News
20 Years of Pioneering Partnerships for Patient Impact: Building an Organization for Collaboration
In 2026, Lygature marks 20 years of pioneering partnerships for patient impact. As part of our anniversary year, we are sharing a series of stories highlighting the partnerships, initiatives, and expertise that have shaped our organization and contributed to health innovation over the past two decades. This story focuses on how Lygature was formed and how the organization evolved to support complex collaborations in health innovation.
Lygature’s story began before the name Lygature existed. In 2006 and 2007, two major Dutch public–private initiatives were launched: Top Institute Pharma (TI Pharma) and the Center for Translational Molecular Medicine (CTMM). Together, these organizations laid the foundation for large-scale collaboration in health innovation in the Netherlands and ultimately for what would become Lygature.
TI Pharma was created to stimulate public–private partnerships in pharmaceutical research and accelerate the development of new medicines. Its research agenda was inspired in part by the World Health Organization report Priority Medicines for Europe and the World (2004), which was commissioned by the Dutch government in preparation for its presidency of the EU Council. The report identified key areas where pharmaceutical innovation was most needed. The program led to significant scientific and economic results, as described in the final report New Tracks to Medicines.
At the same time, CTMM focused on translational research — bridging the gap between scientific discovery and clinical practice. It was the first partnership to successfully integrate two converging fields of research: molecular diagnostics and imaging with an initial focus on cardiovascular disease, and oncology. Its results, summarized in the report Translating Science into Better Healthcare, demonstrate how this approach accelerated the translation of scientific discoveries into clinical practice.
Together, TI Pharma and CTMM not only advanced research but also established a model for large-scale collaboration that continues to shape health innovation today.
One organization bridging Pharma and MedTech
As healthcare innovation evolved, the boundaries between pharmaceuticals, medical technology, diagnostics, and data began to blur. The increasing interdependence of medicines and medical technology created the need for a single organization capable of bridging disciplines and managing increasingly complex collaborations.
In 2014, during the closing phase of the TI Pharma program, TI Pharma and CTMM announced their intention to merge into one organization. The new organization, named Lygature, was officially launched in January 2016 — a transition further reflected in this interview and in this news article.
By combining the strengths of both organizations, Lygature brought together expertise in drug development, diagnostics, medical technology, and translational research, positioning itself as an independent organization specialized in designing, managing, and strengthening public–private partnerships in health innovation.
European recognition as a research organization
Over the years, Lygature’s role evolved from managing national programs to coordinating complex European and international collaborations. This development was formally recognized in 2025, when the European Commission validated Lygature as a research organization, underscoring its involvement in 35 European projects representing more than €1 billion in collaborative research.
This milestone reflects not only growth in activities, but also demonstrates Lygature’s expertise in managing complex, multi-partner research and innovation programs at the European level.
An organization built to make partnerships work
From its origins in national public–private research programs to its current role in European and global collaborations, Lygature has developed into an organization with in-depth expertise across pharma, MedTech, global health, and data-driven innovation — applying this knowledge to design and manage multi-stakeholder partnerships that address complex healthcare challenges.
Hugo Hurts, member of the Lygature Board and closely involved in its early development, reflects on this evolution:
“From the government perspective I represented, it was clear that addressing complex healthcare challenges would require strong collaboration between public and private partners. When the opportunity arose, initiatives like TI Pharma and CTMM laid the foundation for this approach. Over the past 20 years, Lygature has built on these foundations to become a solid part of the infrastructure needed to support successful innovation in the life sciences & health sector — not only in the Netherlands, but also in Europe and beyond.”
Lygature’s history and evolution are further explored in this podcast episode with Managing Director, Jorg Janssen.
As Lygature marks its 20-year anniversary this year, the organization continues to build on the foundations laid by TI Pharma and CTMM — supporting partnerships that drive innovation, strengthen ecosystems, and ultimately improve healthcare for patients.
This article is part of Lygature’s 20-year anniversary story series, celebrating two decades of pioneering partnerships for patient impact. As part of this anniversary year, join us on Thursday, 2 July, for our annual stakeholder event, Lygature LIVE, where the program will connect past achievements with future collaboration in health innovation.