THE BIOPÔLE REVIEW - 2023 EDITION

THE BIOPÔLE REVIEW

2023 edition

TALENTS

The value of a fresh perspective Page 36

2023

TRENDS

OUTLOOK

The year in review

Opportunities and challenges in life sciences

‘Looking forward to a more sustainable future’

Page 26

Page 74

Page 6

Over 200 employees worked on a number of construction sites at Biopôle in 2023. The Leucine building was completed in the summer, alongside work on the SE-C building of the Ludwig Cancer Research Institute. Meanwhile, the construction of the Arginine-Trypto-Valine complex started in January. By 2025, there will be 14 buildings on site.

Credits Editor: Biopôle SA Direction: Emanuela Jurietti Editorial production: Rosie Tate and Annabelle Dance, Tate & Clayburn Graphics: Stéphanie Pointet, Agence NOW* Photography: Nicolas Spuhler (pages 1, 3, 16, 19, 20, 34, 36, 38-43, 46, 50, 59, 62, 64, 68, 71, 75, 76, 90), Noemi Renevey and Bruno Boehm-Clément, Lyketil (pages 2, 4, 12, 22, 27, 33, 54, 56, 66, 80, 83, 84, 87, 88), Biopôle SA (pages 6, 17), Distalmotion (page 9), Swissnex Boston and New York (page 10), LASCCO (page 11), Swiss Medtech (page 13), HAYA Therapeutics (page 14), L. Nguyen for Superlab Suisse (page 15), Gettyimages (pages 52-53), Roche Pharma Switzerland (pages 46, 49).

Cover: Highly skilled academics bring a fresh perspective to the industry. From left to right: Sérgio Ribeiro, Dmitry Kopelyanskiy, Laurence Romy, Davide Croci, Philipp Walch and Camille Grandclement (photography by Nicolas Sphuler).

Editorial

Talent: The driving force of our community In our quest for innovation and progress in the life sciences, we often fixate on financing rounds as the key measure of success. But this narrow focus doesn’t do justice to other remarkable achievements from 2023. While funding is certainly important, it’s also vital to recognise the multitude of jobs that were generated, the agreements that were signed and the tangible benefits that patients experienced thanks to pioneering new solutions. Above all, it’s crucial to acknowledge the dedicated efforts of highly skilled, talented teams, who are driving these ventures forward.

This year, in our second edition of the annual Biopôle Review, we shift our focus to the importance of talent and explore how fostering diversity within teams can create a fertile environment for creativity and success.

Emanuela Jurietti Marketing and Communications Director

As highlighted by Katharina Gasser, General Manager of Roche Pharma Switzerland, entrepreneurs often surround themselves with likeminded individuals who share a common vision – especially at the start of a new venture. And amid the daily hustle, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. When, then, is the right time to pause and reassess?

The answer may vary, but it’s undeniable that cultivating diversity within teams is an investment in long-term prosperity.

Despite external challenges, 2023 has been a year of advancements and successes. I extend my gratitude to our community members for fostering such a supportive and inclusive environment. And I encourage you to explore their stories – our collective journey is what truly matters.

3

Content

2023: The Year in Review

6

Key achievements of the year A bright year for HAYA Therapeutics Biopôle SA: A year of consolidation Secrets of a serial entrepreneur New community members Life sciences companies on campus Opportunities and challenges that shaped the life sciences in 2023

8 14 16 18 23 24

Features

34

The value of a fresh perspective Talents matter: A closer look at Biopôle’s workforce The benefits of cultivating a diverse workforce Collaboration: Are you up to speed?

36 44 46 52

Spaces

54

Five years of StartLab ‘No two days are ever the same’ The StartLab community in numbers Space to grow

56 58 60 62

Outlook

66

‘Nobody wins if we all remain isolated’ A winning hand: How Biopôle is here to help ‘Looking forward to a more sustainable future’ Our corporate social responsibility: A joint and lasting impact Directory

68 72 74 78 80

5

26

On stage! Biopôle executives visited the Opéra de Lausanne in May 2023 – an opportunity to discover the beauties of Lausanne and also get to know each other.

6

The year in review 7

The year in review

Key achievements of the year It can’t be denied that life sciences companies have been navigating a complex environment over the past year, marked by increased competition, a shifting regulatory landscape and growing demands from both patients and healthcare providers.

Start-ups, in particular, have needed to walk a fine line, balancing the challenges of fundraising, strategic agreements, advances in innovation and talent acquisition.

Nonetheless, our companies have achieved a lot this year; here, we have selected some of the most important milestones of 2023.

8

Top fundraising rounds in 2023

Major clinical trials

It has been another successful year for Biopôle-based life sciences companies, which raised a total of CHF 230m.1 The following organisations raised significant amounts: • Distalmotion raised US$150m to accelerate FDA approval for Dexter, its robotic surgery device.

• NewBiologix received US$50m to advance a technology platform used to manufacture gene and cell therapies.

• EPITERNA secured €10m to develop drugs that could help pets and people live longer and healthier lives.

• Atinary Technologies obtained US$5m to deploy its machine learning platform at scale.

• Novostia raised an additional €2.5m to develop a breakthrough artificial heart valve.

• Limula received €2.5m in nondilutive funding to fast-track the industrialisation of a solution for cell and gene therapy manufacturing.

In 2023, more than 35 clinical trials were started by Biopôle companies, including the following: • Ichnos Glenmark Innovation was granted FDA orphan drug designation for its ISB 2001, ISB 1442 and ISB 1342 antibodies, and initiated a clinical trial for these therapies to treat multiple myeloma patients.

• Leman Biotech excelled in an investigator-initiated trial (IIT) with its novel CAR-T therapy for B-cell hematologic malignancies, achieving complete remission in ten consecutive patients.

• Cellestia Biotech began a phase 2 IIT, combining CB-103 and Venetoclax to treat relapsed-refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma, recruiting patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

• Legacy Healthcare announced successful advanced phase trial results for its Coacillium cutaneous solution, making notable progress in the treatment of moderate and severe alopecia areata among children and adolescents.

1

This figure is based on public and semi-public data, and so is almost certainly not accurate, as not all companies disclose their funding information.

Distalmotion expands its activities in the US and the EU Shortly after announcing that its most recent financing round closed at US$150m in April, Distalmotion welcomed Martin Dewhurst onto the Board of Directors in May. Then, industry leader Greg Roche was appointed as the new CEO in December – a capstone for the company. Roche is set to spearhead Distalmotion’s expansion efforts in the US and EU with its Dexter surgical robot, and to steer the company through the next phase of its growth strategy more broadly.

9

Greg Roche, newly appointed CEO of Distalmotion.

The year in review

Coaching programmes • Biped.ai, PeriVision and Testmate Health set their sights on the US market, participating in the Venture Leaders Medtech programme.

• Legacy Healthcare joined the second edition of Innovaud's LeadiNNg to ScaleUp programme.

In 2023, Biopôle-based companies were recognised and/or supported by various prestigious programmes: • Genknowme and Resistell were among 28 Swiss start-ups chosen for phase 1 of Innosuisse’s Scale-up Coaching initiative.

• GetSet Surgical earned the coveted Innosuisse Certificate in recognition of its readiness for external investment and sustainable growth.

In September, the Swiss National Medtech Startup Team, known as Venture Leaders Medtech, spent a few days in Boston. Biopôle members Maël Fabien, CEO of Biped.ai, Siew-Veena Sahi, CEO of Testmate Health, and Patrick Kessel, CEO of PeriVision, were among the successful entrepreneurs, together with Guillaume Petit-Pierre of Artiria Medical, Giovanna Dipasquale of HeroSupport SA, Yannick Devaud of KOVE medical Ltd, Marc Thurner of mimiX Biotherapeutics, Thorsten Waloschek of NeoPrediX AG, John Klepper of PIPRA and Eva-Maria Balet of Regenosca SA.

10

The year in review Partnerships and collaborations

Products

In 2023, Biopôle-based companies inked a number of transformative agreements: • Leman Biotech entered several strategic collaborations for CAR-T development and solid tumour therapy.

• Molecular Devices expanded its leadership in cell line development thanks to its partnership with Biopôlebased SEED Biosciences.

• CARA facilitated electronic patient record access in ambulatory care through a collaboration with Pulse Medica.

• MediCrops acquired Swiss Alpinopharma.

• PhenomX Health, part of the Vanguard Accelerator programme, collaborated with OneDoc on menopause education.

• ADM licensed Gnubiotics Sciences' AMOBIOME, while Limula joined forces with CSEM to advance personalised cancer therapies.

Biopôle-based companies introduced a range of groundbreaking new products and generally expanded their offers in 2023. Here’s a taste of the past year’s developments: • Hedera Dx unveiled a blood-based cancer testing method, expanding accessibility to cancer therapies for larger patient populations.

• PhenomX Health, which took part in the Vanguard Accelerator programme for six months at Biopôle, introduced the first symptoms and nutrient intake app tailored for menopausal care in Switzerland, aiming to provide personalised support for women during this crucial life stage.

• Hycann Health launched medical cannabis distribution operations.

• Aspivix received CE mark approval, paving the way for global commercialisation.

• MediCrops received Swissmedic’s operation licence.

Agreements within the community Biopôle community members regularly work together – in fact, 60% of the organisations on site are known to collaborate. In October, Biopôle members LASCCO and Abionic announced a new licensing agreement with global life sciences company Fapon. The deal will pave the way for the use of the pancreatic stone protein (PSP) marker for sepsis diagnosis in China.

Earlier in the year, Atinary Technologies signed a collaboration agreement with Parithera. This collaboration will combine and augment the capabilities of Parithera’s

researchers and Atinary’s self-driving labs, machine learning algorithms and cloudbased software platform.

11

55 on-site events were organised by Biopôle SA in 2023, from social afterwork drinks, to networking events and specialist workshops.

Here’s a snapshot taken during some afterwork drinks hosted by CARA in September 2023.

The year in review

Awards • In June, Abionic won the prestigious Swiss Medtech Award.

• Three Biopôle members, Biped.ai, Limula and Voltiris, triumphed at the de Vigier Awards 2023.

• Limula also clinched victory as the 2023 winner of the BioTools Innovator Award.

• Biped.ai was honoured with the Prix de la Canne Blanche 2023 for its intelligent copilot innovation that aids visually impaired people.

Biopôle-based companies shone on the 2023 awards scene! Some of the highlights are as follows: • Six companies secured prizes in the prestigious TOP 100 Swiss Startup Awards 2023: HAYA Therapeutics ultimately claimed the top spot, followed by Resistell (8th) (which led the medtech ranking), Volumina Medical (11th) and SEED Biosciences (55th), while Limula (92nd) was voted the public’s biotech winner. Similarly, Voltiris emerged victorious in the cleantech category, which was decided by public voting.

The team from Abionic – Nicolas Durand, CEO, Francois Ventura, CMO and Iwan Märki, CTO – celebrate the Swiss Medtech Award along with jury member Andi Vonlanthen (left) and moderator Heiko Visarius.

13

The year in review

A bright year for HAYA Therapeutics most of our DNA to be proteins, which are the building blocks of our cells and our bodies as a whole. But instead, the vast majority of our DNA was found to be dark matter, which doesn’t have an obvious function. Because of this, it was dismissed as ‘junk DNA’.

Ever since, Samir and his company, which welcomed four new members to its advisory and translation teams in 2023, have been on a mission to show that the dark matter in our DNA is anything but junk. Instead, it performs the crucial function of telling our genes how to act in response to our environment and behaviour. As Samir describes it, ‘it’s the interface between the outside world and what happens in our cells’.

With that in mind, HAYA uses this non-coding portion of the genome to develop therapies for cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions.

That’s certainly a worthwhile mission – and one that shows it can pay to venture into unknown territory. For this team specialising in dark matter, 2023 was a very bright year indeed. We wish the whole team at HAYA Therapeutics much success in the years to come.

A lot can happen in a single year. For HAYA Therapeutics, which leverages the dark matter in our DNA to develop treatments for diseases, 2023 brought a number of highlights. Notably, the company won the coveted first prize at the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Awards 2023 for its pioneering work in human genetics – one of six Biopôle community members to be included on the list.

Indeed, HAYA has been gathering momentum ever since it was founded in 2019 by Samir Ounzain and Daniel Blessing. It was one of the first residents of Biopôle’s StartLab five years ago, followed by a move to Superlab in 2021. The company also expanded internationally in 2022 with a new laboratory space in the US. It comes as no surprise, then, that HAYA’s innovative work was talked about far and wide in 2023, including in Nature Biotechnology and a BBC News article, as well as in a range of magazines and podcasts.

But what exactly does HAYA do?

When scientists sequenced the human genome in 2001, they discovered that a staggering 98% of our DNA is ‘dark matter’.

HAYA’s Co-Founder and CEO Samir Ounzain explains: ‘This was a revelation. We expected

14

After launching HAYA Therapeutics at StartLab in 2019, Samir and his team moved to Superlab in July 2021, where they enjoy private serviced facilites.

15

The year in review

Biopôle SA: A year of consolidation

Biopôle SA’s Board of Directors welcomes Raphaël Conz in June 2023.

From left to right: Andreane Jordan Meier, Raphaël Conz, Maurice Mischler, Nicolas Cottier, Nouria Hernandez (Chairwoman), Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand and Nasri Nahas (CEO). Michel Staffoni is missing.

