised by major closures and relocating production facilities, things have begun to turn around for the life sciences in Skåne. The life science companies in Skåne in this ana- lysis employ around 7 500 people locally in the region. In five years, these companies have created around 1 500 new jobs. In terms of employment, the positive development transcends subsectors and geography.
There are around 7 500 people employed regional- sector in Skåne, unless those actors are also part of ly in the 426 life science companies identified in the cluster. Skåne; that corresponds to an employment increase of ca 25% since 2015, when the same companies employed approx. 6 000 people. This is shown by a Positive employment development in all survey of the sector based on the most recent figures of Skåne available and data from 2015-2020. Employment in the companies identified has The sector is thus once again growing in Skåne, increased all over Skåne. In Malmö and Lund as although the past 20 years have been characterised well as in the northwest and elsewhere in Skåne, by multiple slowdowns, which has had a negative where Helsingborg and Kristianstad are the largest effect on employment. In the 00s, Malmö saw cities, employment numbers have risen since 2015. Ferring consolidate in Ørestad in Copenhagen The trend of increasing employment thus also has and then sell the factory they had left behind in a broad geographic reach and is not a phenomenon Limhamn/Malmö to Shanghai Dongbao Biophar- limited to Malmö and Lund. In 2015, around maceutical Company, resulting in around 75 dis- 1 800 people worked at the identified companies in missals. In 2010, Becton Dickinson decided to shut Malmö; today, that number has increased to ca down its facility in Helsingborg, and 400 positions 2 700 for a positive development of ca 46%. In vanished as a result. In 2011 in Lund, AstraZeneca Lund, around 2 000 people were employed in the closed its R&D facility and 900 people were left sector in 2015; today that number is 2 400 – a without a job, and the following year, McNeil in positive development of around 21%. In northwest Helsingborg announced staff cutbacks. Skåne, employment has increased by 8% in the By 2022, Lund will once again be affected by identified companies, but elsewhere in Skåne, it has the partial closure of an important actor’s facilities grown 26%. Malmö in particular is thus heading when Baxter, which acquired the manufacturer of the positive employment trend in Skåne, and Mal- dialysis treatment equipment Gambro in 2013, mö and Lund are crucial for the life science sector moves all of its production to Italy. The result will in the area: around 2/3 of the region’s life science be a ca 80% reduction in staff: instead of the 900 employees are employed in the two cities. who were employed before the acquisition, the staff will consist of 150. Slumps are thus still part of the life science sector in Skåne, but upswings 92 new startups since 2015 – but big for many other companies in the area mean that companies are advancing employment the sector is continuing to grow on the whole and Positive employment developments in Skåne, with is employing an increasing number of people. around 1 500 more employees in companies since The survey of the life science sector in Skåne 2015, can be ascribed in part to the many new focuses on private companies and science parks, startups in the region. Over the past five years, and around half of the companies are positioned 92 new life science companies have been created; on top of companies where there is an overlap of these, 70% are located in Lund, and they have COMPANY SURVEY between the life sciences and other sectors in order created employment for the around 220 people who to offer a more thorough description of the sector’s work at them. Another, more significant explana- scope. To enable a deeper analysis, the survey does tion for the employment increase can be found at not focus on employees related to the life sciences the larger, research-intensive companies with some in academic environments within the healthcare production in the life science sector: they are the
LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 11 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION
SKÅNE’S 10 LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE Laboratories and the oral hygiene company LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES IN SKÅNE COMPANIES – EMPLOYEES IN THE REGION TePe Munhygienprodukter have grown by a NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN ORDER LARGE AND MEDIUM- total of 400 employees. And in Helsingborg SIZED COMPANIES in northwest Skåne, the pharma companies OF COMPANY SIZE Employ- Employ- McNeil and Teva and the manufacturer EMPLOY GREATEST Company Municipality Subsector ees 2015 ees 20201 of plastics for medical solutions Nolato NUMBER McNeil AB Helsingborg Pharma 610 665 have grown by a total of 117 employees. In Skåne’s large and medium-sized com- Gambro Lundia Lund Medtech 841 573 addition, Nolato has grown with around panies are responsible for two-thirds of AB (Baxter) 100 new employees at its facilities in Hörby Micro (-9) employment in the life science sector in Nolato Medical Båstad/ Medtech 247 385 and Lomma. Large companies’ importan- Small (10-49) Skåne. In Malmö and northwest Skåne, Solutions Hörby/ Lomma ce for employment is also evident in that Medium-sized (50-249) large and medium-sized companies are 65% of all life science employees in Skåne Large (250+) responsible for nearly three-fourths PolyPeptide Malmö CMO 182 279 of employment in the areas. In Lund, Laboratories AB work in a medium-sized or large company with 50-249 or more than 250 employees, where there are a multitude of small HemoCue AB Ängelholm Medtech 261 257 respectively. and micro-companies, large and medi- TePe Munhygien- Malmö Medtech 181 253 um-sized companies are responsible produkter AB for just half of employment. Number of employees in Skåne according to most recent available data QPharma AB Malmö CMO 142 250 All subsectors are growing – greatest from 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies. Arjo Sverige AB Malmö Medtech 118 190 progress in medtech Rechon Life Malmö CMO 76 178 All subsectors in the life sciences in Skåne Science AB have seen increased employment. Com- taking major restructuring and dismissals in the city A quarter of the companies are in Atos Medical AB Malmö/ Medtech 100 155 panies in the subsectors pharma, biotech, over the past year, which it will continue to do. With overlapping market sectors Hörby medtech and contract research employ a the cutbacks planned at Baxter until 2022, there is a 426 companies have been identified in the life 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from 2017-2020. greater total number than they did in 2015. risk of progress waning in the subsector. science cluster in Skåne; of them, 308 can be Source: Bisnode, data from the companies In five years, the companies identified in The figures also show an increased number of categorised as pharma-, biotech-, medtech- and Contract manufacturing organisations (CMO) and contract research organisations (CRO) are companies that are commissioned to either develop and/or manufacture medtech have gone from employing a total employees in the companies whose activities fall in contract research companies. Around 72% of all of e.g. pharmaceuticals for other companies in the life sciences. of ca 2 800 to 3 100 people; that corres- the overlap between the life sciences and Information the life science companies thus belong to what can ponds to around 42% of all employees in Communication Technology (ICT) and food. Health- be considered a core segment of the life sciences. the life science sector in Skåne. Pharma companies tech or e-health and foodtech companies, as these The remaining ca 28% of the life science companies NUMBER EMPLOYED IN THE employ ca 1 200 today, compared to 1 050 in 2015. companies are also called, comprise new subsectors in identified – comprising 118 companies – make up LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR IN SKÅNE Biotech companies employ 850, compared to 550 the life science cluster and employee a total of around a supplementary segment in the overlap between in 2015. Contract research organisations – both 650 people; in 2015, that number was around 450. the life sciences and other sectors. The overlap is CROs and CMOs now employ 1 550, up from ca primarily between traditional life science and ICT; 1 050 in 2015. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN for example, the software company Capish Nordic The figures show that medtech was the largest SKÅNE’S LIFE SCIENCE COMPA- AB is active in the life science and the food sectors, subsector in 2015 and remains it today – even if as well as between them; the same is true of other NIES PER SUBSECTOR Traditional life pharma and biotech were treated as a single category. biotech companies such as e.g. Glucanova AB. science If contract research were categorised together with Although these companies operate in overlap- New sectors biotech and pharma however, that category would be Employees in Employees in ping sectors, their work is decidedly focused in the largest, with around 3 500 employees. Subsector Skåne 2015 Skåne 20201 life sciences; this may mean healthtech or e-health As it is, medtech is a vital subsector for Skåne. Medtech 2 700 3 070 companies that develop e.g. apps, algorithms and Large manufacturers like Arjo, Getinge, Atos Med- software solutions, and foodtech companies that Pharma 1 050 1 200 ical, Gambro, Nolato and HemoCue have traditio- develop healthier foodstuff based on biotechnical nally characterised medtech in southern Sweden, and CMO 710 1 060 research to prevent illness and disease. Like the Biotech 550 850 Number of employees according to most recent available data from six of the ten largest companies in Skåne are active in other subsectors in the core segment, the companies 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies. medtech. In addition, there are a great many small CRO 330 500 in this supplementary segment have seen positive and medium-sized medtech companies; almost every ICT/Healthtech 230 400 employment development since 2015. They are also ones primarily pulling employment in a positive third company in Skåne is active in medtech. located primarily in Malmö and Lund and employ direction. In Lund, the medtech- and biotech com- Employment figures indicate that the life science Foodtech 220 260 ca every 10th employee in the life science sector’s panies CellaVision, Hansa Biopharma and BioIn- sector is growing in a broad sense in Skåne, but that Other 80 130 total labour force in Skåne. vent International have grown by a total of ca. 135 the positive development has been greatest for med- Two new subsectors have thus emerged as new employees. In Malmö, the contract research organi- tech. Medtech has continued to progress in spite of 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from technologies, treatments and business conditions sations Rechon Life Science, QPharma, PolyPeptide Baxter – which acquired Gambro in 2013 – under- 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies have made it possible for some companies that
12 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 13 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION formerly belonged to other, separate sectors – such as half works in medium-sized or large companies. In the IT and the food sector – to be considered part of northwest Skåne, where Helsingborg is the largest BUSINESSES IN SKÅNE the life science sector. However, these companies are city, 56% of the employees are at large companies NORTHWEST SKÅNE primarily micro-companies and small businesses with with more than 250 employees; this is due to few employees. McNeil and the medtech manufacturer HemoCue. 58 Elsewhere in Skåne, where Kristianstad is the largest Number of life science companies city, nearly three out of four are employed in medi- The biggest companies grow bigger still and um-sized or large companies with more than 50 dominate in Malmö employees, as in Malmö. This can be attributed to 1 800 Number of employees in Six of the ten largest life science companies in Nolato and the medtech company Atos Medical. life science companies Skåne are located in Malmö. That is an increase The employee constellation in Lund, where from 2015, when four of the ten largest companies employment is mostly in smaller companies, LARGEST SUBSECTORS were located in the city. With their growth and gives Lund the status of a centre for many, albeit Pharma: 790 global headquarters in the city, the global medtech it small, R&D companies compared to the rest Medtech: manufacturer Arjo, the Chinese contract research of Skåne. In addition, Lund is where the largest 740 organisation Rechon Life Science, and the global science parks (in terms of the number of member Foodtech: 170 contract research manufacturers PolyPeptide Labo- companies) Ideon and Medicon Village are loca- CMO: 70 ratories and QPharma have helped secure Malmö’s ted, and where the largest number of startups have position as the city in which the largest number of been founded since 2015. Unlike the R&D- and life science companies are located. The other four incubation profile, the high percentage of employ- of the ten largest companies are located in Lund, ees in medium-sized and large companies in e.g. Helsingborg, Ängelholm, Båstad and Hörby. In Malmö is an indication that the city has a different terms of employees, the largest company is the profile, with a greater number of companies with MALMÖ LUND pharma company McNeil in Helsingborg, which manufacturing units. produces e.g. the stop-smoking product Nicorette. 116 225 Number of life science companies First a subsidiary of first the Danish LEO Pharma Number of life science companies and today of the American Johnson & Johnson, Around 75 listed companies in Sweden McNeil has been a part of the life science sector in Of the 426 life science companies in Skåne, around 2 700 2 400 Helsingborg for over 100 years. The second-largest 75 – corresponding to ca 18% – are publicly traded Number of employees in company is the medtech manufacturer Baxter in in Sweden. The majority of the listed companies are Number of employees in life science companies life science companies Lund; over the next few years however, it will fall active in biotech and medtech and located in Lund. on the list as a result of relocated production units. In addition, many smaller companies are listed, LARGEST SUBSECTORS LARGEST SUBSECTORS The third-largest is the contract research organisa- e.g. the medtech company GPX Medical from CMO: 980 Medtech: 1 030 tion PolyPeptide Laboratories in Malmö, although Lund as of this October. Larger companies such the total number of employees at Nolato Medi- as Arjo, Probi, Camurus and CellaVision are also Medtech: 830 Biotech: 630 cal Solutions is higher if the company’s facilities listed, however. Most listed companies are headed ICT/Healthtech: 320 CRO: 360 around Skåne are counted as one. Three different by a Swedish CEO. However, 20 companies were Pharma: 230 Pharma: 140 subsectors thus represent the three largest compa- also identified in Skåne – both publicly traded and nies in Skåne, and half of the ten largest compa- privately owned – with a Danish CEO. nies are active in medtech. Eight of the ten largest Danish and Swedish life science are thus linked companies have grown and employed more people in a variety of ways across the Øresund. Based on Skåne’s life science cluster is one of over the past five years. the surveyed companies, there are approx. 100 Sweden’s three main life science clus- ELSEWHERE IN SKÅNE Skåne’s largest companies have a decisive influ- Danes who commute to around 30 life science ters; the other two are Stockholm-Upp- ence on how many employees are in the region’s companies, primarily in Malmö and Lund. In sala and Gothenburg-Västra Götaland. A various urban areas. In Malmö, three out of four addition, 11 Danish life science companies have 28 distinctive feature of Skåne’s life science LARGEST SUBSECTORS Number of life science employees are at medium-sized and large companies been publicly offered in Sweden since 2014. Fur- cluster is that medtech is the largest with more than 50 employees. The distribution thermore, Swedish pharma- and biotech companies companies Medtech: 470 subsector in terms of the number of is more even in Lund: half of the total number of in Malmö and Lund receive support from Danish Pharma: 40 employees. Most of the region’s compa- employees works in micro-companies or small com- investors, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and BioInno- Foodtech: 20 panies with fewer than 49 employees, and the other vation Institute in Copenhagen. nies are located in Lund and Malmö, and 600 the greatest number of people are also Number of employees in Biotech: 20 employed there. The mix of subsectors life science companies varies between the urban areas.
14 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 15 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION
SKÅNE’S SCIENCE PARKS IN THE LIFE SCIENCES PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO:
SMILE INCUBATOR AB
• Founded: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: 2007 as Lund Life KRISTIANSTAD Science Incubator (LSI), moved to Medicon Village in 2012, IDEON SCIENCE PARK changed its name to SmiLe KRINOVA INCUBATOR Incubator i 2016 & SCIENCE PARK • Founded: 1983 • Focus area: Biotech, pharma, • Focus area: Healthtech/med- medtech, and e-health LUND • Founded: 1999 tech and some biotech. 30% of • Ownership: Region Skåne, • Focus area: Food the companies are active in the Lund Municipality, Lund Univer- • Ownership: Kristianstad life sciences. Ideon also focuses sity and Medicon Village Municipality owns 40% of on ’smart cities’, ’transporta- • CEO: Ebba Fåhraeus Krinova Incubator & Science tion of the future’, and ’smart • Total number of startups in Park, 40% is owned by the materials’ SmiLe Incubator: 23 MALMÖ municipality’s subsidiary • Ownership: Ideon is run • Total number of employees at Kristianstads Industribygg- through three companies: SmiLe Incubator: ca 100 nads AB, and 20% is owned by o IDEON AB is the marketing • Moreover: The admission pro- Kristianstad University company that heads strategic Skåne’s science parks are cess for the incubator can take • CEO: Nikolas Larsson (ac- operations and conducts the up to nine months developing rapidly. Medeon will ting managing director). local innovation system, owned expand in October with a new • Total number of companies by Castellum and Wihlborgs and building, half of which is al- at Krinova: 106 reports to the SUN Foundation. • Total number of employees CEO: Mia Rolf ready rented out today. Medicon at Krinova’s companies: ca. o IDEON OPEN is engaged by Village inaugurated its new main
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: 350 established companies looking building, The Spark, last autumn, • Moreover: On behalf of the to revitalise their innovation and soon the area will also be six municipalities of northeas- work. Owned by Lund University, home to Helgonagården 7:10 – a tern Skåne, Region Skåne and the Municipality of Lund and NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: ’smart living’ residential complex MEDEON SCIENCE PARK Kristianstad University, Krino- Wihlborgs. CEO: Arne Hansson & INCUBATOR va Incubator & Science Park o IDEON INNOVATION runs the – and two new cancer clinics that provides innovation support incubator operations at Ideon – MEDICON VILLAGE will head cancer treatment and • Founded: 1985 under the to small and medium-sized both on-site and digitally. Owned research on the site. In recent name Ideon-Malmö, changed its companies in all sectors, food by Lund University, the Munici- • Founded: 2012 at Medicon Village: 150 years, SmiLe Incubator has taken name to Medeon in 1998 enterprises, and to students pality of Lund, and Wihlborgs. • Focus area: Pharmaceuti- • Total number of employees new healthtech companies under • Focus area: Pharma, medtech, and researchers. More than CEO: Ola Andersson cals, medtech, and biotech at Medicon Village’s compa- its wing, employed new advisors biotech, and health care 500 companies have received • The buildings are owned by: • Ownership: Medicon Village nies: ca. 2 200 • Ownership: The City of Malmö support to date. Wihlborgs Fastigheter AB and is divided into two companies, and gotten a more international • Moreover: The bio-incu- and Wihlborgs Fastigheter Castellum AB both of which are owned by profile and staff. Internationali- bator SmiLe is located at • CEO: Ulf G. Andersson • Total number of companies at the Mats Paulsson Foundation Medicon Village. Medicon sation has also been in focus at • The buildings are owned by: Ideon: 414 for Research, Innovation and Village is expanding and the Ideon with the new UN innovation Wihlborgs Fastigheter • Total number of companies in Societal Development new building The Spark was centre, which is part of UNOPS • Total number of companies at incubation program: 21 – Medicon Village Innovation inaugurated in 2019. Around and coordinated with the Copen- Medeon: ca. 60 • Total number of employees at AB, CEO: Kerstin Jakobsson 2/3 of the premises are hagen headquarters. And finally, • Total number of employees Ideon: 10 000 – The buildings are owned by: rented to Lund University and in the companies at Medeon: Source: Based on information • Moreover: Ideon was Sweden’s Medicon Village Fastighets Krinova has a new CEO – Christi- Region Skåne. There is also a 400-450 provided by the science parks in first science park. The first AB, property manager: Erik an Nyhlén – and renewed funding Lund Municipality enter- • Moreover: Medeon is Sweden’s interviews. Information is also based buildings were funded by IKEA in Jagesten on the science parks’ websites and prise – Future by Lund – at from the Munipality of Kristian- oldest science park dedicated the 1980s • Total number of companies on previous reports published by Medicon Village stad in the amount of 1.5 SEK p.a. solely to the life sciences Øresundsinstituttet. from 2021-2023.
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shift: in 2015, Lund Municipality had the highest Science park expansion, broad success and number of employees in the life science sector. new networks Measured by the number of employees, the largest Another enduring life science actor in Malmö is subsector in the municipality is contract research and Medeon Science Park. Established in 1985 under
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: -manufacturing organisations. The second largest the name Ideon-Malmö, it is Sweden’s oldest subsector is medtech. science park dedicated to the life sciences. In 1998 it changed its name to Medeon. In October the park – in collaboration with the property developer New headquarters, old production companies Wihlborgs – saw the premises expand with more Malmö has enjoyed success as a life science city office and lab space, as the current capacity was al- in a number of ways since 2015; one area to get a ready fully in use. New expansion plans will follow. boost in Malmö has been medtech. Atos Medical – When the first building is complete, we’ll start moved its headquarters from Hörby to Malmö planning the next one, and our objective will be to in 2015. In late 2016, the listed medtech group bring in new enterprises; these could be companies Getinge decided to hive off Arjo and list it on the from Skåne and Denmark, but also from outside Med- stock market; a year later the split was complete. icon Valley, says Ulf G. Andersson, CEO of Medeon. The company’s base had been in Malmö since 2012, There are also successful developments in the where it was known as Arjo Huntleigh and was biotech-, pharma- and contract research sectors in one of three production divisions at Getinge. As an Malmö, where employee numbers have been on the independent listed company, since 2018 Arjo has rise since 2015. The employment rate has also risen increased the number of employees at what is now its headquarters in Malmö from 120 to 190. Arjo employs around 6 200 people around the globe. Arjo and Atos Medical establishing their presences in Malmö is part of a larger trend in which more MALMÖ companies from diverse sectors are relocating their headquarters or national offices to the city. The trend has played a role in the fact that six of Skåne’s 116 2 700 ten largest life science companies are now based in Number of life Number of employees Malmö. It also highlights Malmö’s importance as a science companies in the life science MALMÖ – SKÅNE’S LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE CITY city with vital headquarters activity. in Malmö companies in Malmö Moreover, Malmö is an important manufacturing The life science cluster in Malmö has developed strongly over the past five city for the life sciences. The companies PolyPepti- years. Employment at life science companies has risen, with the number of de, QPharma and Svar Life Science (formerly Euro NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN employees going from 1 800 to about 2 700, and companies have consolidated Diagnostica) are a few of the larger enterprises with production activity in the city. Along with Nordic MALMÖ’S LIFE SCIENCE in the city, among them Atos Medical AB and the publicly traded company Arjo Drugs, all of them have historical roots that link COMPANIES PER SUBSECTOR AB. Medeon Science Park and its manufacturing companies, such as TePe, them to the global pharma company Ferring Phar- QPharma and APL, are expanding their facilities. 19 new businesses have maceuticals, which was founded in Malmö in 1950 Employees Employees in by Frederik Paulsen Sr. The company’s International in Malmö Malmö been created. Malmö also excels as a city of importance when it comes to Subsector 2015 20201 PharmaService Center and R&D are in Ørestad, generating pharmaceutical developments, and many companies have esta- sales and marketing are in Malmö, and the headqu- CMO 620 980 blished their headquarters in the urban centre. arters is in Switzerland, and it is currently completing Medtech 530 830 a new research centre near Kastrup to which it will ICT/Healthcare 180 320 relocate from the iconic black skyscraper in Ørestad Pharma 200 230 Since 2015, Malmö has grown to become Skåne’s as Sweden’s first science park focused specifically on that the company moved into in 2002; at the time, largest life science city and the home of a number the life sciences, has expanded: this October it will the move consolidated product development from Biotech 130 190 of manufacturing companies, of which PolyPep- inaugurate its new, 4 000m2 building, more than Malmö, Copenhagen and Kiel. Ferring has been and CRO 50 110 tide Laboratories is the largest. The city is also the half of which has already been rented out. continues to be an important part of the life science Other 20 30 Swedish home of the largest Danish pharmaceutical The companies identified in the sector employ sector in Malmö and the Øresund Region, as the Foodtech <10 <10 companies – Novo Nordisk, H. Lundbeck, and LEO around 2 700 people in Malmö Municipality, and founder’s son, Frederik Paulsen Jr., now owns the Pharma – and also hosts a number Scandinavian and the number of people employed in the sector has aforementioned companies via a number of founda- 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data global headquarters. Medeon Science Park, known increased by about 850 since 2015. This indicates a tions, as well as Ferring Pharmaceuticals. from2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies
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LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES IN MALMÖ PolyPeptide Laboratories is one of many large TePe has laid the foundation for the addition of a total – NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN ORDER MOST WORK IN MEDI- contract manufacturing and research organisations that of 15 000m2 of warehouse, office and manufacturing develop and manufacture pharmaceuticals on contract space that is anticipated to create 100 new jobs. It is OF COMPANY SIZE UM-SIZED COMPANIES for other companies in the sector. Other companies important to note that the Malmö headquarters of the Medium-sized companies, with in Malmö include QPharma, Apotek Produktion och three Swedish companies named here are also global between 50 and 249 employees, are Laboratorier (APL), Bioglan, Galenica at Medeon group offices. responsible for more than half of the Science Park and Rechon Life Science. The lattermost As mentioned above, growth in the medtech employment in the life science sector in is owned by the Chinese company Shanghai Dongbao sector can also be explained by the success of the local Skåne. Malmö’s two biggest companies, Micro (-9) Biopharmaceutical, which acquired Ferring’s former divisions and Scandinavian headquarters of American Small (10-49) TePe Munhygienprodukter AB and PolyPeptide Laboratories AB, provide pharmaceuticals manufacturing facility in Limhamn in medtech companies such as e.g. Stryker, Djo, and Medium-sized (50-249) 2006 and created the Swedish subsidiary Rechon Life Edwards Lifescience in the city, whose turnover and Large (250+) around one-fifth of employment. Every fourth employee in Malmö’s life science Science. personnel have increased since 2015. Stryker’s progress sector works in a micro-company or a The presence of the companies in the city pro- is particularly notable; according to the most recent small company. motes Malmö’s position as an important city for the data provided from the company, Stryker employs ca development of pharmaceuticals, as well as contri- 75 people in Malmö – ca 88% more than in 2015.
Number of employees in Skåne according to most recent available data butes to increased employment. Like PolyPeptide, Finally, medtech is an important subsector for from 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies. most of the companies mentioned above have seen a Malmö’s Medeon Science Park, which is home to a need to increase their workforce since 2015; Rechon number of companies such as Medarca and Vibro- Life Science for example has increased its person- sense. The science park’s scope in the life sciences in the crossover ICT companies whose activities are included in Novo Nordisk’s global network Cities nel from 76 to 178, Bioglan from 60 to 100, and is broad, however; diabetes, for example, is a major in IT and the life sciences and include the deve- Changing Diabetes, in which 24 cities – including Galenica from 35 to 80. As mentioned elsewhere, focus there. lopment of apps, software and digital solutions for Copenhagen – collaborate to find solutions for there are thus 1 000 employees in the subsector individuals and the rest of the life science sector. tackling the increase in urban obesity. according to the most recent statistics available, up Capish Nordic, Flow Neuroscience and Perigee are from a total of around 670 in 2015. The increase is Overall stable development for large Danish a few of the approx. 30 companies were identified notable, as approximately 9% of Malmö’s life scien- pharma companies in Malmö with dominant links to the life sciences. Contract manufacturing organisations and ce companies are contract research organisations. All of Denmark’s three largest pharmaceuticals They employed a total of 179 people in 2015, as contract research organisations – the city’s companies, Novo Nordisk, LEO Pharma and H. opposed to today’s 322, according to the latest largest subsector Lundbeck, continue to be represented in Malmö available figures from 2018-2019. Contract manufacturing and contract research orga- Number of medtech employees almost with Danish directors, and the total number of With the positive employment development nisations are the largest subsector in Malmö. Such doubled employees for the three companies has remained across subsectors, there are a total of around 2 700 companies are commissioned to develop and ma- The second largest subsector in the Municipality of stable since 2015. people working in the 116 life science companies nufacture e.g. pharmaceuticals for other companies Malmö is medtech. Approximately 800 people work In 2015, there were approx. 110 people identified in Malmö; in 2015, there were 1 800 in the life sciences. According to the most recent in the field, according to the most recent statistics working for the three companies in Malmö; that people working in the sector – there has thus been statistics available, which span 2018-2020, the available, which are from 2018-2020. That is a ca number is essentially unchanged in 2019/2020. an increase of ca. 46%. sector employs a total of ca 1 100 people full-time; 50% increase compared to 2015, when the subse- If looking at the three large pharma companies The life science sector in Malmö and Greater that corresponds to a ca 60% increase from 2015. ctor employed approx. 530. individually, their development in Malmö has Copenhagen has also been able to enjoy an extra The largest life science company in Malmö is the Growth in Malmö’s medtech sector can be expla- taken somewhat different directions since 2015: boost, as the partnering conference Nordic Life Sci- contract development and manufacturing company ined e.g. by a combination of successes enjoyed by employee numbers have increased at Novo Nord- ence Days, arranged by SwedenBio, has been held PolyPeptide Laboratories with its 279 full-time both local, older industrial companies and the local- isk and LEO Pharma, while H. Lundbeck’s staff in Malmö rather than in Stockholm since 2017. employees in the city’s Limhamn district. In just five ly-established divisions of foreign companies. Atos has decreased in size. Novo Nordisk’s branch in In 2019, around 800 companies and organisations years, the business has grown and taken on nearly Medical and Arjo, the latter of which was part of the Malmö, which is also considered the company’s were represented by ca 1 300 participants from a 100 new employees in Malmö, and it is the global Getinge group until 2017, have both moved their national office for Sweden, has gone from 66 total of 40 different companies, and the number of headquarters for the privately-owned PolyPeptide headquarters south from Hörby and Eslöv, respective- employees in 2015 to 75 in 2020. As mentioned Danish participants has tripled since the trade show Group, which has around 900 employees around ly, to Malmö, where they have also consolidated their elsewhere, LEO Pharma’s facility in Malmö has moved to Malmö. the world. In 2019, the company’s turnover in activities. Around 55 people work at Atos Medical’s also enjoyed progress, now counting approx. 25 The Danish-Swedish link was strengthened fur- Malmö was 788 million SEK. PolyPeptide has seen headquarters in Hyllie, and ca 140 work at Arjo’s employees in 2019 – nearly double the number in ther this March by the increase in Malmö Universi- new orders as a result of the coronavirus crisis, says headquarters near Malmö’s Central Station. 2015. There are fewer employees at H. Lundbeck’s ty’s involvement in transregional research activities the company’s Global HR Director Jacob Nilsson; Furthermore, the manufacturer of oral hygiene pro- Malmö facility however: in 2015 there were 31 driven by e.g. Medicon Valley Alliance. At the core it is currently in an expansion phase and expects to ducts TePe – a company founded in Malmö in 1965 people on staff, and in 2019 there were 19. of the new collaboration are drug delivery, diabetes, increase its staff in Malmö in the years to come. – has also contributed to pushing the medtech sector Whether H. Lundbeck’s and LEO Pharma’s digital health, and fertility and reproduction. – We’re in a rather expansive phase. We’re doing in the right direction; between 2015 and 2020, the announced plans for strategic reorganisation in the Also bolstering the life sciences in Malmö is the very well, and our problem is more being able to company’s staff grew from 181 to 253 as the compa- coming years will affect the company’s activities in fact that it is the only Swedish city to have been meet demand, says Jacob Nilsson. ny’s turnover has risen. Parallel to this, in recent years Malmö remains to be seen.
