Dutch Association Innovative Medicines, Task Force Health Care, Health~Holland, NSBO and the Dutch Embassy in Washington look back on a successful 4-day study trip to Boston.
The visits to the eight companies and healthcare institutions were very significant for the trip. Among were both large (Pfizer, Sanofi-Genzyme) and smaller (Sarepta Therapeutics, Lysosomal Therapeutics and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals) companies. However, the visit to MIT Hacking Medicine Particularly was particularly special. Students gave an insight into their methodology to deal with problems in health care and to offer solutions.
One day was spent at the BIO Conference, the largest biotechnology congress in the world. Delegation leader Hans Schikan (Chairman a.i. Topsector Life Sciences & Healthcare) was very enthusiastic about the trip and the collective company visits.
The highlight for Schikan was the meeting with Travis McCready, Director of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, which facilitates the local life sciences hub. According to McCready, the Netherlands, like Boston, has all the products to realize a top biotech ecosystem. ‘McCready praised our companies, top universities, academic hospitals and research institutes, current scientific talent and our active government that facilitates life sciences. Even the European Medicines Authority EMA will establish itself in the Netherlands from March 2019. If an organisation of that caliber has great confidence in the Netherlands as an attractive location for biotech companies, then we are on the right track. ‘
Source: Dutch Association Innovatie Medicines
