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Contact /Annet Veenstra Datum /

Dutch start-up, Delta Diagnostics, a leader in label-free, multiplexed biosensing, announced that it has successfully secured Series A funding of €5.25 million. InnovationQuarter as a lifecycle investor provided funding through IQCapital after an initial investment by its proof-of-concept fund UNIIQ.

The funding round was made possible by a consortium of four investors: i&i Biotech Fund, Oost NL, InnovationQuarter and PhotonDelta. The investment will fuel the company’s ambitious vision of making rapid, sensitive, and low-cost biosensors accessible to all, transforming the Life Sciences industry and paving the way for novel and faster solutions in Life Sciences research. 

Delta Diagnostics is a TNO spin-off that simplifies biosensing, the detection of biomolecules, using photonic integrated circuits. This cost-effective method accelerates Life Sciences research and enables multiplexing to analyze multiple biomolecules at once.

 

“Securing Series A funding marks a significant milestone for Delta Diagnostics, validating our technology and our vision to create multiplexed biosensing,” says Guy Dewil, CEO of Delta Diagnostics. “We are grateful to our investors for their support and strongly believe in our mission. This investment will accelerate the launch of our first product. It will unlock the full potential of our biosensing technology to drive discoveries in Life Sciences.”  

“We are thrilled to accompany Delta Diagnostics in developing such a promising cutting-edge biosensing technology for both industry and academic research. We firmly believe that Delta´s technology can effectively bring a significant improvement in the biosensing arena. We are convinced, the interest of industrial partners for this technology maintains the committed team of Delta on the right trajectory to future success,” says Karel Kubias, Partner at i&i Biotech Fund. 

“The Delta Diagnostics team is poised to disrupt the Life Sciences industry with our cutting-edge photonic biosensing technology,” says Bart de Boer, CTO of Delta Diagnostics. “Today’s scientists need more answers, faster. We create highly-sensitive label-free biosensing instruments enabling our customers to accelerate their research tremendously.” 

With initial funding from TNO and UNIIQ, the company has grown into a highly experienced and well-balanced team, tirelessly perfecting its biosensing technology. The Series A funding will propel the company forward as its first product launch approaches. This will enable the company and its key partners from the Overijssel region to further develop next-generation biosensor systems for real-time biomolecule detection in samples. 

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Contact /Lissa Boxy Datum /

Avantor, Inc., a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences, advanced technologies and applied materials industries, announced that it has opened a new single-use facility in Hillegom, Netherlands in early October 2021. The site is Avantor’s second single-use location in Europe after its Tilburg, Netherlands site and is a significant addition to the Company’s overall cleanroom capacity in the region, servicing regional and global customers.

Avantor® Opens Second European Single-use Facility in the Netherlands; Supports Growing Demand for Bioproduction

The Hillegom facility enables Avantor to manufacture, package and deliver single-use solutions that support all stages of biologics manufacturing.

“We continue to grow our single-use footprint and capabilities to serve the needs of the global biopharma industry,” said Dr. Ger Brophy, Executive Vice President of Biopharma Production at Avantor. “We are proud to be part of the Hillegom community and boost our presence in the Netherlands. Opening this site also reflects our commitment to support the growing demand for speed and efficiency in bioproduction. This facility will enhance the regional single-use supply chain in Europe, and Avantor looks forward to continuing to grow our business in this important market.”

In addition to its two sites in Europe, Avantor’s global single-use footprint includes multiple sites in the United States as well as a site in Changzhou, China that was acquired as part of the Company’s recent acquisition of RIM Bio. Additionally, Avantor has recently announced its intent to acquire Masterflex®, a leading global manufacturer of peristaltic pumps and aseptic single-use fluid transfer technologies, which will strengthen its offering across all bioproduction platforms.

About Avantor

Avantor®, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Their portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries they serve. Their global footprint enables them to serve more than 225,000 customer locations and gives them extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than 180 countries. They set science in motion to create a better world.

Lissa Culbertson Boxy

Senior Account Manager Life Sciences & Health
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Contact /Tanja Baars Datum /

Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has started the construction of its CAR T cell therapy production center at the Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP). Leiden will be the biopharmaceutical company’s first cell therapy facility in Europe and the fifth in the world. BMS expects the facility to be operational at the end of 2024, bringing the manufacturing of its cell therapies closer to European patients. In addition, the new production facility is expected to create at least 500 new jobs.

Saving valuable time for patients

CAR T cell therapy is an immunotherapy in which a patient’s white blood cells are reprogrammed so that they are able to recognize and fight cancer cells. Arjen Schippers, Senior Director and Program Head at BMS Leiden, says the European facility is an important development. “The new production center is our first in Europe, which will enable us to bring the manufacturing of this innovative cell therapy closer to European patients. This may help to reduce the turnaround time, saving valuable time for patients in Europe with aggressive blood cancers.”

Innovative and personalized cancer treatment

The European facility will have the latest technology and production equipment, with capabilities for multi-product cell therapy manufacturing to provide European cancer patients with personalized medication treatments, whereby they use their own cells to fight their cancer.

The new European production center is conveniently located near Schiphol airport and to the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. “This is in line with BMS’s aim to realize a globally expanding production network for cell therapy,” Snehal Patel, vice president, Global Head of Cell Therapy Manufacturing, Bristol Myers Squibb, explains. “By continuing to expand our international network, we can serve patients better all over the world, not only with CAR T cell therapy, but eventually also with other innovative scientific therapies for cancer.”