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MALMÖ’S FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES MORE NEW LIFE SCIENCE ENTERPRISES IN CMO-consultants, medtech and ICT companies MALMÖ – Companies established since 2015 are the ones that grow fastest in Malmö, but all of the subsectors reviewed employ more PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: people now than in 2015. Rechon Life Science 19 34 AB, QPharma AB and PolyPeptide Laboratories Number of Number of employees AB are the three companies from Malmö who- companies in Malmö se growth has been strongest since 2015, with each assuming around 100 new employees. 2 The life science sector is growing, both in terms of employees and the number of companies. 19 Danish Sunstone Life Science Ventures is the lar- new enterprises have been established since gest shareholder in the Malmö-based companies 2015 – while active in a number of subsectors, the Ascelia Pharma and Acarix. The venture capital majority of them were established in medtech, investment firm owns 19.1% and 9.2% of the pharmaceuticals and ICT. companies, respectively. Both of the companies
The fastest growing of them are the new phar- COMPANIES IN EXPANSION IN MALMÖ NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: are quoted on Nasdaq Stockholm. maceuticals companies: Glenmark Pharmaceuti- The contract developer and manufacturer QPhar- cals Nordic AB was founded in 2017 and already ma started expansion in 2018 with a new manu- has seven employees; Enorama Pharma and 2A facturing facility. Next year their staff in Malmö will Pharma AB started up in 2016, and they now have expand; CEO Kenneth Stokholm reported to Øre- INDUSTRY IMPORTANT IN five and four employees, respectively. sundsinstituttet that they expect a total of 290 and 300 employees. TePe, which produces oral hygiene MALMÖ products, is continuing to expand its warehouse-, There are around 15 life science companies with MALMÖ – A GROWING office- and manufacturing facilities after phase 1 Companies with the most new employees manufacturing facilities in Malmö. The majority are HEADQUARTERS CAPITAL was completed in 2019. The contract company APL in Malmö since 2015: from the contract research sector, while others are has invested in scaling up production and conso- simple companies in biotech and medtech. A common The number of people working at life science lidated a number of activities from Gothenburg QPharma AB +108 feature of almost all of the production companies is companies in Malmö has risen by about 850 since in Malmö. In October 2020, Medeon Science Park Rechon Life Science AB +102 that they have increased their workforce since 2015 – at 2015. There are around 2 700 people employed at inaugurated a new, 4 000 m2 building and hopes to PolyPeptide Laboratories AB +97 that time, there were around 1 000 people employed in the companies in Malmö; that is an increase of ca. begin planning for another. The contract company Arjo Sverige AB +72 companies with manufacturing facilities; according to 46% compared to 2015, when around 1 800 people PolyPeptide also has plans to increase production. TePe Munhygienprodukter AB +72 the most recent figures available, production companies worked in the sector there. Among other things, MD International AB +58 now employ around 1 400 people. Several examples are: the positive development is linked to growing Galenica AB +45 headquarters in Malmö and existing companies’ Bioglan AB +40 PolyPeptide Laboratories AB expansion. Below is a list of the city’s company GROWING SCIENCE PARK Tunstall Nordic AB +35 TePe Munhygienprodukter AB headquarters with more than 50 employees: This October brought more office and lab space Stryker AB +35 Bioglan AB to Medeon Science Park: the new, 4 000 m2 Svar Life Science AB +32 Rechon Life Science AB Global headquarters: building is called Forskaren 1 – the Researcher. Arthro Therapeutics AB +24 QPharma AB Arjo AB More than half of the new space has already Apotek Produktion & Laboratorier AB PolyPeptide Laboratories AB been rented out to Galenica, a contract manu- Together, Malmö’s 20 fastest-growing Svar Life Science AB TePe Munhygienprodukter AB facturer and one of the around 60 companies at life science companies have increa- Allard Manufacturing AB QPharma AB Medeon. The company moved in on 1 October sed their number of employees by 730 Bioglan AB 2020. Companies are able to adapt the rented individuals since 2015. Of the 20 fastest Galenica AB premises to suit their needs. growing companies, 11 are medium-si- Mediplast AB zed, with between 50 and 249 employees, Magle Chemoswed AB and there are also large companies
Atos Medical AB such as PolyPeptide Laboratories AB NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Rechon Life Science AB and TePe Munhygienprodukter AB, with more than 250 employees. Seven of the
National divisions or sales offices: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: fastest-growing companies in Malmö’s Stryker AB life science sector are small enterprises Apotek Produktion & Laboratorier AB (APL) with fewer than 50 employees. Novo Nordisk Scandinavia AB
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NEW SUBSECTORS IN MALMÖ MALMÖ’S LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES
Healthtech companies are thriving. Employees Employees Company Subsector in Malmö1 Company Subsector in Malmö1
PolyPeptide CMO 279 Wieslab AB CRO 31 Laboratories AB Around 30 companies in Malmö have expli- Nordic Drugs AB Pharma 30 TePe Munhygienprodukter Medtech 253 citly focused their activities on ICT related Arthro Therapeutics AB ICT/Healthtech 27 to the life sciences. These companies develop AB B3 Healthcare Consulting ICT/Healthtech 26 QPharma AB CMO 250 apps, software and digital solutions for other AB
life science actors or their own health-rela- NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Arjo Sverige AB Medtech 190 LEO Pharma AB Pharma 25 ted solutions. The companies are also called Rechon Life Science AB CMO 178 healthtech-, e-health- or connected health Edwards Lifesciences Medtech 24 Apotek Produktion & Labo- CMO 110 Nordic AB companies. The sector has been thriving since ratorier AB 2015 in terms of the number of employees and Rubin Medical AB Medtech 24 Svar Life Science AB Bioteknik 105 the number of companies. In 2015, around Getinge Sverige AB Medtech 24 Bioglan AB CMO 100 180 people were employed in the companies H. Lundbeck AB Pharma 19 identified. According to the most recent figures MD International AB ICT/Healthtech 80 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE Astellas Pharma AB Pharma 18 available for 2018-2020, around 320 people Galenica AB CRO 80 in Malmö are employed in ICT with a life LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR IN MALMÖ Ferring Läkemedel AB Pharma 17 Stryker AB Medtech 75 science focus, comprising 12% of Malmö’s Capish Nordic AB ICT/Healthtech 15 Novo Nordisk Pharma 75 total employees in the life sciences. The largest Medac Gesellschaft für Pharma 14 Scandinavia AB company identified is MD International AB klinische spezialpräparat Mediplast AB Medtech 64 – it is also responsible for Min Doktor, which Perigee AB ICT/Healthtech 12 Magle Chemoswed AB CMO 62 has developed a digital platform for physician Infotech Scandinavia AB ICT/Healthtech 12 consultations. The company was founded in Tunstall Nordic AB ICT/Healthtech 55 Traditional life Ascelia Pharma AB Biotech 11 Skåne in 2013, and its headquarters are in science Atos Medical AB Medtech 552 Malmö. While the ICT sector explicitly focu- New sectors Softpro Medical Solutions ICT/Healthtech 11 Biora AB Biotech 38 AB sed on the life sciences is thriving in Malmö and is beginning to resemble a new subsector Allard Manufacturing AB Medtech 35 Trialbee AB ICT/Healthtech 11 in the city, only few foodtech companies speci- Djo Nordic AB Medtech 34 Bruun & Maté Other 11 fically focused on the life sciences were identi- Alfa eCare AB ICT/Healthtech 33 Sawbones Europe AB Other 10
fied in the city. These few companies are newly 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data for 2017-2020. 2Also has 100 employees in Hörby. The companies on this list have 10 or established and have only a few employees. 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies more employees. Source: Bisnode and data from the companies. OTHER COMPANIES Medtech: Acarix AB, Aktiv Ortopedteknik AB, A. Menarini Pharma AB, SB1 Pharma AB, WNT Research Diagnostics, Chromalytica AB, Cleer4u AB, Cortec Medical AB, Dianovator*, Erol AB, Finn Medicinen Scandinavia AB, CRO: Propharma Group AB, SYNLAB, Analytics & Services COMPANIES WITH SOME ACTIVITIES IN THE LIFE SCIENCES Gordiamkey AB, Innovosens AB*, Medarca AB*, Medexa Di- Sweden AB agnostisk Service AB, Miclev Medical Products AB, Medtrust A number of other companies works with e.g. digitalisation and pany Technogarden has offices Sweden AB, Onemed Sverige AB, Probation Labs Sweden ICT/Healthtech: Akutsyster i Skåne AB, Checkup AB, active in Malmö have links to the AI solutions in e-health. in Malmö and at Medicon Village AB, Skindicator AB*, Spirel AB, Transunit AB, Vibrosense Docly Healthcare AB*, First & Ten AB*, Flow Neuroscien- life science sector, even if they The software company Technia in Lund and describes itself as Dynamics AB, Vitrosorb AB, Zimmer Biomet Sweden AB ce AB, Healthmind AB, Journal Digital Sverige AB, Lear- are not primarily active in the life works with Product Lifecycle a competence and recruitment ning 2 Sleep L2S AB, Mapcog Science AB, Medcardapps sciences, as the companies in our Management in a number e.g. life partner for industry, IT, life sci- Biotech: Aptahem AB, Apoglyx AB*, Axichem AB, BTB AB, My E-Health AB, Open Logger Systems AB, Poptek survey are. They offer e.g. IT- and science, industry and the trans- ence, management and telecom. Pharma AB, Cyxone AB*, Danpet AB, Ebba Biotech AB, Gipsteknik AB, Safe Care Svenska AB, Tonttu AB, Voxeyes consultant solutions for the life port sector. Risk management consultants at Framtix Holdings AB*, In Vitro Plant-Tech AB, Mercodia AB*, Vårdinnovation Sverige AB*, Worddiagnostics AB* science sector to the global IT Sector overlap is not exclusive Risk Pilot list Medtech as one of AB, Micromorph AB, Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics AB, giants IBM and Hewlett-Packard. to the IT sector, however. A num- five focus areas, along with the Swedencare AB, Swedencare Nordic AB Foodtech: Nutragreen, Veg of Lund AB*, Wellbemed Sweden* Health and Care is one of the IT ber of management consultants automotive, transportation, energy company CGI Sverige’s ten focus and recruiters work actively with and defence sectors. Pharma: 2A Pharma AB*, Abarceo AB*, Apoex AB, Other: Biotekpro AB, Diabridge AB, Livio Egg and Sperm sectors, in which the company the life science sector. The com- Besins Healthcare Nordic AB, Enorama Pharma*, Gab- Bank AB*, Nordic Center of Neurofeedback AB, Prenet AB, ather AB, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Nordic AB*, Pila Stairway Medical AB *Company founded in 2015 or later 24 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 25 MALMÖ - INTERVIEW MEDEON MALMÖ - INTERVIEW MEDEON
The 4 000m2 building Forskaren 1 (The Rese- MEDEON WANTS TO BE THE NERVE CENTRE FOR archer 1) will be built by the property concern Wihlborgs, which owns 40% of Medeon. The THE LIFE SCIENCES IN GREATER COPENHAGEN City of Malmö owns the other 60% of the science
park and is collaborating with Wihlborgs on the NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Medeon Science Park & Incubator’s aim is to be a meeting point for the life sciences – not just for Mal- expansion. mö, but for the whole Øresund Region, according to Medeon’s CEO Ulf G. Andersson. He believes that In 2017, the City of Malmö decided to increase bureaucracy and financial regulations make recruitment from Denmark to Skåne difficult, especially funding for Medeon in order to further facilitate for small companies. He is pleased however that the science park will be expanding soon, providing the diabetes research being done on site. Today, the better growth opportunities to smaller companies from Medeon and elsewhere. science park receives about 4 million SEK annually from the City of Malmö, and Wihlborgs contribu- tes 2.8 million SEK per year. In addition, a number For Medeon’s CEO Ulf G. Andersson, there are it shrinks the recruitment base, especially for small of private partners and projects contribute between many positive aspects to the park’s location in Mal- companies. half a million and a million SEK each year. Ulf G Andersson, CEO Medeon. mö. The short distance to Copenhagen, Lund, two – Larger companies like Novo Nordisk and According to Ulf G. Andersson, the prospect airports, and a series of nearby hospitals and universi- Lundbeck can solve those issues; they have a of a new building on the premises will be for the ties make the park an attractive base for a life science presence on both sides. But for small companies, sole benefit of Medeon’s ca 60 companies, among company, he says; the location positions Medeon taking inventory of Danish and Swedish compe- which are Biora AB and Galenica AB. As Medeon’s centrally in the Greater tences is hard work, says Ulf largest company, the latter will preside over a little network Life Science Nord is also an ambition. Copenhagen Region. ”We feel more at home G. Andersson. more than half of the space in the new building, – We’d like to work our way in and make new – We feel more at home While Lund is strong in where a large part of the capacity is already rented contacts – not for dinner dates, but for bringing in Greater Copenhagen and in Greater Copen the field of cancer research, out. Expansion is important, Ulf G. Andersson together companies with common interests and in Medicon Valley than in hagen and in Medicon Medeon and Malmö are points out, to ensure a mix of large, established needs, says Ulf G. Andersson. any national context, says among the leaders in the companies and smaller ones, and the ball is already Ulf G. Andersson. On the Valley than in any field of diabetes in particular, rolling to construct another building. whole, he finds that the national context.” he says. One manifestation – When the first building is complete, we’ll region is well suited for life of that is the Medeon-run start prospecting for the next one, and the goal science purposes. network Diabetes Samverkan Sverige (Diabe- will be to bring in new companies. That could He has been heading the science park since tes Alliance Sweden), an organisation in which mean companies from Skåne and Denmark, but 2014. Established in 1985, Medeon is Sweden’s 120 public and private actors work together to also from beyond Medicon Valley, he says. oldest science park exclusively for life science en- strengthen and improve research and treatment of In his over 30 years in the sector, Ulf G. Anders- terprises. The scope is broad: diagnostics, medtech, the disease, which affects around 500 000 Swedes. son has noticed the emergence of more one-person pharma and biotech are the primary areas of focus Medeon’s active engagement in the field of companies. He believes this is related to people’s in- NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: for the science park’s ca 60 companies, and there is diabetes also includes its role as a sparring partner creased willingness to take risks and start companies also an incubator. Between 400-450 people work in Novo Nordisk’s programme Cities Changing on their own. Another important factor is that big on-site. Three of them are full-time employees Diabetes. Malmö is part of the network, where pharma-, medtech- and pharmaceutical concerns MEDEON SCIENCE PARK & of the Medeon organisation, and it should be 26 large cities work together to create solutions in are no longer as sequestered as they used to be and INCUBATOR mentioned that there is also a network of experts the area. Furthermore, one of Ulf G. Andersson’s are more open to external ideas, he says. employed on a consultant basis; there is thus a goals is to utilise routine dentist visits in Skåne as – One-person companies have the ideas, says • Founded: 1985 under the name Ideon-Malmö, total of 20-25 people who advise the companies a preliminary screening opportunity for a range Ulf G. Andersson, and he points out that in changed its name to Medeon in 1998 about their business operations. of chronic diseases, including diabetes, to catch addition to innovation strength, they often have a • Focus area: Pharma, medtech, biotech, and Seeking interaction in the border region is not troubling indications early. He believes that this range of consultant associates, so there are actually health care • Ownership: The City of Malmö and Wihlborgs without its challenges, however. ID-checks, cur- ties in to the global focus on prevention rather many people working on each case. Fastigheter rency discrepancies, and public funding pools that than treatment in health care. His hope is that Skåne’s smaller companies will • CEO: Ulf G. Andersson cannot be used transnationally due to national – This is something we’d like to launch in 2020. be able to collaborate more extensively with larger • The buildings are owned by: Wihlborgs regulations do not facilitate integration between We’ve gotten a very positive response from Region companies in the Copenhagen area. Medeon’s Fastigheter Denmark and Sweden, says Ulf G. Andersson. Skåne and from Lund and Malmö Universities, he says. plan for 2020 and beyond is thus to continue its • Total number of companies at Medeon: ca. 60 In addition, he believes that differences in Another development, scheduled for the close collaboration with Medicon Valley Alliance, • Total number of employees in the companies banking systems and diverging regulations for tax autumn of 2020, is the addition of a new building SmiLe Incubator and other life science actors, for at Medeon: 400-450 returns and remuneration prevent more Swedes on Medeon’s premises. The wish for larger offices example by hosting investment meetings, hopeful- • Moreover: Medeon is Sweden’s oldest science and Danes from from accepting employment on and more lab space came from Medeon’s compa- ly on the Danish side of the Øresund as well. De- park dedicated solely to the life sciences the other side of the strait – including positions on nies themselves; according to Ulf G. Andersson, veloping stronger links to Copenhagen Bio Science company boards. This is a shame, he says, because the science park is currently “filled to the brim”. Park (COBIS) and the northern German trade
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of the three innovation environments. Furthermore, has sunken slightly in the past five years; around Skåne’s science parks are vital for the Øresund Regi- 1 000 people in the 63 companies identified are now on’s life science cluster as a whole with the knowled- employed in the subsector. In 2015, that number ge, networks and trans-Øresund collaboration they was around 1 100. The reduction is due primarily to
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: generate and promote. Baxter (formerly Gambro) moving its production to The university hospital and the academic Italy – a move that will be ongoing until 2022. This environment are also essential life science actors has led to the company employing approx. 500 today, in Lund, and a great deal of research is conducted compared to ca 850 in 2015. In a few years, only 150 within them. One result of this is that there are a people will work at the facility. Gambro, which started large number of spinout companies in Lund – many up in Lund with the development of a single-use artifi- of them from Lund University, for example Spectro- cial kidney in 1964, was sold to the American medtech nic Medical, Hansa Biopharma or Guard Therapeu- group in 2013, and many subsequent changes have af- tics. The link between the research environments at fected the facility in Lund. The current reorganisation the university, the high-level education and the life in Lund goes back further still, however. Until 2005, science companies is thus extremely important. Gambro led 150 dialysis clinics around the globe from The life science sector in Lund is recognised as its base in Lund under the name Gambro HealthCare. Skåne’s largest biotech sector, and Lund is also the The following year however, changes were made to municipality with the greatest number of life science the ownership structure, and Gambro was de-listed companies, most of which are small in size; there are from the stock market in Stockholm and acquired by more large companies based in Malmö, while Lund two Swedish investment firms that divided Gambro tends to be the base for smaller R&D companies. All of this bears witness to the high volumes of innova- tion- and research capacity in Lund and emphasises the city’s vital importance as a research centre in the life science sector in Skåne. The strong position LUND will be reinforced further in the coming years, e.g. when the expansion of the medical faculty (BMC) is complete, and when the neutron research facility 225 2 400 European Spallation Source (ESS) is ready for ope- Number of life Number of employees ration in 2023. An important task will be bringing science companies in the life science LUND – CENTRE OF R&D, BIOTECH AND STARTUPS awareness to Lund’s life science students of the in Lund companies in Lund career opportunities the industry has to offer; in that respect, the newly established division of the student The life science sector in Lund is on a positive development trajectory. In just organisation Synapse might prove important, both NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN five years, employment has grown by ca 400 jobs to around 2 400 positions. for building bridges and as a source of inspiration. In LUND’S LIFE SCIENCE COMPA- Baxter’s closure in Lund has entailed a slight setback for employment in med- terms of employee numbers, medtech is the largest subsector in Lund, although numbers have decreased NIES PER SUBSECTOR tech, however. Lund continues to position itself as an important research city, since 2015, primarily due to Baxter’s acquisition and and large-scale building projects have been and continue to be underway in reorganisation of what was formerly Gambro. Baxter will relocate its production by 2022 – a develop- Employees in Employees in Medicon Village, BMC, ESS and MAX IV. 64 new companies have been founded Subsector Lund 2015 Lund 20201 since 2015 – that is the highest number anywhere in Skåne. ment with certain parallels to AstraZeneca’s move nearly a decade ago. It will be important for Lund to Medtech 1 120 1 030 retain and activate the experience people bring from Biotech 370 630 large companies in established enterprises and new CRO 260 360 Over half of Skåne’s 426 life science companies are people in the life sciences in Skåne in 2015. Today startups, as they did after AstraZeneca’s closure. Pharma 100 140 located in Lund Municipality, and 2 400 people the situation has changed, and life science compa- are employed there. Overall, there has been a nies in Malmö employ a greater number of people Other 60 90 positive development for employment at the city’s than those in Lund. Medtech largest sector, despite Baxter’s ICT/Healthtech 50 80 closure life science companies, with 400 new positions in Lund is known for having Skåne’s largest science Foodtech 30 70 Lund since 2015. The life science cluster in Lund parks, namely Ideon and Medicon Village, and the In a way, the picture from 2015 is unchanged: Med- CMO <10 10 is thus important for Skåne: Every third life science incubator SmiLe. All of these are important ele- tech continues to be the largest subsector in Lund. employee in Skåne is in Lund. Furthermore, com- ments in Lund’s life science ecosystem, as more than On the whole however, the medtech sector is the only 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from panies in Lund employed the greatest number of half of the companies identified are located in one subsector in Lund in which the number of employees 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies
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LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES IN LUND the startup Asgard Therapeutics, which demonstrates from Lund’s science park environment. They were – NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN ORDER how Danish and Swedish actors such as BioInnova- all started by former AstraZeneca employees, clearly OF COMPANY SIZE HALF WORK IN SMALL tion Institute in Copenhagen and The Wallenberg demonstrating that new jobs can emerge – even COMPANIES Center for Molecular and Translational Medicine can when Baxter’s reorganisation is complete in a few support a company using various means. The general years. Even if Baxter is moving its production, they Small and micro-companies are re- focus on biotech and medtech in Lund is also reflec- still see good reasons to stay in Lund. sponsible for a larger part of employ- ted in the types of member companies at the science – We’re interested in open innovation, where ment in Lund than in Skåne as a whole. parks Medicon Village and Ideon and the incubator we have a continuous dialogue with incubators Nearly half of the employees in the life Micro (-9) science sector in Lund work in small SmiLe, where around half of all companies are active to strengthen our collaboration in networks. I see Small (10-49) or micro-companies, compared with in biotech or medtech. At Ideon Science Park, bio- strong potential in precisely our region, says Per-Ola Medium-sized (50-249) just over one-third in Skåne as a whole tech and medtech combined with ICT also comprise Wictor, Director of HD Therapy and Water Tech- Large (250+) and just over one-fourth in Malmö and the majority of the park’s life science companies. nologies at Baxter and site lead in Lund. Helsingborg. Most work in smaller companies Lund develops its R&D position further One difference between Malmö and Lund is that Lund has a strong position in R&D as the municipali- while the majority of the ten largest life science ty in Skåne in which the greatest number of life scien- Number of employees in Skåne according to most recent available data companies are located in Malmö Municipality, ce companies have been established since 2015. And from 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies. Lund Municipality tends to have the greatest num- the city’s position in R&D will become stronger still ber of smaller R&D companies, and generally spea- in the years to come, when the first experiments can into three parts: Gambro HealthCare (dialysis clinics), other subsectors. As a result, employment in the king the most life science companies on the whole. be conducted at the neutron research facility European CaridianBCT (blood technology), and Gambro (dialy- municipality has grown on the whole since 2015, Since 2015, 64 new companies have been establis- Spallation Source (ESS) starting in 2023. Forum Med- sis equipment). All three parts of the former Gambro with approx. 400 more employees in life science hed specifically in medtech and biotech, as well as e.g. icum, a new, 16 000m2 building for the Faculty of have since been resold. Gambro HealthCare was sold companies. Companies in Lund are thus growing in contract research organisations and ICT companies. Medicine (BMC) at Lund University, is scheduled for to the British private equity company Bridgepoint general despite Baxter’s restructuring. There is a significant group of new ICT companies completion in the same year. Furthermore, a protein in 2007; CaridianBCT was sold to the Japanese that can be considered e-health companies, as the microscope that received €34 million in funding from technology company Terumo Corporation in 2011; CEO of SmiLe Incubator Ebba Fåhraeus notes. the Novo Nordisk Foundation will be complete at the and in 2013, the final, but original part – with dialysis Skåne’s biotech sector: biggest in Lund – The area that has expanded most in recent materials research laboratory MAX IV. Last November, equipment – was sold to Baxter. It can be mentioned Following medtech, biotech is the largest subse- years is e-health companies, app-based or data-based the seven-storey, 17 000m2 office building and me- here that following the change in ownership to Brid- ctor in Lund Municipality; the biotech companies enterprises. They are multiplying, she says. eting place The Spark opened at Medicon Village. In gepoint – the first part, Gambro HealthCare – became identified employ around 630 people. Compared to Nearly 100 companies with R&D activities addition, the new cancer clinic Perituskliniken opened Diaverum. Today, Diaverum manages ca 400 dialysis Malmö Municipality, Lund’s biotech sector employs were identified in the municipality – a number that up to patients this September. The entrepreneur family clinics worldwide and has ca 11 000 employees, three times as many people. Biotech is thus an might possibly be higher in reality. Around half of from Skåne Göran Ennerfelt and Antonia Axelsson around 170 of whom work in Sweden; the company’s important strength in Lund, and Swedish, global the 2 400 people work in small or micro-companies; Johnson, the family Rune and Johan Andersson from global headquarters has been located in Malmö since companies such as Probi, Alligator Bioscience and this is more than elsewhere in Skåne. the Mellby Gård group, and the Mats Paulsen family – moving there from Lund in 2019. Diaverum is also Hansa Biopharma have e.g. headquarters in the city. Many R&D companies started off as spinouts which also contributed startup capital for the establish- preparing for an IPO before the end of 2020. This June, the lattermost company’s drug candidate from Lund’s academic environment: examples are ment for Medicon Village around a decade ago – have It is remarkable that despite Baxter’s res- Idefirix was recommended for market approval by companies like BIBB Instruments, Abliva (formerly invested a total of 200 million SEK in establishing the tructuring in Lund, the number of medtech an expert committee at the European Medicines NeuroVive Pharmaceutical) and SpectraCure. It can clinic. This autumn, another cancer clinic will open on employees has not dropped more sharply in the past Agency (EMA). A final approval and launch are thus be said that Lund Municipality is more focused the premises, this one funded by the Rausing family, five years, however – this is an indication that many expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. The drug on R&D in the life sciences – preferably in smaller which founded the packaging company Tetra Pak in other medtech companies in Lund have expanded will be developed in collaboration with the Ameri- medtech and biotech companies, whilst Malmö and Lund in 1951. The two new cancer clinics at Medicon in the same period. One of them is the medtech can genetic therapy company Sarepta Therapeutics, northwest Skåne have more companies in medtech, Village will strengthen the research and treatment of company CellaVision, which has gone from having which may have to pay 2.6 billion SEK for Hansa pharma and contract research with larger produc- cancer in the city, and the construction projects will 61 employees in 2015 to 114 in 2020. A total of 17 Biopharma’s first drug. Another research collabo- tion facilities. The picture has grown more defined conceivably make Lund’s profile in the life sciences companies in all subsectors have increased their per- ration emerged this summer between Alligator over the years, with the closure of AstraZeneca’s even more international. Ideon Science Park also has a sonnel by more than 10 employees in the past five Bioscience and the Copenhagen-based Scandion facility in 2012 and the announcement that Baxter more global slant now that UNOPS – the UN’s global years, and around half of the 225 companies iden- Oncology after Janssen – a subsidiary of Johnson (formerly Gambro) would be moving production to unit for project implementation, opened an innova- tified have increased their staff numbers in general, & Johnson – ended a contract in 2019 for Alligator Italy by 2022. In the years to come, it will be vital tion centre in the park in 2019. whilst approx. 25 companies, including Baxter, have Bioscience’s cancer drug, which could have brought for the municipality to retain the knowledge and – Instead of being a science park in Lund and decreased their number of employees. the Lund-based company up to 4.3 billion SEK, experience of its many researchers and company for Lund, we have made it very clear that we are a Although employment in medtech has drop- but ultimately generated 376 million SEK. leaders. Adroit Science, Iconovo and Red Glead science park for the world that is located in Lund, ped slightly, there has been a total increase in all Another example of a biotech company in Lund is Discovery are examples of successful companies says Ideon’s CEO Mia Rolf.
