Category: Business District / EDC / Government

Montana’s life sciences industry is thriving. With biotech companies clustered around the state’s major universities and an ever-expanding job market, the potential for opportunity matches the unique quality of life that only Montana can provide. Pharma’s Almanac Editor in Chief David Alvaro, Ph.D., spoke to Sharon Peterson, the Executive Director of the Montana Bioscience Alliance, who has witnessed the growth in the state’s industry over the last 15 years. She explains why now is an especially key time to be a part of life sciences in Montana and her vision for the future of the state’s numerous startups.

David Alvaro (DA): Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and current role at Montana Bioscience Alliance?

Sharon Peterson (SP): I actually spent 25 years working for the U.S. Senate for Senator Max Baucus from Montana as his state director. He then became Chairman of the Finance Committee, during which time I learned a lot about health care, including Medicare and Medicaid.

Following this role, I was recruited to help form the Montana Bioscience Alliance in 2004. It has continued to grow annually, and I’ve been there since the beginning.  

DA: Can you expand on the history of Montana Bioscience Alliance, including its original vision and mission and how that has evolved to where it is today?

SP: Our mission statement has remained the same despite being refined over the years; we connect the state’s biotechnology companies, clinics, universities, entrepreneurs, laboratories, and hospitals. Montana is a large state with many health corridors. However, when we first started, people were not networked with each other and would seek out partners in other states before turning locally. Montana’s life sciences industry is still not well-publicized — but we aim to turn this around.

We formed the Montana Bioscience Alliance in response to a study conducted by the governor indicating the growth potential for health-related industry in the state. We then started actively contacting people and recruiting members — and it’s only continued to expand.

DA: Is the state’s bioscience industry clustered around a few key cities or spread across the state?

SP: It’s clustered around our major research universities, which are in Missoula, with the University of Montana, and Bozeman, which is Montana State University. There is another pocket near Missoula at Hamilton, where Rocky Mountain Labs, which is a NIH facility, is located, and GlaxoSmithKline has a manufacturing facility there. That is the major area where we’re trying to push for an expansion.

In Billings, which is in eastern Montana, we have a huge medical corridor and several research facilities. A common path is for a university professor is to get a patent and then form a small company while continuing to teach.

DA: Is there more representation among university spinoffs and young biotech companies? Do the bigger players have a presence in the state?

SP: GlaxoSmithKline is our largest member, and they’re in Hamilton, Montana. A local resident, Edgar Ribi, started Ribi Immunochem, which was acquired by a company that was eventually acquired by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). They just invested over $100 million in their new facility, which will produce the adjuvant for the Shingrix vaccine as well as the HPV vaccine. GSK is internationally renowned for its adjuvant offering, and the company is active with the Montana Bioscience Alliance.

A few years ago, GSK closed their research and development business at the facility to strictly manufacture, and thus let their research people go. The former staff moved on to the University of Montana in Missoula and have since founded Inimmune, which is focused on allergy, autoimmune diseases, and cancer research and is now up to 60 employees.

DA: In a lot of cases where there’s a hub that’s spinning out of a university, you end up with a cluster of similar companies because they’ve originated from a single department. Has that been the case in Montana, or do companies represent the spectrum of possibilities within bioscience?

SP: It extends across the spectrum of possibilities. Inimmune’s conducting research in several different areas, including oncology. There are a few spin-off companies dedicated to cancer research in Bozeman. Another company called FYR Diagnostics is focused on COVID-19 testing, which has contributed to their expansion. There’s also Two Bear Capital, which is an investment firm in Flathead Valley that has contributed funding to those companies and encouraged them to stay in Montana.

DA: How have things been trending recently? Is there more growth for certain types of companies or an acceleration of development overall?

SP: There have been significant changes over the last few years, and COVID especially contributed to this shift. Our life sciences companies were deemed essential, and they took on this responsibility by increasing their outputs and working harder. Receiving an influx of investment capital in this state has also been a critical difference-maker, and I’m sure the industry will only continue to flourish.

There was an incubator formed a few years ago called MonTEC that helped a lot of our startups advance; however, it is now full and looking to expand. Although we get a lot of contact from companies that want to move to Montana, there is limited lab space.

