For a small country such as Sweden, biotechnology, which accounts for 20% of Sweden’s net exports, occupies an important place in the Swedish economy. With a host of some of the world’s top research scientists calling Sweden home and working in such prestigious spots as the Karolinska Institute, this Nordic country has an established reputation in cutting-edge innovative drug work that generates valuable IP and helps reduce disease worldwide. For example, Losec (Omeprazole), an ulcer medicine developed by the Swedish pharmaceutical company Astra AB (now AstraZeneca), was the world’s best-selling drug in the 1990s. Also, in Aktiebolaget Hassle (Astra) v Alphapharm Pty Limited [2002] HCA 59 (the “Losec case”), the High Court overturned a decision of the Full Federal Court after finding that Astra’s formulation patent relating to a method for manufacturing a stable preparation containing the active ingredient omeprazole was inventive (i.e. it was not obvious to try the combination cited in the patent).
An excellent exampe of how committed Sweden is to their biotech industry is SwedenBIO, a trade association that was formed to help innovative biotech companies succeed. SwedenBIO was founded in May 2002 by the CEOs of seven leading Swedish life science companies: Amersham Biosciences (now GE Healthcare), Active Biotech, Biovitrum (now SOBI), Karo Bio, Medivir, Melacure Therapeutics and Pharmacia Diagnostics (now Thermo Fisher). These companies found that there was a lack of a common forum and network for life science issues.
Members of SwedenBIO are active in areas where IP rights often give businesses a competitive edge, such as the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology and/or medical technology and diagnostics. With more than 200 member companies, which together have more than 15,000 employees, SwedenBIO plays a significant role for the industry.
SwedenBIO interacts regularly with senior decision-and opinion-makers in order to maximize the potential of life science and innovation in Sweden. Late last year, the Swedish government responded to industry requests with a US$320 million package of financial support designed to spur fresh translational efforts and clinical research support. The biotech cash is part of a US$1.7 billion investment the government is making in research and innovation over a four-year period.
Given that many of the industry’s issues are international, SwedenBIO is also a member of EuropaBio and BIO, America’s equivalent of EuropaBio. In addition, SwedenBIO markets Swedish companies through international congresses and fairs, such as Bio Partnering Europe. In October 2013, SwedenBIO will host the Nordic Life Science Days meeting, which will have a Nordic perspective and be located in Stockholm (http://www.nlsdays.com).