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NEW BIG BUSINESSES EMERGING MANY NEW BUSINESSES IN LUND Together, CellaVision AB, Hansa Biopharma Newly established companies since 2015 AB, BioInvent International AB and PRA Inter- national Sweden AB had around 150 employees PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO:
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: in 2015. Today, the same companies employ 64 171 around 315 people. They are the four compa- Number of Number of employees nies to have grown fastest in Lund since 2015, companies in Lund and several are linked to the innovation area that surrounds Lund’s science parks. Hansa The innovative environment surrounding Lund Uni- Biopharma is a spinoff from Lund University, versity and in Lund’s science parks has given rise and two of the companies are linked to Ideon. Skåne University Hospital (SUS) is the third-lar- to a wealth of new companies in recent years. The gest hospital in Sweden and is located in both majority of the new enterprises are micro-compa- Malmö and Lund. The majority of its 12 000 nies with few employees, but there are also several employees are in Lund, however. The hospital larger businesses among them. The foodtech works closely with the life science sector in the company SBM Life Science, with 26 employees, municipality. PHOTO: CELLAVISION PHOTO: was founded in 2016 as a subsidiary of the global SBM group. SmiLe alumni Diagnostics AB and Am- BAXTER’S STAFF IN LUND DECREASES niotics AB are biotech companies based in Medicon The medtech company Gambro Lundia AB, Village with 14 and 10 employees, respectively. The which is part of Baxter, is in the midst of a THE LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRY medical imaging company Corsmed AB, founded in restructure. The company is Lund’s largest life 2016, also has 10 employees in Lund. science enterprise and had almost 850 employ- IN LUND IS ADDING ON ees in 2015. According to the most recent data With the new research facilities ESS and MAX IV, LIFE SCIENCE LABOUR from the company, the number of employees Lund’s life science sector will have a state-of-the-art was down to around 485 people, and the per- research environment on its home turf. Adjacent to FORCE OF THE FUTURE sonnel will continue to decrease in the future. The companies in Lund with the largest the research facilities is the new district Brunnshög, Read more about Baxter’s reorganisation in number of new employees since 2015 where the new Science Village Scandinavia is being BEING TRAINED IN LUND an interview with the company’s site lead and CellaVision AB +53 planned that will be home to e.g. the facilities The With its 30 000 students, Lund University is one of director of HD Therapy and water Technologies, Hansa Biopharma AB +42 Loop and Space. the largest universities in Sweden, not to mention Per-Ola Wictor, on page 90-91. BioInvent International AB +40 There are building projects elsewhere in the muni- Scandinavia. The partially independent faculty PRA International Sweden AB +31 cipality as well. The Biomedical Centre (BMC) at Lund LTH School of Engineering (LTH) was founded Alligator Bioscience AB +29 University is adding on the building Forum Medicum, in 1961. Many of Skåne’s life science companies LUND’S LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR IS Immunovia AB +27 which will be completed in 2023. The new cancer cli- source expertise from the university, and Lund’s CHARACTERISED BY SMALL Camurus AB +26 nic Peritus opened its doors this September. Another science parks are located in close proximity to the COMPANIES SBM Life Science AB +26 cancer clinic, funded by the Rausing family, will open university campus. The life science sector in Lund comprises a Red Glead Discovery AB +20 later this year. large number of small companies. Around Saga Diagnostics AB +14 The Spark – a seven-storey building with meeting Number of students at Lund University by sub- half of the people employed in the city’s life places and offices for life science companies – ope- ject area in the autumn term of 2019: science companies work in companies with ned at Medicon Village in November 2019. Law and sociology 12 428 fewer than 50 employees; that is a higher Together, Lund’s 10 fastest-growing Technology 6 417 share than anywhere else in Skåne. Many of life science companies have increased Natural sciences 5 816 the companies are based in Lund’s science the number of employees by over 300 Humanities and theology 5 719 parks, Medicon Village and Ideon Science people since 2015 – the companies Medicine and odontology 1 995 Center, or linked to the incubator SmiLe. personnel has more than doubled. In Healthcare and nursing 1 519 total, 17 Lund-based companies have Other areas 1 444 increased their employee numbers by PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Arts 1 188 10 people or more since 2015. Several Unknown 833 of the fast-growing companies are lin- ked to Lund’s science parks, Medicon Students can be registered for more than one area NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Village and Ideon, Lund University, or or at multiple institutions in a single term, and the the incubator SmiLe. values in the above table can thus not be tallied. Source: Swedish Higher Education Authority
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NEW SUBSECTORS IN LUND LUND’S LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES
Healthtech and foodtech employing more people. Employees Employees Company Subsector in Lund1 Company Subsector in Lund1
Gambro Lundia AB (Baxter) Medtech 573 Saromics Biostructures AB CRO 16 Around 30 companies have been identified CellaVision AB Medtech 114 Xintela AB Biotech 15 as focusing specifically on ICT related to the TFS Trial Form Support AB CRO 111 Cantargia AB Biotech 14 life sciences. They can also be called e-health-, connected health- or healthtech companies, BioInvent International AB Biotech 75 Saga Diagnostics AB* Biotech 14 Camurus AB Pharma 70 Truly Labs AB CRO 14 and they develop apps, software or digital so- NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: lutions for other life science actors or for their PRA International CRO 68 Glycorex Transplantation AB Medtech 13 Sweden AB own health-related solutions. The companies SpectraCure AB Medtech 13 are small in terms of personnel, a number of Repligen Sweden AB Biotech 66 Avidicare AB Medtech 12 them are startups, and around half of them are Hansa Biopharma AB Biotech 58 located in Lund’s three science parks. Ca 75 Triomed AB Medtech 12 Alligator Bioscience AB Biotech 56 people are employed in the companies iden- Iconovo AB Biotech 12 Inpac i Lund AB Other 48 tified, according to the most recent available NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE Idogen AB Biotech 12 Probi AB Biotech 45 figures for 2018-2020. Around 50 people Miltenyi Biotec Norden AB Biotech 12 were employed at the companies in 2015, so LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR IN LUND Immunovia AB Biotech 38 Active Biotech AB Biotech 12 they can be said to be growing on the whole, Biogaia AB Biotech 35 and more people can be said to be employ- Medicinsk Bildteknik Medtech 11 ed in the subsector. Another subsector that Red Glead Discovery AB CRO 34 Sverige AB employs around the same number of people in Bone Support AB Medtech 28 Ceva Animal Health AB Pharma 11 Lund comprises the ten foodtech companies SBM Life Science AB* Foodtech 26 Timeline Bioresearch AB CRO 11 Traditional life identified which are particularly focused on the science Genovis AB Biotech 24 Exini Diagnostics AB ICT/Healthtech 11 life sciences and that strive with their R&D to New sectors Stryker (Jolife AB) Medtech 23 Cross Technology ICT/Healthtech 11 make food manufacturing more sustainable. Solutions AB Around 70 people are employed in these com- IHE, Institutet för Hälso- CRO 22 och Sjukvårdsekonomi Corsmed AB* Medtech 10 panies, i.e. ca double the number employed in 2015. Employment in the new subsectors Aventure AB Foodtech/ 22 Xvivo Perfusion Lund AB Medtech 10 Biotech in foodtech, ICT and other areas with a focus Amniotics AB* Biotech 10 Phase Holographic Medtech 20 on life sciences makes up 10% of the total life 1 Carbiotix AB Biotech 10 Number of employees according to most recent available data from Imaging PHI AB 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies science employment. EQL Pharma AB Pharma 10 Braincool AB Medtech 17 CR Competence AB CRO 10 Enzymatica AB Medtech 17 MVIC AB CRO 10 Obducat Technologies AB Medtech 16 Redoxis AB CRO 10 Senzagen AB Biotech 16 I-Mind Consulting In ICT/Healthtech 10 Spago Nanomedical AB Biotech 16 COMPANIES WITH SOME ACTIVITIES IN THE LIFE SCIENCES Medicon Valley AB 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data for 2017-2020. The companies on this list have 10 or more employees. Source: Bisnode A number of companies in some degree. Schneider Electric which companies are active in the and data from the companies. Lund operate in the borderland Buildings works in part with borderland between life science between life science and other healthcare solutions for digital and other sectors. The consultancy OTHER COMPANIES sectors, e.g. Optifreeze, which hospitals. Qliktech works with data company EC Konsult AB names works with technology to preserve analysis that is used in part by the medtech as one of the sectors that Medtech: AB FIA Odarslövs Mölla, Bibbinstruments AB, AB, Pharmiva AB, Polarcool AB*, Preisler Instrument AB, taste, shape and texture in a life science sector, and the large enlists their services frequently, CapSenze Biosystems AB*, Clinical Laserthermia Systems Prolight Diagnostics AB, Prostalund AB, Random Walk variety of foods. company Sigma Connectivity and and the machinery manufacturer AB, Compacta AB, European Institute of Science AB, Fahl Imaging AB, Sangair AB*, Scandinavian Chemotech AB, There are also companies in Ericsson have branches in the life Pall Norden works with e.g. lab Scandinavia AB*, Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Gantus AB, Sensodetect AB, Smidi AB, Spermosens AB*, Speximo AB, the tech environment that work science sector. instruments and lab machinery for Gelexcell Competence AB*, Glycoprobe AB, Glycorex UBP Swipp AB*, Syntach AB, Tendo AB*, TEQCool AB*, Thy- with the life science industry to There are a number of areas in the life science sector. AB, GPX Medical AB*, Gutfeeling labs AB*, In2Cure AB*, rolytics AB*, Tilly Medical Products AB, Umansense AB, Invent Medic Sweden AB, Lifeassays AB, Lohmann & Rau- Verutech AB, Viraspec AB*, VWR International AB scher AB, Lument AB, Lumito AB, M Care AB, Medow AB*, >> Medvasc AB, Neolund AB*, Neuronano AB, Novosense * Company founded in 2015 or later
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>> OTHER COMPANIES, CONTINUED
Biotech: Acousort AB, Acrivon AB*, Akuru Pharma AB, Solve Research and Consultancy AB, Visiopharm LRI AB*, AligND Systems*, Alteco Medical AB, Anamar AB, AB*, Zelmic AB
Animal Probiotics Sweden AB, Asgard Therapeutics NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: AB*, Bioextrax AB, Cellevate AB, Cell Invent Sweden ICT/Healthtech: Accumbo AB, Bionamic AB*, Cardiolund AB*, Colzyx AB, Combigene AB, Diagonal Pharma AB*, AB, Cerner Sverige AB, Distributed Medical AB, EDC Diaprost AB, Ecozyme AB*, Edvince AB, Enza Biotech AB, Scandinavia AB, Industry Frontiers AB*, Infonomy AB, Gedea Biotech AB, Genomica AB, Guard Therapeutics, Itacih AB*, Jag Patient AB*, Krucom AB, Leuko3ena AB*, Igelösa Life Science AB, Immunebiotech Medical Sweden Medbeat AB, Medotemic AB, Medviso AB, NöjdPatient AB, Nordic Biolabs AB, Novozymes Sweden AB, Panion Norden AB*, PainDrainer AB*, Pampett AB, Philips AB, Animal Health AB*, Reccan Diagnostics AB*, Rhovac AB*, Poow Application AB, Pro Curis AB, QLUCore AB, Softwa- Selectimmune Pharma AB*, Sinntaxis AB*, Swepharm re Point AB, Virotea AB*, WordDiagnostics AB* AB, Synact Pharma AB*, TigerQ AB*, Ziccum AB* Foodtech: AB Svenska Bioforce, Celac Sweden AB, Crop Pharma: Adroit Science AB, Canimguide Therapeutics Tailor AB, Doublegood AB, Glucanova AB, Nordic Reba- AB, Follicum AB, Greenleaf Medical AB, Hamlet Pharma lance AB*, Smartfish AB, Thylabisco AB, Metina AB, Neurovive Pharmaceutical AB, Oncorena AB, Pharmalundensis AB, Pharmnovo, Probare i Lund Other: AB Ninolab, Agardh Consulting AB*, BioFinans AB, Pronoxis AB, Receptorpharma AB*, Respiratorius AB, AB, BioStock AB*, Birka Biostorage AB, Brainlit AB, Bulb Scius Pharma Support AB, Truly Translational Sweden Intelligence AB, Concidera Health AB*, Encorus AB, Epista AB, Xinnate AB*, Zambon Sweden* Life Science Sweden AB*, GAEU Consulting AB*, Göran Brorsson & Partners AB, Kärlkonsult Lars Norgren AB, CMO: Biotage Lund, Canopus Medical AB* Landqvist Waldö Medicinsk Konsult AB*, MultiHelix AB*, N4 Sverige AB, NY Consulting AB, Omik Bioscience AB, CRO: 4Pharma*, Bioperm AB, Emmace Consulting AB, Qadvis Ear AB*, Resanitec AB*, Swedish Biomimetrics Imagene - IT AB, Innovagen AB, IVRS AB*, JE PolyDesign 3000 AB, Symbioteq AB, Ventac Partners AB, Wayinia AB*, Klifo AB*, Larix Sweden AB*, Medetect AB, Ramidus International AB*
* Company founded in 2015 or later PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO:
36 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 37 LUND - INTERVIEW IDEON LUND - INTERVIEW IDEON
medium sized companies in the IDEON REACHES OUT TO REGIONAL AND digital shift. In recent years, turning the GLOBAL ACTORS focus toward Europe and the rest
of the world has been an important NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Medtech is one of the areas of focus at Ideon, where 30% of the around 400 companies are active in the developmental focus for Ideon, life sciences. The goal for the coming years is to recruit more ICT competence to Sweden. Ideon is also says Mia Rolf, not least because currently working to create more international ties through a new collaborative endeavour with the UN many of our companies have global and would like to see more exchange with Copenhagen. ambitions early on. – Instead of being a science park As Sweden’s first science park, Ideon has been a Adequate recruitments are a specific focus for in Lund and for Lund, we have hotbed for technological innovation for 37 years, Ideon; according to Mia Rolf, for innovation in been very clear that we are a scien- Mia Rolf, CEO Ideon. bringing forth e.g. bluetooth technology and medical Lund to continue, it is vital that enough people ce park for the world that is located ultrasound. Many years of working in innovation with the right skills want to work at the science in Lund, she says. have resulted in an extensive network in Skåne, in park, which is just 500m from Lund University. Ideon’s international focus was reinforced when the rest of Sweden and all around the globe. If it That’s why Ideon entered into a partnership with UNOPS – the UN’s global unit for project imple- were up to the CEO of Ideon Mia Rolf, there would Blue Science Park in Karlskrona, Kista Science City mentation, whose headquarters is in Copenhagen – be an increase in the professional interaction with near Stockholm, Mjärdevi Science Park by Linkö- opened an innovation centre in the park in October e.g. Copenhagen Business School and the Technical ping, Luleå Science Park in Norrland and Lindhol- 2019. The centre’s focus is on disruptive technology. University of Denmark. men Science Park in Gothen- Since 2017, all communication at the site has been – We aren’t fully inte- ”Our plan is to reach burg last autumn. The plan is in English, and contributing to global objectives NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: grated yet, and I think that out to our neighbours for all of the parks to look to has become one of the admission criteria for Ideon’s Skåne, Malmö and Lund other European countries in incubator programme, which can currently accum- are somewhat looked down and attract talent to order to attract highly qualified modate 21 companies. IDEON SCIENCE PARK upon in Copenhagen. We our parks, because if workers to Sweden. The buildings at the Ideon site are owned by aren’t very cool, but maybe – Our plan is to reach out the real estate companies Wihlborgs and Castel- • Founded: 1983 that’s something that we our companies aren’t to our neighbours and attract lum. According to Mia Rolf, that has made it pos- • Focus area: Healthtech/medtech and some – and others – need to able to grow the way talents to our parks, because sible for companies from abroad, such as Huawei, biotech. 30% of the companies are active in work with in the context if our companies aren’t able Sony and Schneider Electronics, to establish their the life sciences. Ideon also focuses on ’smart cities’, ’transportation of the future’, and ’smart of the Greater Copenhagen they want to, they’ll to grow the way they want to, bases in the park; this differs from other science materials’ they’ll move on, says Mia Rolf, collaboration, says Mia Rolf move on.” parks in Skåne, where public funding means that • Ownership: Ideon is run through three com- from her office at Ideon. who has been CEO of Ideon the parks are only accessible for Swedish com- panies: She believes closer cooperation with Denmark since 2016. She adds that recruitment efforts will be panies. This does not mean that there is no local o IDEON AB is the marketing company that should be obvious for Sweden’s oldest science park, taking place in cities like Amsterdam and Gdansk in focus, however. heads strategic operations and conducts the which houses 414 large and small companies and the autumn if everything goes according to plan. – We will create more jobs and businesses in local innovation system, owned by Castellum and employs around 10 000 people. Around 30% of the Many of the companies at Ideon have a hard Lund. That is our mission. But how we do that is Wihlborgs and reports to the SUN Foundation. companies are active in the life sciences, and health- time finding people with the right expertise, says up to us, so our operations can actually be freer and CEO Mia Rolf tech/medtech are areas of focus at Ideon. Bone Mia Rolf. There is a particular demand for tho- more international, says Mia Rolf. o IDEON OPEN is engaged by established Support AB and Enzymatica AB are two examples se skilled in programming, embedded systems, When it comes to building up the life science companies looking to revitalise their innovation of companies at Ideon, and pharmaceuticals are also and digital, intelligent technology. Precisely these sector in Skåne, Mia Rolf believes that more app- work. Owned by Lund University, the Municipali- developed there, e.g. at Camurus AB. competences are important for the six parks, which ropriate labour market rules for start-up companies ty of Lund and Wihlborgs. CEO Arne Hansson Other companies such as CellaVision AB and together have around 2 400 companies in ICT are a necessity, as independent contractors are wi- o IDEON INNOVATION runs the incubator opera- tions at Ideon – both on-site and digitally. Owned Precise Biometrics AB illustrate the overlapping of (Information and communications technology). In dely employed. In addition, she believes that Ideon by Lund University, the Municipality of Lund, and healthtech and ICT in the sector. In addition to its recent years ICT has been a strong development contributes two things to the sector: Growth and Wihlborgs. CEO Ola Andersson emphasis on healthtech/medtech, Ideon also focuses motor in the area of e.g. healthtech, says Mia Rolf. knowledge. She maintains that the park’s courses for • The buildings are owned by: Wihlborgs Fastig- on ’smart cities’, ’transportation of the future’ and Attracting talent – which is also one of the open innovation and scale-ups can help established heter AB and Castellum AB ’smart materials’. main objectives in Sweden’s new life science stra- life science businesses as well as startups. • Total number of companies at Ideon: 414 – We like to see ourselves as part of Greater tegy – is not the only thing uniting the six science – The competence necessary for growth can be • Total number of employees at Ideon: 10 000 Copenhagen. Together we have a reservoir of 190 parks in the recruitment partnership. Another goal completely different: the alliances that need se- • Moreover: Ideon was Sweden’s first science 000 students; that’s the largest recruitment base in is to collaborate on e.g. artificial intelligence and curing, the markets to enter, how to set up a board park, and its first buildings were funded by IKEA Scandinavia. 80 000 of those students are on the cyber-security so Sweden can become one of the of directors; it gives the best possible support. We in the 1980s Swedish side, in Skåne. That’s a very large propor- EU’s so-called Digital Innovations Hubs (DIH), offer the life science sector everything that sur- tion, she says. where the aim is to advise and assist small- and rounds innovation, says Mia Rolf.
38 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 39 LUND - INTERVIEW MEDICON VILLAGE LUND - INTERVIEW MEDICON VILLAGE
which is public, but also private actors MEDICON VILLAGE SCALES UP WITH A NEW who back new research and useful inno- vation; that means we have both private BUILDING AND NEW COMPETENCES and public actors on site who support
our companies in their innovation. NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: The science park Medicon Village in Lund is a meeting place, says Kerstin Jakobsson, CEO of Medicon Soon Medicon Village will welcome Village Innovation AB. The new building ”The Spark” has created new possibilities to connect in an yet another enterprise and be able to innovative life science environment, she explains. In just eight years, the science park has become the boast fortified competences and exper- home base for more than 150 companies and organisations, as well as 2 200 employees in research, tise for the hub and the community development and service, and this autumn there will be a new range of competences on site with the established there. opening of the specialist clinic Perituskliniken, where the primary focus is on cancer. – When Perituskliniken opens here, we’ll have the research, the companies that can take charge of the ideas and – The goal is create solid and sustainable relations- Fastighets AB, the latter of which owns Medicon innovation support, and both treatment hips, and a strong meeting place makes that possible. Village’s buildings. According to Kerstin Jakobs- and care. That is positively unique, says Kerstin Jakobsson, From the beginning, we’ve worked to define which son, that gives them unique possibilities to develop Kerstin Jakobsson. CEO Medicon Village. steps are important for us to create a strong commu- the science park’s facilities. Furthermore, the Perituskliniken is a Swedish specia- nity and bring in the right companies, says Medicon pharmaceuticals company AstraZeneca, which was list clinic focused on work with cancer, Village’s head of communications Anette Orheim. formerly based in what is now Medicon Village, primarily of the prostate. When it In 2019, Medicon Village opened the doors left behind a number of instruments that are now opens in Medicon Village, the hope is that it will of its new building, The useful for Medicon Village’s complement the public health system in both Spark: 17 000 m2 on seven ”It’s truly unique that incubator, SmiLe Incubator. diagnostics and treatment. The clinic expects to be floors, with open worksta- we have the full range That’s why as she sees it, the able to receive 15-20 patients a day for treatment tions, small and large offices science park has three distinct and examination, around 30 patients daily for and rooms for conferences of innovation support and unique possibilities to diagnostic imaging, and about 13 patients per day and meetings. The office actors here.” offer its companies. for operations. For the science park that means – complex is the newest side – We can help them in addition to the new competences it will bring NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: shoot to grow from Medicon Village, which also increase their visibility in a community here. We – around 35 new employees. contains restaurants, a sports hall and a fitness cen- can help them connect with the right competences Kerstin Jakobsson is happy about the new tre. Expanding the science park also means growth and capital; that is, with the meeting. The third additions to Medicon Village, which she believes MEDICON VILLAGE for the meeting place itself. thing is what we call sharing economy. It’s not just promote the science park’s current and future focus. – The organised meetings are often a result of about sharing equipment, but also about sharing – It remains to create an environment in which • Founded: 2012 the spontaneous ones, the unexpected meetings. competence. companies can develop further. It is still important • Focus area: Pharmaceuticals, medtech, and People find people they never knew they needed. Since The Spark was inaugurated last year, the that the companies, organisations, Lund Univer- biotech We talk about an ”intersection for success”; that building has become the workplace for around sity and Region Skåne – the triad – continue to • Ownership: Medicon Village is divided into two companies, both of which are owned by the Mats the meeting is where one plus one equals three. All 70 companies and 500 employees, around half of develop, and that we have that mixture of small Paulsson Foundation for Research, Innovation which are relocations from Medicon Village. The companies and somewhat larger companies that the work we do revolves around our members con- and Societal Development necting with the right organisations and people, other half are new arrivals, and the science park continue to grow. And the meeting place is impor- – Medicon Village Innovation AB, CEO: Kerstin and the meeting is a medium, Anette Orheim now houses around 2 200 employees and 150 tant, so they can come into contact. Jakobsson explains. And the name of the new office complex companies. Among them are Lund University, She acknowledges however that they’re facing – Medicon Village Fastighets AB (premises builds on just that, says Kerstin Jakobsson. Region Skåne and Lund Municipality, and there a challenge when it comes to successfully main- owner), Property manager: Erik Jagesten – ”The Spark”. This is where the spark is; this are also numerous private service companies. In taining that as demands increase on the sector • Total number of companies at Medicon is where the meetings are – meetings between addition, there are also many development compa- and competence in the region. She believes on the Village: 150 individuals who create the spark that leads to a nies based in Medicon Village; Alligator Bioscien- whole that the life science sector could become • Total number of employees at Medicon good idea. ce AB, Genovis and SenzaGen AB are just a few better at transforming the region’s quality research • Village’s companies: ca 2 200 Medicon Village’s particular focus is on major of the biotech companies one might bump into and innovation into commercial success. • Moreover: The bio-incubator SmiLe is located medical areas in life science: cancer, diabetes, there. Kerstin Jakobsson speaks about the triad of – That’s where there’s a need for a broad scope at Medicon Village. Medicon Village is expanding respiratory- and lung disease and inflammation. research, public and private enterprises at Medi- on top of the specific focus. We need to do more and the new building The Spark was inaugurated in 2019. Around 2/3 of the premises are rented The science park is divided in two companies, con Village. She believes that the combination of transdisciplinary work whilst becoming more to Lund University and Region Skåne. There is companies that can get ideas to grow is something both of which are owned by the Mats Paulsson highly specialised, she explains, continuing: also a Lund Municipality enterprise – Future by Foundation for Research, Innovation and Societal special. – But you have to look globally and find the Lund – at Medicon Village Development. The foundation owns both Medi- – It’s truly unique that we have the full range right competences around the world, because con Village Innovation AB and Medicon Village of innovation support actors here – Region Skåne, they’re not here, and they’re not in Denmark.
40 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 41 LUND - INTERVIEW SMILE LUND - INTERVIEW SMILE
at the incubator, and they advise around 20 startup PARTNERING LARGE AND SMALL COMPANIES CAN companies with 100 employees. – There are more non-Swedes than Swedes on BOOST LIFE SCIENCE IN THE ØRESUND REGION my team, I think. We’re completely international.
The incubator companies need to be Swedish, and NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Danish-Swedish collaboration can be strengthened with funding from foundations, transregional that has to do with our funding. But the companies’ projects and a greater openness from Denmark’s large life science enterprises, according to Ebba employees are of 20-25 different nationalities, says Fåhraeus, CEO of SmiLe Incubator AB at Medicon Village in Lund. Ebba Fåhraeus, adding that they also coach non- Swedish startups in boot camp programmes. The recent years’ reorganisation at SmiLe in It’s not because of forgetfulness that the doors to the – It would benefit the entire region if the geo- hasn’t changed that there are traditionally many bio- offices and labs here stand open. graphic limitations to how funds can be used could tech companies in the incubator; this has to do with – Everyone should feel welcome to interact with be overcome, says Ebba Fåhraeus. the fact that they have cell laboratories, which are the others here, says Ebba Fåhraeus, CEO of SmiLe Occasionally, she adds, public funding from suitable for research in e.g. immunotherapy. Besides Incubator, the incubator for life science startups at Region Skåne, Lund Municipality and Lund those, 50-60% of the companies admitted are from Ebba Fåhraeus, Medicon Village in Lund. University, which co-finance SmiLe with Medicon Lund University, where cancer research is a strong CEO SmiLe. Until 2010, the premises she shows us belonged Village, is a challenge when it comes to working area. But with powerful megatrends like sensor to the Swedish-British medicinals company Astra- with Denmark, since Swedish tax funds should be technology, preventative healthcare and self-ma- Zeneca, which decided to shut down its research used in Sweden, but that’s by no means a ”show nagement of chronic diseases they have begun to division in Lund and dismiss 900 employees. stopper”, according to Ebba Fåhraeus. change with new kinds of companies. – A three-person company that needs to sell Today that closure is history. – There’s always a bit of a – The area that has expanded most in recent something needs an income. But a lot of large Medicon Village took over ”It would benefit the language barrier, and there’s years is e-health companies, app-based and data-ba- companies have a ’no rush of urgency’ mindset, AstraZeneca’s site and in also a physical barrier. But is sed enterprises. There are more of them to come, and while they’re thinking and evaluating, the small 2012 SmiLe moved into entire region if the it easier for a company from says Ebba Fåhraeus, remarking that the healthtech companies die and we lose a lot of interesting inno- Medicon Village and started geographic limita Skåne to collaborate with agenda is big in Skåne and the rest of Sweden as vation and business opportunities, she says. using some of the spaces and Stockholm than with Copen- well as in Denmark, where the strategy ’Vision for lab facilities for incubation. tions to how funds hagen? No – working with eHealth 2025’ aims to make Sweden the world’s Around 50 companies can be used could be Copenhagen is easier, she says. leading country in healthtech. In addition, SmiLe have hatched and graduated overcome.” SmiLe runs events and boot has been running the digital eight-week programme from SmiLe, and ca. 20 life camps with the Danish CO- Health2B for several years, which is specifically science projects are currently BIS, DTU and CBS as well as aimed at healthtech startups. SmiLe also collabora- receiving guidance from the incubator’s business projects with other innovation actors in Skåne, and tes with Danish, Swedish and Norwegian actors in a strategic advisors; in three to six years, the entre- in the future they’re aiming for a more intensive col- forum for startups called HealthTech Nordic. NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: preneurs will have refined their business models laboration with European incubators. The increased focus on bringing healthtech-com- enough to run their companies on their own. Gedea Although Ebba Fåhraeus sees a strong willingness panies into the incubator in recent years doesn’t Biotech, MedVasc and Sinntaxis are among the en- in the industry to collaborate with smaller compa- mean however that SmiLe is situating itself more SMILE INCUBATOR rolled companies, and Saga Diagnostics, SARomics nies, she believes that larger life science companies, within healthtech, says Ebba Fåhraeus. Taking a Biostructures and Xintela are alumni. particularly in Denmark, could be even more colla- clear stance like that doesn’t make sense, because the • Founded: 2007 as Lund Life Science Incubator The companies are financed by SmiLe’s inve- borative and open to Skåne’s smaller enterprises. sector is growing increasingly transdisciplinary, and (LSI), moved to Medicon Village in 2012, changed stor network, which raises its own capital, and – We have a lot of small startups on one side of the winds of new technologies as well as artificial its name to SmiLe Incubator i 2016 with public funds from e.g. Vinnova, the Swedish the bridge. On the other side are a number of large intelligence and machine learning are blowing in all • Focus area: Biotech, pharma, medtech, and Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, and companies and foundations, and I believe the chal- directions. e-health the EU. To improve conditions for the life science lenges that lie ahead have to do with how we can – Pharma companies are suddenly really inte- • Ownership: Region Skåne, Lund Municipality, sector in the Øresund Region, Ebba Fåhraeus calls get them to work together in a constructive way, so rested in e-health solutions that will help patients Lund University and Medicon Village for more interaction between Denmark and Sweden none of them swallows the others, she says. manage their dosage. I think that there is a lot • CEO: Ebba Fåhraeus • Total number of startups in SmiLe Incubator: on the funding front. When Ebba Fåhraeus become the head of Smi- of crossover, and there are great advantages to 23 She believes that there is potential in Danish Le just about five years ago, the incubator was called companies from different fields meeting and having • Total number of employees at SmiLe Incuba- and Swedish foundation resources in particular Lund Life Science Incubator and had three employ- exchanges, she says. tor: ca. 100 – they aren’t subject to the same limitations by na- ees. In 2016 the incubator was rebranded and given Working together requires however that the large • Moreover: The admission process for the tional regulations as public support programmes, the name SmiLe, short for ”Styrker menneskers liv, life science companies of the Øresund Region and incubator can take up to nine months and in terms of legislation, it can thus be easier for innovation, life science og entreprenørskab” (St- the Danish and Swedish health services are more them to support initiatives and companies across rengthen people’s lives, innovation, life science and responsive to startup companies’ ’sense of urgency’, the Øresund. entrepreneurship). Today 16 people are employed says Ebba Fåhraeus.
42 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 43 NORTHWEST SKÅNE NORTHWEST SKÅNE
ca. 40% of these, i.e. ca. 700 people. The pharma companies, the largest of which is indisputably McNeil, employ around 800 people. McNeil strengthens Helsingborg’s position in
the life sciences, as it can be seen as more than NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: simply one of Helsingborg’s workplaces; in terms of the number of employees, it is also the largest life PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND & RECIPHARM PHOTO: science company in Skåne with its 665 employees. The pharma company has its origins in both Den- mark and Sweden, and its historical roots go back to Danish LEO Pharma – originally called Køben- havns Løveapoteks Kemiske Fabrik. The company’s first subsidiary was AB LEO in Helsingborg, and it manufactured stool softening pills. Today, many owners and company names later, McNeil is a subsidiary of the world’s largest healthcare company, Johnson & Johnson, which has 130 000 employees around the world. Johnson & Johnson has owned McNeil since 2006, and in 2019 decided to invest €20 million in the facility. The medtech company HemoCue also has links to LEO, which signed its first license agreement with two regional innovators in 1979 and esta- blished the company HemoCue in 1988. Today, HemoCue is part of the Danish Radiometer Group, NORTHWEST SKÅNE which is in turn part of the Danaher Corporation. 58 1 800 Many larger companies in and around Number of life science Number of employees in Helsingborg companies in the life science companies NORTHWEST SKÅNE – MEDTECH AND BIG PHARMA In addition to McNeil, there are a number of northwest Skåne in northwest Skåne foreign as well as Swedish companies instrumental Since 2015, over 100 people have entered employment at life science com- for the increased growth and employment rates in panies in northwest Skåne – an area that markets itself as the Helsingborg northwest Skåne. The Israeli medicine manufacturer NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN Family. There are around 1 800 total employees in the sector there. Most Teva and the American medtech company Boston Scientific, for example, have facilities in Helsing- NORTHWEST SKÅNE’S LIFE SCIEN- of the enterprises are in medtech and pharma and located in Helsingborg borg; like McNeil’s, Teva’s turnover and employee CE COMPANIES PER SUBSECTOR Municipality, but there are a number of small and large companies with numbers have been on the rise since 2015. The international headquarters outside of Helsingborg, in Ängelholm and To- Scandinavian headquarters for the American Employees Employees medtech manufacturer Bard – which was acquired in northwest in northwest rekov. Unlike in Malmö and Lund, where there are a large number of small Subsector Skåne 2015 Skåne 20201 by Becton Dickinson and Company (BD) in 2017 companies, there are few, but larger companies in northwest Skåne in – is also located in Helsingborg. Thus, through the Pharma 710 790 which employment is generally concentrated. acquisition, BD has continued to have a presence Medtech 670 740 in the city, as well as its own regulatory facility, Foodtech 170 170 albeit on a smaller scale than before: BD decided to CMO 90 70 The life science environment in Malmö and Lund 2015, contributing to an overall rise in employment cut back production in 2009 – as AstraZeneca did spans more broadly across a variety of subsectors, in the area. around the same time in Lund – and around 400 CRO 20 20 and on a whole, there are more companies that call The 58 life science companies identified in employment positions vanished from Helsingborg. Biotech 20 20 those cities home. In northwest Skåne, a smal- northwest Skåne employ a total of ca. 1 800 The HemoCue headquarters is located just ICT/Healthtech <10 <10 ler total number of life science companies focus people in northwest Skåne. Medtech compa- outside of Helsingborg in Ängelholm. The ma- Other <10 <10 primarily on two subsectors: medtech and pharma. nies – comprising a few large businesses, Nolato nufacturer of point-of-care testing systems has In terms of employment, there has been positive and HemoCue, and many smaller companies or around 260 employees in the town, and the com- 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from development in both of the two subsectors since smaller departments of larger companies – employ pany’s owner, the Danish Radiometer Medical, has 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies
44 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 45 NORTHWEST SKÅNE NORTHWEST SKÅNE
LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES IN NORTH McNeil not only develops and manufactures the Another large pharma company in Helsingborg WEST SKÅNE – NUMBER OF EMPLOY- stop-smoking product Nicorette, but is also a global is the Israeli Teva, which has its Swedish headqu- EMPLOYMENT EES IN ORDER OF COMPANY SIZE manufacturer of Rhinocort, a nasal spray for aller- arters in the city and employs around 70 people DOMINATED BY gies. Furthermore, a product that will compete with today; in 2015 it employed around 50. Employ- LARGE COMPANIES Strepsils is currently being developed at the facility, ment in the pharma sector in northwest Skåne which, in addition to a manufacturing plant, also is thus concentrated in few companies, whilst McNeil AB, HemoCue AB and Nolato includes an R&D department with 85 employees employment in medtech is linked to a greater Medical Solutions are responsible for 56% of employment in the life science and a distribution centre that employs 30 located number of larger companies and a multitude of Micro (-9) sector in northwest Skåne. Nowhere 10 km outside Helsingborg. smaller companies. Small (10-49) else in the region are large companies Medium-sized (50-249) responsible for so large a share of Large (250+) employment. That is in spite of the medtech company Becton Dickinson’s major cutbacks in Helsingborg nearly a PHOTO: MCNEIL PHOTO: decade ago.
