We are the trail of stones

André Hofmann, deputy­chairman of the board of ­biosaxony e.V., the national association for biotechnology, medical technology and the healthcare industry, and Dr Ronny Schulz, project manager for the City of Leipzig's biotechnology and healthcare industry cluster, say: "We often feel like a kind of construction brigade for innovation.

We met the two and other Leipzig innovators to find out more about their smart medicine activities.

„We are also building a new ‚power plant‘ for the future“ in Leipzig and in the Central German mining district, says Hofmann. Important partners here are SpinLab, which has been recognised as a top accelerator in Europe, and its cooperation partner, the Leipzig Graduate School of Management (HHL), as well as the biosaxony accelerator „MEDICAL FORGE“ and the Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery (ICCAS) ideas incubator at the University of Leipzig Medical School (UML). In addition, there is a broad coalition of support from business, research, healthcare, politics and society.

Actively ­counteracting the shortage of skilled labour

One topic that is currently being actively tackled in the East is the shortage of skilled labour. Talking instead of doing doesn't help," says Hofmann. That is why, under the aegis of biosaxony, two and a half people from outside the industry are being retrained as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) operators for cell and gene therapy. The concept is an initial trial run, but can be scaled up to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical industry.

Specialists are urgently needed at the interface between medical informatics and clinical data management. Central Germany is also taking a cooperative approach here: regional colleges and universities are training medical data managers and clinical integration consultants and offering qualification programmes for digitalisation in medicine. The Leipzig branch of Lancaster University advertises with tailor-made, newly established international bachelor's and master's degree programmes in data science and cyber security.

Promoting innovation – through networking and expertise

This basic idea of active networking and cooperation also runs through the work of the ICCAS. Together with international industry partners, application-oriented medical technology research and development is realised here.

Companies that only have limited development capacities or are planning new R&D projects turn to us,

explains Prof Dr Thomas Neumuth from ICCAS.

The ICCAS is currently actively researching the design of smart medicine for the hospital of the future. This includes, for example, analysing 6G applications in collaboration with clinical partners. However, their expertise in the area of regulatory, technical and legal framework conditions is also conducive to innovation, as Prof. Dr Neumuth ­emphasises. Neumuth ­emphasises: „Through medical device certification, companies can use our project results for their own ­products without any effort.“                  

Strong region with international appeal

But what about the perennial topic of ­financing? „Here we take a pragmatic approach“, says Eric Weber from SpinLab. The ­Accelerator recently launched the early-stage ­fund „Smart Infrastructure Ventures“ with a volume of around EUR 14 million. biosaxony is following suit and is driving forward the establishment of a life sciences-oriented VC fund of EUR 60 million to EUR 80 million for the region. On the other hand, MEDICAL FOUNDRY, a cooperation between biosaxony and Sächsische Beteiligungsgesellschaft, will provide three start-ups with EUR 300,000 subordinated loans each year from mid-2023 to facilitate the first entrepreneurial steps. „We are seeing that we are increasingly attracting international investors or globally active companies such as adesso SE, which has just invested in the health start-up eCovery, for example,“ says Hofmann. „International investors are looking for regional leaders“

The tackling mentality is also reflected in the way the bureaucracy has been adapted to the needs of innovation promotion. „Here in Leipzig, we are driving down approval and processing times“, said Dr Schulz. The Free State of Saxony is constantly investing in its administration and hiring staff in a targeted manner in its licensing authorities. „In addition, there are people at every corner of our large construction site who form an agile team," say Dr Schulz and Hofmann. For start-ups and SMEs, there is an SME programme in which Leipzig companies can receive up to EUR 70,000 in funding, e.g. for approvals and certifications.

Active guides for legal issues

The official mould is running rampant throughout Europe: medical device manufacturers are currently confronted with new EU regulations, the Medical Device Regulation (MDR). Under the umbrella of biosaxonys, a regulatory service has therefore been created in Leipzig, which relieves the burden on start-ups and SMEs in particular by taking over the regulatory functions, including the position of the „Person Responsible for Regulatory Compliance“. A central service unit also brings together the expertise from many of the companies it supports - so companies can be helped quickly and competently.

Building for a smart future

An important component of the power plant is the biosaxony accelerator MEDICAL FORGE. Every year, it accompanies eight selected (inter)national companies through the Swiss innovation landscape. It provides support with regulatory issues, reimbursement in the German healthcare system and the implementation of innovations in healthcare. A cooperative network of healthcare providers, companies such as B. Braun and HP as well as numerous other partners and supporters are on hand to provide active support on all issues.

Many of the international MEDICAL-­FORGE participants want to stay in the region afterwards, which brings with it new challenges. Fortunately, the construction brigade is already active here too: in the next three years, around 60,000 square metres of laboratory and office space will go on the market on the BioCity ­Campus. Leipzig and the Free State of Saxony are investing EUR 62 million in the conversion of the former exhibition hall 12 into a 14,000 m² technology centre on the BioCity Campus. Close to the city centre and in the direct vicinity of BIO CITY LEIPZIG, the university hospital and veterinary medicine, a further science campus with approx. 275,000 m² of usable space is being created. And right next to the SpinLab, Hall 7 of the former cotton mill is being converted into a digital hub for EUR 19 million – 6,000 m², which is intended in particular for e-health start-ups. Smart medicine can come – to ­Leipzig and Saxony.

Smart medicine and the future of health – on and off the beaten track

The people of Leipzig seem to be emulating the film heroes. But it's not just the innovation powerhouse that is being built. One of the most famous scenes in "Trail of Stones" is the march of the Balla Brigade. The craftsmen run with spring in their step to the town's market square and celebrate their successes there. The people of Leipzig also know how to do this: on the BioCity Campus, there are regular after-work get-togethers where students and colleagues from the institutes and companies meet for a relaxed exchange of ideas.

On 10 and 11 May 2023, the Construction Brigade and the City of Leipzig will also welcome 500 guests from Germany and abroad to the Future Health Experience, a live event where smart medicine will be presented to touch and marvel at. With a Leipzig flair and in the spirit of Saxon conviviality.

The article appeared in the current issue „Smarte Medizin 1/23“ of Plattform Life Sciences, which you can download here as an e-magazine n.

Article from "goingpublic.de - Das Kapitalmarkt-Portal" from 21 March 2023