DA: What is Montana’s government is doing to encourage bioscience or new industry investment overall?

SP: The state is actually very active. Montana has a program that offers a payout for workforce training. We also have a matching grant program for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and, in 2019, we were the first in the nation for the percentage of successful SBIR applications, beating out California. There’s an organization in Bozeman called TechLink, which aids in helping candidates fill out SBIR and STTR applications, which has been quite successful. When we first started the Montana Bioscience Alliance, people would ask me about available jobs and I couldn’t respond with certainty, but now there is a strong demand — and there’s tremendous competition for lab techs  

DA: What are the reasons why someone might want to move to Montana for work? Likewise, why would a business owner want to establish their company in Montana and take advantage of the available workforce?

SP: We enjoy a high quality of life. On Inimmune’s website, they show pictures of the staff going out fishing in the Clark River, which is adjacent to the facility. Another perk is that our population is comparatively small, so the drive to work is short. The mountains are right nearby, allowing for recreational outdoor opportunities. Most Montana folks have a great workforce ability; meaning that we have people who work hard. Again, that same Inimmune video highlights students continuing research, which is another option. The universities have had to expand their workforce, and the two-year colleges are offering certificates in bioscience.

We currently have 4,200 jobs in Montana in the bioscience industry, that pay an average of $85,000. That’s a lot higher than most salaries in Montana, and some are much more than that. 

DA: Is there anything else you can tell me about any particular initiatives that are going on and what your current strategic goals are?

SP: The Montana Bioscience Alliance was fortunate enough to receive a Cluster Initiative Grant from the Small Business Administration. The goal of that grant is to expand bioscience businesses in the state, which has been successful so far. We put out a directory annually that locates the bioscience businesses. We also have an initiative right now that we put together with seven Montana cities to expand lab space, as that’s been an issue.

However, above all, having capital in place is a constant challenge. While we want to be able to grow these businesses and expand, we don’t want the companies to be acquired and then move out of state.

DA: There’s a distribution of bioscience hubs across the country at different levels of maturity. When you think about your goals for Montana, are there any other states that you look to as models?

SP: When we first started the Bioscience Alliance, we were mentored by Colorado Bioscience. We’re the state affiliate for the national BIO organization, and we’re also a part of the Council of State Bioscience Associations — so we mentor and are mentored. When we first started, we worked closely with Colorado and Washington State. They were both bigger and had more activity, but we participated in investment conferences and the like.

Now we work more with New Mexico, Utah — the Rocky Mountain states that are smaller and expanding. The Council of State Bioscience Associations has been really wonderful for us. We formed in 2004, and we joined BIO in 2005. At that time, there might be 15 people in attendance for a meeting at the Council of State Bioscience Association — now that engagement is closer to 100.

DA: Can you tell me about the Montana Bioscience Alliance Hall of Fame?

SP: Maurice Hilleman, who developed the vaccine for measles and mumps and saved millions of lives, grew up in Miles City, Montana and got his four-year degree at Montana State College, which is what it was called at that time. He kept his Montana values throughout his whole career. There’s a Maurice Hilleman scholarship at Montana State University for students interested in immunization. More notable figures include Irv Weisman from Great Falls, Montana, who is famous for his work in stem cells out of Stanford; he got his start as an intern at the McLaughlin Research Institute in Great Falls. Leroy Hood is also from Montana originally. The latest notable figure is Dr. Marshall Bloom, who runs the NIH facility in Hamilton and is a fabulous person. He’s also a famous fly fisherman and writes articles about the sport.

DA: You mentioned how investment in the space was impacted by COVID. What else can you tell me about what the pandemic was like in Montana, the path to recovery, and the broader impacts?

SP: The situation has been difficult, because we have a lot of folks who don’t believe in the vaccines. The hospitals have been full and overflowing with people in hallways. The situation also became completely politicized. The mandate just came through, so it’ll be interesting to see.

However, testing and receiving the vaccines to start with was a real challenge because of how they were rolled out. Even those who are immunocompromised had to fight for an appointment. The testing was also difficult in the beginning, but now that is much improved. As a silver lining, our enterprises benefited and grew; there’s a group out of Bozeman that does wastewater testing to measure COVID rates that has been very successful because of the pandemic.