500 extra jobs in the Leiden region

The LBSP is the largest life sciences region in the Netherlands and has an international community for innovation and collaboration, as well as an attractive top-notch talent pool.

“We are proud that BMS has chosen the LBSP as the site for constructing its European state-of-the-art CAR T production facility,” says Ida Haisma, Director Leiden Bio Science Park. “CAR T is a key technology for fighting serious diseases like cancer, and it is a perfect fit for the profile of the LBSP. The facility is a new building block in LBSP’s extensive cell therapy network and it will further reinforce the position of the Netherlands in personalized medicine.”

BMS expects the European center to be completed and operational at the end of 2024 and to have attracted talent from across Europe to fill at least 500 new positions. The first openings can be found on the BMS website.

Lissa Culbertson Boxy

Senior Account Manager Life Sciences & Health
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Contact /Tanja Baars Datum /

Nikon Europe B.V. has announced that its first European Nikon BioImaging Lab (NBIL) based in the prestigious Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP) is now officially open.

The official opening took place on September 22nd with a welcome by Ziryan Othman, Team Leader Biotechnology Solutions, Nikon Europe Healthcare Division, followed by addresses by representatives of the organisations involved in helping Nikon Europe B.V. locate and develop the partnership with the Leiden Bio Science Park: Paul Dirkse, Vice Mayor of the City of Leiden; Hilde van der Meer, Commissioner, Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency; Chris van Voorden, Director Foreign Investments of InnovationQuarter; Ida Haisma, Director of Stichting Leiden Bio Science Park; Thijs de Kleer, Director of Biopartner Leiden, and Amito Haarhuis, Director of Rijksmuseum Boerhaave. Bo Kajiwara, Corporate Vice President, Nikon Corporation, Director & President, Nikon Europe B.V. led the opening program for Nikon Europe B.V.

 

The inauguration and ribbon cutting took place with a symbolic transfer of the famous 17th-century van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope, by Amito Haarhuis. World-famous for his pioneering work and discoveries in microscopy, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek developed this single-lens microscope, which proved capable of more powerful magnification than other lenses.

Takaharu Sasaoka, Director and Executive Vice President, Healthcare Business Head, Nikon Europe B.V., appreciates the symbolism of the microscope transfer, “It is very appropriate that Nikon, with over 100 years of expertise in optical technology, should open its first European Nikon BioImaging Lab (NBIL-Leiden) here in the Netherlands, the home of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the ‘father of microbiology’, whose systematic and extensive research laid the foundations of medical and scientific research. Our mission also is to advance healthcare and provide a better quality of life.

“We are very excited to be located here in the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest life sciences cluster in the Netherlands, and I would like to thank all the organisations that helped Nikon Europe B.V. locate and develop this partnership. Following the success of our Nikon BioImaging Labs in the US and Japan, NBIL-Leiden will provide services for microscope-based imaging and analysis to the European biotech, pharma, and larger research communities. We are more than a core facility – our full-service capabilities include not only access to Nikon’s innovative microscopy instrumentation and software, but also the services of expert biologists and microscopists, who are available to provide quality cell culture, sample preparation, data acquisition, and data analysis services.”

Daniel Ciepielewski, General Manager, Healthcare Division, Nikon Europe B.V., explains further, “NBIL-Leiden provides full-service imaging, data analysis, and cell cultures using cutting-edge Nikon microscope systems and software solutions, including the new laser scanning confocal AX R, the incubated high content imaging platform LIPSI, deep learning software NIS.ai, research inverted microscope Ti2-E, and compact live-cell imaging microscope BioStudio-T. Unlike other imaging facilities the lab offers full-service cell culture capabilities – our experienced staff is equipped to handle cell thawing, maintenance, expansion, differentiation, and other essential operations.

“The level of service and involvement of the lab is determined individually for each client based on need. Some need only access to equipment and are capable of data acquisition/analysis on their own, while others may require full-service imaging and analysis support. Additional applications include high content imaging and analysis, 3D imaging, fluorescence imaging, high-resolution imaging, color imaging, label-free imaging, cell screening and high throughput imaging, among others. NBIL-Leiden is now open, providing expert imaging support – on demand.”

Nikon Europe B.V. is grateful for the assistance of InnovationQuarter, the regional economic development agency for the Province of Zuid-Holland, which assisted us in finding the right location and helped coordinate communication to develop the partnership with the Leiden Bio Science Park.

Nikon Europe B.V. is also grateful to the following contributing companies who have partnered with NBIL-Leiden: Clean Air Baker, PHC, Crest Optics, Photometrics, CoolLed, and Precipoint.

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Contact /Sasja Heijman Datum /

Vanan BV, a  newly established European subsidiary of Indian natural health company Apex Laboratories, is expanding its business to the European market and has opened its office in The Hague. The company provides clinically verified herbal solutions based on traditional Indian medicine.

“In India we believe that food itself is the best medicine. Spices like ginger, garlic and turmeric are found in most Indian dishes and are scientifically proven to benefit the digestive system. There is a lot of science going into every meal we eat,” says Ms. Subashini Vanangamudi, Managing Director of Vanan BV. This perspective aligns well with local efforts to shift towards lifestyle medicine, which emphasizes prevention over cure.

Apex is listed among the 50 fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies in India and employs 2500 people at various locations. Its strong focus on R&D, providing scientific proof for its herbal formulas has made Apex a market leader for herbal medicine in India.

