Sweden invests more in biotech per capita than any other country in the world. The country also has the fourth-largest biotech industry in Europe, characterised by a successful entrepreneurial approach, well-developed infrastructure, well-trained workforce and a favourable financial growth climate.In particular, Sweden's internationally focused researchers have been quick to realise the potential of genomics and have rapidly established a global reputation in research fields such as stem cells, where 24 of the total of 64 lines that have been identified by the American National Institute of Health are to be found in the country. Sweden is also at the forefront in the highly complex field of protein research, with several successful companies and universities. This work is headed by the Karolinska Institutet, an organisation whose activities have generated five Nobel Prize winners. It is within areas such as these that new developments and advances will be presented when Sweden implements its largest ever biotech trade fair venture at BIO 2002. Almost 20 companies and organisations are presenting their new developments in a 1200 ft² stand within the framework of the nationally financed Swedish Bioscience Programme.

Made in China
- based on Swedish technology!

On 4th April, CanAg Diagnostics AB, a Swedish biotechnology company specialising in the development and marketing of immunological reagents and laboratory tests for diagnosis and management of patients with cancer and brain diseases, began construction of its first production unit in China. In a 1500 sqm production unit in Wuxi, Jiangsu in vivo as well as in vitro diagnostics products will be produced according to GMP and ISO 9001 standards.

The company offers a wide range of clinically and technically evaluated antibodies for licensing to diagnostic and biotechnology companies, as well as complete laboratory tests in the EIA microtiter format for use in hospital laboratories. In the product range are antibodies and kits for the most common solid tumours, e.g. cancer of the breast, lung, gastro-intestinal tract, ovary, prostate, liver and skin. The company has also launched reagents and kits for determination of markers associated with acute brain damage caused by e.g. trauma, hypoxia and stroke.

Under development are reagents and tests for antigens associated with squamous cell carcinomas, small cell lung cancer as well as reagents and tests for Malignont melanoma. The company has during the last two years filed patent applications for antibodies and tests for acute brain damage (S 100) and for determination of novel fusion proteins associated with squamous cell carcinomas.

The company, founded in 1992, was the first Western concern to have its products registered by Chinese authorities. The head office is located in Gothenburg and subsidiary offices in Chicago, USA and Beijing and Wuxi, China. A sales office was established in Moscow in February for the expanding Russian market.

Contact: Torbjörn Karlsson. +46 31 857030, mail mail torbjorn.karlsson@canag.se
www.canag.se


Micro nozzle produces rapid DNA analysis

Nanotechnology company Åmic in Uppsala has received an order from Pyrosequencing AB for production of the micro nozzle for their new system for DNA analysis. The nozzles are key components, employed when portioning out the fluids used in analysis into a large number of samples quickly and in exact amounts.

The companies have been working together for a while on development of a new micro nozzle for Pyrosequencing's new PSQ PTP system. The product is being marketed as a "Technology access" program for specially-selected customers, but in 2002 will be offered as a standard product. The system is a further development of the biotechnology company's basic PSQ 96 system and has been adapted for analysis of considerably more samples per time unit.
Åmic's technology allows cost-effective mass production of three-dimensional mechanical components and systems in plastic and other materials on a scale of thousandths of a millimetre and less.
"The nozzles are one of the key components in our new high throughtput system. Through the exact sizing of the nozzles' openings we can control the portioning of test fluids and in that way establish reliability and precision in our analysis process," says Björn Ekström, CTO of Pyrosequencing.
The company's business mission is to develop and produce replicated microsystems in large quantities, including moulding, casting and embossing.

For further information, contact:
Åmic AB, tel. + 46 18 521640, e-mail: ove.ohman@amic.se, www.amic.se
First international launch of
gene expression analysis tool

The first international BIO participation for biotechnology company Global Genomics AB will highlight core competence in combining cutting-edge, proprietary, molecular biology and bioinformatics to drive target validation and drug discovery. The first product to be launched is a global gene expression analysis tool called Tangerine, combining PCR with proprietary in-house-developed computational algorithms. It is said to be the only gene expression analysis process that can detect new and unknown genes, low-abundance genes and 95 % of all genes. The company's mission is to be the preferred partner in drug discovery by contributing a stream of valuable technologies in the field of functional genomics for accelerated generation of novel therapeutic products. The competition within gene expression analysis is currently dominated by various types of microarrays.