DA: Over the next decade, what do you anticipate is very likely to happen regarding the bioscience industry, and what do you hope to happen beyond that?

SP: I expect we’ll continue to expand. There are more jobs in Montana year over year. I don’t know if we’ll be able to recruit more companies into Montana, but it’s a definite possibility, especially as more people start companies.

I believe that we’ll increase the lab space all over the state, and companies will grow in places like Billings and Great Falls. I’m hopeful that we’ll demonstrate the state’s possibilities by advancing new technologies, platforms, and therapies. Some of these biotechs are starting clinical trials, and we hope that these scientists will soon be added to Montana’s list of notable figures.

DA: Are there any other significant industries in the state that compete for talent with bioscience?

SP: We have a sizeable Bozeman population that specializes in photonics, because it is taught at Montana State University. However, the industries are largely complementary, and a photonics background benefits bioscience overall.

DA: Is there anything else you’d like to add as a final thought?

SP: I can’t stress enough what a great place Montana is and how everyone should consider the life and industry here. We’re exempt from the problems that some of the big cities have, though we have myriad opportunities. Especially now, there is so much momentum in life sciences — and it’s only going to accelerate.

Originally published on PharmasAlmanac.com on December 8, 2021.

The Cell & Gene Therapy and Connected Health Initiative of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s CEO Council for Growth is bringing the community together to drive growth in the cell and gene sector with the goal of advancing Greater Philadelphia as a leading global hub in the field.

The Original Home of Cell and Gene Therapy

The cell and gene therapy field got its start in Philadelphia two decades ago. Discoveries originating here have led to a total of five U.S. FDA-approved cell and gene therapies have their origins in the Greater Philadelphia region, including Kymriah™ (Novartis Pharmaceuticals), the first FDA-approved cell therapy, and LUXTURNA™ (Spark Therapeutics), the first FDA-approved gene therapy.

Today, that high level of research in the cell and gene therapy field continues in the city. Within the overall Greater Philadelphia healthcare ecosystem, there are 15 major medical systems that support patients, renowned researchers, and novel drug developers, including those involved in the commercialization of innovative cell and gene therapies.

Overall, asserts Parviz Shamlou, who is Vice President & Executive Director of the Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing (JIB) at Thomas Jefferson University, “Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia region have a very rich history in excellent translational research.”

Prioritizing Greater Philadelphia as a Hub of Cell and Gene Therapy Research

In 2019, the Philadelphia CEO Council for Growth launched the Cell & Gene Therapy and Connected Health Initiative to leverage the region’s specialized assets with the goal of accelerating growth and ultimately expanding Greater Philadelphia’s recognition as the global hub of research, talent, capital, and companies in cell and gene therapy, gene editing, and connected health, according to the Council’s Executive Director Claire Greenwood. Key components of the program include shared storytelling; the development of critical infrastructure; talent assessment, attraction, and training; and the building of a scalable ecosystem.

“The importance of the Cell & Gene Therapy and Connected Health Initiative is to put greater Philadelphia on the global stage as a hub of cell and gene therapy. We are focusing not only on our internal stakeholders but in bringing the message to the external audience as well. We are working to get our messaging out, telling our story in-market to build ambassadors in the community and out-of-market to attract interest outside of Greater Philadelphia,” Greenwood says. She adds that the Initiative is a unique program not seen anywhere else because it brings both science and non-science-based companies and organizations together to build an economic growth strategy.

Driving Towards Commercialization

The cell and gene therapy industry is benefiting from the heavy concentration of research activity in the Greater Philadelphia region. “The Philadelphia area is widely known for very successful gene and cell therapy companies,” observes Maria P. Limberis, Vice President of Research at Spirovant Sciences.

Today, more than 40 companies in the area are developing cell and gene therapies (up from 30 three years ago). There are also many support firms and several fully integrated global biopharma companies in the area. Overall, there are 70,000 employed in the life sciences industry in the region, and more than $1.25 billion in venture capital was raised by Philadelphia-area life sciences firms in the first half of 2021.