16

The year in review

Corporate partnerships In 2023, Becton Dickinson, Novartis (below its representatives meet Biopôle SA's team during the kick-off meeting held on 28th June, 2023), Terumo Interventional Systems and Roche Pharma Switzerland joined Biopôle SA’s Corporate Partnership programme, bringing the total number of partners to nine. The aim of the programme is to foster mutually beneficial relationships that accelerate innovation. Biopôle SA acts as an intermediary between corporate partners and its community and beyond, identifying opportunities, creating interest, facilitating interactions and helping to bring potential collaborations to fruition. Here's the full list of our corporate partners:

For Biopôle SA, the parent company behind the vibrant life sciences campus, 2023 was also full of exciting landmarks, as it realised new partnerships and reinforced its commitment to supporting the companies in its community. Here are just a few of the major developments from the past year.

• The six-month Vanguard Accelerator programme accepted two remarkable new start-ups, HoliYou and PhenomX Health, thus encouraging innovation in the digital health space.

• Alithea Genomics, Testmate Health, Genknowme, Voltiris, Limula, Parithera, SULFISCON and Biped.ai received support totalling CHF 500,000 from Biopôle’s Startup Fund.

• Biopôle’s StartLab celebrated its fifth anniversary – this unique space continues to play a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurial growth.

• Raphaël Conz joined the Board of Directors.

• Biopôle SA began partnering with Catalyze4Life, an initiative from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), to enhance graduate students’ employability.

• Becton Dickinson • Bristol Myers Squibb • Clinique La Prairie • CSL Behring • Labcorp • Novartis • Roche Pharma Switzerland • Swiss Medical Network • Terumo Interventional Systems

17

Secrets of a serial entrepreneur In May, Igor Fisch launched NewBiologix at Biopôle – his latest pioneering life sciences start-up.

Here, he reveals the secret to setting up a successful biotech business and why he has no intention of stopping just yet.

Our company NewBiologix develops advanced, innovative technologies to revolutionise the field of gene and cell therapies – and I’m immensely proud of the work we do.

It all started with a conversation I had back in February 2021, when I was celebrating my birthday in Zermatt. I remember getting a phone call from Marc Funk, the former CEO of Lonza, saying he’d taken the CEO position at Recipharm. He was looking to invest in the field of biologics and my mind immediately went to gene and cell therapy. So, I enlisted the help of my friend and co-founder, Nicolas Mermod, and together with the team at Recipharm, we spent a year in discussion, drawing up a compelling business plan.

Igor stands in the lobby of his brand new offices, inaugurated in 2023.

18

The year in review

The year in review

From idea to implementation Our plan showed that we needed CHF 45m to build a company from scratch – and thankfully Recipharm was keen to invest.

For the first eight months, we rented serviced labs and offices at Biopôle’s Superlab.

Nonetheless, we soon decided to build our own facility, getting the keys to our new headquarters at Biopôle in February 2022. We totally transformed the 1,800 m2 site, fitting out our labs and offices and buying the equipment we needed for our R&D. We officially launched in May 2023 and now have 20 scientists working for us – we plan to hire 10 more in the next couple of years. Our start-up is right at the heart of Biopôle’s busy life sciences community, so it feels like a really dynamic and stimulating environment in which to work.

to anyone wanting to set up a start-up is: be passionate. That’s how you’ll get investors to buy into your vision. Then, of course, you’ll need robust financials, plus the interpersonal skills to negotiate and get deals signed off.

not ready to retire and lie "onI’m a beach all day just yet. " Nowadays, my job is to inspire and encourage the extraordinary team at NewBiologix. If they come to work with smiles on their faces every day, I’m happy. Together, we’re developing innovative technologies to improve the fields of gene and cell therapies, and helping

A proven track record Nicolas and I have now set up several companies between us – we’ve demonstrated that we can start with an idea, create a market and work successfully within it. And our experience is what gives people the confidence to invest.

There was a time when things were not so easy for us – when we were setting up our previous company, Selexis, for example. That was over 20 years ago, and back then, we weren’t the ‘old hands’ we are today. We were basically travelling all the time, desperately trying to get in front of investors and convince them about our ideas. But eventually our persistence and persuasiveness paid off and we managed to raise a little money from angel investors, as well as prize money from other sources. It was enough to get us started – and 15 years later, we were in a position to sell our company.

I think it was our passion that got us off the ground all those years ago. We were tenacious and focused, and we really believed in what we were saying and doing. So, what I’d say

20

The year in review Biography biopharmaceutical companies to treat some of the world’s most devastating diseases. It’s an amazing thing to be part of.

And that’s not all...

When we put together that initial business plan, it included an exit route that I may take within six or seven years. It is exciting to start from scratch again. I have plenty of ideas and energy, and can definitely see myself getting involved with another start-up.

I still feel I have lots to give and so much I want to make happen. I’m not ready to retire and lie on a beach all day just yet.

Igor Fisch is an accomplished entrepreneur, protein chemist and molecular biologist with more than 20 years of involvement in the biopharmaceutical industry. He’s currently President of Fongit, a highly successful innovation incubator in Geneva, as well as Co-Founder and CEO of NewBiologix, which launched at Biopôle in May 2023 and develops advanced technologies in the field of gene and cell therapy.

2016: Awarded 1985: Completed a PhD in Biology at the the Excellence in University of Geneva. Leadership Award

by BioProcess International.

2001: Co-founded Selexis with Prof.

2022: Set up Nicolas Mermod, NewBiologix, a a world leader in mammalian cell line pioneer in innovative gene and cell development. therapies.

Became President of 2008: Launched Fongit, Switzerland's BioXpress premier innovation Therapeutics SA, a provider of premium incubator. biosimilars.

2023: Officially Became Strategy launched Board Member NewBiologix at at Venture Kick, a Biopôle. supporter of Swiss start-ups.

21

Vanessa is a seasoned marketing professional at BDO, based on campus, and a certified Pilates teacher. On Mondays, members of the community enjoy classes with her at affordable prices.

The year in review

New community members In 2023, 30 new companies joined our campus, including biotech giant CSL Behring, renowned venture capital firm Skyviews Life Science and innovative CDMO NewBiologix.

These ‘newbies’ all differ in size and therapeutic focus, and thus they bring a range of collaboration opportunities, enriching our diverse community. We wish all of them a warm welcome!

Agora Care André Roland Anteris by Kymanox Aspivix C-CUBE Cellula Therapeutics Centre Régional de Santé au Travail (CRST) Consulto (Vanguard Accelerator programme) CSL Behring Cureos Biotechnology eHealth Group Fondation Eurovacc

Newbies by sector

HoliYou 35% Biotech/pharma 32% Consulting services 10% Digital health 10% Medtech 10% Diagnostics 3% Healthcare

Hycann Health Impli ISII-TECH Lermed LifeDX Milian NewBiologix PhenomX Health (Vanguard Accelerator programme) Roumai Medical Skyviews Life Science

Newbies by size

SULFISCON 60% Start-up 32% Small- and mediumsized enterprise (SME) 8% Large corporation

TheraME! Tridek-One VitalizeDx Voltiris Please note that this list is not complete; it only includes companies that want their location at Biopôle to be made public.

23

The year in review

Life sciences companies on campus Sector of activity

Stage of maturity 43% Biotech/pharma 16% Consulting services 15% Digital health 10% Medtech 9% Diagnostics 7% Healthcare

42% Growth 39% Start-up 12% Development 7% Maturity

Growth

67% say their headcount has grown in 2023 53% of CEOs and/or branch leads foresee strong growth in 2024 35% anticipate needing more space for their teams in 2024 Collaboration

The collaboration rate on site among community members, including research organisations, is 63% according to corporate leaders of our community.

24

The year in review Economics In 2023, Biopôle-based companies raised more than

CHF 230m.

Currently, economic instability, limited investor interest and increased competition for funding are perceived as the most significant challenges for fundraising activities.

What’s in the pipeline?

In 2023, our team analysed the health products in Biopôle companies’ pipelines, with the aim of understanding how this

landscape is evolving and, most importantly, the impact of our companies’ innovations on patients.2

178

71

89

companies

health products

on the market

Biotech/pharma

Assistive technology

Healthtech

72

87

health products

health products

88

7

indications

58

pre-clinical

29

clinical

pre-clinical

7

clinical

73

on the market

1

on the market

The following data was collected from our databases and via our annual surveys, which were sent out to our community in November 2023. We received 285 responses to the Biopôle Community Survey and 52 responses to the survey of CEOs or branch leads.

2 It’s important to note that our analysis deliberately excluded multinational corporations. Instead, we opted to shine a spotlight on the entrepreneurial spirit flourishing within start-ups and SMEs at Biopôle.

1

25

The year in review

Opportunities and challenges that shaped the life sciences in 2023 2023 saw strong growth – of around US$2.83tn, according to Deloitte1 – across the life sciences sector. Biopôle was no exception, with 30 new companies joining its community and its top fundraisers raising a total of CHF 230m.

Nonetheless, the sector has also faced challenges in an ever-shifting post-COVID landscape. With this in mind, here are five trends that dominated last year – giving a sense of how the industry will evolve in 2024.

Life sciences companies embrace new technologies – but AI still has a way to go As we know all too well, the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on how we interacted with the world, forcing us to adapt to remote working and social distancing. And even now that most of us have returned to our offices and labs, we have incorporated these experiences into our ‘new normal’.

There are benefits to be derived from this for companies in areas like pharma, medtech and biotech. As a recent report from Deloitte points out, three quarters of people around the world now have experience with at-home tests.

At the same time, we have seen growing demand for and uptake of wearable activity trackers, as well as smartphone-enabled diagnostic tools, leading to the development of virtual clinics as the healthcare sector shifts towards a technology-enabled, patientcentred model of care.

26

Companies continue to produce innovative new therapies at Biopôle. In 2023, they worked on more than 170 health products, with 89 already on the market.

The year in review

However, these new technologies are not a panacea. Technology Entrepreneur and Vanguard Accelerator Expert Sasha Hirzel underlined some of the limitations of AIdriven diagnostics in the healthcare space.

As she reminds us, new AI-powered tools can be susceptible to bias and inaccuracy.

Therefore, those working in this field must tackle challenges around diversity, data quality, privacy, regulatory restrictions and ethical considerations. All of this means that it may take a while for the life sciences to fully embrace AI – but Sasha hopes that this time will come. Anticipating more robust, reliable systems and regulations around AI, which will ensure that it is used effectively, she urges life sciences companies to apply the following motto: ‘Proceed with caution, but do proceed.’

Consulto, a recent participant in Biopôle’s Vanguard Accelerator programme, is currently developing a virtual clinic, which it refined in collaboration with the programme’s panel of expert mentors. Thomas Hügle, Head of Rheumatology at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), is one such mentor, and he expressed great excitement at the prospect of this new healthcare frontier. In his opinion, ‘virtual clinics could be a game changer when it comes to a multidisciplinary approach in the patient journey’, easing pressure on clinicians and helping them to coordinate provision of care across different disciplines and locations.

Simultaneously, AI-powered tools for the life sciences (and elsewhere) have been developing at breakneck speed. With big data becoming more readily available, AI algorithms can be trained on large data sets, learning to detect patterns and make predictions.

Investment in longevity It’s no secret that our global population is ageing, particularly in the Western world. In the life sciences sector, therefore, considerable investment is being channelled into drugs and therapies aimed at prolonging not only one’s lifespan but also one’s ‘healthspan’ – the number of years someone lives in good health.

Biopôle member EPITERNA is leading the charge in this field, testing widely available, FDA-approved drugs to determine whether they might be able to delay ageing or stave off age-related diseases. As the company’s

with caution, "butProceed do proceed. "

lot of research on ageing "hasAbeen done over the past few decades, but not much has been translated into clinical settings in ways that concretely help people.

"

28

The year in review

thinking about what it means to live a long and happy life, and prioritising our physical, mental and social health.

"

There are opportunities to make progress in many areas: clinical efficacy, supply chain hardware and software for automation.

"

Co-Founder and Head of Research, Kevin Perez, put it: ‘A lot of research on ageing has been done over the past few decades, but not much has been translated into clinical settings in ways that concretely help people.

In fact, so far, no drug has been approved specifically to prevent age-related diseases or extend lifespan.’ And, as he went on to argue, ‘preventing cancer or cardiovascular disease could have a huge impact on your quality of life as you get older, and what’s more, it would also reduce the burden on our healthcare systems’.

A whole host of companies are working in this field, having recognised the potential of the global longevity market. According to estimates published by PwC, the total value of longevity and anti-senescence therapies was US$25.1bn2 in 2020, and it could reach US$44.2bn by 2030.

That’s not accounting for the potential of longevity therapeutics to replace conventional healthcare therapies. This field could, in short, revolutionise healthcare.

Indeed, Olga Donica, Head of Innovation, Research and Longevity at Clinique La Prairie, one of the world’s most renowned longevity clinics, stressed that interest in longevity is here to stay. With the babies who are born today likely to live to 100, more and more of us are

Continued development of groundbreaking cell and gene therapies Cell and gene therapies, which have the potential to cure virtually any disease, including cancer and HIV, continue to attract R&D funding. A growing number of life sciences companies, including Tigen Pharma– based at Biopôle’s Superlab – are working in this space.

Emmanuel Savioz, Co-Founder and Chairman of Tigen Pharma, described how his company

29

The year in review

his company would contribute to making these innovative treatments safer, cheaper and more accessible, by developing tools to automate – and therefore speed up – parts of the manufacturing process.

