Biotech companies launch Biotech Austria

According to Apeiron CEO and Biotech Austria founding president Peter LLewellyn-Davies, Austria’s vibrant biotech sector needs a voice that can be heard well in politics. Because often the specific needs of a sector that has very long product development times and a high investment risk, but is able to leverage huge medical potential, are simply overlooked by non-experts.

Throughout Europe, for example, hardly any funds have been invested to develop specific therapies for seriously ill COVID-19-patients parallel to the development of vaccines against the new coronavirus, because it was not known that the development of therapeutics can be immensely accelerated and that many pre-developed products were only waiting for funding for clinical development. Another example, he said, was regulations to limit EU-external investment in biotechnology companies to 10% of company shares. What is intended to protect strategically important know-how is in practice a death sentence for companies that are urgently dependent on investors from the biotech bull  market USA.

Due to the high pressure to act, the founding of Biotech Austria, supported by Pharmig and LISA Vienna, took only two months. In parallel, talks with politicians are being sought, potential members are being contacted and an office is being set up, says Llewellyn-Davies. The agenda of topics is also to be much broader- Industrial and agri-biotechnology are set to be strengthened in addition to medical biotechnology in Austria.

The founding of the association is the result of an initiative by Llewellyn-Davies and the heads of Haplogen Bioscience GmbH, Hookipa Pharma GmbH and Lexogen GmbH. Biotech Austria will also collaborate with biotech organisations in Europe and the USA. "Biotechnology plays an immense role in people’s well-being, public health and therefore the economy," said Llewellyn-Davies. "This year, the Corona pandemic has once again highlighted to everyone how vital biotechnology innovations are."

Dr Georg Casari, Vice President of Biotech Austria, CEO and Founder of Haplogen Bioscience GmbH explains, "Our industry is a key driver of innovation in healthcare." In addition to  Llewellyn-Davies and Dr Casari, the board elected at the meeting also includes Dr Reinhard Kandera, CFO of Hookipa Pharma GmbH and Dr Alexander Seitz, CINO and founder of Lexogen GmbH. Supporters of the new association include KPMG Austria GmbH, PHARMIG, Erste Group Bank AG, Vienna Insurance Group AG , Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH, Comites International GmbH and MC Services AG.