Focusing on cell and gene therapy, since 2018, companies spun out from Penn alone, such as Cabaletta Bio, Tmunity Therapeutics, Passage Bio, Imvax, and Century Therapeutics, have raised more than $1.5 billion in investment capital. Cabaletta Bio, Castle Creek Bio, Century Therapeutics, and Passage Bio have all issued IPOs since 2019 (DealForma 2021).

“One of the things the Initiative is emphasizing is the core science that has been established in Greater Philadelphia, which is a real advantage in the cell and gene therapy space. Many of the academic research institutions in the area made commitments to the science — beginning more than 25 years ago — and we are now seeing the commercial fruit of that activity,” Greenwood states.

Attracting Entrepreneurs and Talent

That long-term research commitment and increased commercial activity is attracting talent and expertise to the Greater Philadelphia region. Between 2010 and 2020, Philadelphia County’s biotechnology research and development sector added 4,510 jobs, an increase of 787% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2021). The cell and gene therapy workforce is expected to grow 35–94% in the next 10 years, using midrange projections. That could account for 6,558–9,396 jobs (Econsult, 2019).

In fact, the Greater Philadelphia area is ranked second best globally for attracting entrepreneurs and skilled technology graduates (JLL, 2019) and fourth for medical research and health services (CBRE, 2019). In addition, in 2018 the Philadelphia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the second-highest number of job postings for “cell therapy” and “gene therapy,” following Boston but surpassing New York City (Source: Burning Glass Technologies, 2019). Furthermore, there are 38 four-year colleges offering programs related to life sciences in the region, producing over 18,500 life sciences/STEM degrees in 2017 (Newmark Knight, 2019), with slightly more than half of the college graduates remaining in the Philadelphia area (Campus Philly, 2018)

“Today, there are nearly 1000 IND [Investigational New Drug] studies underway in the Philadelphia area that are in early clinical phases, and over 300 of those are in cancer. These discoveries need to be translated into practical medicines that are safe, efficacious, and affordable. As a result, there is a great deal of opportunity for talented people who want to build their careers in Greater Philadelphia,” comments Shamlou.

Providing Practical Training

The Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing (JIB )at Thomas Jefferson University is one good example of the important infrastructure that exists within the life sciences ecosystem in the Greater Philadelphia area.  It was established, Shamlou says, to address a significant gap in existing workforce training in the biomanufacturing space. “We created the Institute for Bioprocessing to specifically train and educate next-generation scientists and engineers who wish to develop their careers in biomanufacturing. We have 25,000 square feet of space in which we simulate the GMP manufacturing environment using state-of-the-art single-use technologies from Cytiva for the production of biologics, including cell and gene therapies,” he explains. Both companies and people looking to work for them benefit from this specialized training.

Getting Noticed

All of the cell and gene therapy development activity in the Greater Philadelphia region has not gone unnoticed. Philadelphia was named an emerging New World City for innovation in healthcare and life sciences by JLL in 2019 and considered among the top 20 cities for excellence in innovation (JLL, 2019). It was number 7 on Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News’ (GEN) top-10 list of biopharma clusters in March 2021, on Hickey and Associates’ list of 2020 Top 25 Global Innovation Hubs, and number 6 in the 2020 JLL Life Sciences Real Estate Outlook. The Greater Philadelphia region is also consistently ranked among the top 10 U.S. life science hubs.

Connected Across Life Sciences and Health

In addition to driving cell and gene therapy research, Greater Philadelphia is taking the lead in connected health technologies that will improve patients’ lives. One notable example is Quil Health, an Independence Blue Cross and Comcast joint venture to develop a patient-centered technology and communications platform that will improve overall efficiency and experience of the care delivery process between providers and patients.

Other connected care startups in the area include EIR Healthcare, which won the Fast Company’s 2019 Innovation by Design Award in healthcare; Astarte Medical, a Yardley, Pa.-based software company in the precision medicine space; Panorama Medicine, which uses genomics and computing to accelerate drug discovery; HealthVerity, which creates cloud-based software-as-a-service platforms for pharmaceutical companies, payers, and other health care organizations; and Oncora Medical, a developer of software for the management of cancer patients. Meanwhile, Haystack Informatics, which applies behavioral analytics technology to hospital operations to drive efficiencies and safeguard data privacy, was acquired by Latric Systems, and healthcare payments tech firm InstaMed was acquired by J.P. Morgan Chase. 