Thus far, only around 25,000 cancer patients worldwide have been treated with cell therapies, but according to the World Health Organization, cancer accounts for nearly one in six deaths worldwide.3 It’s clear that many more could benefit, and innovation in this field is greatly anticipated. is contributing to the fight against cancer by developing an innovative cell therapy that targets cancer cells. As he asserted, ‘cell and gene therapies are the early developments in a new era of precision medicine’. Each treatment is completely individualised, as it is created from the patient’s own cells to attack their specific tumour – the process is the product.

The results are promising, particularly for leukaemia, where one dose has been proven to lead to remission.

However, this kind of therapy as a common, first-line cancer treatment is, as Emmanuel recognises, ‘a distant prospect’. As things stand, approved cell therapies are only used for patients with liquid tumours – like blood cancers – that haven’t responded to standard care or more conventional treatments.

One of the reasons for this is the cost and complexity of manufacturing these individualised treatments. At the moment, neither researchers nor pharma producers have the capacity to bring them to a wider patient base. Thankfully, companies like Limula, which is based at Biopôle’s StartLab, are working to combat this bottleneck. Limula’s Co-Founder, Luc Henry, expressed hope that

Balancing innovation against financial and logistical constraints This brings us to some of the main challenges currently faced by life sciences companies. As demonstrated by all of the above, there is a lot of exciting innovation happening within the industry, but said innovation is often hamstrung by logistical complications and costly R&D. What’s more, within the wider industry, the

30

The year in review

A promising flow of academics and research expertise into the industry Cushman & Wakefield recently reported that the life sciences sector across the globe has struggled to fill open positions due to a tight labour market.4 Nonetheless, Biopôle has seen a flow of life sciences academics into industry jobs, attracted by the opportunity to make a more tangible impact.

lingering effects of the pandemic as well as the geopolitical unrest of the past few years are making themselves felt. Supply chains are creaking at the seams and inflation has soared to a four-decade high. This, in turn, has caused venture capital, a primary source of funding for start-ups in the life sciences, to enter an era of fiscal discipline.

All hope is not lost, however. Georges Muller, CEO and Co-Founder of SEED Biosciences at Biopôle, shared his fundraising tips for new start-ups, advising CEOs to consider alternate funding and payment models, such as nondilutive funds, alongside business angels. In these cases, as he identifies, open and honest communication is key to building trust and rapport: after all, investors are, in his words, ‘human beings, not walking wallets’. He also emphasised the importance of getting to market as soon as possible to start selling your product and making revenue – which will, as Georges argues, in time beget investment.

Earlier this year, former PhD students who now work at Biopôle companies articulated the draw of a role in the life sciences industry, having honed their skills in higher education.

Pomme Boissier, who holds a PhD in Cellular and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Bern, is now Quality, Regulatory and Clinical Affairs Manager at Novostia, and according to her own estimation, she has transferred ‘so many things’ from her academic career to the professional sphere, including ‘how to learn,

31

The year in review

Nonetheless, for academics who are happy working in research, there are also plentiful opportunities to collaborate with industry stakeholders. Biopôle has created a community in which ideas and expertise can be shared, to great effect.

In light of these trends, Biopôle is excited to see where its members go in 2024. With a multitude of opportunities on the horizon – and yes, let’s face it, a few challenges – there has never been a more stimulating time to work in the life sciences.

solve problems, work autonomously, manage bibliographies and literature reviews, and apply scientific rigour’.

Similarly, Dmitry Kopelyanskiy, who has an MD in Preventative Medicine and Epidemiology as well as a PhD in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, now works as Business Development and Corporate Development Project Manager at HAYA Therapeutics. He reflected that this new role has broadened his horizons, allowing him to the business applications of science.

In his own words, through his role HAYA, he gets to see ‘how a great idea develops into a meaningful product or solution’ and ‘how medicine travels from the bench to the bedside’. He encourages other life sciences academics to push themselves out of their comfort zone, advising: ‘Don’t spend all your time in a lab, there’s a whole world outside academia.’

2023 Global Life Sciences Outlook, Deloitte Unlocking the Potential of Human Longevity Advanced Therapeutics, Strategy&, PwC 3 Cancer: Factsheet, World Health Organization 4 Life Sciences Update: September 2023, Cushman & Wakefield 1

2

32

Access to top-tier talent is one of the major concerns of Biopôle members. In 2023, more than 70 job offers were published on biopôle.ch.

33

Lunchtime in the cafeteria of the Digital Health Hub. Shared facilities allow employees from different organisations on site to connect and develop close relationships.

34

Features 35

The value of a fresh perspective

There’s an abundance of highly educated young professionals working in the life sciences industry today, all of whom bring a much-valued fresh perspective to the field. We spoke to a number of Biopôle members to understand how and why attracting new talent and ideas is crucial to the development of the life sciences.

The life sciences job market across the globe has been tight over the past few years, with a high proportion of unfilled positions and a scarcity of qualified workers, according to a recent study by Cushman & Wakefield.1 This was reflected in the results of Biopôle’s 2022 Community Survey, in which companies responded that access to talent was their biggest challenge. But it’s not all gloom and doom; there are a number of different ways to recruit fresh talent and expertise into the life sciences, which might be right under your nose.

The vibrant Biopôle campus, which houses

36

own. Indeed, a paper for the Harvard Business Review outlined the merits of ‘shadow boards' – these teams, made up of younger, creative, non-executive employees, advise leaders on key decisions and strategies. When trialled by Gucci, this initiative produced innovative ideas that helped the company drive digital growth.2 The positive effects of this sort of collaboration and exchange can be seen throughout the Biopôle community, where life sciences academics regularly work alongside and impart their expertise to industry stakeholders,

a combination of start-ups, multinationals and academic departments, brings together a wide variety of highly educated, talented people–thus creating a plethora of opportunities to collaborate across disciplines and spheres of influence. So much the better, as interdisciplinary collaboration has been proven to increase innovation, creativity, problem-solving and employee engagement: by working with people who have a different age profile, educational background and/ or skill set, companies are able to draw on fresh insights and produce new ideas of their

37

Features

latest academic developments in the field and inject new energy into their projects.

This shone through during the pilot programme, which took place in summer 2023. Thomas Eaton, COO of Limula, one of the Biopôle start-ups that took part, stated: ‘Hosting an intern allowed us to incorporate an outside perspective into our work, while also re-enthusing the permanent members of the team, who got to see the technology they were working on through fresh eyes. What’s more, Marius Plancherel [our EPFL intern] brought a

and vice versa. In recognition of the fact that life sciences academics can bring muchvalued new eyes and skills to the life sciences industry, Biopôle has introduced a number of initiatives in the past year. All of these are aimed at encouraging talented graduates and postgraduates to either share their insights with or pursue careers in industry at Biopôle companies. Here’s a taste of how these initiatives have played out thus far, demonstrating the value of a fresh perspective.

Catalyze4Life allows EPFL graduates to explore career options at Biopôle Earlier this year, Biopôle announced a new partnership with Catalyze4Life, an initiative run by the EPFL School of Life Sciences, which will give EPFL students the opportunity to try out a career in the life sciences industry by working at a Biopôle start-up for six months. A total of three EPFL students will be able to take part each year.

The Biopôle start-ups involved are able to connect with the brightest young minds from EPFL, who can give them an overview of the

Our intern brought a "can-do attitude, matched with critical thinking, so he actively contributed to company operations and design.

"

can-do attitude, matched with critical thinking, which meant that he actively contributed to the design and implementation of new device functionalities, automation protocols and standard operating procedures.’

Philipp Walch

38

Features

Marius himself expressed his gratitude to Limula for creating such a welcoming, supportive environment. In his own words: ‘When I had questions or doubts, my colleagues were unfailingly ready to help me.

This was combined, however, with a sense of ownership and autonomy, as I often performed experiments and analysed data on my own.’

Postgraduate consultants put new start-ups under the microscope Earlier this year, Biopôle also introduced a Postgraduate Consulting scheme as part of its Investment Readiness Programme, in collaboration with Alcimed. This is open to all companies that have been awarded funding

by Biopôle’s Start-up Fund, and is designed to assess whether these new companies are strong enough – across a number of areas, ranging from legal, finance, regulatory, intellectual property (IP) and science – to present competitively to investors.

It is in assessing the start-ups’ scientific ‘readiness’ that the postgraduate consultants come in: Biopôle has enlisted a number of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from EPFL and the University of Lausanne (UNIL) to analyse the science behind each company, with help from specialist tech consultants at Alcimed, who provide a professional evaluation framework. As things stand, there has been one pilot project, two others have recently finished and there is still another one underway.

The Innovation and Partnerships Director at Biopôle, Pierre-Jean Wipff, who manages the Biopôle Postgraduate Consulting scheme, was very positive about its early results, highlighting that ‘companies are rarely challenged on their own science during the early stages – but thanks to this initiative, they have a unique opportunity to get some insights into the quality of the scientific data produced in the context of start-up development, as well as

Camille Grandclement

39

Features

their ability to communicate this complex data in an accessible way to investors’.

This is exactly what the postgraduate consultants provided according to Andreas Schlaepfer, CEO of AC Bioscience, the start-up that took part in the pilot scheme. As he put it: ‘We certainly obtained “fresh eyes” and this enabled us to view our data in a new light, as well as highlighting a few points that required additional research for validation. The advantage of working with the PhD consultants was that they approached the review with an open mind and outside-the-box thinking.’

"

The PhD consultants approached the review with an open mind and outside-the-box thinking.

"

For his part, Maxime Nachit, a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL and participant in the Postgraduate Consulting scheme, praised AC Bioscience's openness to the consultants’ feedback, ‘despite the challenges of questioning costly and time-intensive

experiments’, while noting that ‘identifying potential issues early on can save the company a lot of time and resources’.

Similarly, his colleague Philipp Walch, a postdoctoral researcher at UNIL, expressed pride in the perceived impact of his work on the company, declaring that he ‘felt highly valued throughout the entire process’. As he continued: ‘I fully recommend this sort of collaboration to anyone who is interested in the transition between academic research and the entrepreneurial world, and I feel honoured that I’ve had the chance to contribute to making a new treatment available to patients who need it.’

Biopôle’s collaborative campus environment facilitates the exchange of ideas and people – and its jobs page allows members to keep an eye on professional opportunities The significance of Biopôle’s close-knit campus environment cannot be overstated – in fact, in the recent survey of corporate leaders at Biopôle, 87% of respondents stated that proximity is often an important factor when choosing a new collaboration partner, and the community survey established that the current

Dmitry Kopelyanskiy

40

Features

Laurence Romy

roles – such as via its dedicated jobs page, which advertises vacancies at Biopôle companies. And it's noteworthy that a significant number of former PhD students and postdoctoral fellows from on-campus UNIL departments have subsequently taken up jobs in industry at Biopôle. It should be noted that 21% of respondents to the Biopôle Community Survey 2023 stated that they had worked for more than one company or research organisation on site.

Dmitry Kopelyanskiy, who previously completed a PhD in Immunology and Infectious Diseases at UNIL and who now works at HAYA Therapeutics as Business & Corporate Development Project Manager, was keen to stress that a background in academia can dovetail with a successful career in industry. He explained that ‘my experience in public speaking and science communication from my PhD’ has helped when ‘representing the company at conferences, events and

collaboration rate for on-site community members (including research organisations) stands at 63%.3 Local partnerships can certainly generate amazing results: for example, over the past two years, Tigen Pharma has partnered with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and CHUV in a joint academia–industry effort to develop new cell therapies.

After all, there are advantages to recruiting local talent and expertise. As Pierre-Jean Wipff commented, ‘companies will often look for nearby academics who have a thorough grounding in research and who can work flexibly – it often makes sense for an academic researcher finalising a PhD or a postdoc on the same campus to start collaborating with a company which is a five-minute walk from their lab’.

Beyond the practical characteristics of its physical campus, however, Biopôle takes further steps to highlight routes for academics who are interested in moving into industry

41

Features meetings with various external stakeholders’.

Paired with his ‘scientific background in PhDlevel research’, he believes this gives him a ‘competitive edge’, even in a highly skilled field.

Meanwhile, Camille Grandclement, who holds a PhD in Molecular Oncology, completed a postdoc at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and has worked at not just one but two different Biopôle companies, highlighted that her multifaceted experience and extensive network has helped her hugely: ‘I am still in contact with people I was working with 15 years ago and as soon as I need some help, I know that I can count on them. When I was working at Ichnos, I remember contacting former colleagues from the Ludwig to access some instruments and expertise that we didn’t have in house. In this sense, having academic labs near biotech companies on the Biopôle campus is amazing.’ This continues to hold

I stayed in contact with former "colleagues in academia and was able to access instruments and expertise that we didn’t have in house– having academic labs near biotech companies on the Biopôle campus is amazing.

"

Davide Croci

true after her move to Onward Therapeutics, where she is Director of Project Evaluation and Preclinical Development: ‘Since we don’t have pure research activities in house, we partner with academic labs, start-ups or biotech companies to develop therapies – I am responsible for identifying these.’

This chimes with the trajectory of Davide Croci, who recently took up a position at Novigenix after completing his PhD at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. He expressed excitement to harness (and to continue to develop) his advanced lab skills in his new professional capacity as Biomarker

42

Features Scientist, ‘responsible for analysing RNA sequencing results and gene expression data’ – and he declared that he felt both ‘trusted and supported’ as he embarked on this new chapter of his career.

Likewise, Laurence Romy, who completed a PhD in Life Sciences at UNIL in 2022, described how she gradually developed her professional career over time, building on and making new connections in the life sciences field. As she put it: ‘I started at 10% as an intern, but I took on more and more responsibilities, and I am now Biopôle’s Project Lead in Business Intelligence.

