Welcome to the Council of European BioRegions

CEBR is a membership-driven network of lifescience clusters across Europe, with approximately 40 subscription members and hundreds of cluster partners across the world. Together, we represent and support thousands of SMEs and hundreds of universities and research centres.

CEBR’s objectives include:

CEBR activities include:

CEBR Members

The following organisations are subscription members of the Council of European BioRegions asbl. They help design network mission and strategy and work together to develop and deliver collaborative cluster activities. Should you be in this list? Then join CEBR and become part of an active and friendly family. Contact info@cebr.net for details.

Members:

Full members are defined as the primary point of contact for SMEs within their biocommunity or cluster and deliver services to help build and support the cluster as a whole. They are mixture of cluster managers, business networks, science parks and others, reflecting the diversity of cluster support in Europe.

Associate Members are everybody else (!) and include research organsiations and public bodies that also contribute to cluster development whilst not being the mandated cluster organisation or primary point of contact for SMEs within their community.

Special Interest Groups

CEBR delivers a number of Special Interest Groups (SIGs), which bring members together around topics of shared importance. The SIGs set their targets for the year, plus leading clusters, and all members can take part in the SIG activities. All clusters have something to share and all have something to learn and SIGs provide the best forum for good practice and experiences shared.

Human resources and training

Introduction: Cluster managers are in a position to support the skills development of SMEs within their cluster. This SIG has the mission to identify training and HR support activities throughout Europe, delivered by or through cluster organisations and to create joint programmes that share the strengths of participating clusters.

In 2015-16, the SIG has the mission to:

Current activities in SIG

The SIG is currently mapping training and HR support activities across Europe and CEBR members are invited to complete the short survey below or submit a document to info@cebr.net with the same information. The mapping exercise closed in mid-October and members are currently reviewing and combining training activities.

CEBR Board

CEBR asbl is supported by a Board of Full Member representatives from across Europe.

From February 1 2016, a new Board term commenced, with Board members approved by the General Assembly according to the asbl handbook (available to GA members here). Board Members are:

Global cluster hub

The Council of European BioRegions has created a focal point for cluster development in Europe. It also acts on the global stage, in bringing together clusters from all over the world with the intention to:

share opportunities and challenges in cluster development
create partnerships where there are strong scientific and market synergies
The Global Cluster Hub developed through CEBR’s regular activities at the BIO Convention, where many global clusters converge and we could bring them together with European clusters around topics of common interest.

The Global Cluster Hub is now being expanded into European conferences were CEBR members will be attending and where international clusters will be taking part, including BIO-Europe, BIO-Europe Spring and others.

CEBR @BIO-Europe 2016

Attracting investment to clusters

BIO-Europe 2016, Cologne

CEBR was delighted to20161108_154715 continue its Global Cluster Hub at BIOEurope 2016, with the generous support of EBD. This year addressed the eternally hot topic of how cluster managers attract investment into their clusters and for their SMEs. We brought together EU and global clusters attending BIO to share case studies and lessons learned in successful leveraging of finance from all sources.

We heard from three very different clusters; Catalonia (Spain), North Carolina (US) and Flanders (Belgium), with unique local influences but often very similar overarching themes linked to showing value for money to authorities and creating a vital link between early stage (public) and later stage (private) fi20161108_160305_resizednancing for young companies.

Over 60 attendees took part and the session was followed by a well-deserved drinks reception hosted by EBD where new connections between clusters were created and strengthened with some Cologne-style hospitality!

You can download the slides from the speakers below and we offer a big thank you to EBD for providing a superb opportunity, all the speakers for an excellent contribution and the attendees for making time in a busy BIOEurope schedule.

Global Cluster Hub 2016: Digital Health – Transforming life science clusters and their management

Tuesday June 7, 1530-1700: European Commission booth, Exhibition Hall

The BIO 2016 Global Cluster Hub brought together cluster managers and key players from across the globe, with unique insights into the arrival of digital health within their own communities, plus opportunities to build partnerships around specific aspects of digital health. CEBR members presented specific examples of digital health cluster support activities, alongside our global international cluster partners and we look forward to opening doors between clusters on the fastest moving sectoral development in the world.

