Denmark speeds up drug development

Denmark organizes executive roundtable at Bio 2012 Conference to highlight the Danish success of using translational medicine to bring new drugs faster to market.

NEW YORK, June 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Invest in Denmark, North America:

The increasing global demand for higher quality and more efficient healthcare at lower costs will benefit patients, payers, and providers. An essential part of the roadmap to better healthcare is shortening the timeframe for development of new treatments by using the right infrastructure to bring new drugs faster to the market and to patients' bedsides.

Denmark stands out in Europe by embracing the concept of translational research, having identified it as a key component of the future of healthcare in the public and private sectors. For many years, Denmark has been actively working to guarantee the future of its pharma/biotech industries, with a long history of drug development and a strong science base. Denmark is amongst the top countries in the world producing biomedical research per capita.

This is reflected in the next generation of drug companies as well as in large companies such as Novo Nordisk, Leo Pharma, and Lundbeck. These companies have worked to ensure the industry's future through partnering and, most significantly, through the supply of experienced personnel and management to start-ups. The development in the field of translational science is part and parcel of this aggressive drive to cement Denmark's role in the future shift of the drug development paradigm.

New Danish biobank

Denmark has just launched its National Biobank with more than 15 million biological specimens, offering unsurpassed opportunities for R&D. www.biobankdenmark.dk

Denmark also has the world's oldest cancer registry, allowing foreign companies to accelerate R&D by establishing an entity in Denmark.

Several major US life sciences companies already have their eyes on Denmark:

• Agilent has just bought cancer diagnostics company Dako
• Abbott has acquired a compound from Danish company Action Pharma
• Pfizer Consumer Healthcare acquired Ferrosan last year
• More and more US companies have discovered the Danish pipeline of drugs in development, the 3rd largest in Europe.

Bio 2012: Roundtable with Professor Liselotte Hojgaard and Steven Burrill

During the Bio conference, Invest in Denmark is organizing an executive roundtable on translational medicine on June 19th for major US biopharma companies. The roundtable will be moderated by Steven Burrill and includes a recognized frontrunner in the field of translational medicine, Professor Liselotte Hojgaard from University of Copenhagen. The roundtable will focus on proven models of collaboration and infrastructure to improve R&D. The event is by invitation only.

Professor Hojgaard on why Denmark is an optimal location for biotech: "Denmark is amongst the leaders in biomedical research. This is due to excellent universities and hospitals, robust funding including success within the EU system and a strong biomedical industry, and last but not least the positive attitude towards biotech and health research from the public and private sectors."

http://www.investindk.com/News-and-events/Events/2012/BIO-International-Convention

SOURCE Invest in Denmark, North America