Direct Benefits for Cell and Gene Therapy Developers

One of the newer companies attracted to the Greater Philadelphia region is Spirovant Sciences, which is developing genetic therapies for diseases that affect the lung. Its first targeted indication is cystic fibrosis (CF), a devastating disease that causes severe respiratory distress. Existing treatments help 80–90% of CF patients, according to Maria P. Limberis, VP of Research at Spirovant Sciences Inc., but, for people with certain mutations, current therapies are ineffective.

“Spirovant’s adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapeutic is designed to deliver a functional CFTR gene to the diseased CF lungs to improve lung function, allowing people with CF to have an improved quality of life and live longer,” Limberis says. 

When Spirovant sought a place in which to locate, the company wanted to be in an area that offered a combination of academic institutions and the infrastructure needed to support the expansion of biotechnology firms. “Philadelphia was the logical choice,” asserts the company’s CSO Roland Kolbeck. “We are involved in basic biology through clinical translation. In the Greater Philadelphia area, there are world-renowned scientists and clinicians that work in the field of cystic fibrosis and respiratory diseases as a whole. University City in the heart of Philadelphia was a very easy choice to make as the prime location for Spirovant,” he comments. 

Limberis adds that the proximity to both renowned academic institutions and other biotechnology companies that work in gene and cell therapies is instrumental to leveraging all of the combined knowledge, numerous opportunities for communication, and talent that is attracted to the area. “As more companies move to the region, there is a positive feedback loop that drives even greater interest,” she believes.

Coming Together as a Community

Philadelphia and its surroundings have been a hotbed of pharmaceutical companies for many years, even more so than New York and New Jersey, according to Dave Goswami, CEO and Chairman of IPS – Integrated Project Services, LLC, one of the fastest-growing companies in the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry.  

“The center of the city is home to a number of universities and teaching hospitals, and the talent pool in the area is tremendous. With the industry changing, moving toward new technologies like mRNA, and cell and gene therapies increasing, there is an even greater need for science, and that science has been established from the outset here in the Greater Philadelphia area. IPS was started back in 1989, as a unique firm focused on delivering design–build services on an integrated platform for the life sciences industry, and we have been doing business in the region since then. It is a special place,” he concludes. IPS has benefited from the talent pool in the region, hiring an extensive roster of subject matter experts, renowned in their field, providing solutions that help pharmaceutical companies create and manufacture life-impacting products,  

“The future for companies like Spirovant as participants in the Greater Philadelphia cell and gene therapy technology hub is very, very exciting,” Kolbeck adds. “This hub is basically the epicenter of cell and gene therapy, and over the next few years, it will become even more so, with a growing emphasis on clinical translation. Spirovant will be part of that by developing genetic therapies for cystic fibrosis and other genetic inherited childhood diseases that affect the lungs,” he says.

Greenwood, meanwhile, intends for the Greater Philadelphia area to be widely recognized as an important hub for cell and gene therapy, not just with respect to research but also for growing organizations that are fully integrated and present in the market. “That recognition is already rising, because we have come together as a community to tackle the talent and workforce needs of the sector by not only attracting key talent but also by building collaborative partnerships and solutions to really ensure that our local community is connected to these jobs as they grow and multiply. The result is an entire, fully integrated ecosystem that acts as a growth engine for the cell and gene therapy sector,” she contends.

Originally published on PharmasAlmanac.com on March 23, 2022.

With lessons learned from the pandemic, Northern Ireland is poised to become a location of choice for advanced pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing.

The global response to COVID-19 has been awe-inspiring, with the life sciences industry rising to address this once-in-a-century challenge.