The global pandemic shook the world and confronted us with the vulnerability of healthcare systems around the world. The clear advantage of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the Covid-19 era and the fear of getting severely ill – or worse – in the case of an infection drove many people to seek supplements to boost their immune system. Policymakers, healthcare professionals and citizens alike feel an urgency to accelerate the shift towards lifestyle medicine, naturally enhancing the immune system through daily habits.

“The focus on prevention rather than cure is the foundation of all traditional Indian medicine. We believe that this is the future for the medical world, which is a key driver of our passion to bring our products to the global market,” says Ms Vanangamudi. With its heritage in herbal medicine dating back to 1978 when Apex was founded, and its strong focus on clinical trials to back-up its formulas, the products provide a welcome addition to the offering on the European market.

“We are very glad to welcome Vanan to the life sciences & health ecosystem in our region,” says Sasja Heijman, senior account manager Life Sciences & Health at InnovationQuarter. “This company can make a valuable contribution to the various initiatives that are running at the moment, focusing on natural lifestyle advancements for better and longer health,”  she continues.

“It is our pleasure to welcome Vanan to the Indian Business cluster in The Hague region. Due to the growing awareness on maintaining good health in pandemic times, this is the right time for Vanan to enter the European market! Their extensive knowledge on traditional Indian medicine will help us to get familiar with the power of herbal and natural alternatives in Europe,” states Anesh Kisoen, International Business Advisor at The Hague Business Agency.

“What makes an idea or a vision for success, is the right team to build confidence and constantly assure that you are going in the right directions. NFIA, THBA  and InnovationQuarter played a major role in every choice we made. They assisted with incorporation, regulatory things and paper work,” says Ms. Vanangamudi. She continues: “The agencies were just a mouse-click away, we launched an entire company sitting at the desk in my home! We never thought this would be possible, especially in times of covid-19 . But they were very efficient in connecting us to the right people, right agencies. It also gave me a new outlook at the work culture in Europe and more confidence.”

Sasja Heijman

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Nikon Leiden Bio Science Park
Contact /Lissa Boxy Datum /

Nikon Europe B.V. has announced that it is to open its first Nikon BioImaging Lab (NBIL) in Europe. Building on the success of the NBIL in Cambridge Massachusetts (USA) and the recently opened NBIL in the Shonan iPark, Fujisawa City (Japan), Nikon has chosen to base the European NBIL in the prestigious Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP), the largest life sciences cluster in the Netherlands.

Nikon Leiden Bio Science Park

Dr. Volodymyr Nechyporuk-Zloy, NBIL manager, commented, “We are really excited to be about to launch the new NBIL in one of the top five most successful life sciences parks in Europe. Our message to the many life science and healthcare businesses in the area – we are coming and want to support your technology. NBIL-Leiden will offer cutting-edge, full imaging service solutions as well as the services of expert biologists and microscopists, who are available to provide quality cell culture, sample preparation, data acquisition and data analysis services. NBIL-Leiden is here to provide you with expert imaging support – on demand.”

Director of Stichting Leiden Bio Science Park, Ida Haisma, welcomes Nikon Europe to the LBSP, “We are very pleased that Nikon has chosen the Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP) for its Nikon BioImaging Lab. We believe that the shared services that Nikon offers through this facility will be very beneficial to the attractiveness of the LBSP. It will also boost the LBSP’s transformation into an Innovation District! In addition the NBIL will fulfil a long-standing wish from many start-ups and medium sized companies as well as researchers at the different institutes located at the LBSP.”

NBIL-Leiden will provide private companies and academic institutes with a unique opportunity to use the latest microscope technology, develop core skills in a wide range of sample preparation and microscopy imaging experiments, as well as increasing their networking opportunities through similar communities across Europe. Support will include Nikon’s market-leading systems for confocal, super-resolution microscopy and high content

imaging. Furthermore, the advanced image analysis service on powerful workstations with data storage and management systems will be provided.

Nikon Europe B.V. is grateful for the assistance of InnovationQuarter, the regional economic development agency for the Province of Zuid-Holland, which assisted us in finding the right location and helped coordinate communication to develop the partnership with the Leiden Bio Science Park.

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Contact /Lissa Boxy Datum /

Today, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) announces that it has selected Leiden Bio Science Park as European location for a new CAR-T cell therapy facility. Therefore, the biopharmaceutical company benefits from the growing life sciences region in the Netherlands.

With the construction of this production facility, BMS invests in the expansion of its global network to bring cell therapy closer to European patients. In doing so, the organization expands the capacity to treat patients while making it possible to research new treatment options.
“We are pleased that we are expanding our presence in the Netherlands in this way. The Netherlands offers an innovative hub for life sciences and has top-notch industry talent. We’re looking forward to filling hundreds of vacancies in the coming years to shape the new site,” said Véronique Walsh, M.D., General Manager BMS Benelux.

CAR-T cell therapy

CAR-T stands for ‘Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell’ therapy. T cells are immune cells that can attack and eliminate cancer cells. Within the procedure, white blood cells are collected from cancer patients first. These will be genetically modified in the production center, after which they will be administered to the patient in specialized academic centers. This process helps to fight hematological cancers through the body’s T cells.