Contact: Ulf Boberg, tel. + 46 8 55 80 47 11, e-mail; ulf@globalgenomics.com www.globalgenomics.com


Therapeutic antibodies alliance
for development of new medicines

BioInvent International AB and Oxford GlycoSciences Plc have finalised a three-year collaboration contract for identifying, developing, manufacturing and commercialising novel therapeutic antibodies. The deal will target antigens provided by OGS and will be produced using BioInvent´s novel antibody technology platform, n-CoDeR. OGS will also invest $ 5 million and, under the terms of the contract, provide at least five target antigens per year, identified and validated using OGS´s proteomics process. The companies will work collaboratively to select and optimise therapeutic antibody candidates to take into development.
BioInvent, situated in the Ideon Science and Technology Park in the city of Lund in southern Sweden, is dedicated to working with clients to ensure their success in the discovery, development and manufacture of antibody drugs.

Contact: Anders Åström, tel. +46 46 286 85 50, email: anders astrom@bioinvent.se


New generation of
cardiovascular devices

The multibillion USD market for synthetic vascular implants will be the main target for Xenerate AB, a company focusing on gene therapy and medical device research and development. Their product focus is cardiovascular devices such as vascular grafts, endovascular grafts and stents.
XST (Xenerate stimulation technology) products are designed to solve problems with vascular implants by enabling the prosthesis to develop internally as in normal native blood vessels. XST will significantly improve the patency of vascular surgery and interventions.
XIT (Xenerate inhibition technology) products are designed to improve the function of native blood vessels used as vascular grafts by limiting intimal hyperplasia. The company reports a reduction in the need for repeat operations, lower health care costs and improved quality of life for the patients. XIT will also reduce restenosis in stent and stentgraft interventions.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in industrial countries. While some forms of diseases can be treated with healthier diet, more exercise and a variety of oral therapies, extensive damage to the arteries and veins requires more invasive techniques. Vascular grafts, native or synthetic, and endovascular implants, such as stents or stentgrafts, are used in patients whose blood vessels have become blocked or damaged as a result of disease or trauma. Even though improvements in techniques and product capabilities continue, there is no perfect substitute for the patient's own veins and arteries.

Contact: Mika Lahtinen tel. +46 18 509300, e-mail: mika.lahtinen@xenerate.com, www.xenerate.com


Modular facility turn-key concept
reaches markets in biotech industry

Pharmadule has signed a multimillion dollar agreement with Aventis Pasteur Inc to supply a vaccine plant. The new state-of-the art facility will start bulk production of meningitis vaccines in 2003, in Swiftwater, PA, USA.

The company has also supplied a new 1400 sqft production facility to Biotechna UAB owned by Nasdaq listed Gensia Sicor Inc. The plant for developing, manufacturing and marketing recombinant biopharmaceuticals is located in Vilnius, Lithunia.

For the first time Pharmadule at BIO 2002 will exhibit it's skill and advantages for the biotech industry. More than 40 turn-key plants for the pharmaceutical and related industries since the start in 1986 has shown delivery times from 12-18 months at fixed prices and guaranteed delivery times. The concept flexibility, shorter time to market, no cost overruns and predictable first-class finish has given status as qualified and/or preferred vendor to companies such as Eli Lilly, Merck, Pharmacia, AstraZeneca and Aventis.

Contact: Jan Lilja, ph +46 8 58 899 800, jan.lilja@pharmadule.com, www.pharmadule.com


Successful institution
generates breeding ground

A new patented magnetic stirrer capable of cooling and heating liquids to the correct temperature for sensitive sample preparations in biochemical research etc. will be launched by AB Implementa Hebe at BIO 2002. The CoolHeater has been tested, and produced excellent results, in many applications such as enzymes, crystallization, conductivity measurement and for reactions where a constant temperature (from 0 to 50 degrees Celsius with precise adjustment capabilities between 20 to 200 r.p.m) must be maintained for long periods.

This launch is one example of the successful breeding ground for innovation generated by the European Institute of Sciences AB, specialising in helping researchers and innovators in the market place. This institution includes access to laboratories, prototype workshop facilities and qualified staff as well as financial support with part ownership and stock market introductions. A current project involving magneto immunotherapy is aiming to develop new types of pharmaceuticals and instrumentation for alternative treatment of diseases such as cancer.