I am particularly proud of Northern Ireland’s contributions during the crisis. Our manufacturing sector quickly pivoted and is punching above its weight developing COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE), testing, diagnostics, and medical equipment. In one such example, County Antrim’s Randox Laboratories worked alongside Bosch to develop a rapid test in less than six weeks. It’s one of the world’s first fully automated molecular diagnostic tests and can detect a SARS-CoV-2 infection in under 2.5 hours.

The pandemic will profoundly and permanently change the life sciences sector, and one shift evolving in real time is the re-evaluation of global supply chains. Exploring the potential benefits of near-shoring and dual-source pipelines has become a priority to preserve the manufacturing and distribution of critical pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and supplies.

In this context, Northern Ireland is poised to expand its global impact as a location of choice for second-source manufacturing. 

Attractive Region for Life Sciences and Second-Source Manufacturing

With science-driven manufacturing, a long history of advanced engineering and manufacturing excellence, and a time zone centrally located between major global markets, Northern Ireland offers many advantages for companies looking to grow while diversifying and safeguarding their supply chains.

The Northern Ireland workforce is highly educated, English-speaking, and provides a talented pool to draw from, with both Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast recognized as bioscience leaders. Our workers have adapted to working remotely and are supported by infrastructure necessary for effective digital operations. Operating costs are on average 20–30% lower than the rest of the UK and Europe. Salary costs are approximately 50% less than in the United States, but with science workers maintaining an excellent quality of life.

Companies investing in the region can access expertise and grants for product development, employment, training, and R&D. For life and health science companies in particular, R&D and manufacturing activities within Northern Ireland have remained robust throughout the pandemic, thanks to our infrastructure and ability to manage our own COVID-19 measures outside of the wider UK and EU response. This has enabled companies to maintain and even enhance their competitive position on a global stage.

Many international companies have realized the opportunities offered by this low-risk, pro-business environment. In 2019, investment in Northern Ireland grew by more than 60%, the largest increase ever, and the current pipeline continues to grow. More and more, despite or perhaps because of COVID-19, we are hearing from interesting life science and pharmaceutical companies looking for the right place to develop healthcare products and technologies.

Ecosystem That Drives Growth

Our universities, companies, regulatory authorities, and healthcare systems are highly connected and collaborate intimately in a way that doesn’t happen in larger countries or less integrated areas of a similar size. Pharma companies operating in Northern Ireland can support all aspects of the development cycle, from discovery through preclinical and clinical research to commercial manufacturing and life cycle management. 

Key to this is the direct link to the UK’s National Health Service, one of the world’s largest and most respected health services, and Northern Ireland’s data-driven, “closed loop” healthcare system, which has electronic health records for the population of 1.88 million, covering all phases of life.

Longitudinal data of this scope exists in very few places and offers opportunities for comparative efficacy research and data mining. Through ethical collaboration agreements, researchers can access this information to find ideal patient pools, even for more complicated diseases, creating an ideal environment for the co-creation, testing, evidence generation, and adoption of healthcare innovations.

Northern Ireland’s two major universities, Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast, offer globally competitive research expertise, including 17 research centers between them, and an excellent track record in commercializing technologies.

The more than 250 life and health sciences companies operating in Northern Ireland take advantage of this ecosystem, including global names like Randox, Almac, Norbrook, Stryker, G&L Scientific, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Small and medium-sized enterprises are an integral part of the cluster as well, including ProAxsis, Exploristics, Cirdan Imaging, CV6 Therapeutics, Fusion Antibodies, Intelesens, Kainos, Diaceutics, and AxisBioServices.

Together, companies of all sizes are focused on advancing pharma, diagnostics, precision medicine, connected health, and medical devices. This dedication has bred success, with the industry generating a turnover of more than $1.41 billion in 2019 and employing more than 8,500 people.

Expertise in Digital and Connected Health

There are also emerging cross-sector strengths in areas like AI and data analytics and existing expertise in areas like cybersecurity and software development. The intersection of so many fields, made possible because of the manageable size of the business environment, breeds innovation.

Ulster University’s Connected Health Innovation Centre is at the forefront of business-led connected health research, with a focus on the management of long-term chronic conditions. For example, they are doing significant work in the area of sensors, from those that monitor a patient’s health status and identify early signs of illness to those that track electrical responses in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases, providing real-time feedback during clinical studies.