Life Sciences & Health ambassador Clémence Ross-van Dorp welcomes the arrival of BMS on behalf of the Netherlands: “This is not only a great step for BMS, it is also important news for the Netherlands. With this move, BMS underlines that our country is an international frontrunner in the field of CAR-T cell therapy. Our growing LSH ecosystem is thriving because of the collaboration between companies like BMS, universities, academic hospitals and the government. Through this connected approach, together we are ensuring that many more people get the care they need.”

Leiden Bio Science Park will be BMS’s fifth cell therapy facility and the first in Europe. The facility will have the latest technology and production equipment to develop cell therapy for patients.

Chris van Voorden, Director of Internationalisation at InnovationQuarter: “We are excited that BMS has selected the Leiden Bio Science Park as the location in Europe for their CART-T cell therapy facility.  This facility will not only be a valuable addition to the Netherlands and the Leiden Bio Science life science community where there is a strong focus on new stem cell and gene therapies but most important for the patients in Europe that are waiting for these life-saving therapies.”

The design and development of the location in the Leiden Bio Science Park is currently underway. Construction is scheduled to start later this year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. BMS expects the facility to generate at least 500 jobs in the region

Lissa Culbertson Boxy

Senior Account Manager Life Sciences & Health

 

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Manometric
Contact /fleur rooker Datum /

Millions of people worldwide rely on orthoses or prostheses in their everyday lives. However, producing a precise fit is not only expensive but time consuming. Delft-based Manometric has found a solution to these challenges by developing an innovative 3D scanner with an automated 3D printing process that creates custom braces to exact specifications. This rapid production method reduces manufacturing time from five hours to five minutes. To help strengthen its team and scale up this unique technology, Manometric has secured a capital injection from NextGen Ventures and InnovationQuarter.

The quality of life of patients suffering from conditions such as rheumatism and osteoarthritis is greatly improved by using orthoses or prostheses. A brace relieves pain, provides support and affords the wearer greater freedom. Currently, the production of orthoses is labour intensive and expensive and often results in dissatisfied patients due to the suboptimal fit and aesthetics of the end product. Manometric’s disruptive 3D technology solves these problems and is the first to offer a total solution by rapidly and precisely printing a personalised brace with a strong focus on comfort, functionality and design.

Collaboration with health insurance providers and hospitals

Due to the added value the technology has for both patients and medical specialists, most Dutch health insurance providers are currently working with Manometric to ensure its products become available nationwide. The innovative technology delivers on ease of use and time efficiency because, unlike the traditional measuring and production process, patients no longer have to return to hospital for multiple fittings. They also appreciate the design and comfort of the products: in a recent clinical trial by the Reinier de Graaf Hospital, results indicated higher patient satisfaction and therapy compliance compared with traditional braces.

Available nationwide, scanned in your region

With the investment from NextGen and InnovationQuarter, Manometric aims to develop new orthoses and bolster its sales and marketing team. But the start-up’s primary goal is the national roll-out of the scanning technology to enable patients throughout the Netherlands to be scanned locally. Although currently focusing on hand and arm conditions, the company will eventually develop innovative orthoses for the rest of the body.

Pieter Smakman, founder and CEO of Manometric:

“We are incredibly pleased with the new investors and share the same ambition. From the very first meetings we have had good conversations about strategy, products and people. We cannot wait to put this investment to use and make our revolutionary products – designed from a blank sheet with only one interest in mind: the user – accessible to everyone throughout the Netherlands.”

Manometric, established at tech incubator YES!Delft, was founded in 2017 by Pieter Smakman and Robin Jones, both industrial design engineering (MSc) graduates from TU Delft. The company has grown to a team of 14 and includes orthopaedic technologists, industrial designers and software engineers. A previous investment round secured funding from ReumaNederland, proof-of-concept fund UNIIQ and Rabobank.

Peter Haasjes, investment director at NextGen Ventures:

“NextGen Ventures invests in businesses that improve healthcare and contribute to lowering healthcare costs. Manometric is a perfect example of this. With its unique 3D scanner and printing technology, the company has shown that the production of orthoses and prostheses can be improved and made more efficient. We were quick to recognise this innovation as a decisive breakthrough in this discipline.”

Kees Recourt, senior investment manager at InnovationQuarter:

“As life-cycle financiers, we are delighted to support Manometric with the development and commercial roll-out of its innovative platform for 3D printed hand and wrist braces. Arthritis patients with a variety of conditions will soon benefit from orthoses that fit perfectly, resulting in a significant improvement in the quality of life for an enormous number of patients.”

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Fleur Rooker

Business Analist IQCapital
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BIOND receives UNIIQ investment
Contact /Karolien Sas Datum /

BIOND Solutions (Bi/ond), a spin-off of Delft University of Technology, has developed a microchip that can nourish, stimulate and monitor tissues and cells. The company has just secured €250,000 of growth capital from early-stage investment fund UNIIQ. Bi/ond will use part of the investment to expand its already strong team with engineers to work on scaling up the highly promising technology. It will also invest in research and development and intellectual property activities. The investment was announced digitally by Bas Vollebregt, member of Delft city council.

Going beyond

Humans are all different in unique ways, but modern medical treatments ignore genetic variations among individuals. People of different ethnicities, genders and ages have to take drugs that were developed based on genetic criteria entirely different from their own.

Moreover, current research methodologies for developing cures for diseases compel biologists to choose between two options: tests conducted on animals or in vitro studies involving cells cultivated in labware such as petri dishes. Both of these approaches do not sufficiently address human diversity. They fail to adequately predict what will happen in people because the environment created for the cells does not sufficiently resemble conditions in the human body. Bi/ond has devised a tool to overcome this problem.

