News
Lygature congratulates Biotech Booster, Oncode-PACT and PharmaNL
The Dutch government invests €651 million in the life sciences & health-sector in the second round of the National Growth Fund.[1] The National Growth Fund was launched in 2020 to strengthen the earning power of the Netherlands. The Fund invests together with initiators in projects that generate sustainable economic growth on the long term. In various ways, Lygature is connected with the granted projects funded in our sector.
Biotech Booster: boosting the Dutch biotech ecosystem
Within the Biotech Booster, researchers and entrepreneurs build proposals together, making knowledge and expertise from both available simultaneously. Support is customized such that proposals have the best chance of making maximum economic and social impact. The idea and team are given time and space to grow resulting in new products and new entrepreneurs. Once an idea is robust enough, the entrepreneurs involved support the team in finding partners, for further growth through a startup or as part of an existing company.
Biotech Booster receives an investment impulse of up to €246 million, of which €50 million for the first phase, and a conditional allocation of €196 million for the remainder of the term. It thus makes a concrete contribution to societal impact and biotechnological innovations that make life better. Lygature has expressed its support for the Biotech Booster.
Oncode-PACT: accelerating preclinical cancer drug development
The development of a drug takes an average of ten to fifteen years, from the time of the first scientific insights to the time when patients have access to it. Too often, at the end of this lengthy development process, the drug candidate is not effective enough or does not reach the right patient for other reasons. Oncode-PACT aims to provide solutions to these problems through employing artificial intelligence, organoids and data and tissue from patient cohorts.
The National Growth Fund is investing a total of €325 million in Oncode-PACT's plan, of which €164 million is conditional, to accelerate the preclinical development process for cancer medications. With this funding, Oncode-PACT will develop valuable candidate cancer drugs more quickly and cheaply and thus get them to patients sooner. This improves the quality of life of cancer patients and strengthens the future economic earning capacity of the Netherlands. The Oncode Institute, a strategic alliance of Lygature, provides a launching platform for Oncode-PACT.
PharmaNL: investing in infrastructure and human capital for development and availability of essential medicines
PharmaNL is going to invest in the infrastructure and human capital needed for the development and availability of essential medicines. The conditional allocation of €80 million means a major boost for new activity within the pharmaceutical sector. This is an important precondition for both innovative therapy development and innovations in drug production technologies. PharmaNL also contributes to an increase in the production of medicines on Dutch soil and the attractiveness of the pharmaceutical investment climate in the Netherlands. Lygature is closely collaborating with the initiators to turn the PharmaNL vision into action.
[1] Government earmarks €5 billion for sustainable economic growth and future prosperity | English | Nationaal Groeifonds