Biotechnology is one of the key economic goals included it in the Responsible Development Strategy, which the Polish government has been putting into practice for several months now.
Always up to date with the newest trends, Impact Research Hub teamed up with Polpharma, Roche, Pfizer, Selvita and Polski Ośrodek Rozwoju Technologii (PORT) to create an in-depth study of the current state of the biotechnology industry in Poland, with a particular focus on innovative therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and other related technologies. The report analyses challenges that Polish researchers and innovators are currently facing, as well as unique opportunities waiting ahead. It also provides a list of recommendations for the development of the Polish biotech ecosystem.
While biotechnology is relatively young in Poland, it’s steadily developing. The report is optimistic about Poland being able to build a vibrant industry, strong enough to compete with global players.
Want to know why? Below, we’ve prepared a quick roundup just to whet your appetite. Follow this link to download the full report!
First, let’s take a look at the potential we have.
Polish research groups are part of multinational projects in genomics, epigenetics, or molecular and structural biology of RNA. Their strengths lie mainly in bioinformatics and neuroscience, which gives Poland a great opportunity to establish itself as a leader in using AI for drug discovery as well as in neurotechnology.
The efforts of scientists and innovators are certainly being recognised and appreciated. Over the last decade, the Polish government has been investing more and more in applied sciences. Over one-third of the funded enterprises was related to drug discovery and developing cancer, cardiovascular and CNS disorders treatments. Such projects are of great interest to global pharmaceutical companies and create opportunities for cooperation.
This, however, might be stunted due to a very limited access to industry-grade laboratories. Even though a lot of R&D facilities and equipment have been funded in recent years, they are working at full capacity, and those located within universities are mostly inaccessible, too.
Another challenge is the lack of early series A funding and private equity investors. Most Polish investors are seed-stage investors, mainly supporting medical devices companies and reluctant towards riskier investments, such as small molecule drugs development.
To sum up, the report point to several critical requirements for building a thriving biotech industry. These include creating an effective mechanism for translating scientific discoveries into innovative products or services, an adequate financing ecosystem, and an industrial capacity to clinically test and scale up production and sales of new solutions.
To do that, the creators of the report give recommendations for a Virtual Research Institute (WIB). Its primary function should be to address the big, fundamental questions within the life sciences, thus leading to creating novel know-how and world-class innovations. Apart from that, the WIB should develop a robust startup formation support system and become the platform for startups to showcase Polish biotech excellence to the industry and investors worldwide.