BIOND microchip

The power of microelectronics

Founded in 2017, Bi/ond has developed a computer chip and platform where biologists can place an individual’s cells. The microchip nourishes, stimulates and monitors the cells as though they were in the body. Bi/ond’s patented organ-on-chip technology allows treatment to be optimised for different applications, including heart, lung, brain and cancer tissues. These dynamic functionalities allow researchers to find the right medicine for a specific individual, paving the way for personalised medicine. The product’s uniqueness derives from the power of microelectronics.

Bi/ond’s relatively cheap and highly customisable technology can be used to conduct ground-breaking research by growing 3D cell cultures in an environment that mimics the human body. Organ-on-chip is a very promising methodology that is expected to lead to improved success in drug development, lower costs and less animal testing.

Step forward

Two of Bi/ond’s co-founders, CSO William Fausto Quiros Solano and CTO Nikolas Gaio, possess in-depth knowledge of microelectronics and experience with biological solutions. Their insights led to the technological breakthrough. “With our product, we aim to bridge the gap between biology and engineering”, Nikolas Gaio explains. “To build that bridge, we currently have a diverse, interdisciplinary team of six members.” Bi/ond will use part of the €250,000 investment to expand its team with engineers who will work on scaling up the product.

The company’s third co-founder, CEO Cinzia Silvestri, is delighted with UNIIQ’s confidence in Bi/ond’s team and technology: “Thanks to the investment, we can strengthen product development, further invest in our IP portfolio and broaden our customer base. Prestigious hospitals and universities in Europe are already using our product for various purposes, including assessing chemotherapies and studying rare diseases. We want to provide a reliable tool for biologists to develop personalised, inclusive drug testing. This investment is a step towards achieving that goal.”

Hans Dreijklufft, fund manager at UNIIQ: “By developing personalised medicine and reducing animal testing, organ-on-chip technology has the potential to significantly impact human health and animal well-being. We are therefore very happy to invest in Bi/ond. The company’s strong, diverse team is active in many national and European consortia and able to connect with big players in the medical and research world. UNIIQ is pleased to finance this spin-off of Delft University of Technology to help it grow and develop its advanced chip and plate application.”

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Contact /Sasja Heijman Datum /

Developer and manufacturer of medical instruments Shenzhen Coriton Instrument Co., Ltd. has opened a branch in Zoetermeer to better serve the European market. Sales, logistics and administrative tasks will be carried out from this office. Moreover, it is Coriton’s ambition to establish this location as a central service hub to other Chinese companies, so that knowledge and costs can be shared at European market entry. This offers the prospect of Zoetermeer to become an important hub from which Chinese companies can grow, with a positive boost to local employment as a result.

Strategic asset to the life sciences cluster in greater Rotterdam – The Hague

Founded in 2011, Coriton is a major player in the Chinese market, supplying a significant portion of the ventilation equipment for the Wuhan emergency hospital in the early days of the corona pandemic. The pandemic underscored the urgency for Coriton to internationalize and be closer to European customers. That is why the Dutch entity of Coriton, Umedwings BV, was established in May.

Product quality is an important core value of Coriton’s corporate philosophy. Through collaboration with TUV, an internationally recognized German certification organization, Coriton initially created a product quality control system that meets international standards, from product design, to testing, mass production and product changes. Coriton is therefore the only Chinese supplier of medical equipment with accreditation from the German TUV, ISO9001, FDA, and Huatongwei Rohs environmental testing.

Geolocation, logistics, collaboration and talent

Mr. Guo, founder and director of Coriton: “In the early phase of the plan to expand internationally, my choice was between the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. In doing so, I discovered that the Netherlands is at the intersection of the North Atlantic route and the European sea. Overlooking the North Sea, with the European continent on its back, it is known as the ‘gateway to Europe’. In addition, he says, the Netherlands has a well-developed logistics system, excellently connected airports, seaports and road transport routes, as well as an international and open business environment.

He also mentioned in particular the life sciences cluster in the Rotterdam-The Hague region. Medical Delta, a partnership between Erasmus University, Erasmus MC, TU Delft, Leiden University and LUMC, offers the prospect of great collaborations and ensures the growth of technically and medically trained talent. That is why the first location, Coriton’s European headquarters is located in Zoetermeer. As the company grows, its product design activities and R&D partnerships will also be located in Europe.

The Coriton location is also a nice addition to the companies that are already part of the (e-) health and care cluster within Zoetermeer. In addition, the Dutch Innovation Park in Zoetermeer offers numerous opportunities for partnerships with other innovative companies and the IT and Design Faculty of The Haagse Hogeschool (Academy for IT and Design of The Hague University of Applied Sciences)

Plans for the future

With the assistance of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) and InnovationQuarter, the Dutch entity of Coriton, Umedwings BV has been successfully established in Zoetermeer. Mr. Guo states that the assistance has strengthened his confidence in investing in the Netherlands and has accelerated the localization of the Dutch BV. He hopes to continue working with NFIA and InnovationQuarter in the future, so that Coriton can continue to explore and develop the path of internationalization.

Sasja Heijman

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Contact /Sasja Heijman Datum /

TCI Biotech is a highly reputable listed company in Asia. Now the original design manufacturer (ODM) of functional foodstuffs and skincare products also wants to conquer Europe. The first European office was opened in Rotterdam at the beginning of 2020.