Number of employees in Skåne according to most recent available data from 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies. its headquarters in Copenhagen. The global plastic Helsingborg’s pharma sector is growing group Nolato with its medical solutions division In general, the life science sector in northwest Skåne oversees its facilities, which are spread around the has grown as the number of employees has increased area and in the rest of Skåne and Sweden, from since 2015. There have been positive developments its headquarters in Torekov. The total number of in both medtech and pharma, while employment employees in Nolato’s facilities in Skåne has risen numbers in contract research and foodtech have since 2015. There were 247 people employed decreased slightly. there until 2020, at which point 385 of the almost The pharma sector in Helsingborg consists pri- 6 000 total employees were located in Skåne. marily of McNeil. The company that emerged from Another important player is Gelita, the German Danish LEO Pharma around a century ago manu- foodtech manufacturer of gelatine and collagen factures the stop-smoking product Nicorette, which peptides for e.g. the food- and pharmaceuticals is known around the world. Since 2006, the com- industries. Gelita has a large manufacturing plant pany has been part of the world’s largest healthcare in Klippan that employs around 160 people, and company, Johnson & Johnson, and it generates the the contract research company Recipharm has a majority of the employment in pharmaceuticals in production facility in Höganäs with 65 employees. Helsingborg. With its ca. 665 employees, it is one A number of large international companies of Helsingborg’s largest employers. For comparison, have a presence in northwest Skåne with impor- there were only around 610 people working at Mc- tant R&D- and production facilities; the area can Neil in 2015. The company’s turnover in 2018 was thus be said to be one of the parts of Skåne in 1.6 billion SEK, thus surpassing that of Baxter (for- which the largest proportion of employees work merly Gambro). Measured in employee numbers, it in a large or medium-sized life science company. is now Skåne’s largest life science company. It also In other words, employment is concentrated pri- interacts with students in the local community to marily in a small number of large enterprises; this inspire them in their course of study. differs from e.g. Lund. However, the number of – We meet students on a regular basis over a pe- micro- and small companies comprises 90% of all riod of three years to show them how university life of the 58 companies identified, bearing witness to is, so they can get a sense of what it would be like to the fact that more startups and smaller companies follow a university path and how it connects to the also characterise the sector in the area. This is even industry, says Jody Lodge. apparent in a broader sense – and even outside the In 2019, Johnson & Johnson invested ca. €20 life science sector – at Helsingborg’s Blue Science million in the Helsingborg facility to strengthen Park, which collaborates with e.g. Ideon Science production capacity there and upgrade the subsi- Park in Lund in e-health and ICT. diary with a broader product portfolio. As a result,
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PHARMA AND MEDTECH DOMINATE THE MOST GROWTH IN LARGE COMPANIES LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR IN NORTHWEST The pharma company McNeil AB secures its SKÅNE position as the area’s largest life science com- Together, the subsectors pharmaceuticals and pany. In 2015, the company had 610 employ- PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: medtech employ more than 1 500 people in ees in Helsingborg; according to data from northwest Skåne – that corresponds to around 2020 however, there are now 665 people. 85% of the total employment in the life science Nolato Medical Solutions has 107 employ- industry in the area. Medtech is a major subse- ees in Båstad Municipality and a total of 385 ctor in all of Skåne, whilst the pharma sector is employees in Skåne, and has increased its per- 72.5% unmistakably focused in northwest Skåne. More sonnel in Båstad by over 45 people since 2015. people work in the subsector pharma in north- Companies with more than 50 employees are west Skåne than in the rest of Skåne together. responsible to 72.5% of employment in northwest Skåne’s life science sector. That is a higher share than in Skåne’s life science sector on the whole, where large and medium-sized companies are
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: responsible for 65.5% of employment. 5 NEW COMPANIES SINCE 2015 Newly established companies since 2015 PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: 5 4 400 POSITIONS VANISHED Number of Number of employees FROM HELSINGBORG IN 2009 companies in northwest Skåne In February 2009, the American medtech company Becton Dickinson announced that it would be closing Companies with the most new employees its factory in Helsingborg. Around 400 jobs disappea- The medtech companies Hygiene of Sweden in northwest Skåne since 2015: red from the life science sector in northwest Skåne AB and Suturion AB started their activities in when the factory was dismantled. The group has a northwest Skåne in 2016 and 2018, respectively. In McNeil AB +55 total of ca 65 000 employees around the world. addition, the Danish ICT-company QLife started a Nolato Medical Solutions +46 Two companies in Helsingborg today have links holding company in Helsingborg after Swedish in- Teva Sweden AB +16 to the group that once owned the large facility. One vestments in 2019. The ICT-company Neki Sverige Airsonett AB +13 is Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy AB, with five was founded in Landskrona that same year. A new Allard Support for Better Life AB +12 employees in regulatory affairs. The other company company was also founded in Ängelholm recently AB Cernelle +11 in Helsingborg with a connection to Becton Dickinson – in 2018 Berlind Life Sciences AB was establis- Boston Scientific Nordic AB +10 is Bard Norden AB, with 35 employees. The Becton hed there in the municipality. Intigena Nordic AB +10 Dickinson group acquired Bard for 24 billion USD in Medilens Nordic AB +7 2017; one result of the acquisition was that the group once again increased its presence in Helsingborg, albeit to a lesser degree than previously. MORE VISIBILITY TO HELP Today, the nine fastest-growing life RECRUITMENT AT MCNEIL science companies in northwest Skåne have a total of 180 more employees Jody Lodge, the CEO of northwest Skåne’s than in 2015. Together, the compa-
largest life science company, McNeil AB, NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: nies have 990 employees according
wants the company to be more visible on to the most recent data, compared NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: its home turf in Helsingborg. He believes with around 810 employees in 2015. that increasing awareness of and knowled- The greatest increase has been in the ge about the company can be helpful for large companies McNeil AB and Nolato recruitment. Despite stiff competition for Medical Solutions, but staff numbers attracting talent, McNeil AB hasn’t found have also risen in many small and it difficult to recruit new staff for the time medium-sized companies. being, however. Read more in an interview with Jody Lodge on page 74-55.
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NEW SUBSECTORS IN NORTHWEST SKÅNE THE LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES IN
Few foodtech- and healthtech companies. NORTHWEST SKÅNE Employees Employees in northwest in northwest Fewer ICT companies with particular focus Company Subsector Municipality Skåne Company Subsector Municipality Skåne on the life sciences have been identified in McNeil AB Pharma Helsingborg 665 Medilens Medtech Helsingborg 21 Nordic AB northwest Skåne in comparison to Malmö and HemoCue AB Medtech Ängelholm 257 Svenska Medtech Helsingborg 21 Lund. The ICT companies can also be called Gelita Sweden Foodtech Klippan 156 Labex AB e-health-, connected health- or healthtech NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: AB Nordicare Medtech Höganäs 16 companies, and they develop apps, software Nolato Medtech Båstad 1072 Ortopedi & Medical or digital solutions for their own health-re- Rehab AB lated solutions. These are a small number of Solutions Toxicon AB CRO Landskrona 16 startups that employ few people. One of these Teva Sweden Pharma Helsingborg 67 healthtech companies is Qlife from Copenha- AB Airsonett AB Medtech Ängelholm 13 gen. Qlife works with home testing of blood Recipharm CMO Höganäs 65 Allard Sup- Medtech Helsingborg 12 samples, and it has been listed in Sweden since Höganäs AB port for better life AB February 2020 – see page 93 for more info. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE LIFE Intigena Medtech Helsingborg 48 The holding company QLife Holding AB was Nordic AB J.H. Orsing Medtech Helsingborg 11 SCIENCE SECTOR IN HELSINGBORG AB created in Helsingborg parallel to the compa- Bard Norden Medtech Helsingborg 35 ny’s IPO. Furthermore, only a few foodtech AB Mediflex AB Medtech Helsingborg 11 companies with a particular focus on the life Camp Scandi- Medtech Helsingborg 35 EPS Vascular Medtech Höganäs 11 sciences were identified in the area. Around navia AB AB 170 people are employed at the few foodtech AB Cernelle Pharma Ängelholm 34 Medidyne AB Medtech Ängelholm 11 companies; this is more than in Lund and Boston Medtech Helsingborg 25 Sarstedt AB Medtech Helsingborg 10 Traditional life Scientific Malmö. The high number of employees is Abcur AB Pharma Helsingborg 10 primarily due to the presence of the food- science Nordic AB tech company Gelita Sweden AB, which has New sectors Kulzer Nordic Medtech Helsingborg 25 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data for AB 2017-2020. 2Also has 278 employees in Hörby/Lomma. The companies production in Klippan. The company is part of on this list have 10 or more employees. Source: Bisnode and data from the German Gelita group, which is a leader in the companies. collagen peptides for the food- and pharma- ceuticals industries. The few companies in ICT OTHER COMPANIES and foodtech employ around 10% of the total 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from life science employees in northwest Skåne. 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies Medtech: Adcare AB (Helsingborg), Axotan AB (Hel- CMO: Addvance Pharma in Scandinavia AB (Helsingborg) singborg), Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy AB (Helsingborg), Brotech AB (Höganäs), Ferle Produkter CRO: Capra Science Antibodies AB (Ängelholm) AB (Helsingborg), Hygiene of Sweden AB* (Landskrona), Isakssons Gummifabrik AB (Båstad), Labex Reagens AB ICT/Healthtech: Neki Sverige AB* (Landskrona), Qlife COMPANIES WITH SOME ACTIVITIES IN THE LIFE SCIENCES (Helsingborg), Ljungberg & Kögel AB (Helsingborg), Ma- Holding AB* (Helsingborg) copharma Nordic AB (Helsingborg), Medivet Scandinavian Although the life science sector between food production and expansion, marketing solutions AB (Ängelholm), Meditech Nordic AB (Helsingborg), Scan- Foodtech: Fipros AB (Svalöv), Protista Food AB (Helsing- in northwest Skåne is mainly foodtech. The packaging company and more. ex Medical Systems AB (Helsingborg), Spectronic Medical borg) comprised of the companies in Treform Packaging, which is also Since 2015, Ängelholm has AB (Helsingborg), Spectronic Research AB (Helsingborg) the following spread, there are a based in Landskrona, manufactu- been the home of the tech compa- Suturion AB* (Helsingborg), TG Instrument AB (Helsing- Other: Berlind Life Science AB* (Ängelholm), Wiphe Widov number of other companies in the res plastic packaging for multiple ny Herpatech AB, which considers borg), Vigmed AB (Helsingborg) Pharmaceutical Engineering (Höganäs) area with some activity related to industries, including life science. life science companies one of its the life sciences. The companies Nederman Holding AB in four main partners. * Company founded in 2015 or later whose activities take place in Helsingborg works with industrial The technology consultancy firm Biotech: Aqilion AB (Helsingborg), Indienz AB (Svalöv), overlapping sectors are from a air filtration in e.g. the life science Jelmtech Produktutveckling AB in Percell Biolytica (Åstorp), Tikomed AB (Höganäs) number of different sectors. industry. Another company there is Örkelljunga aims its operations at The Landskrona-based Oatly, Navet AB, which helps companies e.g. medtech companies. Pharma: Acucort AB (Helsingborg), Niconovum AB which produces food based on in a variety of sectors, including (Helsingborg), Salfarm Scandinavia AB (Helsingborg), oats, works in the borderland the life science sectors, with Vetoquinol Scandinavia AB (Åstorp)
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around 470 people employed at companies located in the rest of the region. The positive development in employment is not only a trend seen in Malmö, PHOTO: BIOGAIA PHOTO: Lund and Helsingborg: there is also employment growth in smaller towns, although the total num- ber of employees there is significantly lower. PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND & BIOGAIA PHOTO: Medtech employs the majority Approximately half of the identified companies in the rest of Skåne are active in medtech. Around 470 are employed in the subsector, compared to ca 380 in 2015 – that corresponds to a positive employ- ment development in medtech of ca 24%. There are significant historical precedents for medtech here in this part of Skåne: it was here that the Swedish multinationals Arjo and Atos Medical were founded. Arjo was established by a local entrepreneur in Eslöv in 1957 and was first quoted in 1993, before being acquired by the listed medtech group Getinge two years later. The company headquar- ters was moved to Malmö under the name Arjo Huntleig, and in 2017, Arjo once again became an independent listed company when it was broken away from Getinge. ELSEWHERE IN SKÅNE Atos Medical is privately owned by the French investment firm PAI Partners and has around 750 28 600 employees around the globe. Unlike Arjo, the com- Number of life Number of employees in pany still has around 140 people working at the ori- science companies life science companies ELSEWHERE IN SKÅNE – MEDTECH AND FOOD ginal factory and R&D centre in Hörby, where both elsewhere in Skåne elsewhere in Skåne turnover and employee numbers have increased IMPACT EMPLOYMENT since 2015. Like Arjo’s, Atos Medical’s headquarters were also moved to Malmö in 2015 in order to be Since 2015, employment development in the life sciences has been posi- closer to clients as well as markets. All in all, the NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN LIFE tive in the rest of Skåne – albeit to a lesser degree than in Malmö, Lund various reorganisations of the two companies have SCIENCE COMPANIES ELSEWHE- and northwest Skåne. Fewer companies and employees are also typical suppressed the medtech sector in the rest of Skåne, RE IN SKÅNE PER SUBSECTOR to the advantage of Malmö and abroad, although for the area, although it has also served as a point of departure for the there has been a slight increase in employment since Swedish multinational medtech businesses Arjo and Atos Medical. Med- 2015. Nonetheless, Atos Medical’s facility in Hörby Employees in Employees in 1 tech remains most important for employment in the area, together with is sizeable and continues to be important for local Subsector the region 2015 the region 2020 Medtech 380 470 research and development. In addition to medtech, Krinova Incubator & employment. The same is true for the companies Trelleborg Group and Nordic Plastics Group, for Pharma 40 40 Science Park in Kristianstad does its part for employment and innovation whom medtech is one of a number of business Biotech 30 20 in the focus areas food, environment and health. areas managed from the headquarters in Trelleborg. Foodtech 10 20 Likewise, the plastic manufacturer Nolato – which has a partial focus on medical solutions – has Other <10 10 While the life science enterprises in Skåne revolve the 28 companies identified in the rest of Skåne; production and development facilities in Hörby CRO <10 <10 around Malmö, Lund and Helsingborg. there that is just below the same number of employees and Lomma, where a total of around 280 people ICT/Healthtech <10 <10 are a number of small companies – and a few as at McNeil in Helsingborg. Although the sheer are employed. In 2017, Nolato invested in a new CMO <10 <10 larger ones – dispersed in the rest of Skåne, in volume of the sector in more rural areas is not par- 3 700m2 building in Hörby; according to the towns such as Eslöv, Hörby, Vellinge, Svedala and ticularly large compared to the region’s urban cen- company, the new premises means that additional 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from Lomma. There are just under 600 employees at tres, the numbers are rising. In 2015, there were employees will be recruited to the area. 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies
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LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES ELSEWHERE BIG BUSINESSES GROWING MOST IN SKÅNE – NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN Nolato Medical Solutions and Atos Medical AB 4 NEW COMPANIES SINCE 2015 HALF WORK IN LARGE are the two companies outside Skåne’s largest Newly established companies since 2015 ORDER OF COMPANY SIZE COMPANIES cities that have seen the most outstanding growth since 2015. Both companies are focused Nearly half of the people employed in on medtech and have facilities in Hörby and 4 6 the life science sector outside Skåne’s largest cities work in the large com- have their headquarters elsewhere than in Number of Number of employees pany Nolato Medical Solutions. The Hörby. Nolato Medical Solutions is based in To- companies in the region area’s medium-sized company, Atos rekov, in Båstad Municipality, and Atos Medical Micro (-9) Medical AB, is responsible for around AB moved its headquarters to Malmö in 2015. The life science industry is growing outside Skå- Small (10-49) one-fourth of employment. Large and ne’s urban centres, too. The Kristianstad-based Medium-sized (50-249) Large (250+) medium-sized companies are respon- foodtech company Phadebas was founded in 2017. sible for a slightly higher share of In 2018, the ICT company Aiten Health AB, whose employment in the area than in Skåne focus is on solutions for people with high blood on the whole. pressure, was started in Vellinge. 2019 saw the
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: arrival of Prebona Healthcare AB, a subsidiary of Prebona AB, in Simrishamn. Din Gravidcoach Sverige AB was founded in the life science munici- Number of employees in Skåne according to most recent available data from 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies. pality Hörby in 2017. The company has links to the science park Medeon in Malmö.
Other subsectors affect employment comes to food as a field, where there are also poten- – primarily food tial links to the life sciences. There are approx. 100 Around half of the companies in the rest of Skåne companies and 350 employees based in the park, Companies with the most new employees HEADQUARTERS HEAD are associated with other sectors than medtech. and this September the Municipality of Kristianstad elsewhere in Skåne since 2015: FOR MALMÖ There is the same variation of biotech-, pharma-, renewed its commitment to provide annual support contract research -, foodtech- and ICT compa- of 1.5 million SEK until 2023, under the condition Nolato Medical Solutions +92 In recent years, two of Skåne’s large life science nies as in Malmö and Lund, but on a far smaller that Region Skåne also provides funding, as it has Atos Medical AB +40 enterprises have moved their headquarters from scale; i.e., there are only a few companies in each previously. Krinova can thus on the whole be seen Kronosept AB +7 smaller municipalities in central Skåne to Malmö. subsector and a total of approx.100 employees. The as a large company in the area that enables startup Medical Valley Invest AB +6 The medtech company Arjo was founded in Eslöv companies are primarily small. In addition to the companies – both in the life sciences and in other Meroving AB +6 in 1957 and had its IPO in 1993. Two years later, life science companies identified, Krinova Incuba- fields – to be active even outside Malmö and Lund, Chemotechnique MB Diagnostics AB +5 Arjo was acquired by the global medtech company tor & Science Park in Kristianstad contributes to and prioritises the field of food – besides medtech – Phadebas AB +5 Getinge. In 2013 the factory moved from Eslöv to growth and innovation in the rest of Skåne when it in the rest of Skåne. Poland, and when Arjo was hived off from the Ge- Increased employment in the life science tinge group in 2017, the company headquarters was sectors outside Skåne’s largest cities once again in Malmö. since 2015 has primarily been in two The medtech company Atos Medical AB was foun- companies: Nolato Medical Solutions ded in a neighbouring municipality to Eslöv – Hörby – BIOGAIA EXPANDS IN ESLÖV and Atos Medical AB. Together, the com- in 1986. The company’s base remained in Hörby until The biotech company BioGaia works with panies have created around 130 new jobs 2015, when the headquarters moved to Malmö in probiotic dietary supplements and has in Hörby and Lomma since 2015. order to ”get closer to its clients and markets”. Atos 3 700 M2 NEW SPACE IN HÖRBY secured the rights to a new, 9000 square Although the greatest employment Medical AB continues to have its production facilities The ground was broken for Nolato Medical metre building plot in Eslöv Municipality, increase has been in the two largest and R&D operations in Hörby Municipality. Solution’s expansion in Hörby in August 2017. where they will expand their factory. The companies in the area, there has been The new building adds 3 700 new square meters, company also expanded in Eslöv in 2017, positive employment development bringing the total area of Nolato’s facility in Hör- when it added new lab facilities that will in many companies since 2015. The by up to 11 000m2. The new building was com- serve as a competence centre in coope- medtech company Kronosept AB was pleted in 2019 and is Nolato’s second expansion ration with external actors such as the founded in 1947 and has had its produc-
in just ten years. The factory was also expanded state research institution and innovation tion in Eslöv since the 1970s. In 2015, it NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: by around 3700 m2 in 2011. partner RISE, Lund University and the had 18 employees, and today it employs Swedish University of Agricultural Science 25 people, according to the most recent in Uppsala. data from 2019.
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NEW SUBSECTORS ELSEWHERE IN SKÅNE THE LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES
Few foodtech- and healthtech companies. ELSEWHERE IN SKÅNE
Employees elsewhere Company Subsector Municipality in Skåne Only a few ICT companies with a specific OTHER COMPANIES Nolato Medi- Medtech Hörby/ 2782 focus on the life sciences were identified cal Solutions Lomma Medtech: Alyko Medical AB (Lomma), Entomed Medtech in the rest of Skåne. They are startups, and AB (Svedala), ETAC Sverige AB (Eslöv), Hjälpmedelsteknik Atos Medical Medtech Hörby 1403 they employ a small number of people. AB Sverige AB (Lomma), JCM Elektronik AB (Lomma), Med-
The companies are also called healthtech-, NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: icpen AB (Lomma), Somedic Senselab AB (Hässleholm) Swevet AB Pharma Sjöbo 34 e-health- or connected health companies, and they do not employ as many people in the Chemotec- Medtech Vellinge 25 Biotech: Chr. Hansen Sweden AB (Bromölla) nhique MB rest of Skåne as they do in Malmö and Lund. Diagnostics The same is true for the foodtech companies AB Pharma: Medical Valley Invest AB (Vellinge) with a particular focus on the life sciences. Kronosept AB Medtech Eslöv 25 Only a small number were identified, and NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE CRO: NordicBiocube AB (Eslöv), Pro Diagnostics Scandi- Biogaia Pro- Biotech Eslöv 21 navia AB (Vellinge) they employ around 20 people. Together, the LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR ELSEWHERE duction AB number of employees in the healthtech- and IN SKÅNE Intertek Foodtech Lomma 15 ICT/Healthtech: Aiten Health AB* (Vellinge), LBM Elek- foodtech companies make up 5% of the Scanbi Diag- tronik AB (Hörby) total number of life science employees in the nostics AB rest of Skåne. These new subsectors are thus Gertab Medtech Lomma 13 Foodtech: Caldic Ingredients Sweden AB (Östra Göinge), Sjukvårdspro- relatively small in the area. More broadly Eurofins Food & Feed Testing Sweden AB (Kristianstad), dukter AB however, there are around 100 companies in Phadebas AB* (Kristianstad) the rest of Skåne aimed at food, environment Traditional life Meroving AB Other Kristianstad 11 and health in various ways. The companies science 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data for Other: Ceffort AB (Kävlinge), Din Gravidcoach Sverige AB* are located in Krinova Incubator & Science New sectors 2017-2020. 2Also has 107 employees in Båstad.3Also has 55 employees in (Hörby), Prebona Healthcare AB* (Simrishamn) Malmö. The companies on this list have 10 or more employees. Source: Park in Kristianstad, which is Sweden’s oldest Bisnode and data from the companies. *Company founded in 2015 or later and largest incubator when it comes to food. It works with the life sciences in new and innovative ways. The companies at Krinova are not included in the statistical life science survey, however – read more on the method 1 Number of employees according to most recent available data from 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies on page 105-108. PHOTO: BIOGAIA PHOTO:
COMPANIES WITH SOME ACTIVITIES IN THE LIFE SCIENCES
A number of companies outside Nordic Plastics Group AB, which, Kristianstad is the location the largest cities in Skåne work like Trelleborg Industri AB, inclu- of the IT company AceIQ, which primarily in other sectors but des the life science sector as one has customers and partners in a have some operations in the life of its customer segments. variety of sectors, including life sciences. While the majority of Validus Engineering AB in science. the employees work in other Staffanstorp works with e.g. eng- SolidX is a consultancy firm areas, Trelleborg Industri AB also ineering design, multiphysics and registered in Eslöv. The company manufactures products for the structural analysis. The company works with e.g. the automotive and healthcare and life science indu- produces asthma inhalers, but telecom sectors, but its customers stries. Another manufacturer in also works with paper, renewable also include prominent life science Trelleborg is the plastics producer energy and offshore platforms. companies such as AstraZeneca.
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see it prioritised once again. Together we’re stronger. KRINOVA WANTS TO BUILD BRIDGES – Precisely that trans-Øresund strategic synergy is one of Krinova’s focal points for the years to come: BETWEEN FOOD AND LIFE SCIENCE AND OVER they plan to work on strengthening their bonds to
educational institutions in Skåne as well as in Den- NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: THE ØRESUND STRAIT mark, where they already collaborate with the Tech- Food is a major profile area for Krinova Incubator & Science Park in Kristianstad in northwest Skåne. nical University of Denmark (DTU) and University Among other things, they have been able to collaborate with the incubator SmiLe from the science park College Absalon. For example, they had planned a joint food hackathon with the latter institution Medicon Village in Lund, as well as the science park Medeon in Malmö, to link food and life science. for this May; this was cancelled due to the current Work with food also generates trans-Øresund opportunities, but collaboration with Denmark could be pandemic and will resume next year. This is just one much stronger still, according to Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth, who left her post after nine years as Krino- example of collaboration that should be intensified. va’s CEO on 15 May 2020. According to Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth, there is Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth, pertinent research that can benefit both countries former CEO Krinova. Opposite the reception area at Krinova Incubator & (40%). The final 20% is owned by Kristianstad Uni- being done on both sides of the Øresund, and joi- Science Park there is a timeline detailing the science versity. Krinova collaborates with e.g. other incubators ning forces can strengthen the region as a whole. park’s history and development. Last year Krinova and science parks in Skåne to bring together food While there is room for improvement when it trend analyses, research and collaboration. That celebrated its 20-year anniversary. Over the course and the life sciences. According to Charlotte Lorentz comes to trans-Øresund collaboration, Krinova means we don’t see ourselves as simply a service of the science park’s life thus far, the red brick Hjorth, Krinova, Medeon and SmiLe Incubator star- Incubator & Science Park was also studied as a provider for the companies; we are involved in the building has gone from ted a development project to re- business model when a new centre for innovation creation. That is part of our fundamental set of something of an office hotel ”Our strategic syn spond to the need to clarify the focused on food was established in the Mexican city values and the way we work. to a venue where innovation ergy has faced some boundaries between the food of Matamoros, near the American border, in 2018. support and development industry and the life sciences, – They started their work there in the Obama-era, projects on a local level are challenges in the Øre which are indisputably related. and the two cities of Matamaros and Brownsville, in focus, as are regional and sund Region in recent “You are what you eat”, she says. Texas worked together to build a science park on the national assignments. Today, The project has explored links border. This was before Trump’s wall. With Obama the more than 20 employees years, and I’d like to between food and diabetes from it was the opposite – he wanted to build bridges, says
at Krinova work actively see it prioritised once a user perspective and formula- Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth. She goes on: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: with around 270 companies ted several problems. – They came here because they had seen that all over Sweden. Among again. Together we – The next step is that there were two countries connected by a bridge and them are e.g. the company are stronger.” we’ve identified a number of by innovation. They chose the Øresund Region, Miso AB, (Microbial Solu- areas where there’s a defini- Denmark and Sweden. KRINOVA INCUBATOR & tions), which is dedicated to yeast for the brewing tive need for innovative solutions, and we want to Krinova is involved in many different projects, SCIENCE PARK industry; Trioplast AB, which produces packaging extend an invitation to the commercial sector, since which Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth maintains is only • Founded: 1999 solutions, and Hypro AB, which develops tractor that’s where the experts are. Then we can find a natural when the interest is in foodstuffs – both when • Focus area: Food, environment, and health processors. 106 of Krinova’s companies and around solution to these challenges together, she explains. the interest is in focusing on food issues, and also • Ownership: Kristianstad Municipality owns 350 employees are based at the science park in Data from Statistics Sweden (SCB) show that when the focus is on linking food and life science. 40% of Krinova Incubator & Science Park, 40% is Kristianstad. Krinova works on a national level, not the food sector in Sweden sold food for 296 billion Projects might concern e.g. enzymes, bacteria cultures owned by the municipality’s subsidiary Kristian- least because one of its primary profile areas is food SEK in 2018; this is an increase of 15 billion SEK or food colouring. If the interest is solely in life science stads Industribyggnads AB, and 20% is owned by – the entire food chain. compared to 2017. According to Charlotte Lorentz collaboration, however, the projects usually end up Kristianstad University – The focus is on food, but not on any particular Hjorth, the sector has a great deal of possibilities in elsewhere. • CEO: Nikolas Larsson (acting managing niche within it. We include the whole value chain Sweden, and she also believes that Krinova’s work Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth explains that Krinova director) – from soil to soil, one might say. From primary with and focus on food extends beyond the local, prioritises proactivity and cooperation for defining • Total number of companies at Krinova: 106 • Total number of employees at Krinova’s production to biogas, and around it goes, explains regional and national assignments and opens up for possibilities and challenges, and that this is possible companies: ca. 350 trans-Øresund collaboration – collaboration that Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth. She continues: thanks to their broad expertise, many resources and a • Moreover: On behalf of the six municipalities of – We mainly have regular offices; a food company she maintains holds strong potential for developme- well-developed network – which she also believes to be northeastern Skåne, Region Skåne and Kristi- generally doesn’t require them. So they stay where nt and improvement. the reason that Krinova was voted Sweden’s most inno- anstad University, Krinova Incubator & Science they need to be in order to keep their production She feels that there has been a decrease in colla- vative incubator by colleagues in the trade organisation Park provides innovation support to small and running smoothly. We aren’t so limited geographical- boration across the Øresund, and it has grown har- Swedish Incubators & Science Parks (SISP) in 2017. medium-sized companies in all sectors, food en- ly, but in that respect we’re much more like a cluster. der to find Danish collaborative partners interested – I believe that it is because we have expertise, terprises, and to students and researchers. More Krinova Incubator & Science Park is part-owned in the same projects as Krinova. resources and network. We help create possibilities than 500 companies have received support to date. by Kristianstad Municipality (40%) and by the muni- – Our strategic synergy has faced some challenges for innovation by systematising and outfitting for cipality’s subsidiary Kristianstads Industribyggnads AB in the Øresund Region in recent years, and I’d like to challenges and possibilities, as well as carrying out
58 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 59 SECTOR OVERLAP
New life science subsectors employ around 800 PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: in Skåne – mostly in food and ICT
Three out of four life science companies in Skåne analysed in this survey belong to the subsectors pharma, biotech, medtech and contract research. The remaining quarter comprises 118 companies with a life science focus that are located where life science overlaps with another sector – primarily ICT and food. The companies generate new subsectors in the cluster, employ 800 people, and are situated primarily in Malmö and Lund. A further 64 companies with peripherally overlapping sectors can to a degree be considered part of Skåne’s life science sector.