I was also previously involved in a nonprofit which aims to bridge the gap between academia and the private sector, and which helps young researchers find jobs in Switzerland – mentoring is so important in this field.’

This sentiment was echoed by Sérgio Ribeiro, who, after completing his PhD in Lisbon and a subsequent postdoc at UNIL, became Senior Scientist in Analytical and Process Development

Sérgio Ribeiro xxxx

43

at the aforementioned Tigen Pharma. He was glowing about the ‘culture of knowledgesharing’ at Biopôle, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to align and shape his career aspirations over time, in part thanks to ‘outstanding mentors in both the academic and the professional sphere’. As he underscored, the exchange of ideas and people ‘is crucial when it comes to creating a community that thrives on excitement and innovation’.

To be sure, the success of Biopôle’s community is underpinned by collaboration and exchange.

Biopôle is thrilled that its companies have been able to leverage the experience and skills of academics entering the industry for mutual benefit – and looks forward to seeing how these initiatives develop in 2024.

Life Sciences Update: September 2023, Cushman & Wakefield 2 The Insider: Does Your Company Know What Younger Customers Want? Maureen Hoch, Harvard Business Review 3 Survey of CEOs or branch leads at Biopôle: 52 responses collected in November 2023; Biopôle Community Survey: 285 responses collected in November 2023 1

Features

Talents matter: A closer look at Biopôle’s workforce As of December 2023, over 2,500 people were employed in 150 companies and organisations on site. Thanks to the dynamism of our campus, the diversity of the employees working on site is steadily increasing: Biopôle’s innovative community attracts a variety of young, dynamic and highly skilled professionals. For many of them, Biopôle becomes the ideal place to develop their careers.1

150

2,500+

companies and organisations were present on site

talents were employed on site

idem

Talent employers on site

E DE

T ROU

NE

BER

E UT RO

DE

LA

VENNES

75% companies 20% research institutes 5% foundations or government organisations

A strong focus on R&D

47% work

33% have a

in R&D

doctoral degree

AV E

NU

E

DE

VA L

M

SV-CSS 44

O

NT

CO

21%

37

of talents have worked for more than one company or research organisation on site

T X ED BL E L AN A CH E

RO U DE TE BE RN E

nationalities are represented at Biopôle

S

BO VE

RE

SS E

K I O S K

Q6 2024 / ©Agence-NOW.ch

U I RORO C

CH

.D ES

CH .D

ES

BO

VE R

ES S

ES

67%

H E

of CEOs and branch leads say their headcount has grown in 2023

IC RN

CH

.D

ES

BO

VE

R

ES SE What are people concerned about?

S

52% say climate change is a major concern 45% are particularly concerned by increased healthcare costs

1

49% say that balancing their work and personal life is a major concern, with the percentage rising to 58% for people between 30 and 39 of age

As before, this data was collected from our databases and via our annual surveys sent out to CEOs or branch leads (52 responses) and to our community in general (285 responses).

45

xxx

Features

The benefits of cultivating a diverse workforce Fostering diversity at work can bring huge benefits to organisations. But how can it be achieved and where should companies start?

The General Manager of Roche Pharma Switzerland, Katharina Gasser, and CEO of emerging life sciences company Limula, Luc Henry, share their insights on promoting gender diversity in a large and small organisation, respectively.

Diversity in the workplace can mean hiring team members with demographic differences, in the form of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, neurodiversity, sexual orientation and more.

We can also see diversity as bringing together people who think differently from one another. In his book Rebel Ideas, author Matthew Syed describes this cognitive diversity as ‘differences in perspectives, insights, experiences and thinking styles’. There is often overlap between these forms of diversity, as demographic differences often produce different ways of thinking. As Biopôle CEO Nasri Nahas recently remarked: ‘If I can assert one thing,

47

Features

mentioned book, Matthew Syed argues that 'the more challenging the domain, the less that any single person – or perspective – can hope to grasp'. In the domain of the life sciences, the challenges to be solved are about as complex as they get, and the benefits of diversity can therefore be immense.

it’s that a Lebanese person does not think the same way as a German.’

More than a box-ticking exercise Fostering diversity in the workplace is sometimes seen as an obligatory exercise to impress potential customers or investors.

Some degree of diversity is now often required by some funders, as it shows that a company is pulling its weight to give opportunities to diverse candidates – and to create a fairer workplace. But the benefits of diversity for companies go well beyond looking good on paper.

Reams of research show that diversity gives companies a clear competitive advantage.

Bringing together people with different experiences and backgrounds can broaden and deepen the knowledge of the group. This contributes to ‘collective intelligence’ – the shared, group intelligence that comes about as people work together. In a report published in December 2023, McKinsey found companies that employ over 30% of women are much more likely to financially outperform those with fewer female workers. The same holds true for ethnic diversity, as top-quartile companies in this area have a 27% financial advantage over others.1

The issue with yeasayers One barrier to diversity is that we love to surround ourselves with people who are like us, a tendency called ‘homophily’. It’s comforting and makes us feel clever when others agree with us. The danger is that we end up with a narrow range of perspectives and ways of thinking – and therefore a reduced ability to solve problems and thrive as a business.

CEO of Limula Luc Henry points out that homophily may seem attractive – useful, even – when first starting a company: ‘When you set off, productivity is key. And you can move much faster with people who share the same vision. So, in a sense, at this early stage a lack of diversity might help get a start-up off the ground – but you need to be aware of this and avoid falling into the trap of hiring more people like yourself beyond this initial stage.’

"

Diversity brings different perspectives to the table. When everyone shares the same mindset, teams don’t have the same ability to solve complex problems.

"

As General Manager of Roche Pharma Switzerland, Katharina Gasser explains: ‘Diversity brings different perspectives to the table. When everyone shares the same mindset, teams don’t have the same ability to solve complex problems.’ Indeed, in the above-

Stepping outside your bubble Katharina agrees that in the very early stages of a company, founders often feel they don’t need diversity: ‘At this point the most important thing is to share the same vision – and the dedication needed to get the company off the ground. But beyond this initial stage, leaders should step back and look at the gaps in their team’s understanding – and hire to fill these gaps.’ Even in these early stages, Katharina argues it can be useful to seek different perspectives to your own: ‘When you mingle with others who have an outsider’s perspective and see things with fresh eyes, they may bring doubts or suggestions you don’t want to

48

hear. But listening to different views is hugely beneficial – they could bring insights that save time and money in the long run.’

Someone with an outsider’s "perspective might bring doubts or suggestions you don’t want to hear – but listening to different views will bring insights that save time and money in the long run.

"

For Katharina, talking to people who think in different ways – and therefore challenge her own views – helped her to become a stronger leader: ‘You get feedback you can reflect on, and ultimately you grow as a person too.’

Diversity also makes things more interesting.

‘We spend so much time at work, so let’s not underestimate the importance of enjoying what we do. I truly believe that being with people who do things differently is much more fun and enriching.’

Inclusivity begets diversity Creating an inclusive, transparent culture is vital to attract a diverse team. Luc comments: ‘As an early-stage company, we must attract and retain the best talent. And sometimes the ideal candidate for a position will differ from the stereotypical start-up employee profile – like a parent, for instance. To secure them, we need to be offering a working culture compatible with their personal situation, such as part-time and flexible working hours, and time off when children are ill. We do not see diversity as a handicap, we see it as a strength. We want to build a culture that welcomes everyone.’

On gender diversity, Luc adds: ‘Women leaders empower other women in the organisation to feel like they have a place there and can climb up the career ladder. They feel represented and are more likely to bring their voice to the

49

table. This results in a much more engaged and productive workforce.’ Katharina also explains that to get more women in leadership positions, we need more female role models: ‘I’m proud that Roche has many female leaders with families, which is inspiring for younger women as it shows that having children and an ambitious career are not incompatible.’

Diversity in healthcare teams is also key when it comes to serving diverse patients. ‘It means we bring better solutions to them because we understand their needs,’ Katharina explains.

To retain talent, eliminate discrimination As well as representing different profiles, companies must proactively weed out discrimination. In its 2023 report Women in the Workplace, McKinsey found that microaggressions – discriminatory comments and actions that aren’t always intended to be harmful – have a major impact on women.

They are ‘twice as likely to be mistaken for someone junior and hear comments on their emotional state’ as men – and this effect is compounded for Asian and Black women.2 We all know that unhappy employees are much more likely to quit their jobs. To retain diverse talent, then, companies must address discrimination as a priority.

Embrace disagreements and feedback To create a workplace where everyone can thrive, listening to diverse points of view should be a priority for firms. With this in mind, as well as creating an inclusive culture and high levels of psychological safety, it’s beneficial to encourage team members to speak up – and show it’s OK to make mistakes. This will mean people can express their own views more freely. In Katharina’s experience, this can cause more disagreements, but also lead to better outcomes: ‘Sometimes, we have a leadership team meeting and I’m thinking, “It would be

50

Features

Biography so much easier if everyone just agreed with each other. Can’t they just agree with me?”

But although disagreements make the process lengthier, we come to solutions that are not as obvious – and much more robust.’ This should include embracing feedback from all stakeholders on a company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategy.

Katharina Gasser, General Manager of Roche Pharma Switzerland Dr Katharina Gasser studied medicine, with a specialisation in pharmaceutical medicine, before gaining practical experience as a medical doctor in internal medicine and geriatrics. She then moved into the healthcare industry, spending several years in various management positions in different healthcare companies in Switzerland and around the world. Since September 2022, she has served as General Manager of Roche Pharma Switzerland.

Biopôle SA has presented many, "many companies to us and we always feel enriched by them. " The business case for diversity is clear. In their 2023 report on diversity, McKinsey suggests a five-point plan that companies can follow to commit to DE&I. This can act as a solid starting point for companies that want to implement and reap the benefits of diversity. But for start-ups with limited resources, it’s also OK to acknowledge that creating an inspirational workplace won’t happen overnight. As R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., who dedicated his career to promoting cultural diversity, asserted: ‘Creating and managing a diverse workforce is a process, not a destination.’ A great starting point is to become more aware of diversity’s benefits and take simple steps to create an inclusive culture.

Luc Henry, CEO of Limula Luc Henry has a PhD in Chemical Biology from the University of Oxford, as well as ten years of research experience in chemistry, biotechnology and immunology. In 2020, having spent four years as a personal advisor to Martin Vetterli, the President of EPFL, he cofounded Limula and soon after moved the company to Biopôle’s StartLab in order to pursue this entrepreneurial project at the interface between life sciences and engineering.

Diversity Matters Even More: The Case for Holistic Impact, 5th December 2023, McKinsey 2 Women in the Workplace 2023, 5th October 2023, McKinsey 1

51

Features

Collaboration: Are you up to speed?

Our members bring together diverse talents, breaking down silos to foster the cross-fertilisation of ideas and skills. Corporate leaders embrace external partnerships, recognising the reservoir of creativity they bring. Despite challenges like communication barriers, the pursuit of collaboration remains indispensable. Proximity is identified as a key factor to cultivate an environment for shared innovation.

63% is the collaboration rate on site among community members, including research organisations, according to corporate leaders of our community.2

28%

60% of corporate leaders take the time to support other executives outside their organisation at least once a month.2

60

%

% 3 6

28% of talents seek active collaboration opportunities with peers from different organisations on campus at least once a month.1

52

The secret ingredient

Enhanced team diversity boosts innovation, creativity, problemsolving and employee engagement according to Biopôle corporate leaders.2

67% of corporate leaders say external collaborations bring new projects, while 62% say they bring new skills.2

67% 8 7%

87% of our community talents think that collaboration in their daily work is very important.1 87% of corporate leaders at Biopôle think proximity is important when choosing a new collaboration partner.2

Biopole Community Survey: 285 responses collected in November 2023 2 Survey of CEOs or branch leads at Biopole: 52 responses collected in November 2023 1

53

54

Spaces

View over Lake Geneva and the Alps from the Leucine building, completed in summer 2023.

55

Spaces

Five years of StartLab

56

Spaces

StartLab, Biopôle’s fully equipped, shared lab space, is now five years old!

When it opened in March 2018, it could accommodate up to 15 companies; HAYA Therapeutics, Gnubiotics Sciences and Volumina Medical were some of the first to move in. A unique facility in Switzerland, StartLab was – and still is – an ideal launchpad for small projects, new start-ups and intensive bootstrap periods.

growth of companies based at StartLab, as well as meeting increasing demand for shared serviced laboratories on site. The current StartLab can host up to 25 companies.

Five years later, a lot has changed. In 2023, StartLab’s space grew from 700 to 1,000 m2: it now offers 64 benches tailored to wet lab, medtech and biotech research, alongside lab infrastructure. Biopôle has also extended StartLab’s co-working office space from 300 to 500 m2, so that it can house 40 individual desks. There is a range of new equipment and amenities to enjoy too, including a biosafety level 2 lab, a fab lab, a bigger cafeteria and more meeting rooms.

These additions are all aimed at furthering the

57

In 2023, our team conducted an analysis of our offer, alongside an assessment of the status of all the companies that StartLab has hosted over the past five years. The findings were remarkable: StartLab has been home to 46 companies, with 20 currently in residence. Publically available data indicates that current residents and alumni have collectively secured funding exceeding CHF 136m since their inception, generating over 180 employment opportunities. Most importantly, 80% of the companies that started life at StartLab are still in operation. We like to think that StartLab, its unique infrastructure and the assistance of Biopôle have contributed to this success.