Yin Liu lives in The Hague, but the managing director of TCI Biotech can be at her office in no time located in De Rotterdam. ‘I board the metro in The Hague and get out at Wilhelminaplein which is almost right outside the door. Fantastic,’ says Yin with a big smile. The good accessibility by public transport was one of the decisive points for TCI Biotech in choosing Rotterdam as its new European location. ‘Rotterdam is a great central location for us to connect with all of our European customers. We are also close to the port and the companies that are of interest to us. Schiphol Airport is not very far away either. What’s more, we were received very warmly by the people at Rotterdam Partners and InnovationQuarter. We were taken seriously and felt very welcome.’

Major player

The arrival of TCI Biotech means a major player has come to town. The Taiwanese company has been operating for 40 years and is active in 55 countries. As an original design manufacturer, it makes functional foodstuffs and skincare products for companies and brands, such as healthy drinks, food supplements, facial masks and other skincare products. TCI can take care of the entire process: from conceiving the formula to its (mass) production, marketing and after-sales. It already does this for Unilever and the French company Sephora, among others. TCI has a total of more than 1,100 customers, who are served from ten offices: eight in Asia, one in the United States and the brand new office in Rotterdam. The move to Europe was made because turnover there has grown significantly in recent years (a 30% increase in 2019 compared to 2018) and TCI sees a great deal of potential here. Because of the excellent business climate for international companies, their choice fell to the Netherlands.

Marathon

‘Our first goal is to get a better picture of the European market. What do European consumers and our customers need? What does the competition look like? That sort of thing’, says Yin, who studied at Leiden University and worked for ten years at another Taiwanese company in the Netherlands. ‘A next step could be to set up our own warehouse, logistics and possibly a research and development department here. In the phase after that, we could start manufacturing in Europe ourselves, in collaboration with others. But that’s really the long-term perspective. We want to take this step by step. For us, this is a marathon, not a sprint.’

First success

TCI Biotech Netherlands has already had its first successes. ‘We have customers in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. We have been able to consolidate our collaborations with them, while also welcoming a number of new customers. We are very pleased with that, because it’s not easy to enter an existing market as a relatively unknown player. In addition, all our products have to come from Asia, which entails extra costs. The corona crisis came on top of that, but fortunately we haven’t suffered too much from it. Despite all these challenges, I look back very positively on the first few months here.’

Premium segment

Yin has, above all, great confidence in the quality of TCI. In Asia, we are positioned as a premium ODM. Our European customers are also in the higher segment. Many Europeans ask me, very directly: what makes TCI different from others? The answer is: our strong commitment to making our customers more successful than they already are. Everything we do is focused on that. We believe in our products and our technology, but above all in that vision. It’s not for nothing that 93 percent of our current customers are return customers.’

‘Roll up your sleeves!

In addition to the European market, Yin Liu would like to get to know the local, Rotterdam-based companies better. We want to operate as locally as possible, that’s crucial to our level of success. It helps enormously that Rotterdam Partners provides us with access to the right networks, companies and contacts. It’s up to us to seize the opportunities offered. Roll up your sleeves and make it happen!’

TCI Biotech’s sister company TCI Gene has developed one of the world’s most accurate automated virus scanning machines, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the USA. The company hopes the device can help more countries to fight with the COVID-19 effectively.

Want to know more about TCI Biotech? Take a look at the company’s website or contact the managing director, Yin Liu via Yin.Liu@tci-bio.com. During the last edition of the LSH010 breakfast on Thursday 11 June, Caroline Giezeman of LSH010 did officially welcome TCI Biotech to Rotterdam. You can read more about the Network Breakfast from Thursday 11 June 2020 here.

This article originates from Life Sciences & Health 010

Sasja Heijman

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Contact /Lonneke Baas Datum /

Councilor Paul Dirkse of the municipality of Leiden opened the Medical Delta Fieldlab Phenomix on July 9th at the Leiden Bio Science Park. In this field lab, companies, healthcare institutions and scientists work together on applications of metabolomics. Measuring metabolic profiles provides a rich profile of a person’s current health. For example, with so-called “metabolic profiles”, doctors can make diagnoses earlier or make a personal treatment plan. The field lab is a flywheel for the change in healthcare towards personalized medicine.

In metabolomics, scientists study the unique chemical fingerprints that are left by specific metabolic processes in the body. These chemical fingerprints provide knowledge that can help to shift the focus in care toward prevention or early treatment. The new field lab offers scientists an open innovation setting to tackle projects in healthcare and business.

A flywheel for healthcare innovation

“We see a change in health care: from care, to cure, to prevention,” says Joep van den Eerenbeemt, business developer at InnovationQuarter. “We expect healthcare to transition from generic solutions for everyone, to specific interventions for one person. In order to determine which intervention will be most effective for which group of patients, proper diagnosis is necessary. This is an early step toward personalized medicine: a ‘private’ package of diagnostics, treatment and lifestyle advice for everyone. ”

“Thanks to diagnostic tools, we can apply drugs more effectively and detect diseases at an early stage,” says fellow business developer Lonneke Baas. “Good diagnosis already has a central role in healthcare; laboratory diagnostics are used in more than 70% of all medical research. It is not just about the diagnosis, but also about deciding which treatment is most likely to be successful. and to monitor the treatment over a longer period of time. We therefore see this field lab as the first step towards large-scale screening facility for metabolites. ”

What does fieldlab Phenomix offer?