Underpinning the industry is a commitment to cybersecurity, never more important given recent cyber threats targeting organizations developing COVID-19 vaccines. Northern Ireland is home to the UK’s National Centre for Secure Information Technologies, located at Queen’s University Belfast, and has one of the highest concentrations of cyber employment in Europe, beneficial for companies looking to safeguard intellectual property and clinical data.

This integration of academic research, clinical practice, and technological expertise allows scientific programs to link directly to clinical outcomes, helping companies in Northern Ireland accelerate development efforts and be more successful much sooner than competitors.

This integration of academic research, clinical practice, and technological expertise allows scientific programs to link directly to clinical outcomes, helping companies in Northern Ireland accelerate development efforts and be more successful much sooner than competitors.

Growing the Northern Ireland Economy

The Northern Ireland government proactively supports the life sciences sector. As the region’s economic development agency, Invest Northern Ireland helps companies looking to establish operations in the region by brokering collaborations with local business, academia, and health organizations, providing funding, and advising on how best to scale. Essentially, Invest Northern Ireland is a catalyst helping companies identify the locations, people, and resources that will ensure success.

We’re currently excited about the recently launched “City Deals,” which include $1.54 billion worth of funding —an investment of $1,000 per person — in economic growth projects. Many will significantly enhance Northern Ireland life and health science capabilities, including new institutes for clinical research, digital healthcare technology, and longitudinal healthcare data capture.

Brexit and Beyond

As many are aware, Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. There’s been speculation about how the UK leaving the EU at the end of this year will impact Northern Ireland.

Although final agreements have yet to be inked, we anticipate that Northern Ireland may be the only jurisdiction with UK and EU regulatory overlap. This would provide the unique ability to trial, manufacture, and commercialize products and pharmaceuticals for both markets from one location. Nowhere else in the UK or EU will that 2-in-1 opportunity be possible.

This dual-market scenario would certainly enhance Northern Ireland’s potential for second-source manufacturing, but no matter how the policy shakes out, the building blocks for strengthening your supply chain remain: talent, time zone, and the intersection of science, technology, and manufacturing. 

Originally published on PharmasAlmanac.com on September 29, 2020.

Scotland has been at the forefront of science and industry for centuries, with Scots pioneering healthcare inventions, such as the hypodermic syringe, penicillin, general anesthesia, and a long list of other innovations that have changed the healthcare industry and human health as we know them.

At Entrepreneurial Scotland, we believe that Scotland should continue this tradition into the technological age by becoming a society of entrepreneurs as well. As an organization, we not only aim to inspire Scots to develop their business ideas; Entrepreneurial Scotland also gives them the tools to turn their business dreams into realities. Together with our international network of business partners, Entrepreneurial Scotland strives to motivate and invest in entrepreneurs by helping them make profitable connections and preparing them for the ever-changing business environment of the future.

How Entrepreneurial Scotland Is Bringing Its Mission to Life

Entrepreneurial Scotland envisions a future where Scotland is the most enterprising society in the world. To raise Scotland to the pinnacle of entrepreneurship, we must go beyond inspiring our future leaders to creating a support structure that will drive them to success. Entrepreneurial Scotland is tapping into our international network of world-class business partners and organizations to create and support a community of rising entrepreneurial leaders from around the world. With our help, these ambitious, globally minded individuals will strive to reach their full potential, becoming the next generation of entrepreneurs to drive Scotland to success.

With Entrepreneurial Scotland’s global partners, we have the unmatched opportunity to tap into the best minds in science and industry, allowing us to curate advancement and education opportunities that will propel future entrepreneurial leaders toward their goals. The opportunities we create — are tailored to transform our entrepreneurs’ ambitions into successful businesses.

We started Entrepreneurial Scotland in 2014 with the goal of making Scotland the most entrepreneurship-driven society in the world. Since then, we have gotten closer to our goal by leaps and bounds, but Scotland still has a long journey before it can reach its business-minded future. Going into our next phase as an organization, we have laid out a blueprint for what Scotland’s ultimate entrepreneurial society might look like, assessing possible challenges our organization and Scotland’s business landscape might face. Many of these challenges represent opportunities for our future entrepreneurs. With these challenges and opportunities in mind, we planned out ways our members and leaders can rise above possible setbacks and turn obstacles into chances to make Scotland a global economic powerhouse.