Agenda

CEBR @ BIO-Europe® 2015

Global cluster internationalisation – crossing continents for collaboration

CEBR hosted a workshop dedicated to global cluster internationalisation. Taking place by invitation only, the workshop showcased how clusters from around the world build international collaborations plus the decision making and long term delivery required to positively impact SMEs and cluster development. The workshop demonstrated the strong interest in sharing experiences and good practice and will contribute to a growing Global Cluster Hub.

Approximately 50 attendees from clusters and associations took part in the workshop, which was followed by a private drinks reception hosted by the EBD Group. CEBR would like to thank EBD for the workshop opportunity and to all speakers and attendees for making time in a busy conference.

Slides from the presenters are now available:

CEBR @ Genesis 2015

Clusters staying connected to R&D expertise – feeding innovation

CEBR was delighted to deliver the Global Cluster Hub at Genesis 2015 on December 10 in London, bringing together more than 20 cluster, research and SME support actors from 10 different countries around the topic.

The topic for this Global Cluster Hub focused on the need for clusters to continue the integration of top class research into commercial development to keep clusters seeding new companies and staying dynamic in their growth and turnover. We were delighted to be joined by LifeSciences British Columbia (Canada) and Pennsylvania BIO (US) to share an international view on the topic and look forward to some excellent case studies, good practice and development of new cluster partnerships.

Presentations:

Presentations: The five presenters set the stage for input across all attendees regarding challenges and good practice in ensuring ongoing research integration into cluster development and facilitation by cluster managers and other actors. LifeScience British Columbia demonstrated that Public Private Partnerships are an increasing feature in clusters as a tool to bring together all actors in the healthcare chain – particularly into a clinical setting.

It is also used to move technologies across sector, such as novel engineering into health applications, with an example of a novel heart monitor tested in partnership with a local hospital in return for a large discount if it comes to market. Campania Bioscience, as a smaller cluster, emphasized the importance of focus in facilitating contacts and used SME examples where they linked a university, SME and an Italian car manufacturer to create a new business. PennsylvaniaBIO leverages its good level of clinical trials and new university incubator to bring in health insurers (payer community) as investors in novel technologies which are tested in hospitals.

Genopole presented a picture of a large and mixed science ecosystem (more accurate than cluster) and proposed that even when on a shared site, it is hard to engender genuine interactions, through cultural and philosophical differences between different types of researcher. It is now building a work-life meeting point where people meet beyond the science. MediWales has an interesting community where it has a higher number of medtech companies generating products with a need for earlier stage novel technologies to fill the pipeline. It is important to facilitate local connections otherwise the co.s will go to other clusters. These companies change owners, typical of a global industry, and a site is less likely to close if the R&D is there. Parties appear to be an important meeting point!

Discussion (selected points): The wider audience also contributed to the session with diverse needs and approaches. Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst exposes academics and SMEs to their end clients, the big co.s, as many mature a technology fr too long without assessing its likely exit point. Stevenage is supported by organisations such as GSK and the Wellcome Trust to achieve this and now have Uni Cambridge and UCL setting up on site. Cardiff University runs a technology faculty, where 40% of its work is with external partners. KTN works to facilitate cross sectoral exposure and drives events across the UK for the whole ecosystem. Bionow made the point that clusters need to have a strong base – the north of England has 7 universities and they are integral to the region’s development, with Bionow developing specific services to engage researchers and students, with limited cost required for such activities.

SME Medical Device Directory

The European Medical Device SME directory is a collaborative effort from clusters across Europe to build critical mass in specialised sub-sectors of life sciences, such as medical devices. The directory will grow quickly, as more clusters join the 10 clusters behind the directory launch and the platform will form a strong promotional tool for cluster managers travelling world-wide, as well as for the SMEs themselves in reaching new partners and markets.

The Directory was launched at BIO 2015 in Philadelphia and has been growing since that time as new clusters bring more SMEs.

SME Hotlist 2016 – launched March 18

CEBR is pleased to announce the 2016 Medical device SME Hotlist. 10 SMEs from 10 clusters have been chosen by their cluster managers to reflect scientific and business progress since directory launch in 2015.

