HEADLINES
Are rare disease patients getting the innovation and treatments they need?
Building on the 15th anniversary since the adoption of the Orphan Medicines Regulation, this conference - jointly organised by EuropaBio & EFPIA, aims at illustrating the therapeutic advances made possible by the EU framework and at discussing current challenges for rare diseases patients. Join Françoise Grossetête and Philippe de Backer MEPs. 4 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER
Telling the story of European biotech
Since 2013, the European Biotech Week has celebrated biotechnology, an innovative and vibrant sector launched by the discovery of the DNA molecule back in 1953. The third edition of this week-long series of events will take place between 12-18 October 2015 across Europe. No matter if your knowledge of biotech is vast or near to nothing, there really is something for everyone during the Biotech Week. Take a look at the list of activities and promote your events and initiatives on biotechweek.org.
Circular economy is EU competitive DNA
With the Commission countdown underway and the EU circular economy preparing for take-off, Director General of DG Environment, Karl Falkenberg, urges the industry to communicate. Read more in his interview to Joanna Dupont-Inglis - Director of Industrial Biotech at EuropaBio - about Europe’s stellar, sustainable future.
A better regulation to increase transparency
On 19 May, the European Commission adopted the Better Regulation Agenda, which aims at increasing transparency and consultation. "We are listening to the concerns of citizens and businesses – especially SMEs - who worry that Brussels and its institutions don't always deliver rules they can understand or apply", said First Vice-President Frans Timmermans in a press release. The Commission will now enter negotiations with the Parliament and Council, with the rather optimistic goal of reaching agreement by the end of the year. Read more in the Q&A document
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Healthcare Biotech
Urgent need to fight antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to public health. According to the scientific literature, each year 25,000 European citizens die of causes related to increased resistance to antimicrobial agents and, in 2050, this number is estimated to rise to about 10 million - more than cancer deaths. That's why "Europe needs urgent response to antimicrobial resistance", said Piernicola Pedicini, parliament's rapporteur on safer healthcare in Europe. On 8 June 2015 the European Medicines Agency will host a workshop on the use of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections.
Patients' rights in cross-border healthcare in the EU
The European Commission has released a Eurobarometer survey commissioned to assess the situation of cross-border healthcare after the enforcement of the relevant directive. The survey was primarily designed to explore how many Europeans have received medical treatment in another EU country within the last year, as well as to check their opinions and knowledge about their rights.
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Agricultural Biotech
EU highly dependent on soybeans
A new research report commissioned by WWF concludes that the average EU citizen consumes 61 kg of soy yearly, 93% (57 kg) of which is embedded as animal feed in the animal products - meat, dairy, eggs and fish - that most consumers eat daily. But did you know that the EU is for more than 95% dependent on imports to fulfill its soybeans demand?
Growing high-yield harvests in flood-prone places
Pamela Ronald is a plant pathologist and geneticist whose lab has created rice that can resist diseases and tolerate floods, helping farmers grow high-yield harvests in places where the crop is a vulnerable staple. Last year, four million subsistence farmers in seven countries fed millions of people by planting these seeds. But her innovations aren’t limited to science. She’s also trying to mend the perceived schism between genetic engineering and organic farming. Read more in National Geographic
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Industrial Biotech
Stepping up to a currency molecule
Biobased chemicals are two steps closer to the tipping point when the growing demand for sustainable products opens huge global markets for renewables."Ethanol is going to be a currency molecule—a molecule that’s going to be a starting point for a lot of production", enthusiastically said DuPont’s Jan Koninckx, global business director of biofuels, about the future of ethanol for renewable chemicals. Read more
A €100 million call for proposals
The Bio-based Industries (BBI) Joint Undertaking (JU) PPP has just launched a €100 million Call for Proposals dedicated to Innovation Actions (aka ‘Flagship projects’). It focuses on lignocellulosic feedstock, valorisation of cellulose and innovative processes for sugar recovery and conversion from Municipal Solid Waste. Note that an Info Day session will be held in Brussels on the morning of 26 June on this call, followed by a networking and brokerage session in the afternoon.
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Italian SME enables bioplastic capsules for active substances used in healthcare and agriculture
With a 100% naturally biodegradable bioplastic, Bio-On S.p.A. - winner of EuropaBio Most Innovative Biotech SME Award - enables the creation of capsules for controlled drug administration inside the human body (e.g. anaesthetics, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antitumor, hormones, steroids and vaccines). Cosmetic or agricultural use is equally broad. Read more here
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KEY DATES TO KEEP IN MIND
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