Faster and more innovative therapies for patients thanks to the unique ecosystem of the Leiden Bio Science Park
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The Netherlands faces several challenges. We want people to live longer in good health, while at the same time healthcare costs continue to rise every year. In short, pressure on the healthcare system is increasing. Marlies Reinders, portfolio holder of the Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP) within the LUMC Executive Board, explains: “Addressing these challenges requires close collaboration between strong knowledge institutions, healthcare providers and companies.” When asked how this collaboration works in practice, she says: “At the LUMC we conduct research into various diseases and potential new treatments. Because the LUMC is part of the LBSP ecosystem, the partners we need to bring these solutions to patients more quickly are, quite literally, our neighbours.”
In the picture: Marlies Reinders
Clinical impact
The path to clinical impact consists of several steps, from fundamental research to making innovations available on the market. Fundamental research helps us better understand how diseases develop and how they work. We do this, for example, using patient material or available data. With this information, preclinical tests can be set up. These tests may use animal models and advanced techniques such as organ-on-a-chip or disease-on-a-chip, in which cells, tissues, organs or disease models are accurately replicated on a small scale.
After this, clinical studies can begin, including first-in-human tests in which new medicines or vaccines are tested in people. When clinical studies are successfully completed, the development of the production process follows, focusing on scaling up and quality assurance. The final step is bringing the innovation to market.
LUMC staff work with great dedication together with partners at the LBSP on every step in this chain. Reinders highlights the importance of strong collaboration inside and outside the park: “We are part of a larger whole, in which every employee contributes something unique. At every stage we work together with LBSP partners. For example, we conduct research in leading research facilities, use the expertise of the Centre for Human Drug Research for human studies and work with companies to bring innovations to the market more quickly. We also collaborate closely with other bioscience parks and academic hospitals.”
Cure One
A clear example of what strong collaboration can achieve is the new centre Cure One, which accelerates the treatment and prevention of type 1 diabetes using regenerative medicine. In the Netherlands, more than 100,000 people have this diagnosis. Worldwide, this is estimated at around 9.5 million people. This internationally leading preclinical and clinical research centre brings together knowledge, experience, infrastructure and facilities to make real impact for patients. Professor Eelco de Koning will give an inaugural lecture on this topic at Leiden University on 9 February, which can be followed via livestream.
Strengthening our position
Investment in red biotechnology (medicines, vaccines and advanced technologies) is essential to stay at the forefront and to bring more and faster innovations to patients. This was recently emphasised in the Wennink Report. The report states that such investments could strengthen the economy, create 20,000 high-quality jobs and make innovations available to patients more quickly.
The LBSP has developed into a place where innovations can reach patients faster, talent can grow, and new companies can scale up into major players. In the coming years, we will continue to strengthen our position to stay at the top nationally and internationally.
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