View the full hotlist here and join us on April 11 at 1100 CET in a webinar to showcase the SMEs themselves. Register today to join potential partners and investors in hearing from fast growing and ambitious SMEs.

Contributing clusters

The following clusters and SME representatives have made the launch of this directory possible and this list will grow alongside the directory itself:

SME Hot list

March 18, 2016

CEBR is delighted to announce the 2016 SME Medical Device Hot List.

The following 10 SMEs have been nominated by clusters across Europe as the SMEs that have demonstrated the best scientific or business advances since June 2016, when the Directory was launched. Read and admire the following SMEs as the ones to watch.

Click here for the complete list of full profiles or on each individual company name for a specific profile.

Aseptika (UK): Selected as Innovation Partner for NHS England
Aseptika has also been confirmed as one of the innovators partnering with one of the five hospital centres selected by NHS England Innovation Test Beds, in which new approaches to healthcare provision will be assessed and adopted and two centres for the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare. Aseptika will trial and integrate its Activ8rlives solution for patients in Sheffield with respiratory disease into the new pathways of care.

Associated cluster organisation: One Nucleus

  1. egoHEALTH Ltd (IT): Winner of UV Product Innovation 2016 at World Congress of the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA)

egoHEALTH’s new product Stet Clean® won the UV Product Innovation Award at the IUVA in Canada on February 16 2016. Stet Clean® is an innovative and multi-patented device, which uses an Ultraviolet C Light Emitting Diode (LED), to break down/eliminate the transmission of microbes caused by the stethoscope, the most used medical device and potential source of Hospital Acquired Infections. These latter, produce: health complications, hospital mortality, increase length of hospitalization, and costs for treatments.

Stet Clean® does not interfere with the clinical activity, it is lightweight, portable (dockable to the health professional coat), good looking, customizable, practical, adaptable to all standard stethoscopes, technologically innovative, efficient (high operating speed) and effective, safe for the operator and the patient, cheap (convenient), cost saving, eco-friendly (no disposable) with a rechargeable battery, it allows also data collection (traceability).

Associated cluster organisation: Tuscany Life Sciences Cluster & Foundation

  1. Labrox Oy (FIN): Launch of lateral flow reader prototype and award of optical component patent

Labrox Oy (FIN) launched a lateral flow reader prototype based on strips an Upcon technology at Medica in November 2015. Labrox Oy, in partnership with Kaivogen Oy, two Finnish life science companies, introduced the Upcon™ Upconverting nanoparticle system featuring a new addition into the reader-family designed especially for lateral flow applications. The revolutionary technology enables lateral flow assays with ELISA sensitivity.

January 15th 2016 also saw Labrox receive its second patent on the company’s ground breaking dynamic filter storage carousel with positive filter ID tracking. The patent approval no.125682, ”Apparatus and Method for measuring of optical component” can identify filters by actually measuring the spectral properties of a unknown filter (Finland patent. EU submitted).

Click here for the Medica news release

Click here for patent information

Associated cluster: Turku Science Park

  1. Lemer Pax (FR): World premier for launch of new Posijet

With a world premiere at the EANM congress (European Association of Nuclear Medicine) in Hamburg in October 2015, the new Posijet® was launched by LEMER PAX. It is the first company worldwide to have developed a mobile unit for the preparation and injection of high energy radiopharmaceuticals. A new feature allows measuring the mother solution by sampling to verify precisely the volumetric activity contained in the multidose vial, to adjust the data for purposes of clarification and to avoid any data entry errors. The possibility of diluting the vial provides more flexibility of work, optimizing the volumetric activity in accordance with the patient doses to prepare and facilitates the organization of the appointment scheduling.

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Associated cluster organisation: Atlanpole

  1. MedaPhor Group plc (UK): American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) sign agreement to develop MedaPhor’s ScanTrainer simulator for potential use in future ABOG examinations

MedaPhor North America, Inc., its US based provider of advanced ultrasound skills training simulators for medical professionals, has signed a long term agreement with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) for potential use of ScanTrainer as the ABOG’s ultrasound skills examination simulator within its obstetrics and gynecology certification exams. The ABOG is the official body for certifying obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States and conducts nearly 2,000 certification examinations per annum. The agreement with MedaPhor will involve the development of ScanTrainer examination modules and the purchase of ScanTrainer simulator systems.