Of the 426 life science companies identified in levels, where companies work either primarily or Skåne, 308 can be categorised within pharma, bio- secondarily with the life sciences. tech, medtech and contract research. Around 75% of all of the life science companies thus belong to what can be seen as a core segment when it comes Most sector overlap with ICT to the life sciences. The remaining ca 25% of the With 59 companies, ICT companies make up the life science companies identified – corresponding greatest part of the supplementary segment of com- to 118 companies – can be said to comprise a supp- panies with overlapping sectors and a focus on the lementary segment; while all of the companies can life sciences. These companies can also be referred to be said to focus on the life sciences, they cannot be as healthtech-, medical devices- or e-health busines- said to be distinctly in pharma, biotech, medtech or ses, as they use software, algorithms and program- contract research. Instead, companies in the supp- ming to develop digital and data-driven solutions lementary segment encompass three subgroups: IT- for their own health-related products or for other and software development (ICT), the food industry actors in the life science industry, and many of them (foodtech), and other areas such as consultants with can be classified as in the borderland between med- a life science focus. These companies are thus in tech and ICT. The majority of the ICT-businesses overlapping industrial sectors, both in life sciences are located in Malmö and Lund. Medotemic AB in and another sector. Lund for example develops apps and software solu- Companies in overlapping sectors have been tions for movement analysis; Tunstall Nordic AB in included in order to provide a more thorough over- Lund develops virtual platform solutions for users view of the life science sector in Skåne, as new tech- in the healthcare sector, and Capish Nordic AB in nology, treatments and business conditions make it Malmö develops software for data analysis that can possible for these companies, which were previously accelerate pharmaceutical production. part of separate sectors such as IT- and the food – The more data you have, the more value our industry, to be included as part of the life science software will create. The variation and volume of sector. In addition to the supplementary segment, data is the deciding factor, says CEO Eva Kelty; a more peripheral segment was also identified that see more about how the company works with the encompasses 64 companies with only a partial life sector overlap between life science and ICT in the science focus. Industrial sectors overlap to a lesser interview on page 66-67. degree here. Employees at these companies and the Life science businesses in ICT have had positive number of companies are not included in the actual development since 2015, at which time ca 230 company survey; instead, they are intended to people were employed. According to the most illustrate that the life science sector can branch out recent figures available, from 2018-2020, around into other industries. A common feature of these 400 people are employed in the 59 ICT businesses. SECTOR OVERLAP companies is their activity in multiple industrial Compared with the contract research- or pharma areas; they are thus not focused on the life sciences, sectors in Skåne, of which there are a total of 48 unlike the companies in the core and supplemen- and 42 companies, respectively, the subsectors tary segments, whose primary focus is life science. employ between ca 1200-1500 people each. This The sector overlap aspect is thus considered on two is an indication that while the ICT companies
LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 61 SECTOR OVERLAP SECTOR OVERLAP focused on life science may be plentiful, they are tive in the area compared to the subsectors pharma, primarily micro- and small businesses with few biotech, medtech and ICT.
employees. Many of them, for example Accumbo BIOGAIA PHOTO: AB or PainDrainer AB in Lund, are part of the network HealthTech Nordic; another ICT company Other industrial sectors also overlap with – itACiH AB – is part of Skåne’s Mobile Heights the life sciences network, which has a partial focus on digital health. In addition to ICT- and foodtech companies, there Furthermore, around one-third of the 59 ICT is a third subgroup in the supplementary segment companies are located in the science parks Medeon, that can be difficult to categorise in terms of a dis- Ideon, Medicon Village or in the incubator SmiLe. tinct sector overlap. However, it consists of various CEO Ebba Fåhraeus has noted a development. companies focused on the life sciences as well as – The area that has expanded most in recent consultant services, e.g. Bruun og Maté AB and Ny years is e-health companies, app-based or data-ba- Consulting AB in Lund. Packaging companies and sed enterprises. They are multiplying, she says. In cleaning services targeting life science are also part the interview on page 42-43, she goes into more of this subgroup, which consists of 39 primarily detail about how new tech has increased the sector’s small and micro-companies in Malmö and Lund. transdisciplinarity. There are around 130 people employed in the subgroup – a slight increase since 2015, at which time the number was ca 80. Unlike the ICT- and Sector overlap into food – mainly in Lund foodtech businesses, the companies identified are In addition to the 59 ICT companies in the supple- not focused on any particular sector overlap, but mentary segment of companies in overlapping indu- are considered as an additional sector overlap in the strial sectors with a special focus on the life sciences, supplementary segment in various ways, and may there are also 20 foodtech companies. These compa- count multiple companies and employees. nies have been categorised as companies with sector overlap, as they are located in the borderland between the food industry and biotech. A common factor Sector overlap with ICT can be secondary for them is that they utilise R&D knowledge to e.g. In addition to the supplementary segment, a more create healthier and more sustainable foodstuff. For peripheral segment can also be identifed. This group example, SBM Life Science AB in Lund develops of businesses includes 64 companies that focus protection products for crops, and the biotech- and only partially on the life sciences, as they also work foodtech company Glucanova AB develops enzymes in other industrial areas. The sector overlap is thus and proteins for healthier oat products. weaker than the supplementary segment in which the – In traditional life science people also work companies’ main focus is the life sciences. Most of with raw materials and transform them into e.g. the 64 companies are in Malmö and Lund. In terms medicine. In a foodtech company, people work of size, the companies may be large, medium-sized, with naturally occurring raw materials. In our case small or micro-companies, and most have sector that material is oat, and we have different biotech- overlap with the ICT sector, albeit to a lesser degree nical ways of turning it into high-fibre oat drinks, than the supplementary segment with ICT compa- METHOD says Jörgen Holm, CEO of Glucanova AB. In the nies, as the companies here are also active in other in- interview on page 64-65, he talks more about how dustrial areas such as logistics, cleantech and finance. The companies in the life science cluster in Skåne companies work in the sector overlap between the For example, ARM Sweden AB, Sigma Connectivity were identified based on data requested from life sciences and food production. Engineering AB and Qliktech International AB Statistics Sweden (SCB) and our own research in Half of the foodtech companies are located in are categorised in this segment, as they e.g. develop printed sources. Life science companies and the Lund, and the rest are spread out in Malmö and the digital solutions to improve the healthcare system companies in sector overlaps can be categorised in rest of Skåne. Similarly to the ICT companies, they and patient treatment. As sector overlap is secondary various ways. Based on other surveys and analyses are primarily small and micro-companies. A total of and difficult to determine however, these companies of the sector, Øresundsinstituttet categorised life around 260 people are employed in Skåne’s food- and their employees are not included in the actual science as a core segment comprising pharma, tech companies – an increase since 2015, when 220 survey; they are intended to illustrate that multiple biotech, medtech and contract research (CMO and were employed, according to available data. As a companies in the core- and supplementary segment CRO) and a supplementary segment comprising ICT subsector, foodtech – like ICT – has thus developed are active on the periphery of the life science sector, and food and other services. Read more about the positively as a subsector. Foodtech employs fewer and that there are crossovers of many kinds between method on page 105-108. people however, and there are fewer companies ac- life science and other sectors.
62 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 63 SECTOR OVERLAP - INTERVIEW GLUCANOVA SECTOR OVERLAP - INTERVIEW GLUCANOVA
consortium from Germany, Austria and Switzer- GLUCANOVA – IN THE BORDERLAND BETWEEN land. According to Jörgen Holm, the consortium was of the conviction that their innovative solutions LIFE SCIENCE AND THE FOOD INDUSTRY would only succeed if smaller companies were also
involved. Glucanova was one of those companies, NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: The company Glucanova AB in Lund has been developing products in the foodtech sector since 2013. and the consortium was granted the funding. According to the company’s CEO Jörgen Holm, they develop products that taste good but can also – They said that what had been decisive for their help prevent and treat certain diseases of affluence. The company is not focused on one single retail victory was that their consortium had recognised user market, but instead sees the opportunities that collaborating with the healthcare sector offers. that innovation takes place above all in small com- panies, says Jörgen Holm. The consortium that the three German-speaking nations established was given the name Rising Food Jörgen Holm, CEO Yoghurt, smoothies, soups, ice cream and pudding. material is oats, and we have different biotechnical Stars. Today it comprises 51 companies from all Glucanova. Some might not consider them products one imme- ways of turning it into high-fibre oat drinks, says over Europe, and Glucanova is the only Swedish diately associates with the life science sector, but the Jörgen Holm. He goes on: company in the network. Rising Food Stars is part Lund-based company Glucanova sees it differently. – Unlike in for example medtech however, an of EIT Food, which is Europe’s leading innovative ctor – that’s a possibility on which they’re already at – We’re a biotech company. We work with edible product needs to taste good, and it’s also endeavour in the area of food and consists of a work, even if, as he says, the framework for public molecules and enzymes and with transforming raw important to us that the alterations we make to the network of major European universities, research purchase in Sweden is complicated. materials from biotech to food, says Jörgen Holm, oat also contribute to illness prevention. We are centres and larger companies. – We have projects where we work with elder care CEO of Glucanova. very close to the pharma industry; the difference Glucanova has also developed a liking for working and hospitals. We are part of subprojects that work Since Glucanova was established in 2013, the is that a pharma company’s influence begins when globally rather than only in Sweden and the Øresund with elderly individuals who are undernourished, company has been deve- sick people need to be cured, Region. Their products and high-fibre oat ingredients where we work with Region Skåne’s lifestyle academy loping oat-based liquid ”We are very close to while we’d rather not have any can be adapted to markets around the globe, and (Region Skånes livsstilsakademi), he explains. foods from its premises in sick people at all. they thus also work to deliver them to the global Lund. There are also other the pharma industry; As Jörgen Holm expla- market for existing as well as new brands. Glucanova Swedish companies, such the difference is that ins, Glucanova’s products works with the business-to-business aspect all over as the probiotics companies a pharma company’s are also intended to help in the world, with the exception of South America. Probi AB and BioGaia AB the treatment of individuals Their own products have yet to be launched on a and the other oat compa- influence begins when with diagnosed illnesses. The business-to-consumer market; like pharmaceuticals, ny Oatly AB, working to sick people need to company conducts research the products need to be approved around the world. develop foods and supple- and clinical studies on both Jörgen Holm explains that in Europe, approval is gi- ments based on biotechnical be cured, while we’d healthy individuals and people ven by e.g. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: processes. For Glucanova’s rather not have any with confirmed diagnoses, whilst in the USA, approval is granted by the FDA six employees, it’s not just sick people at all.” working with doctors and (US Food and Drug Administration). about developing pro- clinics to scientifically verify – Pharmaceuticals look the same whether you GLUCANOVA AB ducts that taste good, but the products’ qualities and be sell them in the USA, China, Germany, Sweden according to Jörgen Holm, the products should also able to provide documented clinical evidence. or Denmark. But when it comes to food, there is • Founded: 2013 contribute to both preventing and treating certain One of the challenges for the sector, he points another aspect, namely cultural differences. I can • Branches in the life sciences: Foodtech/biotech diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular out, is that big food companies aren’t the ones develop a product in Germany and test it with Ger- • Focus area: Oat products diseases and high blood pressure. Glucanova works creating innovation, but instead simply manage the man doctors in German hospitals using the same • Ownership: Private with biotechnical processes in which soluble fibres products they have. Jörgen Holm finds it regretful patent and biotechnology. In Hong Kong, I develop • CEO: Jörgen Holm – beta-glucans, which are considered important for the sector that the large companies don’t take the product to adapt it for China, but in terms of • Turnover 2019: 10 million SEK Gross year-end result 2019: with health-promoting qualities – are used to realise part in innovation and reconceptualization. He the biotech, it still has the same characteristics as it • -5 million SEK • Total number of employees in Lund: 6 that vision. Thus, according to Jörgen Holm, the is convinced that is due to a fear of failure, and did in Germany. When everything is ready, I have • Total number of Øresund commuters from company is active in traditional life science as well because taking risks is unrewarded; he believes that knowledge about how the products should be for Denmark: 0 as in the food industry – or more specifically, in the reason innovation takes place in all of the small users in Germany and in China, says Jörgen Holm. • Moreover: Glucanova AB is a subsidiary of the foodtech. The company’s employees include people companies and startups is precisely because they But the multifaceted nature of the products and corporation Aventure Holding AB, whose parent trained in nutritional science as well as in foodtech, dare to take risks. Several years ago, a number of the possibility to adapt them to many markets is company, Aventure AB – which also located in Lund biochemists, and biomedical professionals. food consortia competed for funding from The Eu- precisely what the company hopes to take more – is a biotech company that develops functional – In traditional life science people also work ropean Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). advantage of by not only selling to a retail user foods. Glucanova was founded by Professor Rickard with raw materials and transform them into e.g. One of them was a consortium of large companies market. Because the products have preventative and Öste, who created Oatly, another Swedish foodtech medicine. In a foodtech company people work with and major universities from Sweden, Denmark healing qualities, Jörgen Holm also sees a unique company that works with oats, in Lund naturally occurring raw materials. In our case that and other Scandinavian countries. Another was a possibility for collaboration with the healthcare se-
64 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 65 SECTOR OVERLAP - INTERVIEW CAPISH SECTOR OVERLAP - INTERVIEW CAPISH
PLENTIFUL CLINIC STUDIES AND A WILLINGNESS TO ADOPT DATA-DRIVEN TECHNOLOGY ARE IM-
PORTANT FOR THE SOFTWARE COMPANY CAPISH NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO:
The increasing recognition that intelligent data analysis can accelerate the development of products and pharmaceuticals is something of which the software company Capish Nordic AB in Malmö wants to take advantage. But there could be greater openness among life science companies when it comes to using new, data-based technology from the software sector, according to the CEO of Capish Eva Kelty. Large numbers of clinical studies in the region is also important for them as a data company, she says.
Eva Kelty, In recent years the importance of Big Data-use in was opportune, in part because they wanted to CEO Capish. the life science sector has become more pronoun- promote a more conceptual, patient-oriented way ced. The use of advanced data-programming can of using data in the sector rather than simply seeing give a competitive edge, as intelligent data use can data as something relational in a database, and in accelerate clinical development so that pharmaceu- part because several of the employees, including Eva for software companies surrounding the ’traditional’ – The companies are slow to change the way ticals and medtech products can reach the market Kelty, have a background in the medical sector. life science industry; this was the situation to a gre- they work and to adapt new technology and change more quickly, as consultant firms such as e.g. – Life science is interesting for us because it gives ater degree till around 2011, when AstraZeneca had their processes. From my point of view, that has Deloitte and Ernst & Young have described. In the us a way to influence society and help people access its activities in Lund, Eva Kelty points out. been the greatest challenge, says Eva Kelty, and report ’Pulse of the Industry’ better and faster treatment. That is one of the reasons why Capish is also that’s a shame, because as she says: from 2019, the latter wrote ”The variation and We see many things we can do considering partnerships in Zealand – work on this – It’s easy to ’get stuck with the thinking in one that ”data will ultimately volume of data is the that would help a lot of com- had been scheduled to begin this spring, but it was field’. When you broaden your horizons, you can become the most valuable panies, says Eva Kelty, adding delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Eva hopefully learn from other sectors, she says. product” in the life science decisive factor.” that if the software can be Kelty says. She does see good development potential sector. used in the life science sector, within Skåne however, where many R&D companies One of the companies in Skåne that works with which is subject to the most intensive regulations, it are set to accelerate their development in the coming data software related to the life science sector is Ca- can also be adapted to other sectors. years, and they will thus need software analysis. pish, an enterprise with 15 full-time employees at its On a global level, a series of large pharmaceu- – Data is power. All of the activities in R&D premises near the main railway station in Malmö. ticals companies have already joined forces with companies go toward generating data, because – I would say that a lot of it is about providing software developers to further data analysis and arti- data is needed to support applications (ed. note: to access to data and having the opportunity to work ficial intelligence in the development of pharmaceu- health authorities). I think that companies will be NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: with it in an easy and intuitive way, says the CEO of ticals. Among these are e.g. Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, more focused on reusing data, because each data Capish Eva Kelty, referring to their software platform Sanofi, Gilead and AstraZeneca, which entered into point is very expensive to generate and if you just Capish Reflect, which can e.g. help researchers explo- partnerships in 2019 with Google and Microsoft as put it in a file and forget about it, you miss out on CAPISH NORDIC AB re data, generate hypotheses or plan for new studies. well as smaller companies such as ProteinQure and everything you can do with it, says Eva Kelty. Capish was started up in the early ’00s by Staffan Iktos. There are a lot of consultancy- and software • Founded: 2001 Gestrelius, who had also founded another IT Capish is also on the lookout for other strategical companies in Skåne, Eva Kelty says, and this is • Branches in the life sciences: Data software company in Lund back in the 1990s; that company, collaborations – also on the Danish side of the Øre- supported by Region Skåne, which spotlighted ICT • Focus area: Data exploration and visualization QlikTech, is now a global data-analysis company. sund – and their software can operate in all corners (Information Communication Technologies) as • Ownership: Private Since its founding, Capish has worked with various of the sector, says Eva Kelty. Biotech, medtech and one of seven regional areas of economic strength; • CEO: Eva Kelty prototypes, and the product Capish Reflect is about pharma are all relevant – as long as the companies there are around 23 000 people employed within • Turnover 2019: 0 to be introduced in Europe and the USA. with which they’re working have enough data. ICT, distributed, it should be noted, among a broad • Gross year-end result 2019: -17 million SEK In development work in recent years Capish – The more data you have, the more value our range of its subsectors. Qlucore AB in Lund for • Total number of employees in Malmö: 15 • Total number of Øresund commuters from has collaborated and tested the user-friendliness of software will create. The volume and variation of example is another company that works with data Denmark: 0 software at hospital clinics in Skåne and in pharma data are a decisive factor, says Eva Kelty. In that visualisation in the life sciences. One of the chal- • Moreover: The founder of Capish Staffan companies in Sweden and abroad. respect, she adds, Skåne has a structural weakness lenges for the sector is the recruitment of workers Gestrelius was previously founder and CEO of Although life science is the business area in focus compared to Zealand and the Copenhagen area, with data programming experience, according to the IT company QlikTech, which started in Lund for Capish, the company’s software can benefit where there are more large life science companies Eva Kelty. Another limiting factor is related to a ge- in 1993 and now has 2 000 employees around many other sectors, says Eva Kelty, because, as she that have more data because they have greater capa- nerally hesitant attitude when it comes to increased the globe, 430 of whom are in Lund says, ”data is data”. city to conduct more clinical studies. An environ- data use in companies in the life science sector, she Nonetheless, starting in the life science sector ment with more clinical studies is thus also useful says.
66 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 67 LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE
PHOTO: POLYPEPTIDE PHOTO: Companies hope to recruit in R&D and sales and marketing More scientists and more salespeople. Regardless of their subsector, most life science compa- nies cite R&D as the most relevant expertise to recruit if they are able to augment their staff in the coming years in spite of the uncertainty brought on by Covid-19. Expertise in sales and marketing is cited as the second-most important area.
If life science companies in Skåne have the opportu- have not experienced difficulties recruiting specific nity to recruit new employees despite the uncertain expertise in Skåne. The companies’ other central atmosphere caused by Covid-19, what they’ll need intention to recruit within sales and marketing is an more than anything else are more people with indication that more companies are now in a posi- competence in R&D and sales and marketing. Of tion in which their research has matured and their the 13 potential areas for recruitment, the majority clinical development has advanced and is ready to of the 126 companies interviewed would like to be transformed into a commercial business. recruit more personnel with scientific expertise and skills in sales and marketing. Firmly established companies as well as startups in Skåne have hopes of Primarily medtech and biotech companies recruiting within these areas. Primarily medtech and need R&D expertise biotech companies want to recruit more competen- Of 13 potential areas, 65 of the total of 126 com- ce in R&D and sales and marketing, but pharma panies interviewed reported that they intended to companies and contract research organisations also recruit more expertise in R&D if they were in a indicate the same need, albeit to a lesser degree. position to expand their staff. This indicates that The companies’ primary intention to recruit more personnel with a background in the natural within R&D may seem challenging from a recru- sciences would promote and further the companies’ itment perspective, as some have attested to a lack development. Companies that could require more of expertise in the natural sciences; this is described R&D expertise include both large, medium-sized in greater more detail on page 70-71. Nonetheless, and small companies in the pharma-, biotech-, 52% of the companies interviewed report that they medtech- and contract research sectors in Skåne.
THE COMPANIES PLAN TO RECRUIT IN THESE AREAS METHOD MEDTECH Area for Number of R&D All of the life science companies in the core segment in Skåne – comprising pharma-, recruitment companies Sales biotech-, medtech companies and contract R&D 65 Marketing research organisations – were contacted via Sales 50 telephone between late 2019 and the summer Marketing 31 BIOTECH of 2020. Companies with the greatest number R&D Laboratory 31 of employees were prioritised first. 126 life Laboratory science companies in Skåne with varying staff Production 21 sizes contributed input specifically for the Marketing IT and Technology 16 survey of expertise: 23 pharma companies, 43 biotech companies, 48 medtech companies and Regulatory Affairs 15 PHARMA 21 contract research organisations. Around Economy 14 R&D LABOUR MARKET AND 135 life science companies in Skåne responded THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE Storage and logistics 12 Sales to the questions, i.e. ca. 1/3 of the companies Communications 11 Laboratory identified. Information on the methods used in the report on page 105-108. Source: Questionnaire with 126 respondents from life science compa- nies in Skåne. Responses in multiple categories were possible.
LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 69 LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE
CHANGE IN THE COMPANIES’ IT IS DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT Medtech firms consider sales and Need for expertise in production, EMPLOYEE NUMBERS SINCE 2015 SPECIFIC EXPERTISE? marketing expertise most relevant IT/technology and regulatory affairs Following R&D, 50 of the companies interviewed Following R&D and sales and marketing are a report that, if given the chance, they would recruit number of areas within which the companies expertise in sales; 31 would recruit in marketing. reported a need for expertise, but to a lesser Once again, the need goes beyond sector bounda- degree: namely in production, IT/technology and Decreased ries, as both large, medium-sized and small com- regulatory affairs. Here as well, the need is expres- Yes Increased panies in various subsectors express the same need, sed primarily by medtech and biotech companies, No e.g. Novo Nordisk Scandinavia AB in Malmö. which also report a need for expertise within these Unchanged The need for expertise is most pronounced in the areas, even if some contract research organisations medtech companies, however, which can feasibly also expressed the need for expertise within pro- relate to the fact that more answers were reported duction. The lowest reported need for expertise is by medtech companies than by other subsectors. in law, distribution and HR. Based on data from 402 companies. Source: Bisnode, Based on survey responses from 138 companies. data from the companies DO TRAINING AND EDUCATION CORRESPOND WELL TO THE DE- companies that have experienced challenges recruiting MAND FOR EXPERTISE? Expertise in the natural sciences, technology, expertise in the natural sciences include both small and large biotech-, pharma-, medtech-, contract research regulatory affairs, quality assurance and sales and food companies, although the majority are biotech companies. Expertise in the natural science of the are difficult to recruit broadest variety is thus on the whole the area in which The areas of expertise for which life science companies in Skåne consider it difficult to recruit are the greatest number of the businesses interviewed find Yes it most difficult to recruit. The challenge can be greater predominantly related to the STEM programmes (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathema- No still for startup companies, says Filipe Pereira, who tics). Companies report that expertise in regulatory affairs and quality assurance, as well as in sales is part of the biotech company Asgard Therapeutics, and marketing, also pose a recruitment challenge. There is also a question of expertise in several which was founded in 2018. different areas such as e.g. knowledge of Scandinavian languages. Around 52% of the businesses – The best expertise and the best people are interviewed report however that they have not experienced difficulties recruiting specific expertise. much more expensive in this region, he says.
Regardless of subsector, the expertise that life scien- in regulatory affairs, quality assurance and sales and Based on survey responses from 120 companies. ce businesses in Skåne deem to be in short supply marketing. Lacking expertise in the natural sciences Expertise in technology, engineering and is in the natural sciences, technology, and legal, and is perceived primarily by biotech companies, while mathematics second-most difficult to access commercial areas. In other words, a microbiologist, medtech companies perceive an expertise shortage Expertise in technology, engineering and mathe- on Science Park, Mia Rolf, also notes that many data manager, regulatory expert or salesperson with in technology. Lacking expertise in regulatory affairs matical areas are also difficult to recruit in general, companies have a hard time accessing expertise in diabetes expertise can be difficult to recruit. and quality assurance is associated primarily with according to ca 25 of the ca 70 companies inter- e.g. programming, embedded systems and digital Around 48% of the businesses interviewed biotech- and pharma companies, which also report viewed. Here too, a broad range of different subfields intelligent technology. report that recruiting certain expertise has been a an inaccessibility of expertise in sales and marketing. are encompassed, e.g. production operators, civil eng- It doesn’t help that a number of companies in challenge. At the same time, 52% of the companies ineers and programmers. Large and small biotech-, Skåne, e.g. PolyPeptide and McNeil, cite the need have no challenges sourcing expertise; half of the pharma-, medtech- and contract research businesses for increased use of technological and technical life science businesses interviewed thus have diffi- Greatest difficulty recruiting broad and report challenges recruiting expertise in technolo- know-how, as certain manufacturing processes are culty finding the right expertise, whilst the other specialised expertise in the natural sciences gy, engineering and mathematical fields; medtech in the course of becoming automatised. half does not. Around 30 of the ca 70 businesses interviewed report companies comprise the majority of the companies According to the companies, the majority of that they have had difficulty recruiting expertise in interviewed. Expertise in technical and technological the expertise lacking in all subsectors in Skåne is the natural sciences. The expertise in question is both fields is the next most challenging area in which to Companies want more expertise in in R&D/the natural sciences. The second largest broad and specific; it might be for example expertise in recruit for life science businesses in Skåne. regulatory affairs, quality assurance, shortage is within the fields of technology, engine- microbiology and peptide chemistry, which is relevant This is the case with e.g. Capish Nordic AB, a and sales and marketing in Skåne ering and mathematics: the lacking expertise is thus for the area of a company’s commercial activity, or Malmö-based data company whose focus is on the In addition to a lack of diversified expertise in the predominantly related to the STEM programmes it could also be general R&D expertise, preferably life sciences. STEM-programmes, 17 of ca 70 interviewed com- (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathema- with experience in clinical development and project – We need programmers, and they are hard to panies report that they have faced challenges when tics). However, there is also a shortage of expertise management in pharmaceuticals production. The come by, says CEO Eva Kelty. The CEO of Ide- recruiting expertise in regulatory affairs and quality as-
70 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 71 LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE surance. The same challenges are faced when recruiting pharma companies in Skåne particularly report dif- dismissals, 106 of the 125 total companies inter- from these fields in all of the sectors of the life science ficulties recruiting sales and marketing personnel. A viewed report that this has not been the case. The industry in Skåne. Large and small biotech-, pharma- total of 17 companies of the ca 70 interviewed report majority of the companies thus have the same num- that access is limited to sales and marketing know- and medtech companies indicate difficulties obtaining ber of employees as before the pandemic was declared POLYPEPTIDE PHOTO: RA/QA expertise; the issue is less pronounced for the how. Pharma- and biotech companies also point out in March of 2020. Compared to other sectors, then, contract research organisations interviewed. that it is difficult to find sales personnel who are fa- the life science sector in Skåne has not experienced Although the medtech company Arjo AB in miliar with the products or the area of disease in and the mass dismissals seen elsewhere, and employee Malmö reports no difficulties sourcing expertise of with which they are expected to work. According to numbers at the companies are thus largely unchanged. any kind, CEO Joacim Lindoff mentions that the e.g. Niels Abel Bonde, Managing Director at Novo lack of expertise in RA/QA could be remedied with Nordisk Scandinavia AB in Malmö, this is a greater Smaller group of companies affected new study programmes in education. challenge in Skåne than in for example Copenhagen differently – One thing that’s still missing is education in or Stockholm. Many companies also named people Of the total 125 companies interviewed, a small the regulatory aspect, either as independent training with a profile in the natural sciences and commercial group of 12 small-scale life science companies, prima- or as a complement to e.g. engineer training pro- aptitude as being in short supply. rily in medtech, but also in biotech and contract rese- grammes, he says. arch, report that they have had to or expect that they The challenge of recruiting regulatory expertise will have to dismiss employees due to the pandemic. in Skåne coincides with the EU’s tightening of rules Language, entrepreneurship and inter In contrast, another group of seven companies has for manufacturers of medical devices with the new national experience experienced success due to the coronavirus pande- Medical Device Regulation (MDR); this is not Various areas of expertise in e.g. Scandinavian mic. The companies are primarily small and large Other challenges are linked to difficulties commu- likely to alleviate difficulties recruiting in the area. languages, entrepreneurship, leadership, logistics businesses in medtech and contract research. They nicating with partners who are involved in vaccine Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, the and support, tender management and international have received new assignments and seen increased de- development; that clients can take a longer time en- new regulations have been postponed until May experience in general were also highlighted by one mand for their products and services, and it has been tering contracts; that employees are working reduced 2021 for implementation and management related or a small number of companies as expertise that necessary to accelerate recruitment processes, as they hours, and that new projects and recruitment plans to the coronavirus. is difficult to find and recruit. Furthermore, one plan to hire new staff or expect that they will need to have been put on hold, as others have described. When it comes to recruitment challenges in or a small number of companies report that it is do so in the near future because of the pandemic. For others, delivery failure has created problems, Skåne, contract research- and medtech companies difficult to recruit Danes in general and note that it This has been the case for e.g. PolyPeptide Labora- prevented new employment, and has become a reali- find it less difficult to recruit expertise in sales and is challenging to attract people to positions outside tories in Malmö; as a contract research organisation, ty together with increased work pressure. In addition, marketing. Nonetheless, large and small biotech- and of Skåne’s larger cities. they have seen positive development as the American getting new assignments can be difficult, and it can biotech and vaccine company Novavax has enlisted be harder to attract risk capital, as some report. At the Malmö-based organisation to develop chemical the same time, there is also a chance that more pri- material for a vaccine against Covid-19. vate and public capital can be generated as a reaction Most businesses have been able to avoid dismissing The companies that have experienced or expect to a greater focus on health, as some businesses see to experience positive or negative effects due to the it: for example, the Swedish venture capital company employees due to the coronavirus pandemic pandemic each comprise approx. 20% of the 125 Almi Invest has secured 400 million SEK from the companies interviewed. Notably, companies within government to invest in Swedish life science startups 8 of 10 life science companies in Skåne report that they have not had to reduce their staff since the the same subsector, e.g. medtech, may be affected in a new support package to bridge the crisis. beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. A smaller group of companies however reports that they by the pandemic in dramatically different ways. Respondents also expressed concern about tax have made or expect to make employees redundant as a result of the pandemic, and a few compa- issues for Danish employees with Swedish contracts nies expect to or have already recruited more employees as a result of the pandemic. PolyPeptide who have worked from home instead of crossing Laboratories for example has a new assignment to develop chemical material for a Covid-19 vaccine Companies face many challenges despite the Øresund Bridge to Sweden, which may make unchanged employee numbers in collaboration with the American Novavax. it more difficult for companies in Skåne to recruit Even if the number of employees has remained sta- from Denmark in the long- and short term. Of the 125 life science companies interviewed in mic. Despite a relatively low number of dismissals, ble, this spring the pandemic had – and may conti- Others however report that they have continued Skåne, around 100 – i.e. 80% – reported that to the pandemic gave rise to many challenges this nue to have – consequences on all subsectors and in to work as usual. Furthermore, as in other sectors, date, it has not been necessary to reduce their per- spring – both of logistic and strategical nature and businesses of all sizes. Businesses in which employee cancelled flights and closed borders have also been sonnel because of the pandemic. However, around in terms of recruitment, labour legislation, sales, numbers have remained unchanged report e.g. that challenging factors, according to some. 10 companies in biotech, medtech and contract and finance. There is a risk that the consequences of their sales have been ineffective, as salespeople have A number of these challenges were also pointed research find it necessary or are planning to dismiss the unknown factors of the pandemic in the spring worked from home and had limited contact to out in Swecare’s member survey of the life science employees because of the pandemic. Around 10 might affect employee numbers in the long run. the healthcare sector. Visits to clinics have been or sector in April-May 2020; difficulties concerning other companies in the same sectors expect to or remain restricted; clinical studies have been delayed; sales, export and limited access to clients have been have already recruited new employees due to the For most companies, employee numbers university hospitals are or have been occupied, and particularly problematic. The consequences of the pandemic. PolyPeptide in Malmö is one company have remained unchanged visiting care homes for client purposes is or has many unknown factors might affect the number of to have received new assignments due to the pande- When asked whether the pandemic has resulted in been difficult, as some have expounded. life science employees in Skåne in the long term.