Spaces

‘No two days are ever the same’ Interview with Olivier Randin, Laboratory Manager As Biopôle’s life sciences incubator celebrates its fifth anniversary, Olivier Randin reflects on the many changes he’s seen in his time as Laboratory Manager – and on the spirit of collaboration that makes it such a special place to work.

Of course, as StartLab grows, my job as Laboratory Manager grows too. I see my role as threefold. Firstly, to welcome residents, visitors and delivery personnel to the building and get them where they need to go. Secondly, to take care of the equipment, train and assist people using the machines, monitor safety procedures, and troubleshoot any technical issues (in summary, to make sure that everything runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis). And lastly, to come up with longer-term ideas for the lab – ideas that will help it get bigger and better, so as to benefit everyone in the building.

Yet there’s plenty I do that falls outside this remit.

In fact, I sometimes feel like more of a Life Manager than a Lab Manager! Since I’m Swiss, I’m the first port-of-call for any expats needing to know about taxes, childcare, insurance or work permits. So, I do my best to answer these kinds of questions and make life as easy as possible for all the scientists on our site.

When I joined StartLab in March 2019, it was a very different place – less than a year old, far smaller and just finding its feet in the life sciences community at Biopôle. The coworking space wasn’t the lively, bustling place it is today, and the laboratory was nowhere near as well-equipped. Yet right from the off, I was excited to be part of this ‘incubator’ and to help build the perfect environment for biotech startups and entrepreneurs to flourish.

One of the main focuses of my first year was investing in lab equipment – usually complex machines that are way beyond the budget of the average start-up. Gradually, I kitted out a full suite of shared specialist labs, as well as general service rooms, where our resident scientists could access autoclave or washing machinery, and cold rooms for all their experiments.

Fast forward to 2023 and the lab has grown from 700 to 1,000 m2 and from 44 lab benches to 64. At the same time, we’ve increased the size of our co-working space, which now boasts 40 individual desks, a bigger cafeteria and several more meeting rooms. These days, the whole place is a hive of activity, with more than 20 resident companies specialising in everything from enabling technologies to diagnostics and cell therapies.

My job is certainly busy and no two days are ever the same. I’m always dashing back and forth between the lab and the office, so sometimes wish I could split myself in half and be in both places at once – it might help me to get more done!

There are times when things get stressful too – for instance, if there’s a power cut. With

58

so many valuable experiments going on under our roof, an outage has the potential to be catastrophic. But many of the bigger machines have their own power supply for this very reason. And now we’re installing a power generator up on the roof of the building, which should hopefully avert any major problems in the future.

Olivier knows StartLab like the back of his hand.

He manages the building like a multifunctional Swiss Army knife, and enjoys the genuine spirit of collaboration that you can find throughout StartLab’s offices and laboratories.

Over the past five years, we’ve also had a flood or two – plus a few moments of tension over double-booked machines and so on. But generally, when you think that 20 different companies and more than 100 people work in this place, I’d say things at StartLab run fairly smoothly and there’s a genuine spirit of collaboration in the air.

It’s a place where people can pool their ideas, learn from one another and take advantage of shared, state-of-the-art equipment.

As far as my job goes, I feel really lucky. I have a great team and a network of smart, talented people around me. Over the past five years, we’ve made huge strides forward and still have plenty of exciting plans in the pipeline. But there’s one thing that will never change here at StartLab – and that’s our determination to be the best possible launchpad for start-ups in the life sciences community.

Spaces

The StartLab community in numbers Sector of activity

75% Biotech 17% Diagnostics 5% Digital health 3% Medtech

StartLab has hosted 44 companies thus far (39 start-ups and 5 soft landing companies), which have collectively raised CHF 136m1 as of the end of 2023; Cellestia and HAYA Therapeutics are StartLab’s top earners, having raised CHF 20m and CHF 18m, respectively

Over 180 people are currently working for StartLab’s residents and/or for its alumni on the Biopôle campus

On average, most companies join StartLab 16 months after incorporation, though three joined before incorporation and ten were incorporated while at StartLab

60

80% of the companies hosted

by StartLab are still in operation

10 companies have benefitted from the Biopôle Start-up Fund since its launch in 2021

Spaces

Residents at the end of 2023 AC Bioscience Adaptyv Biosystems AKYmed Cellula Therapeutics Cureos Biotechnology Alumni

Genknowme

Alithea Genomics

Impli

Alpentol

Lermed

Amazentis

LifeDX

Arcoris bio

Limula

Atinary Technologies

MediCrops

Bioinnovation Solutions

Mosaic NeuroSciences

Cellestia Biotech

ND Biosciences

Final Spark

Parithera

Gnubiotics Sciences

PDC Therapeutics

HAYA Therapeutics

Roumai Medical

Nuvamid

SULFISCON

RE(ACT) Discovery Institute

Testmate Health

Resistell

TheraME!

Rubis R&D SA

Vanarix

SEED Biosciences

VitalizeDx

SUN Biosciences TiBio Volumina Medical The companies shown in bold left StartLab, but remained at Biopôle as they expanded their operations.

1

61

Approximate figure, based on public data.

Space to grow 62

Spaces

We spoke to Riccardo Dainese, Co-Founder and CEO of Alithea Genomics, which moved into a new 300 m2 space in the Serine building last year, as well as Arik Parizer, CEO of EPIC Suisse, which owns four buildings at Biopôle (including the Serine), to understand how Biopôle’s campus environment allows companies to grow – and even de-grow – according to their shifting needs.

As well as welcoming 30 new companies in 2023, Biopôle helped another 19 to grow by facilitating their relocation into larger office and laboratory spaces – all in all, these expanding companies took on an additional 2,690 m2.

Stepping outside your bubble Alithea Genomics has been on quite a journey over the past three years. Having started at StartLab with just one bench in 2021, it has now more than quadrupled in size. In 2023, it moved to a new bespoke space in the Serine building, which has workbenches and desk space for all of its 12 employees, as well as a cafeteria.

As Riccardo Dainese, CEO and Co-Founder of the company, expressed: ‘We really were a small start-up back then, but we are now a more established company with steady clients, recurrent sales and multiple successful financing rounds. Our new headquarters reflects this shift, and it means so much to us:

"

I'm excited for our future here – we have no plans to move out anytime soon.

"

for the first time, we have a space that’s really ours – and we can all have lunch together, which makes a real difference to team spirit.’

As he continued: ‘It was great to design our new headquarters according to our specifications, in collaboration with EPIC and Biopôle. I’m excited for our future here – we have no plans to move out anytime soon.’

Arik Parizer, CEO of EPIC Suisse, echoed this sentiment, as he stated: ‘We value our long-term partnership with Biopôle and its

Arik Parizer, CEO of EPIC Suisse, stands in the Serine building. The company has invested in four buildings on campus so far and has been crucial in developing an offer to accommodate growing start-ups.

63

Spaces

companies very highly, and so we do all we can to assist them and to make sure the infrastructure is fit for purpose.’

Support from the outset, thanks to the Start-up Fund When he wound back the clock to reflect on Alithea’s genesis, Riccardo underlined the importance of Biopôle’s diverse support programmes in helping the company to get off the ground. Notably, Biopôle’s Start-up Fund awarded funding to Alithea for two years in a row, allowing them to make a number of key investments.

In his own words, ‘the Start-up Fund was pivotal. At the beginning, CHF 80,000 made a huge difference to us. It was hard to balance

everything when we were starting out, as we had to spend a lot of our revenue on bench rent and consumables. In simple terms, the Biopôle Start-up Fund allowed us to invest in both equipment and personnel, which meant we could afford to stay at Biopôle while working towards our goal of moving out of StartLab.’ ‘What’s more,’ he added, ‘the committee of the fund were very engaged and responsive, and their feedback helped us to get in touch with more investors in our next financing round. So, the networking side of this whole procedure was hugely valuable for us.’

An engaged ecosystem working as a whole As Riccardo reminded us, managing growth as a start-up can sometimes be challenging:

Riccardo opened the doors to Alithea's new facilities, featuring a whole new lab, an open space, meeting rooms and a kitchen.

64

Spaces

‘When you’re an early-stage company, it’s difficult to project growth far into the future.

By all means, you can sell the dream as much as you want, but actually planning growth precisely, making sure the bank account at the end of the year reflects exactly what you intend… it’s near impossible.’

Thankfully, at Biopôle, there is always help at hand, as all members have access to the campus’ world-class facilities and spaces, which can, moreover, be customised to the members’ requirements, depending on supply and demand.

We saw a tremendous "opportunity to create a unique life

to invest in Biopôle back in 2007 – and indeed, EPIC has continued to invest in the campus over the years, most recently developing the Serine building, which was completed in 2020.

As he put it, ‘we saw a tremendous opportunity to create a unique life sciences ecosystem here in 2007, and we have remained committed to this opportunity ever since’.

Arik went on to say: ‘Biopôle represents the ideal location for all companies in the life sciences, whether big or small, to prosper.

Start-ups can initiate their business activities in pre-equipped labs, with minimum commitment, before taking the plunge with their own spaces. Similarly, multinationals occupy prime real estate in the heart of the Swiss Health Valley, where they benefit from close contact with entrepreneurs and talented graduates from the excellent local universities.’

Biopôle certainly likes to think of itself as an ideal environment for growth of all shapes and sizes – and we hope to see many more companies grow and prosper over the next few years.

sciences ecosystem here in 2007, and we have remained committed to this opportunity ever since.

"

This proved to be another godsend for Alithea, which was rapidly taking on new team members and desperately needed extra space while it waited to move into its own 300 m2 headquarters. Riccardo gave ‘a big shout out’ to Olivier Philippe, Biopôle’s Business Development Director, and to Nasri Nahas, CEO of Biopôle, for accommodating Alithea’s growing needs: ‘They were very open to letting our team temporarily occupy eight benches while we waited for our own space to be built.’

This game of musical chairs certainly keeps Olivier, the Business Development Director, busy – but it ensures that companies survive, and even thrive, in such moments of transition.

The fact that these shifts and swaps are possible is also a testament to the spirit of collaboration and community that exists at Biopôle, with any given company often willing to free up space so that its neighbour can grow.

This spirit was praised by Arik Parizer of EPIC Suisse, which was one of the first companies

65

66

Outlook More than 50 trees were planted to provide more shaded areas on campus, with biodiversity a key criterion when selecting plant species. Here’s a view of the newly revamped Route de la Corniche and the food truck area.

67

‘Nobody wins if we all remain isolated’ Biopôle CEO Nasri Nahas works closely with investors, healthcare practitioners and entrepreneurs in the life sciences sector. As such, he has an excellent vantage point from which to assess the current state of play and where we’re heading. In this piece, Nasri tells us how life sciences companies can turn what some may see as threats into opportunities.

68

Outlook

Nasri, let’s start with a burning question.

Funds raised by start-ups were lower this year than the record numbers seen in 2022.

Why the drop?

This year has been tough for the global market and the repercussions have been felt across the life sciences sector. It has been a turbulent year, with political instability and tensions across the globe. Although inflation rates have stabilised somewhat, the pressures are here to stay. As a result, investors have become increasingly risk-averse and hesitant to invest.

Private equity and venture capital funding are still available, but investments are now subject to more scrutiny.

In our industry, progress "happens very quickly. " What challenges does the current climate present for life sciences companies?

It really depends on their size and stage of development. Start-ups need to attract investors. Since this is becoming tougher, they need to de-risk their proof of principle by demonstrating the viability of their idea or project as quickly as possible. This takes infrastructure, networking, experience and funding. Biopôle’s mission is to help companies tick as many of these boxes as possible; for instance, by providing secondto-none infrastructure, giving companies access to venture capital firms and supporting recruitment and networking, especially at C-suite level.

For bigger companies, the challenges are different. They need recurrent funding to finance growth in a very capital-intensive industry, but also access to commercial partners that will give early feedback – so they can gauge the market’s appetite for their product.

What should companies focus on to succeed?

The winners will be those who know how to differentiate themselves and keep up with market developments. In our industry, progress happens very quickly. If you stay too focused on your technology and you’re disconnected from your market, you may become too far removed from market feedback. Consequently, you might develop a brilliant technology that no one wants to use, or a previously successful product might become unpopular or obsolete.

One needs to stay one step ahead of those kinds of outcomes.

What are the trends you’re noticing in the life sciences and what are their implications for companies?

As an optimist, I see trends as opportunities rather than threats, and there are many opportunities for life sciences companies.

First of all, we have digitalisation. Switzerland is trailing behind other European countries in this area, so there’s a lot of work to do.

Technological gaps that need innovative solutions abound.

Another opportunity is cross-fertilisation. We still live in a siloed world, but we’re starting to understand that no technology or industry can thrive in isolation. There are no longer strict boundaries between medtech, biotech, pharma, diagnostics and digital. There’s more crossover and these industries have a broader view of their scope. In a place like the Biopôle campus, this is a potential opportunity, as our members can work across several areas through involvement in our community.

Meanwhile, the cost of healthcare in Europe is currently extortionate and we cannot keep spending such a high percentage of our GDP on it. In other words, there will come a point when it’s no longer acceptable to pay a million dollars for cancer treatment. Social pressure

69

Outlook

will therefore lead to innovation in this area, whether in technology, business models, financial models or the ways products reach the market.

together with new models for financing the health sector, will undoubtedly lead to less consumption, more reasonable usage and, thus, sustainability.

We’re seeing a shift towards holistic health.

Does this present an opportunity in the sector?