Associated cluster organisation: Mediwales

  1. Mensia Technologies (FR): €3.6 million SME Instrument Award

Mensia Technologies, founded in 2012 by French pioneers in the field of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), has been awarded a €3.6 million SME Instrument grant in order to undertake a pan-European multicenter clinical study to demonstrate its efficacy and to accelerate the development of a novel, non-invasive therapeutic medical device for children with ADHD*.

The device is made up of an EEG headset coupled with a tablet and is based on a “serious game” which provides visual or auditory feedback of the brain activity in real time (TRL 7). The core of the technological innovation is the software suite NeuroRTtm designed for the development of applications for real-time monitoring and analysis of EEG signals.

*Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity

Associated cluster organisation: ID2Santé

  1. Nodea Medical (FR): CE marking aproval of its minimally-invasive Probea® device designed to aid the real-time diagnosis of breast cancer.

Nodea has obtained CE marking for its Probea® medical device to aid in the diagnosis of breast cancer using a sterile needle. The CE marking was awarded as the company is enrolling final patients in a multi-centric national clinical study to confirm the performance of Probea® in the diagnosis of suspicious breast tumours.

In addition to obtaining CE marking for the Probea® device and the Probea® sterile optical fibered-needles, Nodea Medical has achieved NF EN ISO 13485:2012 and ISO 13485:2003 certifications. These medical device certifications attest to the quality management system set up by Nodea Medical and the company’s ability to design, manufacture and distribute medical devices to aid cancer diagnosis, in compliance with current European regulatory requirements.

Associated cluster organisation: Medicen

  1. Senzime (Sweden): OnZurf probe nominated for Sweden’s Athena Award

Senzime’s (publ) OnZurf probe has been nominated for Sweden’s largest prize for outstanding achievements in clinical research. The Athena Award recognizes research done in collaboration between healthcare, academia and industry, and the research shall be of benefit to patients and healthcare.

The current treatment today is mainly surgery with risk of multiple operations and increased mortality rate. OnZurf Probe’s technology can make it possible to post-surgically follow the healing process and provide early signs of complications. The study is expected to start by the end of the year.

Associated cluster organisation: UppsalaBio

  1. VolitionRx (BE): 75% Accuracy in Detecting Highest-Risk Pre-Cancerous Colorectal Adenomas with NuQ® Blood Test

Company’s NuQ® blood test accurately detected 75% of colorectal adenomas, or pre-cancerous polyps, that were most likely to become cancerous. A panel of five of NuQ® biomarker assays also detected 86% of early (stage I) colorectal cancers. The completed clinical trial of 430 patients was conducted with the Hvidovre Hospital and with the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

The study was specifically designed to assess the effectiveness of VolitionRx’s NuQ® blood-based biomarker assays in detecting adenomas before they become cancerous, as well as early stage colorectal cancer. If adenomas are caught early enough and removed, the risk of subsequent cancer is significantly reduced.

Associated cluster organisation: Biowin

  1. Zilico Ltd (UK): 1,000-patient case study published for ZedScan

Zilico has published a 1,000-patient case study for its cervical cancer diagnostic system, ZedScan. The patient review into the routine use of ZedScan as an adjunct to colposcopy has revealed that the technology significantly increases the rate of detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (HG CIN). Clinicians at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s colposcopy clinic are routinely using ZedScan alongside colposcopy. They assessed the impact of ZedScan on the patient pathway over a period of 18 months for women referred with abnormal cytology.

The data revealed that from a total of 1,052 women examined, an increase of 12.4% in the detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (HG CIN) was demonstrated following the introduction of ZedScan into routine use.

There was also a marked increase (57.4%) in the number of cases of high grade disease detected in women referred with mild or borderline abnormalities.

Benefits in patient management were also evident with the rate of treatment at first visit (See and Treat), increasing from 36-39% in previous years to 61% of all high-grade referrals; high-grade disease was confirmed in 97.7% of the cases.