“Phenomix is a screening facility for using metabolites in diagnostic processes,” says Joep van den Eerenbeemt. “InnovationQuarter is involved in assembling a consortium of pharmaceutical, food and technology companies as partners and customers. We see opportunities: The field lab can enable local (SME) companies to facilitate big pharma, both technologically and commercially, in transforming their business from ‘a few blockbusters around the world ‘to’ many personal medicines linked to relevant diagnostics’. ”

Leiden University and Erasmus MC work together on metabolomics

The scientists of Leiden University and Erasmus MC who collaborate in Medical Delta on metabolomics research, as well as the companies and life sciences & health institutions in the region have a strong reputation internationally. As a result, the field lab has the potential to become an international hotspot for the application of metabolomics. The ambition is that Phenomix attracts companies from the pharmaceutical, agri and food industry to greater Rotterdam – The Hague, thereby accelerating the realization of a metabolomics ecosystem.

More customized prevention and treatments thanks to metabolomics

By measuring metabolic products such as amino acids, glucose or adrenaline, medical professionals can create a metabolic profile for each patient. With metabolomics they can then determine the side effects that a drug will have on patients with a certain profile. In addition, individual health profiles help to take preventive measures in a timely manner, for example by adjusting the diet if a disease appears to develop.

Scientists at LUMC, Erasmus MC and UMC Utrecht are currently using metabolic profiles for investigating, for example, the different ways in which patients react to the coronavirus and to anti-inflammatory drugs. The scientists hope to be able to share their findings quickly, after which the industry and healthcare institutions can better tailor care to the profile of the patient.

“This is a good example of how scientists, doctors and industry can work together. Metabolomics can deliver important benefits not only for the individual patient, but for the healthcare sector and society as a whole, ”says Medical Delta professor Prof. Thomas Hankemeier (Leiden University, Erasmus MC), one of the initiators of the field lab. “This also applies to other sectors and companies, for example in the food industry. My ultimate goal is that every Dutch person can obtain a metabolic profile when he or she needs it. ”

Opportunities through collaboration

The scientists working together in the field lab come from different disciplines. The field lab is thus building on Medical Delta’s scientific program “METABOLDELTA”.

“The field lab provides an extra incentive to translate scientific findings to commercial applications, which means that it has a direct impact on patients and healthcare as a whole,” says Gertine van der Vliet, managing director and board member of Medical Delta.

Leiden University and Erasmus MC participate in the field lab with various companies from the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. It is located at the Leiden Bio Science Park and is being set up with an EFRO subsidy. InnovationQuarter and Medical Delta, among others, are involved in setting up and expanding the field lab.

 

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Contact /Karolien Sas Datum /

Early stage life sciences investor BioGeneration Ventures (BGV), a leading early-stage VC in European biopharma, announces the closing of its fourth fund, BGV IV, at €105 million, with an investment focus on entrepreneurial innovation in therapeutics in Europe. Strong market interest expediated the fund raise, with the commitments to date exceeding the fund’s original target.

The BGV IV fund has attracted notable institutions as investors such as, Bristol Myers Squibb, Schroder Adveq and the European Investment Fund, and 3 Dutch regional development organisations (OostNL, BOM and InnovationQuarter). New investors to BGV IV include Industriens Pension and KfW Capital.

BGV is one of the largest VC funds in Europe focused on early investments in new bio-technology companies, with over € 220 million assets under management. Its team has broad experience in investment, life sciences, business development, and commercial operations. It also draws on experienced biotech entrepreneurs as venture partners and advisors, to the benefit of its portfolio companies.

The company’s approach is to partner with scientists from major European institutions and entrepreneurs. The aim is to build new companies, around either single assets or technology platforms with the goal of creating transformational new medicines. This strategy is supported by the strong collaboration between BGV and Forbion, providing a platform across early- to late-stage companies.

The investment strategy for the BGV IV fund will follow the same successful path as BGV’s other funds, which have resulted in innovative new medicines reaching patients and yielded significant returns for investors.

Portfolio successes of earlier BGV funds include Acerta Pharma, which was acquired by AstraZeneca for up to $7bn and whose lead product Calquence® is now approved and marketed in the US, and Staten Biotechnology, which signed a €430 million exclusive option deal with Novo Nordisk. Other companies in the current BGV portfolio include NorthSea Therapeutics, Azafaros, Varmx, and Confo Therapeutics.

Edward van Wezel, BGV’s Managing Partner said:

“Over the last few years, BGV has demonstrated that investing in early-stage companies in Europe can bring innovative science to meet patients’ needs worldwide as well as financial value to investors. With this new fund, we are pleased to have the backing of some of our long-standing investors; we also welcome our new investors, Industriens Pension and KfW Capital. The early-stage science coming out of European Institutions is second to none and we are working with those at the forefront of their fields. We believe we can make a significant difference to companies in helping them translate promising science into transformational new medicines.”

Frederik Fischer Hjerl, Investment Manager at Industriens Pension, added: “As a new investor to the BGV fund, we have had a lot of focus at the BGV team’s strong track record and their approach towards early innovation. There is an urgent demand for new medicines which might accelerate the level of innovation coming out of research institutions across Europe. Having an experienced team like BGV, which in multiple occasions has proven capable of identifying and nurturing the potential future stars, is crucial to bringing new ideas forward. We look forward to working with BGV to help bring new medicines through.”