72 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 73 LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE - INTERVIEW MCNEIL LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE - INTERVIEW MCNEIL
MCNEIL PUTS STRONG CONNECTIONS TO is considered the largest manufacturer of so-called self-care products in the Øresund Region; i.e., over- LEARNING INSTITUTIONS FIRST – FOR INSPIRA- the-counter medication that can be purchased in for example supermarkets. TION, AND TO MAKE CONTACTS EARLY ON McNeil’s production volume will increase, says NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Jody Lodge, because millions of smokers around Visibility and interaction with the local community and educational institutions are important tools for the world will need Nicorette in their efforts to stop recruiting expertise in the long term, says Jody Lodge, CEO of McNeil AB in Helsingborg. While he sees smoking. – Looking toward the future, we see more tech- no shortage of expertise in the region, he believes there may be challenges ahead. nology involving more robots and automatization than what we use today. The need for employees The Helsingborg-based pharmaceuticals manufactu- riod of three years to show them how university life who can support that technology will still exist in rer McNeil is over a hundred years old and one of is, so they can get a sense of what it would be like to the future. That’s not to say we don’t have that tech- Skåne’s few large life science companies, employ- follow a university path and how it connects to the nology now; it means that we’ll be putting more ing 665 people full-time. The person heading the industry, says Jody Lodge. focus on it, he says. company – which is best known for its production The McNeil story started back in 1908 in According to Jody Lodge, generally speaking, of the stop-smoking product Nicorette – is neither Copenhagen when two pharmacists bought the technical expertise is what McNeil will need in the Jody Lodge, a Swede nor a Dane, but an American by the name pharmacy Løveapoteket. The business became years to come. There will be a particular demand CEO McNeil AB. of Jody Lodge. Sitting in Københavns Løveapoteks for people who understand and can implement his office at the Helsingborg “There’s a high concen Kemiske Fabrik, now known technical solutions for problems. While McNeil has unit, he explains that his as LEO Pharma. In 1914 no trouble recruiting, he says, he has the impression entry into the company back tration of life science the business branched out to that the supply of technical expertise in the future in 2017 brought him to an companies in this re Sweden with the subsidiary won’t be able to meet the demand from the compa- important realisation. gion, and I think the AB LEO in Helsingborg, nies in the region. – When I first came here where the first product was –There’s a high concentration of life science and told locals where I wor- demand will surpass stool-softening pills. companies in this region, and I think that the ked, they didn’t know what the supply. That’s just Over the course of the 20th demand will surpass the supply. That’s just my
I was talking about. I expla- century there were changes to impression, says Jody Lodge. NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: ined the location to them my impression.” the company name, ownership For the moment he isn’t worried however, and I told them the address and product portfolio, but because McNeil has good networks and links to the and they still didn’t know what I was talking about. Nicorette has been the company’s primary product student environment, as Jody Lodge points out – So I asked them: Do you know where McDonalds since 1978, and in 2006 Johnson & Johnson acqui- and on top of that, the Helsingborg company works MCNEIL AB is? And everybody knew where McDonalds was. red the Helsingborg company from Pfizer. actively to develop employees’ competences further The reason why I tell this story is that since McNeil Today the company’s facilities include manu- so they can handle new tasks, he explains. • Founded: 1914 under the name AB LEO, which has been here for so long, the company has become facturing- and administrative buildings with 550 – We have a good history of bringing people was a subsidiary of the Danish LEO Pharma, such a part of the environment and the backdrop employees and a distribution centre with around in and helping them grow in their positions, and changed its name to McNeil in 2006 after it was that people who have grown up here don’t even see 30 employees ten kilometres away. On top of since we have such diverse roles, people can spend acquired by Johnson & Johnson. Prior to the it anymore. It’s not a weakness per se, but there’s a that, there are R&D facilities with 85 employees their entire careers here and do different things. The acquisition McNeil was owned by e.g. Pfizer • Branches in the life sciences: Pharma gap if people in your hometown don’t even know who are responsible for supporting global product result is that some of our employees have been here • Focus area: Over-the-counter medicines (OTC) you exist, says Jody Lodge. development in the category consumer health at for over 40 years, says Jody Lodge. • Ownership: Private (Johnson & Johnson The experience showed him how important it Johnson & Johnson of which McNeil is a part. Jody Lodge believes that another factor in corporation) is to be open and connect with the local commu- The category has three subareas: cough and cold, McNeil’s favour is Johnson & Johnson’s presence • CEO: Jody Lodge nity as a company. That’s one reason why McNeil smoking cessation, and digestive health. in Stockholm and Uppsala, where there are three • Turnover 2018: 1.6 billion SEK takes part in different career fairs in the region and The number of full-time employees at McNeil subsidiaries – including Janssen – active within • Gross year-end result 2018: 674.4 million SEK co-facilitates the programme Bridge to Employ- has risen nine per cent in the past five years. In the American concern’s other two primary groups: • Total number of employees in Helsingborg: ment with Lund University and a local upper 2015 there were 610 full-time employees – today pharmaceuticals and medical devices. 665 secondary school. The programme was established there are 665. Jody Lodge isn’t expecting any – We aren’t necessarily looking outside of the • Total number of Øresund commuters from in 1992 by the American medicinal company significant increase in the number of employees; region for expertise, because we believe that John- Denmark: 0 Johnson & Johnson – which owns McNeil – and although production volume is expected to rise, son & Johnson has more to offer both northern • Moreover: In 2017 McNeil became a car- has since been a global initiative to inspire high the facility will also use more automation in its and southern Sweden, not just in little pockets bon-neutral facility – the only one of its kind within Johnson & Johnson school students to choose careers in technology manufacturing. here and there, says Jody Lodge. As he sees it, the and the health industry. The facility itself is Helsingborg’s third-largest future looks bright for the facility in Helsingborg. – We meet students on a regular basis over a pe- private workplace, following Ica and Ikea, and it
74 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 75 LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE - INTERVIEW POLYPEPTIDE LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE - INTERVIEW POLYPEPTIDE
obviously know Denmark better than Sweden, and CHEMISTS AND ENGINEERS WITH A FLAIR FOR many would prefer to work ten minutes from home than an hour away, says Jacob Nilsson. AUTOMATION GAIN IMPORTANCE FOR POLYPEPTIDE – Things like that are hard to compete with. If it
were easier, we’d like to have more people here from NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: PolyPeptide Group, formerly part of the pharma manufacturer Ferring Pharmaceuticals, has access to Denmark. Speaking perfect Swedish isn’t important. the expertise needed to fuel growth in Malmö, says Jacob Nilsson, global HR director of PolyPeptide. The most important thing is the expertise, he says, He predicts however that in the years to come, companies will be competing for the chemists and engi- adding that 14 of their 275 employees commute to neers who can work with automated and digital processes in pharmaceuticals development. Sweden from Denmark, and even the director of PolyPeptide in Malmö is Danish. One reason it can be difficult to recruit from PolyPeptide is one of Skåne’s larger life science says Jacob Nilsson; he explains that manual proces- Denmark is the difference between the CDMO companies, with facilities in France, Belgium, ses will be increasingly converted to automated and sector and the traditional pharmaceuticals sector, the USA and India. There are approximately 275 digital processes. according to Jacob Nilsson. Clients often come full-time employees with 27 different ethnic back- – We have a need for more process knowledge, with new requests on a weekly basis, and that grounds working at the facility in the Limhamn which means chemists and engineers with talent requires great flexibility; in the pharmaceuticals district in southwestern Malmö, and the plan is for processes and automation. Recruiting chemists sector, there is presumably more time for develop- Jacob Nilsson, to recruit even more staff in the coming year, says is easy enough, but people who know automation ment, he says. Recruiting from the pharma sector global HR director PolyPeptide. Jacob Nilsson. and Manufacturing Execution isn’t as simple since the core business is different, – We’re in a rather expan- ”We’d like to see more Systems are more difficult. but it does happen. sive phase. We’re doing very There are a lot of companies Various challenges related to getting the right well, and our problem is more people studying to fighting over them, says Jacob expertise to come to Malmö won’t mean that about being able to meet the become engineers and Nilsson. PolyPeptide will leave Skåne, Jacob Nilsson says; demand, he says, and adds In other parts of the life they are happy to be in Limhamn, where Frederik that the corona pandemic chemists, we’d like to science sector, there is also Paulsen founded the company in 1952. The factory has meant new orders from become more attracti focus on accelerating the was originally called Nordiska Hormonlaboratoriet PolyPeptide, and that they development of e.g. peptides and later became Ferring Pharmaceuticals. The are currently working on a ve to Danish chemists, with more digital automation; name PolyPeptide first emerged in 1996, when the NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Covid-19 vaccine. and for Sweden to Novo Nordisk for example is company became independent from Ferring and We meet in the reception working with an American PolyPeptide Group was created. In 2016 PolyPep- area, where a painting of a include more peptide robotics company to increase tide closed its facility in Hillerød to consolidate it ship ornaments one wall. chemistry in training the efficiency of molecule- and with the Malmö facility. In the past five years, the POLYPEPTIDE The red brick building was programmes.” peptide development. As a re- annual turnover of PolyPeptide’s branch in Sweden’s LABORATORIES AB once the headquarters for a sult, numerous companies are third-largest city has doubled, and today it is • Founded: 1952 under the name Nordiska Hor- seeking the same competences around 812 million SEK. company that manufactu- monlaboratoriet by Fredrik Paulsen, changed red ship mooring; today, peptides – that is, chains within automation, and the competition has stif- PolyPeptide is happy with its location in its name to PolyPeptide in 1996 and became of amino acids – are produced here. Their clients fened, Jacob Nilsson remarks, as those with expert Medicon Valley and considers the proximity to the independent from Ferring Pharmaceuticals include everything from researchers and small-sca- knowledge understand how valuable they are. bridge an advantage. The company is also currently • Branches in the life sciences: CDMO (Contract le biotech companies to 15 of the world’s largest – If we have one problem, it’s that we are discussing expanding their production facility in Development Manufacturing Organization) medicine enterprises. considered attractive and offer our employees good Limhamn with the County Administrative Board • Focus area: Peptide technology PolyPeptide is thus a CDMO – a Contract training, and they typically move on after two or (Länsstyrelsen) and is anticipating an update on • Ownership: Private Development Manufacturing Organization – as three years, says Jacob Nilsson. The staff is thus that in the coming 6 months. • CEO: Jens Fricke they don’t develop their own pharmaceuticals, but divided into a rotating group of employees and a He believes that the life science and CDMO • Turnover 2019: 788 million SEK instead manufacture products and processes and stable group of staff members who have been there sectors in the region will see more competition from • Gross year-end result 2019: 57.5 million SEK provide regulatory support that other enterprises for more than ten years. India and China. Besides a building permit, Jacob • Total number of employees in Malmö: 279 can use to further develop e.g. pharmaceuticals and PolyPeptide is also on the lookout for new skilled Nilsson’s hopes for the future include that more • Total number of employees globally: ca 900 • Number of Øresund commuter employees cosmetics. workers via LinkedIn, headhunters and their own engineers and chemists will be trained in peptide from Denmark: 14 website, says Jacob Nilsson. He also believes that Before next year, PolyPeptide plans to recruit chemistry in Skåne. • Moreover: In 2019 the pharmaceutical sub- personnel for their communications, depot, logistics many of Skåne’s startups are a talent pool for exper- – We’d like to see more people studying to stances manufactured at the company’s Malmö and distribution. It will be important however to tise. The company also looks to Denmark for skilled become engineers or chemists, we’d like to become facility weighed around 300 kg bring in expertise in the core business of peptide experts; the capital city’s higher education institu- more attractive to Danish chemists, and for Sweden chemistry in conjunction with process technology, tions are good at peptide chemistry, he says. There to include more peptide chemistry in training pro- digital platforms and automation to the company, are several fundamental challenges however: Danes grammes, he says.
76 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 77 LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE - INTERVIEW NOVO NORDISK LABOUR MARKET AND THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE - INTERVIEW NOVO NORDISK
NOVO NORDISK IN MALMÖ WANTS MORE mark, Norway, England and Sweden, but since 2007 there have been offices in each respective COLLABORATION WITH THE SWEDISH HEALTH country. The Malmö office works with sales and marketing of Novo Nordisk’s product portfolio in
SERVICES AND A LARGER RECRUITMENT BASE Sweden, as well as with clinical research and clinical NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: testing in Sweden. According to Niels Abel Bonde, that requires staff with a combination of health The headquarters of Scandinavia’s largest pharmaceuticals company, Novo Nordisk, is in Bagsværd care-related expertise and commercial training. near Copenhagen, and the company’s Swedish office is in Malmö. Earlier this year in that very same – It’s more than sales and marketing personnel. southern Swedish city, the City of Malmö, Malmö University and Region Skåne became part of Novo Our potential growth area as I see it is in governme- Nordisk’s global programme Cities Changing Diabetes, partnering up to address social and cultu- nt affairs and related to obesity. [What’s needed is] ral factors that can lower the incidence of obesity and type 2-diabetes in urban environments. Novo people who can work with those responsible for ma- Nordisk in Malmö is also looking to forge alliances with the health care services and hopes for impro- king decisions in Swedish society or in the Swedish vements to the recruitment parameters in southern Sweden. healthcare system on a national or regional level, says Niels Abel Bonde. He adds: – We’re aiming to move toward greater insight In 2014, Novo Nordisk started the partnership challenges – Niels Abel Bonde reports however into the Swedish health care system, so we can grow programme Cities Changing Diabetes in collabora- that one of those desired collaborations is now from focusing only on our products to becoming a Niels Abel Bonde, tion with Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen and underway. He explains that diabetes treatment part of the healthcare system and being in a posi- managing director Novo the University College London in response to a rise involves continuous innovations arriving on the tion to help with improved diabetes treatments in Nordisk Scandinavia AB. in diabetes in urban areas. market; new products are Sweden. And there’s more to it than just knowing Malmö is now one of 26 ”There’s more to it constantly being developed your insulin well – understanding the healthcare sys- cities around the world that within the field of diabetes tem within which you’re working is also important. has joined the fight against than just knowing and new knowledge is conti- As Niels Abel Bonde sees it, the challenge doesn’t diabetes, which afflicts 500 your insulin well – un nually being added, and this lie in training programmes. On the contrary, he be- 000 Swedes. should be put into practice in lieves that Lund- and Malmö Universities offer many – We should be part of derstanding the health the healthcare system. solid university training programmes, e.g. in HR, the solution, not part of the care system within – It’s about the health management, biotech and health economics. The problem. To reach that end, which you’re working services staying up to date question is more about finding sales and marketing we’ll be in close dialogue on technological developme- profiles with experience in the pharmaceuticals indu- NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: with the health services about is also important.” nts, in part with improved stry, or pharma profiles with marketing expertise. how we can help Sweden – treatments. Soon we’ll also be They primarily need Swedes, he adds; individuals people with diabetes in Sweden and the health care launching an insulin pen that can upload data to who understand Swedish culture and who speak system – to achieve improved diabetes treatments, the cloud, improving access for the treating physici- the language. But Niels Abel Bonde finds that NOVO NORDISK says Niels Abel Bonde, managing director of Novo an as well as the patient. It’s a completely different there aren’t enough people in Malmö with strong SCANDINAVIA AB Nordisk Scandinavia AB’s Swedish branch. diabetes treatment. marketing and sales profiles in the pharmaceuticals • Founded: 2000 According to the programme, there were 437 In the autumn of 2019, Novo Nordisk got the industry. There are people who fit the bill in Copen- • Branches in life sciences: Pharma million people in the world with diabetes in 2017, thumbs up from the US Food and Drug Admi- hagen, he explains, but they don’t speak Swedish • Focus area: Diabetes, haemophilia, overweight and that number will rise to 736 million by 2045 nistration (FDA) for the next generation of the and they don’t have the same insight into Swedish and obesity unless the worldwide rise in obesity is curbed. The molecule Semaglutide, which is used to treat type-2 culture and society as Swedes. There are also suita- • Ownership: Private goal is to lower it by 25%. diabetes with a tablet rather than an injection. In ble candidates in Stockholm, which is where most • CEO: Niels Abel Bonde Collaborative projects like Cities Changing Di- early 2020, the Committee for Medicinal Products similar companies are located, but he says that even • Turnover 2019: 1.1 billion SEK abetes and other improvement initiatives are just for Human Use (CHMP) under the European if Swedes are used to long commutes, the competi- • Gross year-end result 2018: 39.7 million SEK the kind in which Niels Abel Bonde would like to Medicines Agency (EMA) was also positive about tion is strong. • Total number of employees in Malmö: 75 see Novo Nordisk in Malmö involved more. He approving the product, which already received – All of our competitors and colleagues are based • Total number of employees globally: 42 700 sees a lack of social initiative and responsibility to approval from the European Commission (EC) in in Stockholm. In a sense, that means that the recru- • Total number of Øresund commuter employ- quash overweight and obesity in all of Sweden and the early spring. itment base in Malmö is different than in a capital ees from Denmark: 5 • Moreover: Novo Nordisk Scandinavia AB is the finds there is a need for greater openness from the Niels Abel Bonde expects the new products to city. The recruitment parameters are more difficult. Swedish branch of Novo Nordisk Region Europe health care system to collaborate with the indu- lead to more jobs in the green building on Carlsga- There are more people in Stockholm and there’s A/S, which is part of Novo Nordisk A/S, owned by strial sector. Novo Nordisk has the products, and tan 3, adjacent to Malmö Central railway station, more pharma there – and borrowing from your Novo Nordisk Holdings A/S in Denmark as he sees it, the company has a strong position in in the years to come; today there are 68 employees neighbour isn’t as easy in Malmö as it is there. So southern Sweden, but has yet to enter sustainable there. In the past, the Malmö office – which was getting the best people can be a challenge. Swedish collaborations further north, where there are also established in 2000 – was a joint office for Den- speakers, that is, he says.
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PHOTO: H. LUNDBECK PHOTO: Focused efforts in four main areas can improve the life science sector in Skåne
Improved conditions for investment and capital, more local and regional collaboration, fewer bureau- cratic obstacles and better opportunities for professional training – when asked how the life science sector in Skåne could be improved, the ca 75 companies surveyed cite various efforts necessary in these four main areas. Most companies in all sectors highlight improved conditions for investment and capital and increased regional and local collaboration as most important.
A good research environment, a high level of edu- – We don’t have companies like that in Skåne. cation, and good infrastructure: these are factors We don’t have them in Sweden at all, and it’s a huge that the majority of the life science companies structural disadvantage, she says. interviewed consider valuable in Skåne. But condi- Not all companies have difficulty raising capi- tions in the sector could be improved. Four gene- tal, however: the biotech startup Asgard Therapeu- ral areas in which more work should be done were tics in Lund for example is receiving support from identified based on the input of around 70 large the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s BioInnovation and small companies in Skåne. Improved condi- Institute in Copenhagen, which provides funding tions surrounding investment and capital, more to Danish as well as Scandinavian startups and re- local and regional collaboration, fewer bureaucra- search projects in a variety of programmes. Com- tic obstacles and stronger training opportunities: panies specifically point out that capital conditions according to the companies, these are the main are better in Copenhagen, as well as in Stockholm, elements that can improve the sector in Skåne. Belgium and Holland, than they are in Skåne. In a survey conducted via telephone and email, companies were asked directly about the areas on which the sector in Skåne needs to focus greater More local and regional collaboration a effort. Some of the companies’ answers relate to necessity multiple areas where greater attention is needed. Broad collaboration between companies, cities, authorities, healthcare systems, educational institu- tions and trade organisations need to be expanded Improvements to investment and capital in various ways, according to ca 20 companies. The conditions most frequently cited need for increased, focused efforts is voiced by phar- Skåne’s smaller biotech- and medtech companies in ma-, biotech-, medtech- and contract research com- particular report that the opportunities to attract panies, and Novo Nordisk and Arjo highlight for risk capital need to be improved. In various ways, example the need for closer collaboration between the ca 20 companies have a restrained desire for the industry and the healthcare sector. In addition, improved conditions relating to capital, e.g. via there may be a need to establish or strengthen investment meetings and investor networks. The network groups, workshops and sector-related niche currency difference is also an issue. There is also fora and to stimulate more commerciopolitical a pronounced challenge for companies that have collaboration between the larger urban centres of been active for around ten years when it comes to Skåne and Copenhagen. Another measure might be attracting risk capital; the issue of generating capital to create closer links between business schools and is thus not limited to younger companies. Impro- startup environments, or to promote partnerships ved capital relations are also highlighted, albeit to between larger life science companies in Zealand a lesser degree, by pharma companies and contract and smaller companies in Skåne. research organisations. In an interview on page 88- – We have a lot of small startups on one side OPPORTUNITIES 89, Martina Kvist Reimer, Executive Vice President of the bridge, and on the other side are a number AND CHALLENGES of Red Glead Discovery in Lund, emphasises the of large companies and foundations. I think the problem of large life science companies being absent challenges that lie ahead have to do with how we in Skåne; in Denmark, for example, such companies can get them to work together in a constructive support smaller companies with funds. way, says Ebba Fåhraeus, CEO of SmiLe Incubator
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in Lund – see more on page 42-43. on page 86-87) and the CEO of Medeon Science Companies voice a general need for increased col- Park, interviewed on page 26-27. laboration; this should be understood both internally, PHOTO: BIOGAIA PHOTO: referring to within the sector itself, and externally, outside of the sector and between other actors. Develop opportunities for professional training – especially in pharma and regulatory affairs Lift the bureaucratic obstacles for the Furthering competences in Skåne should be a ge- commute to work neral focus according to ca. 20 companies. A wide Around 15 companies cited bureaucratic diffe- variety of areas in which focused efforts should be rences between Denmark and Sweden of some made are primarily voiced by medtech-, pharma- kind as an area requiring increased efforts and in and biotech companies, some of which emphasise which improvements should be made; these may e.g. the importance of focusing more on pharma be e.g. employment-related affairs, for example at university level in Skåne. Others expressed that that companies wish that dismissing employees in there is a need to give students more practical Sweden was as simple a process as in Denmark. experience in advanced levels of education. Still Other issues are shorter processing times for work others emphasise e.g. the importance of stronger permits, personal identification numbers, bank- training opportunities in marketing with a focus id and bank accounts, and faster approval from on pharma or directed at development in regula- hospitals for clinical studies. Newly started and tory affairs; the institute Atrium in Copenhagen, established companies alike in pharma-, biotech-, which offers professional courses and training, is medtech- and contract research emphasise the mentioned as a good initiative. need for efforts here – examples are the head of – One thing that’s still missing is education in the oral hygiene products company TePe Munhy- the regulatory aspect, either as independent training gienprodukter AB in Malmö; (see the interview or as a complement to e.g. engineer training pro- grammes, says Joacim Lindoff, CEO of Arjo, who would like to see more collaboration with educatio- nal institutions, as he describes in more detail in the interview on page 92-93. Generally, then, there is interest in boosting the opportunities for professional training and com- petence development both within the educational system and in the life science industry in Skåne.
There are many other efforts that can improve the sector In addition to the four main areas for focused efforts named, ca 20 companies – primarily in medtech, pharma and contract research – mention a number of other areas with potential for improve- ment. Some emphasise the importance of marketing Medicon Valley more internationally. Other issues raised by companies regarded decreasing the cost of clinical studies; facilitating the purchase of and access to lab equipment for startups; lowering the tolls for crossing the Øresund Bridge; the need for more laboratory space; the difficulty of recruiting employees with international experience in the sector; and the need to lower the rent of office space in science parks to enable companies from outside the urban centres to move in. PHOTO: H. LUNDBECK PHOTO:
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Opportunities for funding are not the only PORTUGUESE RESEARCHERS STARTED BIOTECH good thing about southern Sweden and Denmark. According to Filipe Pereira, there is a good research COMPANY IN LUND WITH DANISH-SWEDISH environment in haematopoiesis and cancer research,
and this means many collaboration opportunities NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: SUPPORT – SEE A NEED FOR MORE EFFORTS for Asgard Therapeutics. The Lund-based biotech company Asgard Therapeutics AB was established in 2018 as a spin-off from – The greatest advantage to having a technology Lund University and developed with support from the Swedish Vinnova and the Danish Novo Nordisk that can be applied to many different types of cancer is Foundation. According to the company’s three Portuguese founders, establishing a company in Sweden that our collaborative efforts have exploded, he says. Among the company’s collaboration partners are means good opportunities for funding and cooperation in the Øresund Region, but they also see a need doctors, researchers and the university hospital in for greater national and regional efforts to promote growth and innovation in the region. Lund, and the research centres BRIC and Danstem are among their partners in Denmark. A few short years ago, moving to Lund and starting business: first, we want to help treat cancer and save While Denmark and Sweden offer many oppor- The founders of Asgard a business there wasn’t even on the horizon for Cris- lives. It’s our dream as scientists to see our discove- tunities, Filipe Pereira also believes that there are Therapeutics. tiana Pires, CEO of Asgard Therapeutics, or Filipe ries serving society. The second reason is that the challenges in the Øresund Region. Pereira and Fábio Rosa, board members of Asgard company is a tool that allows us to attract a certain – Having two strong environments so close to each calls for efforts where researchers gain entrepreneurial Therapeutics. In 2015, Filipe Pereira was leading type of funding required to develop and validate other sometimes creates a competition of sorts for the knowledge for technology commercialization, market a research group in Portugal that investigated cell new therapies before first-in-human clinical trials. best people. It’s not a negative thing, but it creates a analysis, and other important aspects of innovation. fate engineering in the immune system; Fábio Rosa This is also possible in the university, but not in a great need for people with the right skills, he reasons. – A programme that stimulates this type of and Cristiana Pires joined competitive way compared to And the right skills are expensive in this region, he entrepreneurial thinking would greatly benefit the team as a master student ”In terms of funding, it’s all of the other companies that says. Filipe Pereira would like to see efforts to increase innovation-related economic growth in Skåne, says and postdoctoral researcher, easier here than in Por develop immunotherapies, the visibility of the Øresund Region in the rest of Fábio Rosa. respectively. explains Cristiana Pires. the world, so that the region can access the best Then in 2017, the Knut tugal. There are more Additionally, according to competences and Sweden and Denmark can jointly and Alice Wallenberg Founda- resources involved.” the three Portuguese research- lift the region. As he sees it, interaction and collabo- tion in Sweden started a col- ers, there are good opportuni- ration between the two countries will only help with laborative network in Gothenburg, Linköping, Lund, ties for startups in the Øresund Region. capitalizing on growth. Cristiana Pires agrees: Umeå and the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), - In terms of funding, it’s easier here than – I don’t think the problem is the competition founding the Wallenberg Centers for Molecular Medi- in Portugal. There are more resources involved. between Denmark and Sweden. A healthy dose of cine (WCMM) to bring together future leaders for the Another aspect is that there is a special environment internal competition is good because it improves life sciences and molecular medicine in Sweden. and atmosphere with many life science startups, the quality of translation efforts in the region. NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: - WCMM in Lund recruited ten research leaders especially in southern Sweden and Denmark. It’s She believes the challenge lies in the fact that they (PI’s) from abroad to strengthen regenerative very attractive to us, says Cristiana Pires. are a startup company developing advanced therapy medicine at Lund University. I was recruited for the Asgard Therapeutics and Filipe’s research group medicinal products (ATMPs). ATMPs are medications ASGARD THERAPEUTICS AB position in the field of haematopoiesis, and with at WCMM have also received funding for their for human use and are based on genes, tissues or cells; the position came a large investment package that work from e.g. Vinnova, LU Innovation, Sten K. in Asgard’s case, what is being developed is a gene the- • Founded: 2018 allowed us to perform ambitious and expensive Johnson Foundation and Novo Nordisk Foundation rapy for cancer based in cell reprogramming. Cristiana • Branches in the life sciences: Biotech experiments, says Filipe Pereira. through Novo Seeds and Bio Innovation Institu- suggests that a closer look should be taken at ATMP • Focus area: Cancer immunotherapy The research team has always envisioned tran- te, and they were also selected for the mentoring production facilities; there are only a few in Sweden, • Ownership: Private slating their scientific findings into new therapies program NOME, which is also a Novo Nordisk and they are small. As an increasing number of people • CEO: Cristiana Pires for patients; they wanted to merge the fields of cell Foundation endeavour. Despite the company’s ten- are working to develop ATMPs in Sweden, she thinks • Turnover: Data not yet available reprogramming and cancer immunotherapy and der young age, it has managed to raise about SEK 9 it would be interesting for Sweden or Denmark – or • Gross annual return: Data not yet available develop a method that forces cancer cells to become million to support the development of a new cancer both countries together – to work on increasing access • Total number of employees in Lund: 3 immunogenic. In order to make that dream reality, gene therapy. According to the three co-founders, to such facilities. This would both give a global compe- • Total number of Øresund commuter employees in 2017 Filipe Pereira brought his research team to the reason for this is quality. titive edge and prevent the region from missing out on from Denmark: 0 • Moreover: In 2019, Asgard Therapeutics won Lund; Cristiana Pires moved her postdoc research - We just have to ensure that we promote quality. valuable expertise and development projects. the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s The Nordic Good companies that produce high quality research and Fábio Rosa started working on his PhD. The – Otherwise, companies reach a point in their Mentor Network for Entrepreneurship (NOME) following year, in 2018, they published their scien- can get capital from anywhere. I don’t think we are development where they have to outsource their Competition, and in 2020 Fábio Rosa was voted tific results in the journal Science Immunology and competing for limited resources here in the region, production to other countries. I think that we will one of Forbes 30 under 30 as one of Europe’s top established Asgard Therapeutics to bring technolo- but efforts should be directed at translating the best lose a lot of power that way, says Cristiana Pires. young science and health care entrepreneurs gies developed in the lab to the clinic. scientific advancements into businesses – to bring Fábio Rosa sees potential for the region to promote - There are two reasons why we started the the best science into companies, says Filipe Pereira. research and innovation of early-stage technologies. He
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loping periodontitis, a condition in which the tissues THE LINK BETWEEN ORAL HEALTH AND GENERAL around the teeth become inflamed. – Looking at our strategy until 2025, part- HEALTH MAKES TEPE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE nerships are one of our success factors. We need
more partnerships around the world and to bring NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR in more expertise that we don’t have today. There The oral hygiene company TePe Munhygienprodukter AB started out making wooden toothpicks in are many and very good possibilities in the Øresund collaboration with the Faculty of Odontology in Malmö in the 1960s. Today TePe is a global oral health Region in terms of the focus there is on diabetes here, as well as on other areas like vascular diseases, company, and three years ago it was given the distinction life science company of the year in Malmö. says Hanna Hageberg Hammar. According to TePe’s CEO Hanna Hageberg Hammar and Marketing and Innovation Director Helena When it comes to the facility in Malmö, there Ossmer Thedius, increased global branding for the region, better infrastructure, less commuter bu- is personnel from more than 25 nations – though Hanna Hageberg reaucracy, and more partnerships are factors that can contribute to TePe’s growth. there are no commuters from Denmark – working Hammar and Helena at the company’s global headquarters. In 2019, the Ossmer Thedius, TePe. From its global headquarters near the motorway ourselves as a medtech company though, but rather as company’s turnover was 846 million SEK – a 35% in Malmö’s industrial and residential area Fosie, a company that works with preventive oral health. increase from 2015. affairs and odontology. These are areas in which TePe develops, distributes and sells a broad product Even if TePe is linked to the life science sector According to both of them, the company’s bro- they plan to recruit. portfolio of oral hygiene products to the internatio- in terms of improving quality of life, the company ader internationalisation makes it clear that using What inhibits TePe’s growth in the region is not nal market. The headquarters doesn’t have any partnerships English in the workplace is important, so non- the lack of risk capital that other life science com- is responsible for the entire ”Looking at our stra with the life science parks Swedish speakers can also be recruited. The develop- panies often indicate; instead, they maintain that corporation and its around Medeon, Ideon or Medicon ment also emphasises the importance of marketing better infrastructure for commuters and simpler 350 employees; around 250 tegy until 2025, part Village, nor with any of the Malmö as well as the region as a whole. employment legislation between Denmark and of them are employed full-ti- nerships are one of other pharmaceuticals- or In part, the sense that there many cultural and Sweden are the key to improved growth conditions. me and work in the Malmö our success factors.” biotech companies in the employment opportunities on both sides of the Øre- – We’re just a stone’s throw from the bridge, and facility. In 2017, the private- Øresund Region. sund Strait will keep people from leaving the region. what would be really exciting is if we could bring in ly-owned company received But the Eklund family, It can also attract more skilled labourers from abroad, expertise from Copenhagen, but commuting needs Malmö City’s business award for life science. which owns TePe, recently became the second-lar- because a unified Øresund Region with a population to be easier, says Hanna Hageberg Hammar. The award came as a surprise, says TePe’s CEO gest shareholder of Magle Chemoswed, one of of around 4 million has greater appeal abroad than Hanna Hageberg Hammar, because they hadn’t really Malmö’s contract research companies. Via the fa- just Malmö with its 345 000 residents, say Hanna considered TePe a life science company. Instead of mily’s investment company Fosielund, they chose Hageberg Hammar and Helena Ossmer Thedius. being concerned with the special rules of belonging to buy 20 million SEK worth of shares in Magle – Talking about the whole region rather than to a sector, since the company’s founding, they have Chemoswed, which has been publicly traded in just Lund, Malmö and Copenhagen is really signi- simply focussed on promoting good oral health. Sweden since late June. ficant for attracting people to come here and stay,
Established by the woodcarver Henning Eklund TePe is also active in the STEPS-programme says Hanna Hageberg Hammar. She mentions a NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: in Malmö in 1965, the company’s first triangular- with Lund University, where the focus is on more new employee from southern Europe who lives in shaped toothpicks were wooden. Nowadays the oral bio-based primary materials and more sustainability Malmö but also takes Swedish classes in Lund and health products like interdental tooth-brushes and in plastic; this is also an active discussion in the enjoys Copenhagen’s cultural activities. TEPE toothbrushes are made of plastic. Danish medical- and pharmaceuticals industry. There are international branding initiatives under- But the ambition to spread good oral health has TePe’s personnel is also involved in the education way in the region, and it’s vital to keep them going and MUNHYGIENPRODUKTER AB always been in focus, and the task has grown in im- at the Faculty of Odontology in Malmö, Tandvårds- if possible increase the efforts, the two representatives • Founded: 1965 portance over the years, as health has come to mean högskola, where the first wooden toothpicks were of the company say; even if TePe has succeeded in re- • Branches in the life sciences: Oral health more than not having an illness and has also been developed in collaboration with the school’s experts cruiting people to Malmö from abroad over the years, • Focus area: Dental products linked more generally to quality of life, including in the 1960s. it remains a task with many associated challenges. • Ownership: Private (Eklund family) good oral hygiene and healthy teeth. Today TePe has eight subsidiaries globally and – We see bringing in experience from different • CEO: Hanna Hageberg Hammar Furthermore, science has increasingly recognised started their international expansion by establishing kinds of markets as a great advantage. And I think that • Turnover 2019: 846 million SEK that good oral health promotes general health, com- the first subsidiary in Germany in 1997. In Germany, relocating to the area is easier for people [with that • Gross year-end result 2019: 318 million SEK bined with the paradigm of more preventive care in as well as in Scandinavia and the UK, dental care is at experience] if they see the region as an exciting place, • Total nmber of employees in Malmö: 253 health services. the forefront, says Hanna Hageberg Hammar. says Hanna Hageberg Hammar. She believes that • Total number of employees globally: ca. 350 – As far as improving quality of life is concerned, If a new collaboration were to start up, it might be more Øresund trade shows and international meetings • Number of Øresund commuters from our entire vision is linked to life science, says Hanna with e.g. Novo Nordisk or other actors with expertise could be a lever for more international branding. Denmark: 0 • Moreover: The Eklund Foundation is contribu- Hageberg Hammar. Helena Ossmer Thedius adds: in diabetes, say both representatives of the company; As they see it, there is expertise missing in ting €200 000 to odontological research in 2020 – Depending on the regulations, our products can good dental hygiene habits are especially important production technology, materials science, product be considered medtech in some countries. We don’t see for diabetes patients; otherwise there is a risk of deve- design, automation, quality assurance, regulatory
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with e.g. SARomics Biosctructures, Truly Labs, DENMARK IS AN IMPORTANT MARKET FOR RED Redoxis, Adroit Science and Emmace, and they are currently producing molecules for a vaccine GLEAD DISCOVERY – INCREASED PRESENCE AND against Covid-19 for the Norwegian biotech
company Immunor. NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: INTERACTION IN COPENHAGEN ARE A PRIORITY Despite Red Glead Discovery’s success, The privately-owned CRO company Red Glead Discovery AB in Lund has made presence in Copenhagen Martina Kvist Reimer feels that the life science a priority and opened an office there. Mobility, trans-Øresund collaboration and proximity to Danish and sector in Skåne has an overshadowing structural problem: A lack of capital. Swedish clients are decisive for growth, according to two of the company’s founders. Another important This is especially true for startups, she says. aspect is directing more capital into companies from Skåne. What it comes down to is that unlike Denmark, Skåne has no life science companies with over In the past five years, Red Glead Discovery, The life science sector is however also ”incre- 1 000 employees that offer smaller companies which develops pharmaceuticals for external dibly international”, he says, pointing out that research support via foundations like Lundbeck, clients, doubled its number of full-time employ- their staff includes people from 37 different na- LEO Pharma and Novo Nordisk do with their ees to 34 and tripled its turnover to around 34 tions such as Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, seed programmes, grants and allocations. million SEK in 2019. That makes the contract re- India and the Middle East. Hence the acquired – We don’t have companies like that in Skåne. searching company one of Lund’s fastest growing wisdom that it is almost easier to get a new client We don’t have them in Sweden at all, and it’s a life science companies. Though based in the in Boston than in Stockholm. huge structural disadvantage, says Martina Kvist Johan Evenäs, CEO science park Medicon Village, the Danish market In terms of Medicon Valley’s development Reimer, adding that the corona outbreak has cle- Red Glead Discovery AB. with its prospering bio- – particularly in Skåne – it arly revealed funding differences; as a supplement tech and pharma compa- ”There is very limi will be important to bring in to government support, the Lundbeck Founda- nies is of great importance experienced project managers tion and the Novo Nordisk Foundation have also – Without meeting, we can’t get to know each for Red Glead. ted public funding in from large pharma companies, allocated 80 million crowns for the development other – and that’s a prerequisite for a good colla- – In 2018, Denmark Sweden. To finance a especially from Denmark, to of a vaccine. boration, says Martina Kvist Reimer. was our largest market in work in smaller companies, In addition to a lack of private capital from terms of profit, says Johan pharma project, you especially in Skåne, Martina large companies, Martina Kvist Reimer believes Evenäs, CEO of Red have to go to the EU.” Kvist Reimer remarks. They that Denmark has a larger investor base of private Glead Discovery and one are people who know the ins biotech entrepreneurs in Denmark that can offer of the company’s seven founders. He shows us and outs of the value chain, but as she notes, sig- support in the startup phase that Skåne lacks. around several floors and talks about the various nificant salary differences can make recruitment As Martina Kvist Reimer sees it, another chal- manufacturing machines behind the glass panels difficult. lenge for life science in Skåne is that the Swedish
there. And finally, with the increasing use of artificial government authority for R&D funding Vinnova NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Trans-Øresund business activity has revealed intelligence in the life science sector, access to pe- is often focused on supporting future technology the benefits of being close to clients, which is ople who can handle big data will become more that will be important ten years from now rather why Red Glead Discovery – as the only Lund-ba- important, says Martina Kvist Reimer; there can than offering more assistance for e.g. therapy sed company – prioritised establishing an office be a need for smaller companies to recruit people technologies here and now. RED GLEAD DISCOVERY AB at Copenhagen Bio Science Park (COBIS). with expertise that is already being utilised in – There is very limited public funding in • Founded: 2011 Access to expertise, collaboration opportuni- larger companies. Sweden. To finance a pharma project, you have to • Branches in the life sciences: CRO (Contract ties and networking are some of the advantages When Red Glead Discovery started up nine go the EU, she says. As a service provider for many Research Organization) of being on both sides of the strait, adds Mar- years ago they had no external capital. The seven different companies, she finds that a lack of capital • Focus area: Medicinal chemistry and peptide tina Kvist Reimer, executive vice president of co-founders, including Johan Evenäs and Martina is a general problem for many in the sector. chemistry the company. Improving the life science sector Kvist Reimer, had all worked at AstraZeneca’s Martina Kvist Reimer is pleased however that • Ownership: Private between Denmark and Sweden is largely a ques- R&D facility in Lund and had to work unpaid Sweden has put the life science sector high on the • CEO: Johan Evenäs tion of mobility, she says, so that traveling back for a year to get Red Glead Discovery up and political agenda. As of 1 April 2020, the R&D • Turnover 2019: 34 million SEK and forth is as easy as possible. running. They bought second-hand equipment deductions (FoU-avdraget) were doubled, going • Gross year-end result 2019: 2.9 million SEK – Without meeting, we can’t get to know each and no one really believed in the project, says from 10 to 20%, so companies’ employer’s social • Total number of employees in Lund: 34 other – and that’s a prerequisite for good collabo- Johan Evenäs. Today, the CRO company develops security contributions are lower; while she finds • Total number of Øresund commuter employ- ration, says Martina Kvist Reimer. and sells molecules to around 200 clients, most the initiative good, she doesn’t believe that it is ees from Denmark: 0 Being close to clients and local collaboration of which are large pharma companies, smaller enough, and a solution is difficult. There has been • Moreover: Red Glead Discovery has around 200 different clients in biotech, pharma and partners has been decisive for Red Glead Disco- biotech companies, and research groups at Lund talk of a government-owned life science founda- academia very’s success since the company was founded in University and Karolinska Institute. tion with contributions from all companies, but 2011, says Johan Evenäs. In Lund, Red Glead Discovery collaborates as far as she knows, there are no results to date.
