Advanced Therapies Network of Catalonia kicks off
At an event today with 45 member companies and organizations, Biocat presented this initiative that will promote research and development of these drugs, seeking to have an economic and social impact in Catalonia.
Today, June 10, Biocat presented the Advanced Therapies Network, an initiative coordinated by the organization to promote research and development of these drugs, seeking to generate an economic and social impact in Catalonia. The aim is to get these therapies to patients faster and project the BioRegion of Catalonia as a global benchmark hub in advanced therapies.
The event brought together more than a hundred representatives from various advanced therapies stakeholders in Catalonia: startups and scaleups, production centers, investment funds, hospitals, universities and research centers, companies and the Healthcare System. A total of 45 companies and organizations have already joined the Network.
The Advanced Therapies Network is a project the Government of Catalonia entrusted to Biocat in 2022 in order to drive the advanced therapies ecosystem in Catalonia to ensure patients have access to therapeutic solutions and increase the number of clinical trials in this arena. The initiative will also encourage industrial development and boost the economic and social impact of this strategic value-added sector.
Catalonia, leader in advanced therapies
The presentation highlighted several indicators that support the importance and impact of advanced therapies in Catalonia. The region leads the national ranking in scientific publications (2,195 or 38% of the total) and, in Europe and the world, Catalonia is a benchmark in participating in advanced therapies clinical trials, ranked fifth in Europe and eighth in the world. It has also received more funding (64% of the total) than any other autonomous community in the CERTERA call, demonstrating Catalonia’s leadership in developing advanced therapies in Spain.
Challenges ahead
Although the indicators show the ecosystem’s potential in the field of advanced therapies, now it is important to tackle some of its challenges to improve the whole value chain in advanced therapies development: training and retaining talent in this field, technology transfer and acceleration of projects and companies, scale up and market access for this type of drugs, relations with the healthcare system and public-private partnerships.
Next Steps: Creation of Working Groups and Project Launches
To address these challenges, Biocat will coordinate the project and will kick off various initiatives to meet the objectives of the Network. Biannual assemblies will be organized to facilitate communication and cooperation among the different Network members, and specific working groups will be created to address some of the previously mentioned challenges (talent, scaling, public-private collaboration models, relationship with the Health System, and access to citizens).
Additionally, within the framework of the Network, concrete projects will be developed, such as a three-year acceleration program for companies and projects in advanced therapies, the Advanced and Emerging Therapies in Health Program of Catalonia coordinated by the Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), and a members-only website to compile information related to the working groups and learn about the work and services offered by each entity. Biocat will also act as a connecting agent to identify opportunities and strategic initiatives in national and European public calls.