Want to know more?

Please contact us.

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Contact /Sasja Heijman Datum /

Scottish medtech company WheelAir is opeing a subsidiary office in the Netherlands, near its European partners and customers to expand its operations and support business growth in the EU. Wheelair was assisted in its relocation by the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, Rotterdam Partners and InnovationQuarter.

Solving a pressing health issue

The majority of wheelchair users regularly experience overheating and sweating. This not only causes great discomfort but can also result in the formation of pressure sores. More severely, overheating tends to cause muscle spasms, heat-induced seizures, nausea, fatigue and potential heatstroke. Confronted with this realization and on a mission to solve this problem, managing director Corien Staels formed WheelAir in Glasgow in 2016.

Instant relief

The WheelAir system provides cool air at the interface between body and wheelchair, instantly influencing the microclimate where it affects users. studies demonstrate that the WheelAir system can lower body temperature by 8˚C in 30 minutes and – when used preventively – can avoid any heat and moisture build-up altogether. This, in turn, has a huge influence on pressure sore management and prevention. Countries spend an average of 4% of its healthcare budget in treating this issue.

Business growth

The WheelAir temperature regulation system is the first of its kind and is designed for and to fit all wheelchairs. Since its introduction to the market in 2017, WheelAir systems have been sold internationally to not only retailers but some of the largest custom seating manufacturers in the world, such as Ottobock. There are several other large Dutch partnerships in the pipeline, although we can’t share anything on those yet. After four years based in Glasgow, WheelAir opened a new office in the Netherlands in February 2020.

“With sales increasing in Europe we decided that now is the time to branch out.” Said Staels. “The Netherlands is a very innovation-driven country with a much stronger link between universities, hospitals and entrepreneurs. With our planned clinical trials coming up, this environment will make further developments with the healthcare sector a whole lot easier.”

“It is great to see the arrival of Wheelair in Rotterdam, a new innovative, medical technology company with social impact. Wheelair brings unique expertise in the field of wheelchair temperature control which fits perfectly into our strong MedTech cluster in the region” said Chris van Voorden, director Foreign Investments at InnovationQuarter

Wilbert Lek, director at Rotterdam Partners: “Rotterdam’s healthcare technology profile, combined with our vibrant entrepreneurial community makes it an ideal place for Wheelair to successfully grow their business and connect with the European market”

Sasja Heijman

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Contact /Lonneke Baas Datum /

Among other things, the partnership is intended to yield new discoveries and smart solutions to issues in healthcare. To this end, the three institutions’ plans include the construction of a new HealthTech Campus next to the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.

Interim Chair of the Executive Board Hans Smits expects the partnership to yield ‘ground-breaking solutions’ and promote ‘the social embedding and acceptance of new technological and medical developments’. Among other things, the three institutions intend to set up a HealthTech Campus at a location adjacent to the Erasmus MC.

The new collaboration comprises three initiatives: Sustainable Rotterdam Delta, the HealthTech Campus and 30 laboratories in the region that will concentrate on research into artificial intelligence. The three institutions have drawn up a total budget of half a billion euros for the next ten years. They hope that the private sector and the government will be interested in investing in the partnership.

Social challenges

The two universities and the hospital want to jointly take on major social challenges in the areas of health, sustainability, urbanisation and digitalisation. Researchers working in the fields of medicine, health sciences, technical sciences and the social sciences will be collaborating in this context.

“Over the past forty years, new developments in healthcare primarily originated in biology, genetics and pharmacology,” says Ernst Kuipers, Chair of the Executive Board of the Erasmus MC, in NRC Handelsblad. “Today’s knowledge and expertise are also encountered in mathematics, artificial intelligence, robotics, optics (optical and lens technology) and domotics (home automation). We can provide the medical-substantive knowledge, Erasmus University offers economic and social-scientific insights and Delft is a premier source of technological expertise.” At the planned HealthTech Campus, researchers will be working together to make healthcare more effective and improve people’s quality of life. It will take some time before this campus opens its doors, however, since the old Dijkzigt hospital building needs to be torn down before the site can be prepared for construction.

Within the Sustainable Rotterdam Delta initiative, the partners will be studying issues in Rotterdam and the surrounding region. The various studies will centre on social problems in today’s metropolitan areas. Researchers will be focussing on matters like the energy transition, traffic and transport, equal opportunity and employment.

Artificial intelligence

The universities in Leiden, Delft and Rotterdam can already look back on seven years of collaboration. While Leiden won’t be joining the HealthTech Campus, it will contribute in the field of artificial intelligence. In the future, the three universities will all be including knowledge about data science and artificial intelligence in all their students’ curricula.

“At both our Economics faculty and RSM, you can already find a wealth of knowledge relating to data science and artificial intelligence,” notes EUR’s Rector Magnificus Rutger Engels. “But beyond these faculties, we also see a strong research focus on the real-life impact of new technologies. From interactions between humans and machines to deep fakes, and from data-driven improvements in care to the avoidance of biased appraisals in HRM and selection.”

The future

The business plans for the three initiatives will be fleshed out in the months ahead. Academic staff are already allowed to submit research and education proposals to the three institutions involved. In addition, the universities have already started to recruit 34 post-doc researchers. The partners are still working on their application to Rijksinvesteringsfonds. This national organisation awards funding to projects that are intended to strengthen the Dutch economy.

Sasja Heijman