The report concludes that adoption of ZedScan has created opportunities for more-efficient use of resources by offering ‘See and Treat’ as well as providing the reassurance to release women without disease to routine surveillance and reducing the need for further follow-up.

Sponsor – Teijin Pharma Ltd

The Council of European BioRegions asbl (CEBR) is proud to announce Teijin Pharma Ltd as a sponsor of the CEBR SME Medical Device Directory and Hotlist in 2016.

As a network of 40 life science clusters across Europe, CEBR is dedicated to supporting cluster and SME development and has developed an online directory with its members, which showcases SMEs directly involved in the development of innovative medical devices. The directory, launched in 2016, creates a dynamic critical mass of novel technologies from Europe’s SMEs, enabling partners and investors across the world to find the right companies for development.

In spring 2016, CEBR also launched a ‘hotlist’ process, where cluster managers can nominate the medical device SME from within their community that has made the greatest progress since directory launch in June 2016. March 18 will see the publication of the hotlist, followed by an open webinar on April 11th at 1100 CET, where hotlist SMEs will present their company, technology and progress.

The support of Teijin Pharma Ltd reflects the value of cluster manager-driven SME support in finding the right SME partners across a complex European landscape and allows CEBR to expand its activities in providing global support to its members in growing their clusters. CEBR President, Frédéric Druck of Biowin, commented “We are delighted that the hard work of clusters in building and continuing to grow the Medical Device Directory is recognised by companies such as Teijin Pharma, as a tool in strengthening medical device development. SMEs work incredibly hard to build their products. Efforts from cluster managers and CEBR and support from Teijin can help them to achieve their goals.”

Taiichi Machida, of Teijin Pharma Ltd added “”We are honoured to be a sponsor of CEBR Medical Device Directory. The Directory is expected to bring win-win prosperity between SMEs and companies like us. To achieve this goal, we would contribute our humble efforts. Access to innovative small companies allows Teijin Pharma to stay at the forefront of technologies that benefit patients in Europe and Japan”

Building medical device collaborations

Teijin Pharma is the only company in Japan to operate both a home healthcare business and a pharmaceutical business. Our venture into home healthcare began in the 1970s, when Teijin researchers began working on developing oxygen concentrators in response to demand for oxygen units that incorporated an oxygen enriching membrane. The project was a succession of challenges, not only in terms of product development but also due to the need to establish a service network. The success of project members not only laid the foundation for home healthcare in Japan, but today, Teijin Pharma’s Home Oxygen Therapy (HOT) is considered a benchmark in the domestic market, establishing Teijin Pharma as a leader in the home healthcare industry in Japan.

Now we are looking for new medical devices for home-use. We make a search for start-ups and venture companies in Europe, US and Israel for joint collaboration and development of early-stage products that have the potential to be sold in Japan. We also seek late-stage products to sell exclusively in Japan. Our focused fields are Respiratory including Sleep disorders, Orthopedic, Cardiovascular and Neuroscience including Rehabilitation after Stroke.

Annual meeting 2016

The 2016 CEBR Annual Meeting took place in Nantes on May 12/13, generously hosted by Atlanpole.

In an intense 1.5 day meeting, interspersed with a magnificent evening in Les Machines d’Ile, we are delighted to share slides from key sessions on digital health, topics of key importance to cluster managers, and a shared session with IASP and Retis on the interface between science parks and cluster management.

Only CEBR members get the full write up from each session plus the in depth planning for the future of the network so if you are not yet a member, you know what to do!

Slides from key sessions:

Join CEBR

CEBR asbl is independently supported through the subscription fees of its members. If you are involved in cluster development and SME support, you would be welcome to join the network and become part of an active and engaged community. We have 2 types of membership:

Full Members: Defined as the primary point of contact for SMEs (our Full Members include cluster managers, science parks, business networks, regional development agencies etc.)

Associate Members: Everybody else!

The membership fee is €635 per annum.

Membership benefits include:

Members all have different needs, within the shared context of cluster development and support particularly for SMEs and membership can be suited to your own particular requirements.

Join today as a member or sign up to our newsletter to stay in touch with network activities. When you complete the form as a Full or Associate Member, CEBR will contact you for full details of your organisation and membership needs.