SWEDEN

Invest in Sweden Agency

Address (visit): World Trade Center, Klarabergsviadukten 70, B6

Address (post): P.O. Box 90, SE-101 Stockholm, Sweden

Phone: +46 8402 78 00

Fax: +46 8402 78 78

Web site: www.isa.se

Contact: Ylva Williams, Head of Life Science

Industry Overview

• Sweden is home to Europe’s fourth-largest biotech industry, with more than 230 companies.
• Sweden’s biotech industry has a high focus on human healthcare with 100 firms developing new medical drugs and 50 in biotech supply/tool providers.
• Sweden boasts a track record in drug development and medical technology that dates back more than forty years.
• The drug development pipeline is one of Europe’s strongest. Major therapeutic categories are cancer-related conditions and metabolic, neurologic and respiratory disorders. Focus on small molecules, due to research traditions established by Astra and Pharmacia.
• The largest biotech firms – Biovitrum, GE Healthcare and Phadia – each employ more than 500 people in Sweden. The majority of firms however are small, employing less than 50 staff each.
• The major biotech clusters are found in the Stockholm-Uppsala, Göteborg and Lund/Malmö regions. Stockholm-Uppsala is home to more than 50 percent of firms.
• In all, Sweden’s life science sector employs more than 40,000 staff, with pharmaceuticals companies such as AstraZeneca and medical device manufacturers such as Elekta, Gambro, Getinge and Mölnlycke Health Care

Business climate

Sweden boasts one of the world’s most competitive, internationalized and best-performing economies, as evidenced by numerous independent studies. There is a strong focus on R&D –

Sweden spends more on R&D in relation to GDP than any other nation.

A national strategy for biotechnology is in place since 2004. The strategy includes a wide range of specific measures to strengthen Sweden’s scientific research base, improve business environment competitiveness and render commercialization more effective. Notably, the government is committed to increasing government-financed research to one percent of GDP by 2008; has committed new funds for pre-seed and seed project financing; and will significantly increase resources to assist industry internationalization and commercialization.

University/industry cooperation is frequent and pragmatic, and a cornerstone for biomedical industry growth in Sweden. University tech transfer units, angel investor networks and commercialization support organizations bridge academic and commercial spheres and facilitate the early stages of commercialization. Domestic and international VC funds dedicated to biotech and life sciences are present. Some 20 biotech firms are listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

Regulation and policy

For many years, leading pharmaceutical companies have turned to Sweden for its ability to deliver valid clinical data, rapidly and cost-effectively. Today, more than 30 of the largest drug companies perform clinical trials in Sweden. All of the world’s best-selling drugs have been tested on Swedish patients during clinical development.

Sweden’s regulatory authority, the Medical Products Agency (MPA), is Europe’s most frequently used regulatory authority, under both centralized and mutual recognition procedures. The MPA is also the pharmaceutical industry’s preferred investigative authority. Swedish clinical data is recognized by leading drug regulatory agencies in the US

Events

BioTech Forum Annual fair, hosted in Stockholm in September. Organized by Stockholm International Fairs.

Scandinavian Life Science Venture Day Annual event organized by Sweden Bio, the industry association.

About Invest in Sweden Agency

Invest in Sweden Agency (ISA) is the government agency responsible for promoting business and investment opportunities in Sweden. Companies planning to establish or expand operations in Sweden can, free of charge, obtain information and assistance from ISA and its regional and international network. ISA has offices in Sweden, China, Japan and North America and representatives in Denmark, Germany, India, South Korea, Taiwan and the UK.

Additional information

Invest in Sweden Agency

 Sweden Bio, the Swedish national biotech industry association