There is definitely more public awareness of integrative health. Health is not just about taking a pill when we’re ill – in fact, that’s about disease. Instead, health is about the exercise we do, what we eat, the air we breathe, our sleep quality, the prevention of known diseases, etc. It’s about our physical and mental stability.

This trend will open doors to innovation in the realm of digital health, for instance. As I said, we still sometimes think in silos, but I believe we’re getting there, and integrative health will contribute to that shift from isolation to collaboration.

We often hear about the need for greater collaboration. To what extent does this happen at Biopôle?

It’s good when we work together, building bridges, but we can always intensify our efforts to transform walkways into bridges and bridges into viaducts. In other words, it’s about continuously creating a culture of collective intelligence, where nobody wins if we all remain isolated. To thrive and really innovate, we need a holistic view of the industry that brings all players into the equation.

Fortunately, collaboration between academia, industry and healthcare institutions is increasingly prevalent in our sector. In Biopôle’s recent community survey, 87% of people told us they consider collaboration to be either ‘extremely important’ or ‘very important’ in their daily work. The top reasons for this are that it enhances problem-solving, increases innovation and gives access to diverse expertise. More and more, research is showing that collaboration is a vital ingredient in a company’s success.

While collaboration is already prevalent at Biopôle, with one in two CEOs telling us their company is collaborating with another community member, there is always room for improvement. The key here lies in having increasingly inclusive discussions that bring on board actors from the entire health sector value chain. That includes patient advocacy groups and insurance companies – two major actors that are not sufficiently involved in designing, elaborating and developing healthcare innovations as things stand.

Does sustainability present a challenge for your field?

The life sciences industry is not the most virtuous when it comes to sustainability. So, there is an opportunity here to change our business models, the materials we use and

"

Innovations must be brought to a patients in a sustainable way.

"

the technologies we apply. In fact, more than an opportunity, it’s our responsibility to preserve our planet for future generations. It won’t be enough to bring technologies that cure patients. Innovations must be brought to patients in a sustainable way.

The health sector in particular should place a special emphasis on reducing consumption and moving from cure to care. The integrated vision of health I mentioned before,

70

Outlook

In which key ways is Biopôle helping companies overcome the challenges you’ve talked about?

Often, companies spend too much time and too many resources looking for investor funding and not enough time talking to potential clients and technology users.

Biopôle is actively working to change this mindset, because it’s not just about finding cash; it’s about finding your customer base.

We help companies at the investment level through our programmes and by connecting them to our network of investors. At the same time, our corporate partners and extensive network are vital for our members, allowing them to get a sense of how attractive their solution is and how it might fit into the market, and often providing direct access to potential clients, users and purchasers.

More generally, we strive to always be, as we say in French, à l’écoute. We try to listen to what our members need by being present, at their disposal, and doing our best to help them solve the challenges they encounter.

We want to create a safe space in which entrepreneurs can share their concerns and support each other.

Diversity seems to be an important ingredient for successful collaboration.

How do you cultivate diversity at Biopôle and what do you intend to do to further encourage it in 2024?

At Biopôle, we understand diversity in several different ways. First, we have an increasingly diverse range of expertise and industries on campus, with clinicians, academics and industry all in the same place. We have medtech, biotech, digital health and pharma, and, of course, we have very big – and very, very small – organisations.

Then, it’s about diversity of people (age, origin, training, etc.), which in turn gives us a diversity of approaches, perspectives and mindsets.

At Biopôle, we’re close to 50:50 "gender parity. But we don’t see the same ratio at the top level of companies, so that remains a challenge.

"

That’s no surprise in a region with so many different nationalities. That diversity of people also comes to the fore in the cross-fertilisation I mentioned before. For instance, we have medical doctors specialising in different areas, such as virology or oncology, but who might bring their expertise and another angle to industries outside their original area of study.

Finally, we have gender diversity. Overall, at Biopôle, we’re close to 50:50 gender parity. But we don’t see the same ratio at the top level of companies, so that remains a challenge and a source of frustration. Continuing to change mindsets is one of our goals for the coming years. And we aim to do more in the future to make it easy for both parents to work, instead of one (in Switzerland, usually a woman) staying at home. But we’re not there yet; we’re still working on it.

71

Outlook

A winning hand: How Biopôle is here K SUPPORT to help PROGRAMM

ES

Biopôle SA drive s innovation thro ugh two impactful in itiatives to help emerging startups. The Biopôl e Start-up Fund provides financia l support for rent al, R&D and key services. Most im portantly, it offer s investment guid ance and networ king opportunities to start-ups that show scientific im pact and growth potential. Compa nies are chosen based on scientifi c excellence, th e relevance of their business model and the quality of their founding an d management te ams. On the othe r hand, the Vang uard Accelerato r is a free six-month pr ogramme that off ers early-stage startups mentorship from diverse an d experienced di gital health experts. St art-ups selected for the accelerator programme bene fit from exclusive re al-world insight s for business hypo thesis testing an d networking supp ort to bring their digital health inno vation to life.

A SPACES a boratories are Our serviced la artst es nc ie sc r life trampoline fo ed, pp is a fully equi ups. StartLab s er off tory that shared labora e, rt infrastructur -a he -t state-of 1,500 m² e Th s. ce offi d equipment an d to companies space is tailore and et lab biology operating in w ering st fo , ts en nm ro chemistry envi 20 among over collaboration ents, ugh regular ev ro th start-ups g in ic pr e bl xi a fle while offering ed ne mpanies in model. For co es, Superlab ac sp of private in ady-to-moveSuisse offers re e ac tories. The sp private labora ries ivate laborato pr includes 15 ers off d an s, ce and 5 private offi Meanwhile, . es ic concierge serv lth Hub (DH²), the Digital Hea g e space offerin is a collaborativ , es ac sp ed ar private and sh e boration and th fostering colla gies lo no ch te digital integration of . or ct se es ienc into the life sc

K A 72

Outlook

CORPORATE PARTNERS

J TALE

NT

In 2023, Bio pôle launch ed two impactful in itiatives to b olster talent and in novation in the life sciences se ctor. Partner ing with Catalyze4Li fe from the EPFL Schoo of Life Scien l ces, Biopôle offers EPFL students a si x-month in ternship at a Biopôle st art-up, pro viding hand on exposure sto the life sc iences industry. In addition, th e Investmen Readiness P t rogramme has introdu a Postgrad ced uate Consu lting schem for compan e ies funded b y Biopôle’s Start-up Fu nd. This sch eme evaluat the compan es ies across a number of domains, in cluding legal , finance, regulatory, IP and scien ce, with PhD students an d po from EPFL an stdoctoral researchers d UNIL focu sing on the scientific re adiness of th ese startups. Finally, Biopôle’s w ebsite now offers a pla tform for th ose seeking job opport unities in th eir member companies, reinforcing Biopôle’s commitmen t to nurturin g talent and fosterin g innovation in the life sciences.

J

Partnership Biopôle’s Corporate members ts ec nn co me Program th wi major of our community of our campus. de tsi companies ou ramme is to foster The aim of the prog relationships mutually beneficial ation. Our ov inn that accelerate interested are ers rtn pa corporate bil pa ities of our in the innovation ca ork, while our tw community and ne ers are looking for community memb lp them fastpartners who can he pôle acts as Bio . track their projects n the two, ee tw be y an intermediar nities, creating identifying opportu interactions interest, facilitating potential ing br and helping to n. As of the itio fru to s ion collaborat or rp ate members end of 2023, our co n, Bristol Myers so in are: Becton Dick Prairie, CSL Squibb, Clinique La Novartis, Roche Behring, Labcorp, d, Swiss Medical Pharma Switzerlan l mo Interventiona Network and Teru Systems.

Q

Q

73

Outlook

‘Looking forward to a more sustainable future’ Nouria Hernandez is a distinguished molecular biologist and former rector of the University of Lausanne, who became President of Biopôle’s Board of Directors in 2020. She spoke to us about Biopôle’s focus on cutting emissions, improving sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint of the site.

Nouria, can you start by telling us about the current environmental impact of the life sciences sector?

Like so many other sectors, the life sciences have a huge impact on the environment.

Just thinking about research, all those labs and experiments use vast amounts of plastic, chemicals, water and electricity. Their carbon footprint is enormous. And the same is true of agriculture, drug manufacturing and medicine, especially as practised in advanced countries.

74

75

can reduce it in the most efficient way. It is also showing us how we can measure the effect of whatever action we take, so we know we’re going in the right direction – and at a pace that’s fast enough.

One of the things that Earth Action suggested to reduce our carbon footprint was to put in place a lab consumables and equipment store at Biopôle, together with an online marketplace. This allows our 130-plus companies to centralise their orders and reduce their impact by diminishing the number of lorries delivering on campus. Also, through the marketplace, lab equipment can be sold, exchanged or even donated. It might not sound like much, but every piece of equipment that’s reused means less need for manufacturing and less equipment dumped in landfill. That makes a big difference.

Similarly, we are encouraging people to think about how they travel to work every day. In the early days, 50% of people came to Biopôle by car, whereas now, according to our recent community survey, that figure has reduced to just over 25%. We’re also changing the type of

Yet the life sciences community also has the potential to bring about positive environmental change in so many areas of our society – for instance, by helping improve and maintain yields in agriculture while preserving soils and biodiversity. Overall, we can make a real difference, but we need to improve our

make a real difference, "butWewecan need to improve our methods, reduce our carbon footprint and make ourselves as sustainable as possible in the future.

"

methods, reduce our carbon footprint and make ourselves as sustainable as possible in the future.

What steps is Biopôle taking to become more sustainable?

We’re working with Earth Action, an organisation that has helped us understand our CO₂ impact and is now advising us on how we

76

Outlook

Do you think companies can grow while also reducing their environmental impact?

Yes, I do, but it requires real ethical determination. Companies are often most concerned with their immediate profit, but I believe they need to think more about sustainability, which is more profitable for everyone in the long run.

Best of all would be to have a foundation that invested in helping start-ups operate sustainably. The start-ups themselves could focus on becoming profitable. Then, once they began to make money, they could pay back the investment. The foundation could then help other start-ups. That would be the dream for me.

food we serve at meetings, networking events and conferences on our campus, choosing vegetarian-only options that are better for the environment.

Basically, in every aspect of life at Biopôle, we’re trying to make sustainable thinking the norm.

"

In the early days, 50% of people came to Biopôle by car, whereas now, according to our recent community survey, that figure has reduced to just over 25%.

"

To what extent can you control the environmental impact of companies on the Biopôle campus?

We can’t force anyone to do anything, but we can make suggestions – like encouraging our building owners to maximise roof surfaces for solar panels and take an environmentally friendly approach to temperature and lighting in their buildings. For this to work, we need the collaboration of both owners and tenants.

Obviously, there are always a lot of competing factors for them to consider. But switching off lights and turning down the heating means lower electricity bills, so companies are usually happy to comply.

We also need to stop thinking that change in one area alone is enough to reduce our environmental impact. Instead, we need to reduce it in everything we do – and for this to happen, we need everyone’s collaboration.

In this respect, the community spirit that we have cultivated at Biopôle is a major advantage, since every stakeholder has the will to think beyond their own direct interest, for the global and communal good.

What are your plans for Biopôle in 2024?

One of our major challenges as we grow is balancing the accommodation of new companies that want to join our ecosystem with the support we continue to provide to our existing members, as well as their need to grow, network and access innovation channels.

Start-ups operate in a challenging and competitive environment, so our aim in 2024 is to continue to provide the full suite of support, while ensuring both individual and overall sustainability. Our overarching goal continues to be a comprehensive ecosystem of funding, collaboration and infrastructure within our community. That is supported by many existing programmes like our StartLab or the Biopôle Start-up Fund, to cite just two – and management is currently reflecting on a number of other potential schemes.

Excitingly, as we continue to build our community over the coming year, we’ll start to see the impact of the sustainability measures we’ve put in place so far. I’m hopeful we’ll see a real difference – and I’m determined we’ll make this an even bigger focus in the future.

77

Outlook

Our corporate social responsibility: A joint and lasting impact In 2021, Biopôle began its sustainability journey with the invaluable support of regional partners Quantis and Earth Action. Since then, the company has diligently monitored its situation through a materiality assessment and carbon footprint analysis, establishing both short- and long-term sustainability goals that will be finalised in 2024.

Prioritising the climate

Our sustainability-oriented actions encompass a wide range of areas, which we have either already implemented or plan to implement in the coming years.

Those areas are as follows:

Recognising the pressing need for environmental action, our utmost priority has been environmental sustainability.

Planet reducing carbon emissions

Total emissions from the Biopôle campus were 8,099 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (including activity of companies on site). However, the difference in the emissions between the elements under our control and those beyond our influence was significant.

Social enhancing wellbeing and equal opportunities for employees on campus

Almost a third (2,662 tonnes of CO2 equivalent) fell under the direct control of Biopôle SA, and for those emissions, we aim to achieve a 24% reduction by 2030 (taking into consideration our planned growth). This will bring us into close alignment with the science-based targets set out in the Paris Agreement.

Prosperity managing economic performance

Governance addressing risk management and ensuring regulatory compliance

78

Outlook

2023: A year of examination and action Biopôle SA is strongly committed to measuring the impact of our actions, striving for maximum effectiveness and adjusting our strategy if our goals are not achieved. By the end of 2023, we had completed a materiality assessment and carbon footprint measurement, and we are currently working to establish a clear vision for campus sustainability and develop an ambitious action plan. Here are some actions which we have already started to implement.