Contact: Dario Kriz, tel. +46 46 286 22 30, dario.kriz@euris.org www.euris.org


Strategic alliances in proteomics aid
in the development of new pharmaceuticals

A collaboration with Amersham Biosciences was recently signed to develop the
use of Affibodies™ for separation of biomolecules, i.e proteins. Large
scale separation of proteins is a routine process in the pharmaceutical
industry. The collaboration will strengthen the business area Separomics
considerably.

The Bioinformatics unit of the Company generates software and database
solutions (GeneWeaver) for analysis of gene expression data in a user
friendly format. The software is built in a multi-user integrated project
management environment capable of handling sequencing- as well as
hybridization derived data.

Contact: Mårten Österlund, tel +46 8 598 838 15,
e-mail: marten.osterlund@affibody.com, www.affibody.com


Progress in diabetes
and anti-obesity research

Biovitrum is one of the largest independent biotech companies in Northern Europe with close to 900 employees, including more than 400 scientists. Formerly a division within the global pharmaceutical company, Pharmacia Corporation, Biovitrum was formed as a separate spin-off in August 2001. Biovitrum are active in the research of metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, and in contract development and manufacturing of recombinant protein drugs. Biovitrums clinical portfolio includes an anti-obesity drug, BVT.933, which has concluded a successful clinical phase IIa study. A novel treatment paradigm for type 2 diabetes also entered into phase I studies earlier this year. The protein discovery & development unit also covers other selected therapeutic areas and offers three pilot plants ready for GMP production of protein drugs. Biovitrum is interested in co-development, licensing agreements, joint ventures or contract development and manufacturing. ReFacto (a recombinant factor VIII treatment for hemophilia), acquired by Wyeth 1997, provides the company with substantial revenues from royalty, co-promotion and supply arrangements. Major investors include Nordic Capital, MPM Capital and Alta Partners.

Contact: Jan-Gunnar Gustafsson, +46 8 697 20 00, info@biovitrum.com www.biovitrum.com


New enabling technologies
for DNA-based applications

Technologies for DNA-microarrays, including technologies to synthesize and purify long oligos in full parallel mode for use in spotted arrays, are in the pipeline from Quiatech AB, an early-stage company developing enabling technologies for DNA-based Life Science applications. The company is also developing a method for inverting oligos on pre-made arrays, allowing total clean-up of just the fully synthesized oligos, leaving the 3´ end free for primer extension. Early-stage development also includes a novel technique for iso-thermal in-situ amplification as well as reversible terminators for DNA sequencing.

Contact: Torbjörn Pettersson +46 18 50 29 84, e-mail: torbjorn.pettersson@quiatech.com, www.quiatech.com


Karolinska Institute
establishes companies and invests heavily

The Karolinska Institute is Sweden's leading research authority and, through its 12 000 research projects etc., accounts for almost 50 % of the country's medical research activities at an academic level. At BIO 2002 the institute's commercial recipe for success will be presented for the first time in this form in order to convert scientific knowledge and research into professional tools for national and international organisations and companies. For example, this has created one newly-established company every two months over a considerable period. Support functions and the requirements for these successes have been established through bodies such as the Karolinska Investment Fund, Karolinska Innovations, Centre for Medical Innovations (CMI), Karolinska Science Park and KI Research etc. The established operations are generally managed and majority-owned by the researchers and contractors.

Leading-edge research includes biostatistics, stem cell research, molecular oncology, diabetes and geonomics. A centre for medical informatics is planned as an identified strategic research area.

The Stockholm Bioscience project in direct connection with the Institute is aiming to be one of the world's leading bioscience clusters by creating a highly attractive future research and corporate environment adapted for the biotechnology field. This major establishment project has been costed at almost SEK 20 billion (2 billion dollars). The Stockholm region's three universities (the Karolinska Institute, the Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University) will be united around a common infrastructure and biotechnology research venture (Bioscience Community) also involving several hundred companies and thousands of employees. With the start planned for this year, a number of establishments should be ready by 2007.

Contact: Mathias Fock, tel. +46 8 728 64 00 e-mail: Mathias.Fock@admin.ki.se
Ola Björkman, Stockholm Bioscience, tel. +46 8 728 74 97, e-mail:Ola.Bjorkman@cmi.ki.se, www.stockholmbioscience.com


US award for prostate cancer research

Karo Bio has received a three-year award from the Department of the US Army for drug discovery in prostate cancer. The project applies their novel technological approaches for better defining the relationship between adrogen receptor (AR) function and prostate cancer in order to discover more effective drugs.
The company has also entered into a three-year collaboration agreement with American Home Products. The companies aim to develop a completely new drug to prevent and treat atherosclerosis.