88 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 89 OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES - INTERVIEW BAXTER OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES - INTERVIEW BAXTER
2012, it still had 6 500 employees – about 9% of BAXTER IS MOVING ITS PRODUCTION TO ITALY its workforce – in Gothenburg and near Stock- holm in Södertälje. For the time being, Baxter’s – BUT STILL SEES A LOT OF GOOD REASONS TO situation is different.
– While a lot has moved away, we still have NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: KEEP R&D IN LUND quite a bit of activity here that’s important for the company, says Per-Ola Wictor. One of Lund’s most important industrial businesses, Gambro Lundia AB, has made a lot of changes in In terms of the number of employees, he adds, the past few years, after having been acquired by the global medtech company Baxter International Inc. the facility in Lund is comparable to Baxter’s other in 2013. In the years to come, all of the company’s production will relocate to Italy, but the R&D team facilities in Europe and the US. for dialysis will stay in Lund, where they’ll collaborate under new terms with colleagues all over the – Our strong point in Lund is enormous know- world and take advantage of the strength of Lund’s local networks, says Per-Ola Wictor, Lund Site Lead ledge about how to go from an idea to a finished and Director of HD Therapy and Water Technologies at Baxter. product. We know all of the aspects of Renal Care, the part of Baxter that works with different kinds of dialysis treatments needed for acute and chronic Per-Ola Wictor, Although many life science companies in Skå- will handle e.g. research support functions, regula- kidney failure. A lot of other sites are specialists in Lund Site Lead ne have celebrated successes in terms of both tory affairs and patent issues. one kind of treatment, but in Lund we have the at Baxter. economy and personnel, one of the region’s largest – For us, the really big changes happened in know-how about basically all kinds of treatments, life science enterprises has late 2018, when the decision which means that we can combine ideas in a way been experiencing negative ”We have exciting was made to consolidate the that no one else can. I see that as a strength, says growth for the past five or production division in other Per-Ola Wictor. our big projects are global projects. We design the six years – the Lund-based collaborations with locations, mainly in Medolla, Because of that, he expects that Baxter will parts we’re experts at here, and then the other sites medtech company Baxter, Lund University and Italy, says Per-Ola Wictor, stay in Lund for many years to come – albeit on contribute their parts. It works better all the time. formerly Gambro. Director of HD Therapy and different terms, shaped by the same globalisation It’s all about how we communicate and share infor- Since 1964, the com- with globally leading Water Technologies at Baxter that is underway in many large companies. The mation and knowledge with each other, he says. pany, which originated in doctors at the univer and site lead in Lund. Some establishment of international research facilities Lund, has been researching sity hospitals in Malmö related R&D activities moved like MAX IV and European Spallation Source and manufacturing equip- from Lund to India in 2019. (ESS), the use of open innovation at incubators ment for dialysis to treat and Lund. Obviously, The move was neither due and a close relationship to the education- and kidney- and liver diseases. that strengthens our to a lack of productivity nor health sectors are also good reasons to stay in the It all started when Professor low quality, but was instead region, says Per-Ola Wictor, where they still have Nils Alwall developed one position in research at motivated by the long-term a need for technical project managers and people of the first dialysis machines Baxter.” total savings made possible with a strong profile in therapies. NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: and began collaborating by the move. The former – We’re interested in open innovation, and with Holger Crafoord, who Gambro facility also needs to we have an ongoing dialogue with incubators to founded Gambro. be adapted for a global enterprise like Baxter and strengthen our network collaborations. I see very Research and production of dialysis equipment find a new, optimised structure. strong potential for our region there in particular, GAMBRO LUNDIA AB has continued until today, but now the company It’s not the first time that a large medical compa- he says, adding: has also been – and will continue to be – marked ny in Skåne has restructured its business activities – We have exciting collaborations with Lund Founded: 1964 by great changes. and resulted in lost employment. There was an University and with globally leading doctors at the Acquired by Baxter International Inc. in 2013 Branches in the life sciences: Medtech In 2012, the American global medtech compa- equally major upheaval around ten years ago when university hospitals in Malmö and Lund. Cle- Focus area: Dialysis machines ny Baxter International Inc. made an offer to pur- the pharma company AstraZeneca closed a number arly, that strengthens our position in research at Ownership: Baxter International Inc. chase Gambro for 4 billion USD. The agreement of R&D facilities, including one in Lund, as part of Baxter, says Per-Ola Wictor. He believes that it is Lund Site Lead: Per-Ola Wictor was approved in 2013. a major R&D transformation; 900 jobs were lost. important to be pragmatic and open about a new Turnover in 2018: 1.3 billion SEK. The ensuing restructure of R&D and produc- 2012 brought another set-back: the American med- reality in both established and new markets and Gross year-end result in 2018: 66 million SEK. tion has been substantial, and the company’s staff tech enterprise Becton, Dickinson and Company treatments. Number of full-time employees in Lund: 485 in Lund has gone from just under 900 at the time (BD) cut back production in Helsingborg, resulting – Having a strong company behind you is posi- Number of Øresund commuter employees in of the acquisition to around 485 local employees – in the loss of around 400 positions. tive, says Per-Ola Wictor, adding that the organi- Lund: 0 a decrease of around 45%. Despite the major changes, Per-Ola Wictor sation’s new structure demands more collaboration Number of employees globally: 50 000 As 2022 approaches the number of employees emphasises that there is still very valuable know- with other facilities around the world. Baxter’s global turnover was 11.4 billion USD will drop lower still, since production will move ledge at Baxter in Lund; that means that unlike – 15 years ago, we could go to the person at the in 2019; 26% of the turnover was in the EMEA from Lund to Italy. 150 R&D-employees will AstraZeneca, their story in the region has not next desk if we needed something repaired. Today region remain in Lund, says Per-Ola Wictor. The facility come to an end. When AstraZeneca left the city in we might talk to a colleague in India instead. All of
90 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 91 OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES - INTERVIEW ARJO SVERIGE AB OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES - INTERVIEW ARJO SVERIGE AB
good ideas in response to needs, but we also need the ARJO BELIEVES THAT CLOSER COLLABORATION chance to discuss them with actors from the health- care sector and test the components, he explains. BETWEEN HEALTH SERVICES AND THE INDUSTRY He says that the healthcare sector is facing challeng-
es because operating costs are high but care has not NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: WILL MAKE A STRONGER LIFE SCIENCE SECTOR been improved, for example because of high work- loads. With easier access to the healthcare sector’s daily With its good access to expertise and infrastructure, the Øresund Region is an attractive location operations and collaboration with those who work for the medtech company Arjo AB, which was founded in Eslöv in 1957. Joacim Lindoff, CEO of within them, he believes that companies from the Arjo – now based in Malmö – sees potential for the region to become stronger through improved private industry – like Arjo – would be able to alleviate Joacim Lindoff, collaboration between the industry and the healthcare sector and more investments in education those challenges by focussing on technical tools, the CEO Arjo Sverige AB. and training in regulatory affairs. competence of personnel, and work processes. He sees this as very valuable. Via clients, Arjo has accumulated knowledge about process improvements, and accor- in terms of how we think, how we solve problems, The CEO of Arjo AB Joacim Lindoff is happy 2007-2008: to consolidate some of the company’s ding to Joacim Lindoff, this has resulted in savings, how we view managment and so on. That makes with the location of the company’s headquarters in manufacturing units. This meant fewer units, but improved quality of care and a reduced number of the mix much more interesting than it would be if central Malmö, where 190 of the company’s 6 230 also better control over quality regulatory complian- personnel with work-related injuries. Arjo now wants we only recruited from a homogenous Swedish set- global employees now work. 14 of those employ- ce in our product category, says Joacim Lindoff. to bring this experience and advice to the healthcare up. Cultural diversity shouldn’t be underestimated ees commute from Denmark every day, and when – The other factories were first, before the sector to help more with these challenges. – it brings even more advantages to the region. it comes to recruitment, Joacim Lindoff has no decision was made to move production from Esløv As far as strengthening the region goes, Joacim complaints. to the Polish facilities. Then Arjo’s headquarters and Lindoff believes that there is potential in looking at – We haven’t had any part of its marketing and R&D expertise in regulatory affairs and collaborating with trouble finding people with ”We need to find departments moved to Malmö the Øresund Region’s related education and training the expertise we’ve sought another way to inn in 2012-2013, he says. programmes, which he believes can become even better. to date. In terms of access According to Joacim Lindoff, – One thing that’s still missing is education in the to skilled labourers, based ovate and come up cutbacks were one reason Arjo regulatory aspect, either as independent training or as on what Arjo needs I’d with new solutions decided to consolidate facilities a complement to e.g. engineer training programmes. NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: venture to say there is no together with the and move production. He points While I’m not exactly sure how things are nowadays, shortage here, contrary to out that one of the challenges of I think that venturing out and investing more in that Gothenburg or Stockholm, healthcare sector.” the Øresund Region are the high aspect could lead to an even better foundation, he says. ARJO SVERIGE AB says Joacim Lindoff. salary and production costs in Despite a lack of regulatory focus in training pro- Arjo manufacturers solutions and equipment for the region, and many companies thus decide to move grammes, Arjo hasn’t had difficulty recruiting expertise • Founded: 1957 the healthcare sector, e.g. bath systems, mattresses their production to other countries. Baxter, which is in that area to date, unlike a number of other com- • Branches in the life sciences: Medtech and lifting devices that can promote better mobility another large medtech company in Lund, has chosen to panies in Skåne. According to Joacim Lindoff, there • Focus area: Hospital equipment for patients during healthcare whilst reducing the do the same. Towards 2022, their production will move is good access to a skilled labour pool in the region • Ownership: Publicly traded on Nasdaq Stock- risk for work-related injuries for healthcare person- from Lund to Italy. Although Baxter is well known and because it is an attractive place to live and work for holm (62.7% in Sweden and 37.3% abroad) • CEO: Joacim Lindoff nel. The company is active in around 30 countries has thus helped make the Øresund Region attractive, people in the sector, both because of the medtech- and • Turnover 2019: 8.9 billion SEK Joacim Lindoff is not worried that the move will have a and has manufacturing facilities in China, Canada, life science cluster in the region and the possibilities • Gross year-end result 2019: 671 million SEK the Dominican Republic, the UK and Poland. The negative effect on Arjo. He does however see the oppor- for collaboration that higher learning institutions such • Total number of employees in Malmö: 190 largest of their manufacturing facilities is in Pozan, tunity to recruit good expertise from Baxter. as Copenhagen Business School, Malmö University • Total number of employees globally: 6 230 Poland and produces medical beds, hygiene and – Baxter is a company with a good reputation glo- and Lund University offer businesses. Arjo already has • Number of Øresund commuter employees from disinfection products, and more. bally, and their presence in the Malmö-Lund-Copen- established collaborations in a variety of training pro- Denmark: 14 Arjo’s story began in a garage in Esløv in 1957 hagen cluster speaks well of the area, which can make grammes at these three institutions. These collaborative • Moreover: Arjo AB was part of Getinge AB when a man called Arne Johansson – whose name it more interesting for people to make the move here. efforts comprise e.g. workshops, business cases, lectures, until December 2017, when the decision was is also behind the company name – saw a need to But I don’t think it will affect Arjo, neither in the internships and specialist studies. The infrastructure is made to split the business activity in two parts, help patients with reduced mobility with hygiene. long- nor the short-term, he says. also good, says Joacim Lindoff. He says that only few and Arjo AB was quoted on Nasdaq Stockholm. Arjo’s headquarters and largest manufacturing plant In addition to high salary and production costs, of Arjo’s employees live in Malmö, and many of them The division was based on the wish for Getinge were located in Esløv, and the company continued Joacim Lindoff emphasises another challenge, one commute from different parts of Skåne and from Ze- to focus its strategy on the operation room itself to grow there over the years, adding more produc- that he believes to be true for all of Scandinavia and aland. As Joacim Lindoff sees it, that both Danes and while Arjo focused on equipment for ”post acute care” and elder care. Arjo AB and Getinge AB tion units, including one in Lynge, Denmark. There not unique to the Øresund Region. Swedes want to work at the company is a strength; he are both part of the enterprise Carl Bennet AB, have been major organisational changes to the – We need to find another way to innovate and believes that different perspectives bring better results. which has a total of 29 000 employees company in the past 12-13 years, however. come up with new solutions together with the healt- – We Swedes and Danes are pretty similar, but – An important need was identified at Arjo in hcare sector. We – the industry – can come up with we also have pretty significant cultural differences
92 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 93 DANISH PRESENCE IN SKÅNE
PHOTO: NOVO NORDISK NOVO PHOTO: Labour force, capital, research activities and networks link life science in Denmark and Skåne
The life science environments in Denmark and Skåne are connected in a variety of ways: a number of businesses are active with facilities of their own on both sides of the strait, and there are also around 100 Danes working at life science enterprises in Skåne. 20 companies in Skåne have a Danish CEO. The exchange manifests in other ways as well, such as public equity offers, capital funds, research collaborations and incubator programmes.
The nature of Denmark’s presence in Skåne’s life Union, which is being headed by the Danish-Swedish science sector is both financial and social, as well network organisation Medicon Valley Alliance. as research- and network-related. The financial aspect relates in part to the fact that around 60 of the 419 businesses surveyed have facilities on both Around 100 Danish life science commuters sides of the Øresund Strait. In addition, private in Skåne – more commute in the other funds are invested by the Novo Nordisk Founda- direction tion, Lundbeck Foundation and Sunstone Capital, Skåne’s 419 life science companies employ 7 500 primarily in small and medium-sized biotech- and people. Of them, there are around 100 Danes who medtech companies in Skåne and elsewhere in commute to ca. 30 life science companies, primarily Sweden. The financial aspect is also related to in Malmö and Lund. Danish commuters in Skåne 11 of the Danish life science companies listed in comprise only a small part of the total number of Sweden over the past five years. employees in Skåne’s life science sector, although The social aspect refers to the ca. 100 Danes the figure might be higher, as e.g. loosely associated who work in life science companies, primarily in consultants are not included in the calculation. Malmö and Lund, and the 20 companies in Skåne Commuter figures in the opposite direction – i.e., with a Danish CEO. for Swedes who work in the life science sector in Denmark and Sweden are also linked by e.g. their Denmark – are estimated to be higher due to e.g. research collaborations at European Spallation Source currency differences; furthermore, in Copenhagen (ESS) and MAX IV and the diabetes project Dia alone, Ferring Pharmaceuticals employs around 150
DANISH COMPANIES LISTED IN SWEDEN
Capital Company Subsector Listing time Stock market raised
Qlife, Copenhagen/Helsingborg ICT/Healthtech 2020 Q1 Nasdaq, Stockholm 55 mill. SEK Scandion Oncology, Copenhagen Biotech 2018 Q4 Spotlight, Stockholm 26 mill. SEK 2curex, Copenhagen Biotech 2017 Q4 Nasdaq, Stockholm 14 mill. DKK Initiator Pharma, Aarhus Biotech 2017 Q1 Spotlight, Stockholm 20.5 mill. SEK Acarix, Malmö/Hellerup Medtech 2016 Q4 Nasdaq, Stockholm 125 mill. SEK Expres2ion Biotech Holding, Hørsholm Biotech 2016 Q3 Nasdaq, Stockholm 18 mill. SEK SynAct, Lund/Holte Biotech 2016 Q3 Spotlight, Stockholm 32.3 mill. SEK Rhovac, Lund/Hørsholm Biotech 2016 Q1 Spotlight, Stockholm 20.3 mill. SEK DANISH PRESENCE IN SKÅNE Nuevolution, Copenhagen Biotech 2015 Q4 Nasdaq, Stockholm 250 mill. SEK Oncology Venture, Hørsholm Biotech 2015 Q2 Nasdaq, Stockholm 21 mill. SEK Saniona, Ballerup Biotech/Pharma 2014 Q2 Nasdaq, Stockholm 17 mill. SEK*
*A new issue in February 2015 generated 24 million SEK. Sources: MedWatch, annual reports, Bisnode
LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 95 DANISH PRESENCE IN SKÅNE DANISH PRESENCE IN SKÅNE
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT that do have a transregional history or a contem- DANISH PHARMA GIANTS IN MALMÖ porary link resulting from changes in ownership or company acquisition. For example, McNeil 80 AB was originally called AB LEO, and in 1914 PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: 60 it became the first subsidiary of the Danish LEO Pharma, which subsequently, in 1883, came under
40 Swedish ownership. Several changes of hands later, Johnson & Johnson acquired it as McNeil AB in 20 2006. HemoCue in Ängelholm also has links to Denmark, as the company was acquired by Radio- 0 Ferring H. Lundbeck AB Leo Pharma AB Novo Nordisk meter Medical in 2013 for 1.7 billion DKK. Läkemedel AB Scandinavia AB 2015 2020* *Number of employees according to most recent available data from Most CEOs are Swedes – few CEOs from 2017-2020. Source: Bisnode, data from the companies Denmark and abroad The CEOs at Skåne’s life science companies are Swedes who reside in Skåne. This is an expertise – on the Danish as well as the Swedish side of the predominantly Swedes. The tendency to be headed challenge for the sector in Skåne. strait. Around 15% of the companies in Skåne have a primarily by Swedes also holds true in the ca 75 Together with the Danish global company primary or a minor facility registered in Denmark. Swedish listed companies in Skåne, around 50 of LEO Pharma, two Swedish global companies – the Companies of this kind are located primarily in which have a Swedish CEO. medtech company Arjo and the contract research Malmö, Lund and Helsingborg and include e.g. In contrast, there are around 20 life science com- organisation PolyPeptide Laboratories – have the Denmark’s three largest medicinal companies: Novo panies in Skåne with a Danish CEO; of them, five greatest number of Danish Øresund commuters in Nordisk Scandinavia AB, LEO Pharma AB, and H. are listed in Sweden and have Danish CEOs. These Skåne. All three companies are located in Malmö. Lundbeck AB, as well as the Swedish Getinge AB are e.g. the Medeon Science Park-alumnus Ascelia LUNDBECK FOUNDATION Numerous biotech-, medtech- and pharma-compa- – all of these are in Malmö. In Lund there are e.g. Pharma AB, which moved its headquarters to Hyllie VENTURES – ACTIVE INVEST- nies in Lund typically employ one to two Danes. the software company Visiopharm LRI AB and the in Malmö in early 2020, and the biotech companies contract research organisations Larix Sweden AB Hansa Biopharma AB and Acousort AB in Lund. MENTS IN COMPANIES IN SKÅNE and Klifo AB, and the medtech companies Svenska Ten additional companies were identified as Relatively few companies have facilities in Labex AB and Bard Norden AB are in Helsingborg. having CEOs who hail from other countries than Votes and both Sweden and Denmark The lattermost is part of the American global med- Sweden and Denmark; these are e.g. the pharma Company capital Of all of the life science companies in Skåne, around tech group Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD). company McNeil AB in Helsingborg, which is Bone Support AB 4.4% largest shareholder 60 companies have been classified as cross-border com- In addition, there are also companies in Skåne headed by an American, and Asgard Therapeutics AB panies, meaning that they have a presence – e.g. offices that do not have facilities in both countries, but in Lund, which has a Portuguese CEO at the helm. Sources: Lundbeck Foundation and annual reports
SWEDEN COMPANIES IN THE MEN- NOVO HOLDINGS – ACTIVE INVEST- SUNSTONE LIFE SCIENCE TOR PROGRAMME NOME – FUNDED WHAT IS NOME? MENTS IN SWEDISH COMPANIES VENTURES – ACTIVE INVESTMENTS BY NOVO NORDISK FOUNDATION The Nordic Mentor Network for Entrepreneurship OR COMPANIES WITH DEPART- IN COMPANIES IN SKÅNE (NOME) is a Scandinavian and transatlantic men- MENTS IN SWEDEN tor network of life science experts that offers free Company City Subsector advice to promising life science startups in Scan- Asgard Therapeutics Lund Biotech dinavia. The companies are selected by NOME’s Company Votes and capital mentors, and there are 3-4 mentors associated Company Votes and capital BioReperia Linköping CRO Acarix 9.2% largest shareholder with each company. NOME is run by the Danish ConvaTec, 20.25% largest shareholder Alligator 8.1% second largest Cellevate Lund Biotech incubator undertaking Accelerace Manage- Bromma Bioscience shareholder Gedea Biotech Lund Biotech ment with the support of six other Scandinavian Envirotainer AB, 24.9% Ascelia 19.1 % largest shareholder partner organisations, including Medicon Village Sollentuna In2Cure Lund Biotech Pharma in Lund. The NOME initiative was funded by the Orexo AB, 27.1% largest shareholder Lexplore Stockholm ICT/Healthtech Cantargia 7.5% largest shareholder Novo Nordisk Foundation in 2016. To date, 29 Uppsala before selling 30% MediTuner Stockholm Medtech companies have been part of the programme. Synlab, approx. 20% of the shares in Saga Diagnostics Lund Biotech Malmö October 2020
Source: NOME Sources: Novo Holdings and annual reports Sources: Sunstone and annual reports
96 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 97 DANISH PRESENCE IN SKÅNE - INTERVIEW BIOINNOVATION INSTITUTE DANISH PRESENCE IN SKÅNE - INTERVIEW BIOINNOVATION INSTITUTE
BIOINNOVATION INSTITUTE IN COPENHAGEN CAN IMPROVE CAPITAL STRUCTURE IN SKÅNE
Life science companies in Skåne have highlighted better capital structure as crucially important for improving conditions for the sector in Skåne. With the new PreSeed programme at the BioInnovation ESBEN ZØLLNER OLESEN/ PHOTO: INSTITUTE BIOINNOVATION Institute in Copenhagen, the investment climate is set to improve. The programme aims to support Danish as well as Scandinavian startups and research projects in the life sciences. There is around 25 million DKK to be allocated, and Lund Stem Cell Center and Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine were the first to benefit from the arrangement.
