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Lygature LIVE 2025: Creating Ripples Through Collaboration
On 19 March 2025, Lygature hosted its stakeholder event, Lygature LIVE, at Villa Jongerius in Utrecht. This year's theme was ‘Impact’, with the afternoon dedicated to exploring how partnerships influence society and global health.
Lygature's Managing Director, Jorg Janssen, opened the event by sharing the recent milestone of the first rollout of a new pediatric treatment for Schistosomiasis, developed by the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, a partnership co-founded and coordinated by Lygature for over a decade.
To illustrate Lygature's role in this success, Jorg used the metaphor of a drop creating ripples in water, symbolizing Lygature’s efforts to create lasting impact on health and society. As he put it: “It is all about the ripple we create through our work at Lygature.”
Setting the Theme: Impact
Vera Nies, Program Manager at Lygature, introduced the central theme of the event: Impact. She explained how public-private partnerships have evolved over the years, resulting in increasing complexity and multi-level impact. An audience poll showed that perceptions of impact vary widely. As Vera noted: “Impact is in the eye of the beholder.”
Exploring Impact Through Collaboration
In the first talk of the afternoon, Thera Max-Mos, Head of the National Clinical Trial Office at the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO), emphasized the importance of networks in the regulatory field, and in clinical trials in particular. The aim of the CCMO is to protect trial participants by balancing scientific progress with patient safety.
Thera highlighted the work of the Regulatory Science Network Netherlands (RSNN), a stakeholder network coordinated by Lygature. She pointed to concrete outcomes, such as the National Action Plan for Clinical Research, and the importance of collaboration in the clinical trial regulatory space.
Thera Max-MosWhen all stakeholders are together, you step out of your bubble and get a better overview of challenges and solutions.
Patient Involvement in Drug Discovery and Development
The value of involving patients in the drug discovery and development process was the focus of a duo presentation by Heleen Knottnerus (Diabetes Association Netherlands and EUPATI fellow) and Laurence Maes (Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine). Laurence explained how patient involvement has shifted from being an afterthought to a central pillar in research, bringing better science, reduced costs, and improved outcomes.
Heleen added that consistent patient involvement still faces hurdles, such as a lack of shared understanding and doubts about effectiveness. To address this, the Dutch Association Innovative Medicines (VIG) asked Lygature to explore a way to support a sustainable collaboration between patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies in the Netherlands. As an independent facilitator, Lygature plays a crucial role in building trust and integrating co-creation in drug discovery. In Heleen's words: “When we do patient involvement well, it makes research better.”
Measuring Impact on Cancer Research
Chris de Jonghe, Valorization Director at Oncode Institute, shared how Oncode measures its impact on cancer research through Key Performance Area's (KPAs), combined with storytelling. These tools help Oncode Institute track and communicate its contributions to understanding cancer and translating research, to realize breakthroughs in cancer diagnostics and treatments.
Chris also credited Lygature’s pivotal role in Oncode Institute's early development, from program management to strategic planning. “You can only achieve the next breakthrough through collaboration across disciplines and institutions,” Chris said.
Funding Impactful Research
Hugh Laverty, Head of Scientific Operations at the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), presented IHI’s project portfolio, more than 20 of which have involved Lygature. He showcased several projects that have led to advances in areas such as pediatric cancer, autism, antimicrobial resistance, and tuberculosis, while also strengthening Europe’s innovation landscape.
In his talk, Hugh emphasized the importance of continually demonstrating the impact of health research, especially in today's political and economic climate.
Hugh LavertyIn a changing world where resources are under enormous strain, we must be relentless in explaining the value of research to society.
Lygature’s Ripple Effect
The speakers at Lygature LIVE 2025 reflected the diversity of Lygature’s partnerships and the various ways they impact the health landscape. The talks inspired lively discussions that continued into the networking dinner.
Fittingly, the event concluded with the launch of Lygature’s first Impact Report. This report applies an externally validated model to assess Lygature’s impact and features stories that demonstrate how Lygature's partnerships deliver tangible results and contribute to meaningful societal change.
We would like to thank all speakers and participants for making Lygature LIVE a success. We look forward to welcoming you again next year!