Umeå is strengthening its position as a life science hub thanks to two regional development projects receiving around €1.8 million (22 SEK million) in EU support. These projects aim to boost innovation, collaboration, and industry growth.
“This presents an opportunity to further elevate Umeå’s standing as a life science leader,” emphasizes Peter Jacobsson, Operations Coordinator at Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI).
Mattias Forsell, Johan Normark and Julia Wigren Byström, the founders of the UBI Alumni Xerum AB, have been awarded Umeå University’s and Nordea’s Innovation Prize for utilisation 2024. This is for the successful COVID-19 research conducted by a clinician, a preclinical researcher, and a biomedical analyst.
Maréne Landström, a professor of pathology at Umeå University, was named Sweden’s Cancer Researcher of the Year for 2024. Her groundbreaking research is currently being developed into a cancer treatment by the company MetaCurUm Biotech AB, which is gearing up to raise new capital for its next phase.
“MetaCurUm is aiming to secure around 100 million SEK, with substantial interest already shown by institutional investors in Sweden and Europe”, says, CEO Maarten de Château.
Mucocort AB has received approval from the Swedish Medical Products Agency and the Ethics Review Board to commence a clinical trial of an intraoral patch (M045A) for the treatment of aphthous stomatitis, a condition affecting approximately 2 percent of the population and causing frequent mouth ulcers with significant pain for affected patients.
“We are pleased to soon be ready to welcome our first patient to the trial,” says Jean Lycke, project manager for Mucocort AB.
SpinChem joins the Enzyme Technology Alliance – a group of six trailblazing European companies, collaborating to bring competitive solutions for the biotech industry to market at scale.
“In the Alliance, we can tackle complex challenges and offer solutions previously unimaginable”, says Emil Byström, CEO of SpinChem.
APL (Apotek Production & Laboratorier AB) is committing 40 million SEK to establish a new sterile pharmaceutical production line at its Umeå site. This strategic move is both a response to new manufacturing regulations and an enhancement of the plant’s output capabilities, including acquiring new machinery and constructing additional facilities.
“The dynamic environment in Umeå is perfectly suited for our growth,” says Erik Haeffler, CEO of APL, to UBI.
Lab companies often visit Umeå one at a time. That’s why Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) organizes the Umeå Lab Fair on the 25th of April, featuring 18 participating companies.
“By bringing everyone together on the same occasion, we create added value for exhibitors and visitors”, says Christin Grundström, Laboratory and Community Manager at UBI.
SpinChem triumphed at the Umeå Gala on Thursday, clinching the ‘University Spin-Off of the Year’ award.
“It gives the whole team a boost of motivation,” commented CEO Emil Byström.
Diamyd Medical actively expands its workforce in Umeå, focusing on recruiting individuals with key competencies.
”The production of the technical batches is ongoing and we are scaling up our workforce accordingly”, says Martin Linhult, CMC Lead.
The magazine about the Life Science Umeå Job Fair includes:
* Interviews with all 18 participating companies.
* A Map of Life Science Umeå.
* Guide to how to stay tuned about the industry in Umeå.
* Stories & News from now and then about Life Science Umeå.
* A chronicle by Peter Jacobsson, Operations Coordinator at UBI.
Life science has become a priority growth target for Umeå Municipality, strategically encouraging life science companies to establish themselves in the region.
“The goal is for an organization with at least 500 employees to set up operations here. We already have the infrastructure needed to make us attractive to larger companies”, says Peter Juneblad, Business Director at Umeå Municipality.
The Financial Times has recognized Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) as one of “Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs”.
“This is an acknowledgment that our efforts are competitive, even globally,” says Peter Jacobsson, UBI’s operation coordinator.
Fredrik Almqvist and Marta Bally have been appointed as the new Directors of UCMR, the hub for microbial infection research at Umeå University. Their forward agenda includes enhancing collaboration with clinical research and establishing Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) labs for both in vitro and in vivo experiments.
“To stay at the forefront and recruit the best researchers, it’s crucial to have modern BSL-3 labs,” says Fredrik Almqvist.
Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) is inviting academic researchers and life science companies to meet and collaborate at its new ‘Open up for Innovation’ event on the 27th of February.
“We have world-class research being conducted at Umeå University and internationally successful companies based in town. Now we’re gathering 100 bright minds under one roof to stimulate innovation”, says Andreas Lindberg and Lisandro Bernardo, business coaches at UBI and initiators of the event.
SweTree Technologies is expanding. The company is currently seeking two new employees to complete a world-unique pilot for the industrial production of spruce seedlings using Somatic Embryogenesis (SE) technology.
”By 2025, the plan is to start building a factory capable of producing 20 million seedlings per year, and we’re now strengthening our team to prepare for this next phase”, says CEO Christofer Réhn.
Helén Fält, CEO of UBI-supported QureTech Bio AB, is busier than ever.
Pernilla Wikström, Professor at the Department of Medical Biosciences at Umeå universitet, and one of the founders and owners of UBI-supported Phenotype Diagnostics, has received 10 million Swedish kronor from the Cancer Research Foundation in Northern Sweden (Cancerforskningsfonden i Norrland) for her research on prostate cancer.
Restoring natural ecosystems in mining disturbed landscapes is a crucial yet complex process. A groundbreaking Swedish initiative, which employs moss to accelerate this restoration, is now being heralded as a potential game changer for the global mining industry.
“If it turns out as well as expected, it could set a new standard for the mining industry”, says VAST’s CEO, Matt Baida, about the Vinnova and mining industry financed project, initiated by Daniel Pacurar, Founder and Executive Chairman of Boreal Orchards AB, and featuring four major mining companies, VAST AB and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).
The Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) is set to significantly expand its operations in Umeå this spring after announcing plans to hire around 20 new employees to the CBRN Defence and Security department.
“We’ve got growing pains! There is an increased need to strengthen the defence research due to the changing global security situation and politics regarding national defence policies”, says Susanne W Lindström, Head of the Chemical Threat and Effect Assessments Unit in Umeå.
The “Beat-PFAS” project aims to develop an effective solution for removing and destroying PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from contaminated soil and water. The Umeå based company SpinChem AB is set to play a crucial role in this initiative, funded by Formas, a Swedish government research council dedicated to sustainable development, with a grant of SEK 19.9 million.