It gives better funding opportunities to startups and projects and startups enrolled in various program- Jens Nielsen, CEO BII. research groups in the life science sector in Skåne, mes at BII. BII expects to distribute another 100 the rest of Sweden and throughout Scandinavia; million DKK in 2020, says Jens Nielsen. according to ca 20 large- and small-scale companies, – Even if BII has offices, labs and a café and this has been a definite need in Skåne. event space in Copenhagen, we’re a highly interna- In the new programme tional incubator with a major Copenhagen region. of Coloplast, and Vice-chairman Professor Bo PreSeed at BioInnovation ”We’re looking in par focus on offering researchers – That ”Scandinavian union mindset” is just Ahrén from Lund University. The final selection of Institute (BII) in Copen- and startups in Scandinavia – what we need if we want to realise our ambition the up to seven projects took place in September hagen, up to seven startup ticular for research including the Danish-Swedish to develop and situate Scandinavia as a life science 2020. companies or research pro- and innovation with biocluster – support and powerhouse, says Petter Hartman. He is not at all jects can receive financial strong commercial assistance with commerci- worried that BII’s initiative will weaken Skåne’s support, sparring and office alisation as well as funding incubator and research park environments in the space so they can matu- potential in therapeu through grants and conver- life sciences. re and go on to develop tics, bioindustrials tible loans with favourable – From the beginning we’ve had the desire and further. The up to seven conditions, says Jens Nielsen, ambition for BII to go beyond the Danish national selected startups or research and healthtech.” who is also a professor at borders and be part of the value creation for the projects each receive an Chalmers University of Tech- entire region’s life science ecosystem. We don’t see NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: allocation of 3.5 million DKK in the 18-month nology in Gothenburg. it as a zero-sum game, but rather as a clear win- development programme, according to Jens Niel- The opportunities for Scandinavian applicants win for the entire region. Just like when Danish sen, CEO of BII. thus also communicate that BII wants to see more life science startups find themselves increasingly – Our aim is to bring more innovation out of Danish-Swedish collaboration in the life sciences, lacking domestic options and take advantage of BIOINNOVATION INSTITUTE the labs and on to the market as new products and says Jens Nielsen. He explains that BII is interested the opportunity to raise capital with public equity • Founded: 2018 services. We’re looking in particular for research in working with Scandinavian universities, hospi- offers in Sweden, he says. • Focus area: Healthtech, bioindustrials, and and innovation with strong commercial potential tals and innovation initiatives as well as private Examples of Danish companies who have done therapeutics in therapeutics, bioindustrials and healthtech, says enterprises. that could be the biotech companies Scandion • Ownership: Novo Nordisk Foundation Jens Nielsen, adding that those chosen for the Lund Stem Cell Center and Wallenberg Center Oncology and Saniona or the healthtech company • CEO: Jens Nielsen programme can choose whether or not to work in for Molecular Medicine in Gothenburg were the Qlife, which raised 55 million SEK on the Stock- • Total number of companies/projects cur- BII’s laboratories. first to reap the benefits of BII’s PreSeed program- holm Nasdaq market in March of this year. rently at BII: 43 The story of the BioInnovation Institute, which me. Researcher Filipe Pereira, who is also part of Interest in the PreSeed programme has been • Total number of companies/projects enrolled is located in Copenhagen Science Park (COBIS), the business Asgard Therapeutics, works there. substantial to date, BII reports, although they cannot since the start of BII: 78 officially began in late 2017 with a 392 million DKK BII’s 3.5 million DKK grant has given him and his reveal how many applications were submitted before • Total number of employees at COBIS, where BII is located: ca. 400 grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for a colleagues better conditions for developing their the deadline on 4 June 2020. While most applica- • Moreover: Applicants to this year’s PreSeed three-year setup phase. That will end in late 2020, cancer research further. tions came from Denmark, there were also applicants programme include e.g. the University of Turku, and the foundation’s board will then decide whether BII’s aspirations for more transregional collabo- from Sweden, Norway, and Finland, says BII. University of Helsinki, Oslo University Hospital, BII should be established as an independent founda- ration with Skåne and the rest of Scandinavia – also The plan is for a selection of applicants to University of Oslo, University of Stavanger, tion with a new seven-year funding term. in a financial sense – are something that pleases the pitch their ideas for actors from academia, large Uppsala University, Karolinska Institute, Stock- Since opening in 2018, the Novo Nord- CEO of the Danish-Swedish cluster organisation commercial enterprises, investment companies and holm University, University of Gothenburg and isk-funded life science incubator has supported Medicon Valley Alliance (MVA) Petter Hartman. others. The best projects and startups will then Royal Institute of Technology 78 research projects and startups with more than With its more than 300 members, MVA works be presented to BII’s board of directors – among 335 million DKK. There are currently around 43 to strengthen the life science sector in the Greater them Chairman Sten Scheibye, formerly the head
98 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 99 GROUPS
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Life science in Skåne is linked to Swedish, Danish and international corporations
Subsidiaries and branches link Skåne’s life science cluster to Danish, Swedish and international corporations and investment companies. Other life science enterprises in Skåne are corporations or global, privately-held businesses in their own right. Here are some examples.
ARJO AB: A global, listed medtech company spe- part of the company – dialysis equipment – was cialising in equipment for care settings, including acquired by Baxter International Inc. Founded in e.g. safe patient handling and hospital beds. Faci- Lund in 1964. Former HQ in Lund is now one of lities in Denmark, Canada, China, the Caribbean the R&D-sites of the Baxter Group. and Poland. Founded in Eslöv in 1957. HQ in Turnover 2019: 1.1 billion SEK Malmö. Part of the Getinge Group until 2017. Employees 2019: 485 employees in Lund Turnover 2019: 9 billion SEK Employees 2019: 6 160 (190 employees in Malmö) BAXTER GROUP: American medtech group with a turnover of 11.4 billion USD in 2019 and CARL BENNET GROUP: Swedish technology-, around 50 000 employees. supply-, and medtech group and the largest sha- reholder of Arjo AB, Getinge AB, Lifco AB and ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Elanders AB. The group’s turnover was 60 billion SEK in 2019. It has ca 28 800 employees. HEMOCUE AB: A global medtech, diagnostics company focused on point of care testing equip- ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ment for e.g. blood tests. Founded in 1988, but research activities started in 1974 at the hospital in ATOS MEDICAL AB: International medtech Kristianstad. HQ in Ängelholm. company. Manufactures products for laryng- Turnover 2019: 671 million DKK ectomy care and tracheostomy care. Facilities in Employees 2019: ca 400 (257 employees in Äng- 22 countries, including the USA, Germany and elholm) the UK. Founded in Hörby in 1986, where its primary R&D site is still located. HQ in Malmö. Acquired by PAI Partners from EQT in 2016. DANAHER GROUP: In 2013 HemoCue was Turnover 2019: 1.7 billion SEK acquired by the Danish Radiometer Medical and Employees 2019: 809 (ca 155 employees in became part of the American tech- and medtech Skåne) group Danaher. The group’s turnover totalled 18 billion USD in 2019. It has ca 60 000 employees.
PAI PARTNERS: Paris-based European investment ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– company. Invests in healthcare as well as food and consumer companies. Administrates investments H. LUNDBECK AB: Swedish national offices of 14 billion EUR and, via investments, employs in Malmö of the Danish pharma company H. ca 70 000 people. Lundbeck, which specialises in pharmaceuticals for psychiatric and neurological disorders such as ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– depression, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. Turnover 2019: 48.3 million SEK GROUPS BAXTER (GAMBRO LUNDIA AB): Gambro was a Employees 2019: 19 employees in Malmö formerly listed global medtech company specia- lising in equipment for dialysis treatments for kid- ney and liver disease. Acquired by private equity LUNDBECK FOUNDATION: Commercial foundation companies in 2006 and divided. In 2013, the final that holds 69% of the shares in H. Lundbeck A/S;
LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 101 GROUP GROUPS
the remaining 31% are publicly traded. The founda- NOLATO MEDICAL SOLUTIONS: Medtech POLYPEPTIDE GROUP: Private CDMO group STRYKER AB: Swedish national offices of the tion has controlling holdings in Falck and ALK and division of the listed Nolato Group. The divi- with six facilities in the USA, Europe and India. American medtech company Stryker; sales- and investments in 20 venture companies. Lundbeck’s total sion’s activity is in plastic- and silicone products, Separated from Ferring Pharmaceuticals in 1996, support functions in Malmö. turnover in 2019 was 17 billion SEK. It employs ca 5 manufacturing everything from asthma inhalers to but is owned by foundation controlled by Frederik Turnover 2019: 1.1 billion SEK 500 people. Global HQ in Valby, Denmark. insulin pens, urine catheters and pregancy tests to Paulsen, chairman of Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Po- Employees 2019: 132 (75 employees in Malmö plastic pharmaceutical packaging. lyPeptide Group employs ca 900 people globally. and 23 at Stryker/Jolife in Lund) Turnover 2019: 2.5 billion SEK Employees 2019: 1 624 (27% of the total staff), ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 385 of whom work in Skåne STRYKER CORPORATION: Manufactures medical QPHARMA AB: Swedish, privately-held company and surgical equipment and develops technology PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: serving international clients that range from the for orthopaedics. Employs around 40 000 globally. THE NOLATO GROUP: Nolato Medical Solutions ten largest pharma companies to startups. Ferrosan Turnover of 14.9 billion USD in 2019. Global is one of three divisions of the publicly traded No- and Pharmacia formerly owned the company and HQ in Michigan, USA. lato, whose headquarters are in Torekov (Båstad), facility in Malmö, which is its HQ. Skåne. Other industrial areas are integrated solu- Turnover 2019: 349 million SEK ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– tions and industrial solutions. The group has units Employees 2020: 250 employees in Malmö in Sweden, the USA, China, Poland, Hungary and TEPE MUNHYGIENPRODUKTER AB: Global Switzerland. In 2019 it employed ca 6 000 people oral health/medtech company that manufactures ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– and had a turnover of 8.9 billion SEK. e.g. toothbrushes. Subsidiaries in eight countries, including France, Germany and the UK. Privately LEO PHARMA AB: Swedish national offices in ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– held by the Eklund family. Founded in 1965 in Malmö of the Danish pharma company LEO Malmö, where its HQ are still located. PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: Pharma, whose activities are in dermatology and NOVO NORDISK SCANDINAVIA AB: Swedish Turnover 2019: 846 million SEK the production of pharmaceuticals for skin diseases national offices in Malmö of Denmark’s largest Employees 2019: 350 (253 employees in Malmö) and thrombosis. pharma company Novo Nordisk, which e.g. Turnover 2019: 200 million SEK develops and manufactures pharmaceuticals for ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Employees 2019: 34 employees in Malmö diabetes and haemophilia. Established in Malmö since 2000. Works with sales and marketing and TEVA AB: Swedish national- and sales offices in LEO FOUNDATION: Commercial and philanthro- runs clinical studies in Sweden. Helsingborg of the Israeli pharmaceutical company pic foundation and sole shareholder of LEO Phar- Turnover 2019: 1.1 billion SEK Teva, which develops and manufactures products ma. LEO Pharma’s total turnover was 10.8 billion Employees 2019: 68 employees in Malmö SEVER LIFE SCIENCES BV: Privately-held Dutch in e.g. neurology and respiratory diseases. Offices DKK in 2019. It has ca 5 800 employees around company. Owned by foundation controlled by in Denmark as well. the globe. Global HQ in Ballerup, Denmark. Frederik Paulsen, chairman of Ferring Pharmaceu- Turnover 2019: 1.3 billion SEK NOVO NORDISK FOUNDATION: Industrial and ticals. HQ in Holland. Employees 2019: 63 employees in Helsingborg ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– charitable foundation. Its capital is handled by its subsidiary Novo Holdings, which is the largest ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– MCNEIL AB: Privately-held pharmaceutical shareholder of the listed companies Novo Nordisk TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES: Inter- manufacturer that produces e.g. the stop-smoking A/S and Novozymes A/S. Novo Nordisk A/S had a RECHON LIFE SCIENCE AB: Privately-held Chi- national Israeli pharmaceutical company with 33 product Nicorette and as a subsidiary supports turnover of 122 billion DKK in 2019; Novozymes’ nese CDMO that develops and manufactures spe- production facilities in 33 countries. Around consumer health at Johnson & Johnson, which turnover was 14.4 billion DKK. Both affiliates cial aseptic injectables and sprays for nasal and oral 43 000 employees; turnover of 16.9 billion USD owns McNeil. Originally a subsidiary of LEO have a total of ca 50 000 employees. Global HQ administration. Its facilities were owned by Ferring in 2019. Global HQ in Petah Tikva, Israel. Pharma, later of Pfizer. HQ in Helsingborg. in Bagsværd outside of Copenhagen. Pharmaceuticals until 2006. HQ in Malmö. Turnover 2018: 1.6 billion SEK Turnover 2019: 316 million SEK ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Employees 2019: 665 employees in Helsingborg ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Employees 2019: 178 employees in Malmö
POLYPEPTIDE LABORATORIES AB: Swedish, JOHNSON & JOHNSON: American, listed international, privately-held CDMO, developing SHANGAI DONGBAO BIOPHARMACEUTIC: Pri- medtech group. Largest in the world in terms of and manufacturing proprietary and generic vate Chinese pharmaceuticals group that produces turnover and market value. Employs ca 132 000 GMP-grade peptides on contract for smaller and distributes e.g. insulin. Over 20 subsidiaries people. Turnover in 2019 was 81.58 billion USD. biotech companies, university projects and large in China and other countries. HQ in Shanghai, HQ in New Jersey, USA. pharma companies. HQ in Malmö. China. Turnover 2019: 788 million SEK ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Employees 2019: 275 employees in Malmö –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
102 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 103 APPENDIX
PHOTO: NEWS ØRESUND PHOTO: STATISTICS AND METHOD
There is no established statistic definition that encompasses the entire life science sector. The sector comprises businesses that manufacture molecules, pills, apps, hospital beds and much more. The many scientific disciplines and areas of focus on e.g. disease extend into a multitude of subject areas, making it difficult to apprehend the sector as a whole. This report has been prepared in order to depict the cluster in Skåne more comprehensively, using the methodology described below. The principal foundation of the analysis is a broad extraction of data delivered by Statistics Sweden; this was reviewed and supplemented with additional quantitative and qualitative information to render the most complete representation possible.
The survey of life science companies in Skåne tics Sweden and have also been utilised by actors comprises the qualitative and quantitative methods such as Growth Analysis and Vinnova to define the described in the following, with the aim of provi- life science sector, although these sector codes also ding both depth and an overview of the sector. This relate more broadly to business activity in research. method triangulation has been necessary, as certain aspects such as e.g. the need for expertise and efforts
are better suited to qualitative access, whilst aspects SNI-code such as employee numbers and business categorisa- Other research and experimental develop- 72 190 tions are better accessed quantitatively. ment on natural sciences and engineering Research and experimental development 72 110 Quantitative data collection on biotechnology The quantitative component consists primarily of data requested from Statistics Sweden. The data The seven sector codes/SNI-codes above were was received in June 2019 and comprises e.g. supplemented further with 38 other sector codes/ company name, location, zip code, and employee SNI-codes on a five-digit level in cooperation with number range. Statistics Sweden. This was done in order to capture The requested data encompasses 5 sector codes/ as many life science businesses as possible, as well SNI-codes on a five-digit level. These sector as to capture business activity in relevant sector codes were selected in cooperation with Statistics overlap with the life sciences, in the knowledge that Sweden, and the same codes were also used for many of the businesses within these sector codes industry reports by Growth Analysis and Vinnova would not be relevant for the survey of companies. to define a core segment of the life science sector. In addition to data from Statistics Sweden, Øre- sundsinstituttet also retrieved data on life science businesses from polls of companies and businesses’ SNI-code websites, as well as from online information about Wholesale trade of pharmaceutical goods 46 460 and interviews with the science parks and incuba- Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical 21 100 tors Medeon, Ideon, Medicon Village and SmiLe. products Parallel research and monitoring of relevant news Manufacture of pharmaceutical prepara- 21 200 media were also conducted and contributed know- tions ledge about a number of companies. Øresundsin- Manufacture of medical and dental instru- 32 501 stituttet was also in contact with various industrial ments and supplies actors such as Invest in Skåne to gather input on Manufacture of irradiation, electromedical 26 600 relevant business activities. APPENDIX and electrotherapeutic equipment
The requested data also encompasses two other Quantitative data processing sector codes/SNI-codes on a five-digit level. These The 45 sector codes represent a total of ca. 17 000 codes were also selected in cooperation with Statis- business registrations in data extracted from Statis-
LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 105 APPENDIX APPENDIX
due to time limitations. In the remaining 13 sector to maximise the response percentage. Businesses codes, the share of life science businesses was assessed with which no contact could be established were SNI-code SNI-code as small using keyword searches and overall reviews. either omitted or included with less information. Other general medical practice activities 86 212 Manufacture of instruments and appliances 26 510 This technique may mean that some relevant busines- Supplementary business information for the survey for measuring, testing and navigation Manufacture of other rubber products 22 190 ses were inadvertently overseen, but time restrictions via telephone or email was ultimately retrieved Manufacture of perfumes and toilet pre- 20 420 Other dairy production 10 519 made this unavoidable. from around 135 life science businesses in Skåne. parations All sorted data was subsequently transferred to a Input for the expertise- and recruitment part of the Manufacture of other plastic products 22 290 Manufacture of artificial teeth, dentures, 32 502 database program in FileMaker; Øresundsinstituttet poll was retrieved from a total of 126 businesses, Other human health activities n.e.c. 86 909 dental plates etc. commissioned a local IT firm to do programming of which 48 were medtech enterprises, 43 biotech, Treatment and disposal of hazardous waste 38 220 Manufacture of soap and detergents, clea- 20 410 specifically for this survey. The database contains and 23 pharma; the remaining 12 were e.g. contract ning and polishing preparations Construction of residential and non-resi- 41 200 quantifiable checkboxes, free text fields and drop- research organisations. Around 15 businesses decli- dential buildings Manufacture of other chemical products 20 590 down menus, making it possible to enter supple- ned to contribute supplementary data via the poll. n.e.c. Computer consultancy activities 62 020 mentary business information that was not included Øresundsinstituttet was thus in contact with ca 150 Other software publishing 58 290 in the information from Statistics Sweden. The businesses in Skåne. Because of the coronavirus Computer consultancy activities 62 010 Other engineering activities and related 71 129 various fields in the database were operationalised, pandemic, Øresundsinstituttet sought the busines- Manufacture of other food products n.e.c. 10 890 technical consultancy making it possible to determine the kind of dia- ses that had already been contacted via email and Business and other management consul- 70 220 Manufacture of other paper and paperboard 17 129 grams/tables, and thus findings, could be generated telephone in April and May with supplementary tancy activities Other professional, scientific and technical 74 900 for the survey with the new supplementary business questions for follow-ups, as the responses provided Retail sale in other non-specialised stores 47 112 activities n.e.c. information. in mid-March regarding employee numbers and the with food, beverages or tobacco predomi- nating needs for expertise might have changed. Manufacture of margarine and similar 10 420 Supplementary data and quantitative poll edible fats tics Sweden. Far from all of the companies proved relevant in relation to the definition of life science In order to do a survey of the cluster, supplemen- Qualitative interviews Activities of medical laboratories etc. 86 901 in this survey however; ultimately, 420 businesses tary business information was reviewed via the In addition to the ca 150 established contacts with Wholesale of other machinery and equip- 46 699 were identified as utilisable. There were thus mul- relevant businesses’ websites, annual reports and businesses, 15 qualitative in-depth interviews for ment n.e.c. tiple rounds of large-scale and finer selection. LinkedIn accounts, and data was added from Bisno- the report were held via telephone, Microsoft Teams Wholesale of chemical products 46 750 In the case of the first 7 sector codes, compri- de. Figures from second-hand sources such as e.g. or in a physical meeting. Interviewees included Wholesale of measuring and precision 46 691 sing around 850 businesses that are statistically company registers is not necessary entirely accurate. leading employees and directors of life science instruments primarily defined as in the life science sector, a Supplementary information on all of the relevant enterprises or science parks in Skåne. All inter- Advisory activities concerning patents and 69 103 specific review was done in which each business was life science businesses was retrieved from the sources viewees were given the opportunity to fact-check copyrights researched online and with the help of data from above. In addition, a quantitative poll was con- their interviews. Five science parks and incubation Temporary employment agency activities 78 200 Bisnode, a European data and analysis company. ducted in which all of the life science businesses environments in Skåne were selected for in-depth Manufacture of plastic packing goods 22 220 The companies were deemed relevant if they were from the 7 sector codes assumed relevant in Skåne interviews, as around half of Skåne’s life science en- Specialist medical practice activities, not 86 222 active, operating in the sector, had a website, had were contacted via telephone and email between terprises are located in these settings, and the actors at hospitals submitted accounting reports and had more than the winter of 2019 and summer of 2020. A special have a broad knowledge of the sector’s conditions Specialist medical practice activities, at 86 221 two registered employees, although exceptions were interview guide, built around the database, was and challenges, especially from the perspective of hospitals made for relevant single-person companies in and developed to make the communication as effective smaller businesses. In addition, ten businesses were Engineering activities and related technical 71 124 outside of the science parks. Around 270 businesses as possible. The interview consisted in part of intro- selected for in-depth interviews according to selec- consultancy in energy, environment, plum- were eliminated in the process as they were determi- ductory questions regarding e.g. sector affiliation, tion critieria related to topicality and essentiality, as bing, heat and air-conditioning ned inactive. transborder- and business activities, and in part of well as in order to achieve a broad scope in terms Industrial engineering activities and related 71 122 The remaining 38 sector codes comprised ca.16 specific questions regarding e.g. needs for expertise, of company size and the representation of various technical consultancy 150 businesses that were statistically secondarily de- further efforts, and recruitments. In all subsectors, subsectors and sector overlap. All interviews were Technical testing and analysis 71 200 fined as in the life science sector, and a more general contact with the largest businesses was prioritised conducted between January 2020 and July 2020 Manufacture of other organic basic che- 20 140 review was conducted due to time limitations. First, most highly, cf the EU Commission’s definition of and followed a semi-structured interview guide, micals the life science businesses in the remaining sector co- micro- small-, medium-sized and large enterprises: which was adjusted for each interview occasion. Manufacture of other inorganic basic 20 130 des were assessed using search words such as pharma, The questions from the interview guide for the chemicals med and bio to give an overview of the data material. • Micro: 0-9 full-time employees quantitative poll were also posed in the qualitative Manufacture of breakfast cereals, blended 10 612 Of them, 25 sector codes were selected, as they • Small: 10-49 full-time employees interviews. flour mixes and other prepared grain mill contained a certain portion of life science business-es. • Medium-sized: 50-249 full-time employees products Businesses with an estimated more than 4 employees • Large: at least 250 full-time employees Manufacture of household and sanitary 17 220 were examined in the same way as the 7 primary Categorisation – traditional life science and goods and of toilet requisites sector codes. Businesses with an estimated 0-4 Whenever possible, the businesses were contac- new subsectors employees in these 25 sector codes were prioritised ted via telephone first rather than email in order The first division of businesses was based on the bu-
106 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 107 APPENDIX APPENDIX sinesses’ SNI-codes. As mentioned, 7 sector codes/ sundsinstituttet – like SwedenBIO, Vinnova and SNI-codes were categorised as the traditional core Growth Analysis – has divided the sector into three INTERVIEW LIST segment of the life science sector via research and overarching subsectors: biotech, pharma and med- external consultations. As many businesses – also tech. In addition, contract research organisations outside these SNI-codes – operate in the life science (CRO/CMO) are a separate subsector in the survey, • Johan Evenäs, CEO, Red Glead Discovery, meeting, • Cristiana Pires, Filipe Pereira and Fábio Rosa, sector, either directly, as researchers, manufacturers as such enterprises are seen as a specialised and 26. November 2020 CEO, Asgard Therapeutics, digital meeting, or similar, or indirectly, as supporting enterprises integrated subsector in the life sciences, according • Ulf G. Andersson, CEO, Medeon Science Park & 24. March 2020 or partners of life science businesses, we chose to to SwedenBIO. Furthermore, three sector overlaps Incubator, meeting, 16. January 2020 • Martina Kvist Reimer, Excecutive Vice President, review multiple SNI-codes manually in order to have been identified between the life sciences and • Kerstin Jacobsson, CEO, Medicon Village, meeting, Red Glead Discovery, telephone, 16. April 2020 locate businesses that are designated as supple- other sectors, namely ICT, food and other areas 16. January 2020 • Hanna Hageberg Hammar & Helena Ossmer mentary to the core segment. These businesses are such as consultancy companies focused on the life • Ebba Fåhraeus, CEO, SmiLe Incubator, meeting, Thedius, CEO & Marketing and Innovation Director, active in the life sciences to varying degrees, and we sciences. The presence of ICT specifically in the se- 17. January 2020 TePe, digital meeting, 22. April 2020 thus sorted these supplementary businesses in two ctor overlap with the life sciences has been highligh- • Jacob Nilsson, Global HR Director, PolyPeptide, • Niels Jensen, CEO, BioInnovation Institute, categories: Businesses closely associated with the life ted by e.g. SwedenBIO and Growth Analysis. Some meeting 20. January 2020 e-mail, 25. May 2020 sciences, and businesses with some life science asso- enterprises have been categorised as either ICT, • Mia Rolf, CEO, Ideon Science Park, meeting, • Joacim Lindoff, CEO, Arjo, digital meeting, ciations. Departing from businesses’ presentations foodtech, or other businesses based on the process 22. January 2020 27. May 2020 of themselves in interviews and on websites and described above. • Charlotte Lorentz, former CEO, Krinova Incubator & • Eva Kelty, CEO, Capish Nordic, digital meeting, LinkedIn, we deter-mined the subcategory to which Science Park, 31. January 2020 4. June 2020 each business belonged and the extent to which the Number of employees • Niels Abel Bonde, General Manager, Novo Nordisk • Jörgen Holm, CEO, Glucanova, digital meeting, business was focused on the life sciences. Working Data on the number of employees in the various Scandinavia, meeting, 4. February 2020 11. June 2020 in this manner meant that the SNI-codes did not businesses have been preferentially retrieved from • Jody Lodge, CEO, McNeil, meeting, 5. February • Per-Ola Wictor, Director HD therapy and water control the categorisation; instead, it was based on company information. The primary focus has been 2020 technologies, Baxter, telephone, 2. July 2020 independent judgment and company contact. on the number of full-time employees, and secon- darily on the annual work carried out, if necessary, • Businesses with a close association to the as annual work performed can be distributed over life sciences: Businesses describe themselves as several employees. In telephone and email contact, life science enterprises, or alternately, describe their businesses were asked about the size of their labour primary operations as in the life science sector or as force between 2015-2020. If this data was not REFERENCE LIST in partnership with life science businesses. As the accessible from the companies themselves, the in- primary operations of businesses with close associ- formation was retrieved from Bisnode. As the most ations to the life sciences are within the life science recent data from the businesses/Bisnode varied from PRIMARY STATISTICAL SOURCES: • Websites of community networks: HealthTech sector, all employees of these businesses are included referring to 2018, 2019 and 2020, the most recent Nordic, Medicon Valley Alliance, Sweden ICT, in the total number of employees in the life science available data was utilised. • SCB/Statistics Sweden, including customised • Region Skåne, Skånska Styrkeområden, Ett sector in Skåne. analyses underlag till regionalt tillväxt och innovationsarbete i Skåne, 2019 • Businesses with some life science association: OTHER SOURCES: • Region Skåne, Skånes innovationsstrategi för These businesses operate in or for multiple sectors, hållbar tillväxt, 2020 including the life science sector, which does not • Bisnode, Nordic Business Key, business database • Invest in Skåne, Project pipeline medtech
however have any special status in the enterprise’s H. LUNDBECK PHOTO: • MedWatch, Danish media outlet focusing on the life companies in Skåne, 2020 description of itself. The number of employees in science industry • Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, En nationell the businesses with some life science associations are • Life Science Sweden med Kemivärlden, Swedish strategi för life science, 2019 not included in the total number of employees in media outlet focusing in the life science industry Skåne’s life science sector, as this would be misle- • Sydsvenskan, Swedish media outlet focusing on • Press releases and annual reports from respective ading. Instead, we have chosen to highlight and pre- Southern Sweden companies. sent some of these businesses throughout the report • Rapidus, news agency focusing on growth compa- • In addition, we received data via email and telepho- in order to depict the way in which the life science nies in the Öresund region ne from companies, municipalities, trade organisa- sector in Skåne cooperates with industry in Skåne • Websites of science parks and incubators: ideon.se, tions, universities and other players. more broadly. mediconvillage.se, medeon.se, smileincubator.life krinova.se, innovation.lu.se Categorisation – subsectors and sector overlap There are many subsector categorisations in the life sciences, and the boundaries separating subsectors can sometimes be difficult to determine. Øre-
108 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 LIFE SCIENCE IN SKÅNE - ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET GCLSAI • November 2020 109 GREATER COPENHAGEN LIFE SCIENCE ANALYSIS INITIATIVE is an EU-project aimed at increasing knowledge about the region’s life science cluster Medicon Valley. The focus is on the demand for labourers, future expertise needs, and more. The project has recei- ved funding through the EU-programme Interreg Öresund-Kattegatt-Skagerrak and will continue until 31 December 2021. The project’s lead partner is Medicon Valley Alliance, and the partner is Øresundsinstituttet.
The primary objective of the GCLSA-project developed and managed jointly by the Danish-Swedish organiza- tions Øresundsinstituttet and Medicon Valley Alliance is to
1) analyze and increase knowledge about the need and demand for competencies and skills and
2) support the development of the integrated labor market in the Danish-Swedish life science cluster, Medicon Valley. ØRESUNDSINSTITUTTET
Furthermore, the project will establish a bi-national forum which can push this agenda on an ongoing basis Øi is an independent Danish-Swedish centre for analytics and information that brings together more than 100 actors from the thereby addressing an issue of crucial importance for growth and employment on both the Danish and the industry, the public sector and academic institutions with the aim of strengthening knowledge about societal developments on Swedish side of the Greater Copenhagen region. both sides of the Øresund Strait. As a member of Øresundsinstituttet, you become part of our strong Danish-Swedish network – and gain access to network meetings, facts, analyses and news about developments in the Greater Copenhagen region. Targeting national, regional and local Danish and Swedish policy makers and key opinion leaders from industry www.oresundsinstituttet.org and academia, the analysis work and the deliberations of the established Competencies and Skills Forum aim to provide a more qualified point of departure for developing initiatives which MEDICON VALLEY ALLIANCE • increase awareness of the supply and demand of labor in the regional life science cluster and facilitate MVA is a Gold Label-certified, non-profit member organisation in the Danish-Swedish life science cluster Medicon Valley. Its mobility on the bi-national regional life science labor market 300 members include universities, hospitals, human life science businesses, regional governments and service providers • optimize relevant life science educations in Sweden and Denmark including a more coherent approach to that represent the Region’s ’double triple-helix’. The activities in MVA focus on strengthening collaborations for a vibrant life the prioritization and distribution of resources for R&D and educational institutions specifically addres- science ecosystem in Medicon Valley through networking events and increased collaboration across borders and sectors. sing the needs of the life science industry www.mva.org • highlight the scientific, commercial and societal strongholds of the Medicon Valley region and market the general attractiveness of the region as a first-class destination for both talent and business. THE VISION THE MISSION • investigate which factors are decisive when life science companies in the region successfully develop and The vision is to be a well-known and respected member- MVA is committed to realising Medicon Valley’s potential by expand driven contributor to the realisation and positioning of facilitating networking, knowledge-sharing, and collabo- • provide national and regional stakeholders working with labor market life science related issues a com- Medicon Valley as the most competitive and vital life science ration, analysing challenges and potentials, and mobilising mon statistic point of departure and methodology cluster in Northern Europe. support from key opinion leaders. • help to eliminate obstacles to the free movement of labor (commuting) between Sweden and Denmark CALL TO ACTION In sum, the analysis work provided, and the forum established will not only help Medicon Valley prosper and Read more about the Danish-Swedish life science cluster organisation Medicon Valley Alliance’s events and activities on grow scientifically, but also help finetune and fuel the growth engine created by public and private stakehol- www.mva.org, where you can also find more information about how YOUR company can benefit from a membership. ders during the last 20 years, which has helped Medicon Valley to firmly establish itself as the leading and most dynamic and vibrant life science cluster of the Nordics.