Our strategy centers around the concept of the virtuous circle. Entrepreneurial leaders gain success through our programs and then return to support future leaders through our organization. This virtuous circle feeds our four strategic priorities: driving entrepreneurial leadership, unlocking value through our peer network, nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and scaling up our organization.

Inspiring New Businesses That Fit Our Changing World

The world is changing, and Entrepreneurial Scotland will help Scotland change with it. Each change represents many opportunities for the nascent entrepreneurs being mentored by our organization. One challenge businesses are facing right now is the current pace of technological advances. With the present technological revolution coming at a rapid pace, business people with entrepreneurial mindsets will put their flexibility and forward-thinking attitudes to work. Entrepreneurial Scotland will cultivate the kind of flexible, innovative mindset that will prepare Scotland for progress and achievement in our increasingly technological world.

Similar opportunities await in shifts in the workforce. New generations are coming to work, bringing with them more advanced technological skillsets and different expectations for their companies. Younger workers and future leaders are more comfortable with uncertainty, and Entrepreneurial Scotland plans to equip them to meet even greater challenges as the new technological era unfolds. Collaboration and connection will be the keys to economic success. Rigid institutions with leaders who command from the top are failing. That is why we will train future leaders to manage their organizations like communities. Leaders who foster collaboration between their employees and who collaborate with them will be the ones who drive innovation in Scotland. Just as Entrepreneurial Scotland is stronger because of the varied expertise and talents of our members and partners, so are the businesses of the future.

Our Saltire Scholar Intern Program Lifts Up Future Leaders

In our world-class Saltire Program, we select high-achieving individuals in the early stages of their careers and set them up with internships inside global organizations renowned for their entrepreneurship. The program matches undergraduates from Scottish Universities with companies, charities, social enterprises, and small or medium-sized businesses in countries across the world.

These internship opportunities prepare the Saltire Scholars for their final year of university study, when they undertake commercial projects in Scotland and in the international arena. With the real-world experience provided by the Saltire Program, scholars gain a global perspective while cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset. In 2019 alone, 181 scholarships were awarded, and the scholars interned with 83 organizations in 61 towns and cities across 11 countries. Saltire alumni have gone on to found companies and become leaders in major organizations around the globe.

In the healthcare space, Saltire Scholars have studied at GlaxoSmithKline, Craneware, AstraZeneca, the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, and more. At these companies, scholars shadowed major thinkers in their future career fields, observing and sometimes helping out as their mentors led their companies toward innovation and excellence.

Guided by Our Leaders and Our Members

Entrepreneurial Scotland is for the many, not just the few, and our diverse community of more than 2,000 people shows that Scotland’s business landscape is better when we work together. Our community includes numerous individuals at every part of their entrepreneurship journeys, from current program members and program alumni to board members, founding funders, donors, corporate partners, sponsors, our AsiaPac advisory board, and foundation trustees in Scotland, the United States, and Canada. Our leaders have backgrounds in commerce, venture capital, manufacturing, banking, medicine, and many other areas, allowing our organization to engage with the international entrepreneurship community on multiple levels.

Fostering Entrepreneurship Will Forge a Better Scotland for All

Entrepreneurship is a mindset of forward-thinking collaboration and innovation. A society of entrepreneurs will be adaptable and ready for whatever the future might hold.

Our vision for Scotland is to have it become an entrepreneurial society with a purpose. An entrepreneurial Scotland invests in its communities. Investing in Scotland’s communities means creating jobs and futures full of possibilities for everyone. The more we invest in Scotland, the more pathways to entrepreneurship we can create, allowing each Scot to help shape the world into the place where they want to live.

By 2030, we envision a Scotland where new ideas and businesses thrive. By investing in ourselves and the next generations, we will pave the way to a better Scotland, a Scotland that shares its entrepreneurial spirit with the world.

Originally published on PharmasAlmanac.com on March 19, 2020