•

Improved campus environment We established a reduced speed limit of 20 km/h on a newly adapted campus road. Also, a total of 51 trees were planted to provide more shaded areas on campus, with biodiversity a key criterion when selecting plant species.

•

Enhanced certification We renewed our credentials as a green space with Swiss NGO Foundation Nature & Économie, obtaining the higher Plus certification.

•

Heating control We started monitoring average temperatures in our buildings and tracked our energy usage accordingly.

•

Educational collaboration We entered into partnership with the EPFL School of Life Sciences to create a programme aimed at helping students explore the start-up environment and enhance their employability. Following a pilot, the programme will be renewed in 2024.

•

Support for working parents We established a lactation room to better support mothers working on campus.

•

Enhanced safety measures We organised resuscitation classes and installed defibrillators in every campus building to increase the chances of survival in the event of myocardial infarction.

•

Resource sharing and fewer deliveries We created a virtual marketplace for exchanging lab and office supplies. A new centralised shop operated by Milian also reduced lorry deliveries on campus.

It is clear to us that in isolation, our progress may be limited. That is why, as we look towards 2024, we aim to actively engage with and support our entire community to place sustainability at the core of Biopôle’s activities.

79

Directory This directory lists the companies and services on the Biopôle campus.

Please be aware that it is not complete as some companies have chosen not to be included.

Abionic

AdipoGen

Alithea Genomics

abionic.com Diagnostics Abionic is developing and manufacturing rapid in vitro diagnostic solutions using its proprietary nanofluidic technology.

adipogen.com Biotech AdipoGen develops and manufactures innovative reagents for the life sciences research market, with a special focus on inflammation and immune response.

alitheagenomics.com Biotech Alithea Genomics is a biotech company that develops highthroughput transcriptomics solutions for research and biomarker discovery, using large-scale RNA sequencing.

Agora Care

Alliance Consulting

agoracare.ch/en-GB/ Digital health Agora Care has developed a secure, patient-centred, webbased platform for storing medical images that facilitates remote consultations, participation in clinical trials and the sharing of images with healthcare providers.

alliance-consulting.ch Consulting Alliance Consulting is active in talent hunting and strategic networking to identify and exploit new business opportunities. The agency is particularly active in the fields of health, nutrition and cosmetics.

AC Bioscience ac-bioscience.com Biotech AC Bioscience is a clinical-stage biotech company developing personalised molecular therapies for solid tumour cancer patients, with a clinical focus on colorectal cancer and metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Adaptyv Biosystems adaptyvbio.com Biotech Adaptyv Biosystems is building a next-generation protein engineering platform by coupling computational prediction and experimental validation with cell-free synthetic biology and high-throughput nanofluidics.

ADC Therapeutics adctherapeutics.com Biotech ADC Therapeutics is a commercial-stage biotech company developing nextgeneration assets for targeted antibody-drug conjugates, with a pipeline on hematologic and solid tumour cancers.

AKYmed akymed.com Biotech AKYmed works in the field of reproductive technology, developing next-generation male fertility analysis solutions for doctors, laboratories, clinics, hospitals, breeding studs and research institutes.

Alcimed alcimed.com Consulting Alcimed is a consultancy firm focused on new business and innovation in healthcare and other strong science- or technologydriven industries.

80

Directory

André Roland

Avec

BioAlps

andreroland.com Consulting At André Roland, a multidisciplinary team of attorneys and advisers assist a range of clients, from multinationals to start-ups, providing a comprehensive portfolio of intellectual property services.

avec.ch Food and beverages Avec is a kiosk offering snacks and beverages all day long from the ground floor of Biopôle’s Metio building.

bioalps.org Government administration BioAlps represents western Switzerland’s biotech, medtech, pharma, nutrition and e-health companies, and offers access to a dynamic network of Swiss and international life sciences experts.

Anteris Helvetia anteris-medical.com Medical devices Anteris Helvetia supports clients in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries, providing accessible and independent consulting services to ensure compliance in development, registration and beyond.

Argá Medtech

BakerHicks bakerhicks.ch Consulting BakerHicks is a design, engineering and project delivery company specialising in complex infrastructure, process and built environments across the full project life cycle, with extended experience in the pharma, biotech, medtech, fine chemicals and manufacturing sectors.

BDO

argamedtech.com Medical devices Argá Medtech is developing a next-generation, non-thermal cardiac ablation system for treating patients with atrial fibrillation and cardiac arrhythmias.

bdo.ch Finance BDO is an audit, accounting and consultancy firm working with industrial and service sector organisations, including SMEs, listed companies, public authorities and non-profit organisations.

Aspivix

BDVerse

aspivix.com Medical devices Aspivix focuses its work on innovations in women’s healthcare to develop atramautic devices that promote more modern solutions for gynaecological procedures.

bdverse.com Consulting BDVerse provides companies with unique expertise in the healthcare market, along with services and products to save time and reduce costs for digital transformation.

Atinary Technologies

benu.ch Healthcare The pharmacy is part of the BENU Group pharmacy network and sells traditional medicines and a large assortment of phytotherapy and homeopathy products.

atinary.com Digital health Atinary is a deep tech start-up that uses AI, machine learning, robotics and cloud computing to accelerate R&D and optimise processes for breakthroughs in several industries, including pharma, biotech and materials.

BENU Pharmacy

81

Biopôle Dental Clinic centredentairebiopole.ch Healthcare Biopôle Dental Clinic offers a range of dental services, including paediatric dental care, orthodontics and oral surgery.

Biped.ai biped.ai Medical devices Biped.ai is developing a smart shoulder harness that uses AI and self-driving technology to guide blind and visually impaired people.

CARA cara.ch Digital health CARA is an association that aims to give access to electronic health records in five Swiss cantons, providing the public and healthcare providers with a secure platform for exchanging healthrelated information.

C-CUBE c-cube.com Pharmaceuticals C-CUBE designs, builds and certifies smart and sustainable modular facilities for the life sciences sector, including biobanks, modular laboratories and vaccine production units.

Directory

Cellestia Biotech

CRST

cellestia.com Biotech Cellestia is a clinical-stage R&D company developing first-in-class gene transcription factor inhibitors to control and modulate pathogenic gene expression in multiple areas, like oncology, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders.

crst.ch Healthcare CRST promotes health and safety at work by supporting businesses with meeting regulatory requirements, managing staff absenteeism and providing a personalised service according to business needs.

Centre André Henzelin

cslbehring.ch/en-us/ Biotechnology CSL Behring is a global biotherapeutics leader that uses the latest technologies to develop and deliver innovative therapies to treat severe and rare diseases.

cah.ch Healthcare cAH’s mission is to train health professionals in naturopathy, carry out applied research and educate the general public about alternative and complementary medicines.

CILE/CRIC groupe3r.ch Healthcare CILE and CRIC are two centres located at Biopôle that provide radiographic and cardiovascular imaging services to patients.

Combioxin combioxin.com Biotech Combioxin is a clinical-stage biotech company developing innovative drugs for treating severe bacterial or viral infections and fighting antibiotic resistance.

Its pipeline includes a first-in-class anti-virulence agent for the treatment of severe pneumonia.

Consultants in Science consultantsinscience.com Consulting Consultants in Science provides resourcing services to life sciences companies, including support with recruitment, writing, reviews and assessments.

CSL Behring

Cube Labs cube-labs.com Finance Cube Labs builds companies from promising early-stage R&D, and provides entrepreneurial and operational support at all the stages of their life cycle to transform pioneering science into healthcare solutions.

Cureos Biotechnology Biotech Cureos Biotechnology’s mission is to advance molecular processing and automation technologies to enable a new paradigm of precision personalised healthcare, aiming at a range of future applications, including early cancer detection and IVF pre-implantation genetic diagnostics.

CXIO Foundation cxiofoundation.ch Healthcare CXIO is a non-profit foundation that integrates classical and contemporary medicines in a holistic approach.

82

Department of Agriculture, Viticulture and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV) vd.ch Government administration The DGAV is responsible for implementing agricultural policy, securing training, providing support for rural families and applying legislation relating to animal health, animal well-being and the policing of dogs.

Department of Biochemistry (UNIL) unil.ch Research institute The Department of Biochemistry performs cutting-edge research on a variety of fundamental immunological processes, including immune responses, inflammatory processes and cell death pathways.

Department of Oncology (UNIL-CHUV) unil.ch Research institute The Department of Oncology comprises clinical and research teams dedicated to excellence in cancer care, research and innovation.

Department of the Industrial, Urban and Rural Environment (DGE-DIREV) vd.ch Government administration The DGE-DIREV is in charge of protecting people and property against damage and pollution caused by human activity, and preparing a regional climate plan to deal with the challenges of climate change.

Directory

DermApp

Flexdental Services

dermapp.ch Digital health DermApp has devised a web platform that offers patients with skin conditions online consultations with certified dermatologists who give a personalised answer within 48 hours.

fdservices.ch Medical devices Flexdental Services is a dental equipment specialist that provides planning, installation, supply and maintenance services to individual dentists and group practices.

Genknowme

Distalmotion distalmotion.com Medical devices Distalmotion has developed Dexter, a hybrid surgical robot offering laparoscopic surgeons the option to switch between laparoscopic and robotic surgery at any time during a procedure.

Edificom edificom.ch Information technology and services Edificom is an IT solutions, services and network infrastructure provider that offers innovative and secure technology solutions through its certified Tier 4 data centre.

eHeath Group ehealthgroup.ch Digital health eHealth Group is a digital healthcare company that provides a range of services, including scientific, consulting and legal, and focuses on delivering innovative solutions to transform healthcare for the better.

EPITERNA epiterna.com Biotech EPITERNA is developing products and technologies aiming at quantifying and manipulating the process of ageing.

EuroVacc Foundation eurovacc.org Pharmaceuticals EuroVacc promotes research into vaccines against HIV and other infectious diseases, facilitating the development of vaccine candidates through early clinical trials to expedite translational research from discovery to clinical development.

Faculty of Biology and Medicine (UNIL) unil.ch Research institute At the Faculty of Biology and Medicine, research and teaching cover the three distinct but complementary disciplines of biology, medicine and nursing science.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals ferring.com Pharmaceuticals Ferring is a research-driven biopharmaceutical group focusing on the development of medicines in the field of reproductive medicine and maternal health, urology and uro-oncology, gastroenterology and immunology.

83

genknowme.com Diagnostics Genknowme works on developing an innovative blood test that identifies key epigenetic markers, to help adults track, maintain and improve their well-being and potential longevity.

GetSet Surgical getsetsurgical.com Medical devices GetSet Surgical aims to improve patient outcomes, reduce risk and create value in surgical procedures by providing sterile good-to-go instruments that facilitate pre-operative planning, on-demand surgery and efficiency.

Gnubiotics Sciences gnubiotics.com Biotech Gnubiotics Sciences develops solutions to diagnose and restore microbiome health in humans and pets through the use of glycans.

Gondola Medical Technologies gondola-medical.com Medical devices Gondola Medical Technologies has developed a neurorehabilitation device to improve quality of life for patients affected by gait disorders and balance impairments caused by stroke, Parkinson’s or ataxia.

Directory

Groupe Mutuel

Hycann Health

groupemutuel.ch Insurance Groupe Mutuel provides personal insurance and health insurance to more than 1.3 million private customers and almost 25,500 companies.

hycannhealth.com Pharmaceuticals Hycann Health distributes pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis through an approach based on quality, compliance and innovation.

HAYA Therapeutics

Ichnos Glenmark Innovation

hayatx.com Biotech HAYA Therapeutics is a precision medicines company developing therapeutics targeting long non-coding RNA to treat and potentially reverse fibrosis and other serious medical conditions related to ageing.

Hedera Dx hederadx.com Diagnostics Hedera Dx is developing liquid biopsy solutions to be used by clinicians for early detection, therapy selection and recurrence monitoring of cancer, to offer patients better outcomes with minimally invasive tests.

HeX Group hex-group.eu Diagnostics HeX Group provides services in the fields of environmental quality and contamination control in critical environments like hospitals or laboratories.

HoliYou holiyou.life Digital health HoliYou is a personalised digital assistant for users undergoing medically assisted reproduction treatments, providing tools for understanding protocols and solutions for improving general well-being.

iginnovate.com Pharmaceuticals Ichnos Glenmark Innovation (IGI) is a new partnership between Ichnos Sciences Inc., a clinicalstage biotech company developing multispecifics™ in oncology, and its parent company, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Glenmark), which aims to develop cuttingedge therapy solutions to treat haematological malignancies and solid tumours.

Impli impli.org Digital health Impli develops implantable technology products, enabling real-time access to accurate health data. Its hormone monitoring device has been developed for fertility specialists and their patients to optimise treatment and support informed decisions.

Incepto Medical incepto-medical.com Digital health Incepto is a digital health company developing an AIenhanced platform to help with detection and diagnosis in medical imaging.

84

Incito incito.ch Communication Incito is a communications agency that provides PR, stakeholder and crisis management services to a range of customers, from individuals to multinational companies.

Innovaud innovaud.ch Government administration Innovaud is the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud that helps tech-oriented companies develop their businesses and carry out innovation projects.

Interregional Blood Transfusion SRC itransfusion.ch Healthcare The service focuses on procuring, processing, testing and providing blood products to the cantons of Bern, Vaud and Valais, as well as providing advice and pursuing research in the field of transfusion medicine.

ISII-TECH isii-tech.fr Information technology and services Since 2008, ISII-TECH has partnered with a range of clients on their innovation journeys, providing solutions in the fields of management and industrial IT, automation and instrumentation.