The company focuses on nuclear receptors and has a strong project pipeline and major strategic partnerships with several of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. Karo Bio with 400 patent cases, including 128 granted, has two products in clinical trials and expects to enter into new clinical trials within partner projects. Nuclear receptors are important, validated drug targets for a number of diseases. The markets consist of therapeutic areas such as women's health care, metabolic disorders (in particular diabetes and obesity), cardiovascular diseases, cancer, dermatology and ophthalmology. Their vision is to continuously establish strategic partnerships, to have a number of lead compounds in clinical tests in five years' time and to launch one or more drugs with strategic partners. The company has operations in Sweden and the USA and strategic partnerships with companies such as Abbott Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck & Co.

Contact: sofia.ohlin@karobio.se , tel. +46 8 608 60 00, www.karobio.se


Greater expansion in
the Uppsala region

Uppsala, 6 miles north of Stockholm, is already one of Sweden's leading locations for medical research. Well-known companies such as Pharmacia, Amersham Biosciences and Gyros Microlabs have their origins in this locality, which has also been the scene of innovations such as the ultracentrifuge, electrophoresis and today's advanced gel filtration technology. With its 150 biotechnology companies with nearly 5 000 employees, 20 % of the country's industry companies can already be found in this region.

A study has been performed to map the Life Science cluster, available at www.campusuppsala.com, giving an idea of the interaction between business and science.

In the undeveloped Rosendal district, comprising 850 000 m2 in total, preparations are currently being made for a large-scale venture to facilitate future establishment of hi-tech and biotechnology companies. Building is expected to start in spring 2003 on the first stage of 300 000 m2. It is hoped that the proximity of two universities with 40 000 students and successful research and technology environments ever since the start back in 1477 and the rest of the infrastructure in the Stockholm/Uppsala area will attract various new interested parties to this dynamic region.

Contact: Ingrid Anderbjörk, Uppsala Science Park, +46 +18 55 95 00, mail ingrid.anderbjork@stuns.se
www.campusuppsala.com


Free help to find
best biotech location

The regional achievements of the Stockholm-Uppsala biotech and medical development project are the culmination of years of successful co-operation between academia and industry, between human capital and financial capital. The region´s biomedical cluster contributes more than any other to the nation´s international reputation.

Business Arena Stockholm (BAS) is the official inward investment agency for the region, providing free business and economic data, assistance, contacts and solutions for foreign companies considering setting up in business in the region.

The region has already seen an increase from 75 specialized biotech companies in 1997 to well above 150 in 2001, including the headquarters of 27 of Sweden´s 33 biotech/medtech VC-companies. This also includes many leading international researchers in biotechnology and medicine.
Contact: Åke Haraldson, tel. + 46 8 508 28 000, e-mail: ake.haraldson@bas.stockholm.se, www.bas.stockholm.se


Contacts for sale

CONNECT Biomedical Partnership Forum 2002 will be held in Malmö, Sweden, October 8-9, 2002. The aim is to give emerging, innovative Nordic and Baltic biomedical companies and research projects an opportunity to present their ideas and technologies to representatives from the international pharmaceutical and medical industry, investors and service providers. The Forum is being organized in conjunction with two other conferences during the same period, BioTech Forum and Medicon Valley BioConference.

The primary function of the Connect organisations in the Nordic region is to link entrepreneurs in the biomedical field and other areas with the financial, technical and business development resources they need in order to create and develop new companies. A report outlining results and successes since its establishment in 1999 will be available for BIO 2002.

Contact: Mattias Fahlen, phone +46 8 791 29 00, e-mail: connect@iva.se, www.connectsverige.se


See you in Sweden
- 8-10 October 2002

One of the largest European biotech events and meeting forums for biotechnology research and development, business start-ups, networking and trading, will take place at 'MalmöMässan' in southern Sweden, 8-10 October 2002. The Scandinavian Biotech Arena involves three international biotech conventions organised by Stockholm International Fair, CONNECT Nordica and Medicon Valley Academy. 200 exhibitors and 6 000 qualified visitors/delegates and companies interested in developments in biotechnology are expected to visit the leading Scandinavian trade fair BioTech Forum, being held for the third time and one of three parallel events under the same roof.

Contact: Stefan Aspberg, tel. + 46 8 749 42 90, e-mail: stefan.aspberg@stofair.se, www.scandinavianbiotecharena.com

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