Directory

LASCCO

Limula

Medistri

lascco.com Biotech LASCCO is a biomedical technology company that specialises in developing discovery-stage pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.

limula.ch Biotech Limula is working to develop technology that can perform every step of the cell therapy manufacturing process in a single device, directly at the point of care.

medistri.swiss Medical devices Medistri provides sterilisation, laboratory analysis and logistics/ distribution services to professionals in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Ludwig Cancer Research

mhetra.com Consulting Mhetra is a global agency that provides operations management services to life sciences, medtech or pharma companies that want to accelerate their scale-up process or access new markets.

Le Café @biopôle biopolecafe.ch Restaurant Le Café @biopôle provides guests with fresh and healthy snacks and meals throughout the morning and at lunchtime.

Legacy Healthcare legacyhealthcare.ch Biotech Legacy Healthcare aims to develop novel drugs for autoimmune, inflammatory and ageing-related conditions that are safe enough for chronic use, especially by fragile populations.

Leman Biotech lemanbio.com/en Biotech Leman Biotech is a start-up that aims to develop and commercialise new metabolic cancer immunotherapies.

Lermed lermed.ch Diagnostics Lermed develops innovative assays (in vitro avatars and liquid biopsies) to stratify patients suffering from neurodegenerative and age-related diseases.

LifeDX lifedx.co Diagnostics LifeDX creates accurate and affordable diagnostics devices to help countries increase their healthcare quality and the efficacy of early diagnostics and prediction.

ludwigcancerresearch.org Research institute The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research branch in Lausanne is primarily dedicated to studying tumour immunology and designing and developing novel immunotherapies.

Med Discovery med-discovery.com Biotech Med Discovery is a biopharmaceutical company that's discovering and developing highly specific treatments by using a proprietary technology platform and producing protease inhibitors to treat urogenital cancers or other diseases.

MediCrops medicrops.ch Biotech MediCrops is a pharmaceutical company specialising in the production and processing of medicinal cannabis preparations containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Medilsys medilsys.com Digital health Medilsys provides hospitals with innovative clinical information systems and solutions to enhance care quality and financial performance, and facilitate clinical research.

85

Mhetra

Milian milian.com Lab equipment Milian distributes consumables and equipment from a wide range of well-known brands to research organisations specialising in the life sciences, agri-food and industry.

Mosaic NeuroSciences predict.net (parent company) Biotech Mosaic NeuroSciences develops new therapeutic solutions in the fields of neurology and neurodegenerative disorders, such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Mymetics mymetics.com Biotech Mymetics is a biotech company focusing on developing nextgeneration preventative vaccines for infectious diseases, such as HIV-1/AIDS, malaria and herpes simplex virus.

Directory

ND Biosciences

OCT Global

Orbis Medicines

nd-biosciences.com Biotech ND Biosciences develops next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics to prevent or reverse the pathological protein aggregation observed in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

oct-clinicaltrials.com CRO OCT is a contract research organisation that provides a full range of high-quality clinical trial services for phase 1–4 and bioequivalence studies.

orbismedicines.com Biotech Orbis Medicines is leveraging a computational platform to support the discovery, development and delivery of drug candidates for challenging targets.

Office de la Consommation (OFCO)

Otten Life Sciences Consulting

vd.ch (OFCO page) Government administration OFCO oversees consumer protection, supervises regulated economic activities and focuses on ensuring optimal drinking water supplies, compliance with hygiene regulation and fairness in commercial transactions.

olsc.ch Consulting Otten Life Sciences Consulting offers tailored services in the finance and healthcare industries for investors, shareholders and life sciences companies.

Online Control

pactt.ch Government administration PACTT is the technology transfer office of UNIL and CHUV, which manages all aspects of research commercialisation, partnership and collaboration and intellectual property.

Next Cut Barber's shop Next Cut is a unisex hairdresser located at Biopôle.

Novigenix novigenix.com Biotech Novigenix specialises in immunotranscriptomic solutions for cancer detection, therapy optimisation and cancer recurrence monitoring to improve disease management and patient outcomes.

Novostia novostia.com Medical devices Novostia is a privately held medical device company developing an innovative, lifelong artificial heart valve that does not require anticoagulation medication and that fits patients of any age, including children.

NOW* agence-now.ch Communication NOW* is a communications agency that works on creative, sustainable and responsible projects in a range of fields, from retail to NGOs.

onlinecontrol.ch Digital health Online Control develops software system products with partners for real-time optimisation, and advanced automatic control of industrial processes and machines.

Onward Therapeutics onward-therapeutics.com Biotech Onward Therapeutics is a development-stage oncology company focusing on identifying innovative technologies and developing breakthrough medicines for treating cancer.

Opna Bio opnabio.com Biotech Opna Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class therapies to disrupt immunosuppressive barriers in cancer cells.

86

PACTT Technology Transfer

Parithera parithera.com Diagnostics Parithera leverages liquid biopsy to provide a minimally invasive diagnostic that analyses cancer treatment resistance and allows clinicians to adjust treatment regimens.

PDC Therapeutics pdcbio.com Pharmaceuticals PDC Therapeutics is a clinicalstage biotech company developing smart nanomedicines for targeted therapies, using polymer-drug conjugate technology, that seek to provide cancer patients with an optimal therapeutic index.

Directory

PeriVision

Populous Bio

Resistell

perivision.io Medical devices PeriVision is developing a novel approach to glaucoma diagnosis and monitoring by combining AI and VR technology to provide patient-friendly, cost-efficient and faster visual field testing.

populusbio.com Biotech Populus Bio unlocks scientific and therapeutic potential. It complements originator teams with appropriate functional expertise, creating collective impact in biotech companies.

Physio Home Care

Purple Biotech

resistell.com Diagnostics Resistell offers a rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing method based on first-in-class nanomotion technology, for clinicians to find the right antibiotic on time and reduce the development of antibiotic resistance.

physiohomecare.ch Biotech Physio Home Care is a physiotherapy organisation working in rehabilitation/functional rehabilitation at home, developing innovative solutions to help patients access services.

purple-biotech.com Biotech Purple Biotech is a clinical-stage company focusing on developing first-in-class therapies to overcome tumour immune evasion and drug resistance.

Pilatus Biosciences

qarad.com Consulting Qarad offers expert regulatory consultancy services for in vitro diagnostics (IVD) and supports businesses with their efforts to implement quality management systems and organise performance studies.

pilatusbio.com Biotech Pilatus Biosciences develops anticancer antibody therapeutics and works in the fields of oncology, immunotherapy and neurodegenerative diseases.

Pollux Scientific pollux-sci.ch Biotech Pollux Scientific applies cuttingedge technology in molecular and applied biocatalysis, and synthetic biology research.

Qarad

Rachis Clinic rachis.clinic Healthcare The Rachis Clinic consists of an interdisciplinary team that takes an approach based on individual occupational therapy and physiotherapy treatment, and, if necessary, group postural reconditioning.

Radar RP radar-pr.ch Communication Radar RP provides healthcare and life sciences researchers with PR and communications services to get their messages across to a wide range of audiences: stakeholders, the general public and financial or business partners.

87

Roche Diagnostics Switzerland roche.ch Diagnostics Roche Diagnostics develops diagnostic tests, instruments and digital solutions, focusing on specific areas that include cancer immunotherapy, haemophilia and multiple sclerosis.

Roumai Medical roumaimed.com Biotech Roumai Medical specialises in regenerative medicine, developing tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBV) and electronic blood vessels (EBV), including an off-the-shelf TEBV that could transform the treatment of various vascular diseases.

SEED Biosciences seedbiosciences.com Medical devices SEED Biosciences provides innovative solutions for single-cell assays, including the DispenCell automated laboratory instrument, which is designed for fast, easy and gentle single-cell isolation.

SeedIMPULSE seedimpulse.ch Digital health SeedIMPULSE works in orthopaedics and medical software, providing innovative solutions such as the EZplan software platform to support orthopaedic surgeons as they plan joint replacement surgeries.

Directory

Siftlink

Swiss Post

siftlink.com Digital health Siftlink is a business intelligence platform combining AI and human experts to help its clients to get the insights and IP needed to accelerate their innovation processes and succeed in highly competitive markets.

post.ch Digital health Swiss Post is a trusted, singlesource supplier that provides digital solutions and managed services to connect all parties in the healthcare sector.

Testmate Health

Skyviews Life Science skyviewslifescience.com Finance Skyviews Life Science is a privately held advisory company specialising in precision health and longevity, which identifies investment opportunities at the growing interface between biotechnology, advanced nutrition and digital health.

SP Groups spgroups.ch Consulting SP Groups is an engineering consultancy firm that provides simple, pragmatic solutions and a comprehensive service to clients in the fine chemicals, biotech and pharmaceuticals sectors.

SULFISCON sulfiscon.ch Biotech Through research by SULFISCON’s three founders, the company is developing enzymatic allosteric modulators for use as drugs to treat pathological calcification disorders affecting the cardiovascular system, joint tissue and others.

Superlab Suisse superlabsuisse.com Real estate Superlab Suisse provides ready-to-move-in serviced laboratories to companies working in the biotech, pharmaceuticals and medtech industries that need private facilities.

Swiss Biobanking Platform swissbiobanking.ch Digital health SBP provides a coordination platform for biobanking in Switzerland, contributes to developing common biobanking practices and promotes access to, and sharing of, samples and data for research purposes.

Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics

testmatehealth.com Diagnostics Testmate Health is a medtech start-up developing a rapid at-home self-testing kit: a simple urine test for four common sexually transmitted diseases that provides results in minutes.

TheraME! besttherapyforme.com Biotech TheraME! uses microfluidic technology to rapidly determine the best cancer therapy options, personalised for each individual patient at any given point in time.

Tigen

sib.swiss Research institute SIB is a non-profit organisation that focuses on biological and biomedical data science, delivering its expertise to academic groups, clinicians and private companies.

tigenpharma.com Biotech Tigen bridges the gap between academia and commercially ready therapies in the field of cell and gene therapy by combining novel T-cell therapies and an innovative manufacturing platform to fight solid tumours.

Swiss Nutrition Health Foundation

Tridek-One

nutritionhealthfoundation.ch Nutrition SNHf is a non-profit organisation that focuses on all nutrients, micronutrients and natural bioactives, developing and deploying high-quality testing and research capabilities in the domains of nutrition, health and cosmetics.

88

tridekone.com Biotech Based on its founders’ groundbreaking research, Tridek-One is developing first-in-class CD31 checkpoint agonists for treating diverse autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

Directory

Unilabs

Vanarix

Vitruvian Shield

unilabs.ch Diagnostics Unilabs supplies clinical laboratory testing and medical diagnostic imaging services to private and public healthcare providers, local governments, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, and the general public.

vanarix-cartilage-regeneration.ch Biotech Vanarix is a clinical-stage start-up specialising in regenerative medicine, which aims to develop innovative and effective cellbased therapies, such as Cartibeads for treating articular cartilage damage.

vitruvianshield.com Digital health Vitruvian Shield is working to provide a multipurpose digital health platform for collecting biometric data sets to analyse, detect and prevent epileptic seizures.

Unisanté – DESS

Vaudoise Assurances

unisante.ch Healthcare Unisanté – DESS specialises in public health research in the fields of epidemiology, health systems and services, and statistics, among others.

vaudoise.ch Insurance Vaudoise Assurances provides life and non-life insurance services, mainly working with individuals, SMEs and the public sector.

Unisanté – DSTE

vivactis.ch Communication Vivactis Switzerland specialises in life sciences and healthcare communication, combining medical, scientific, marketing and communications skills to support customers with their local and international projects.

vidymed.ch Healthcare Vidy Med group comprises three medical centres that are open seven days a week at the service of the population of Lausanne.

unisante.ch Healthcare Unisanté – DSTE provides services to companies to support them in their health management projects in the fields of occupational medicine, occupational and environmental hygiene, ergonomics and health promotion.

URBAGESTION urbagestion.ch Facility management URBAGESTION specialises in property administration, facility management and urban governance, working with a large network of partners to obtain a rapid and comprehensive overview of the market.

Vaccine Formulation Institute vaccineformulationinstitute.org Pharmaceuticals VFI is a non-profit organisation that provides adjuvants, vaccine formulations, expertise and technologies on an open-access basis to prevent diseases across the globe.

Vidy Med

VirdisGroup virdisgroup.com Consulting VirdisGroup provides executive search, talent acquisition and recruitment services for the life sciences industry.

VitalizeDx vitalizedx.com Diagnostics The international team of biotechnologists at VitalizeDx has developed an innovative salivary testing service to provide users with accurate bio-fingerprinting, app-based access to results and a tailor-made well-being plan.

89

Vivactis Switzerland

Voltiris voltiris.com Environmental Voltiris leverages greenhouse structures through solar panel design to produce electricity without affecting agricultural yield, thus enabling owners to maintain profitability while fostering energy independence.

Volumina Medical volumina-medical.ch Medical devices Volumina Medical works in the field of regenerative medicine and reconstructive and plastic surgery, focusing specifically on addressing soft tissue loss in breast cancer patients.

Volv Global volv.global Digital health Volv Global is a digital health and life sciences company that applies AI to healthcare to help clinicians to characterise and diagnose rare diseases.

90

Biopôle SA's dynamic team focuses on creating an environment in which companies and employees can prosper by collaborating within the Biopôle community and beyond. From left to right: Laurence, Olivier P, Olivier R, Lucie, Maram, Pierre-Jean, Emanuela and Nasri.

91