A clinical pilot for personalised risk-based breast cancer screening has been conducted as part of the AnteNOR project. Here are some of the results.
The pilot study that was part of the AnteNOR research project investigated the use of a genetic test assessing the participants’ polygenic risk score (PRS) for breast cancer in tailoring a more personalised mammographic screening. Further, women’s experiences with the test were explored.
“In total, 80 women aged 40-50 years were included in the pilot study. They were recruited among women referred for clinical mammography at the breast center in Vestre Viken in Norway”, said Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, where the study was conducted.
AnteNOR has investigated how it will be possible to implement a more personalised screening programme for breast cancer in Norway, based on the individual’s genetic risk for disease.
Women with a prior diagnosis of breast cancer or premalignant breast disease were excluded, as were women who had already been through genetic counselling and testing due to family cancer history.
The participants submitted saliva samples that were sent to the project partner Antegenes in Estonia for DNA sequencing and calculation of the polygenic risk score using the AnteBC test developed by Antegenes.
Screening recommendations
The participants were then recommended for future mammographic screening based on the results of the PRS test. The participant’s 10-year breast cancer risk was assessed and compared to the 10-year breast cancer risk for average women of the same age.
Women with a 10-year risk lower to or equal to average were recommended to participate in the national mammography screening program, BreastScreen Norway, inviting women aged 50-69 to biennial mammography. Women with a relative risk higher than average were recommended to start biennial mammographic screening at an earlier age than 50 years, based on what age the risk of an average 50-year-old woman was reached.
Women with a relative risk double as large as the average risk were recommended annual mammography from the age they reached a double risk compared to an average 50-year-old woman.
Half had a higher risk
In total, 51% had a relative risk for breast cancer based on the PRS-test that was higher than the average population of the same age. These participants were recommended to start mammography screening at an earlier age than 50. 12% had a relative risk double as large as the average risk.
27% were referred to the Oslo University Hospital for more extended genetic testing due to family cancer history.
Family cancer history
At inclusion, the participants answered a questionnaire addressing family cancer history. Medical geneticists at Oslo University Hospital evaluated this information, and participants fulfilling national criteria based on family cancer history were referred for further genetic counselling and testing for hereditary cancer, independent of the results of the PRS test.
What the women experienced
All participants were invited to answer a follow-up questionnaire 6-9 months after the PRS testing, exploring the women’s experiences.
“The vast majority felt it reassuring to get information about their future risk for breast cancer and agreed that they would probably follow the recommendations regarding mammography screening given based on the tests”, said Tone Hovda.
The participants were given written information about the test results and recommendations, and the majority agreed that this communication was satisfactory.
The pilot study provided important information for future studies exploring personalised risk-based breast cancer screening using the polygenic risk score as a measure for stratification.
“We plan to publish the results with more detailed analyses, also including breast density, as soon as possible in a peer-reviewed journal.
“Polygenic risk score is promising as part of a more risk-based personalised screening program for breast cancer. Other risk factors as breast density and family history should probably also be included. We definitely need larger prospective screening studies to gain further knowledge to move towards more personalised breast cancer screening rather than the current “one-size-fits-all” screening,” said Hovda.
The project partners of AnteNOR are Oslo University Hospital, the University of Oslo, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Oslo Cancer Cluster and Antegenes. The project has received funding from the Norway Grants Green ICT programme and is finalized this year.
The clinical pilot has received approval from the regional ethics committee and is registered in the database clinicaltrial.gov.
Under frokostmøtet Fremtidens kreftpolitikk kunne politikere fra fire av partiene på Stortinget diskutere om helsepolitikken deres er relevant for norske kreftpasienter.
Summary: During the breakfast seminar The Future of Cancer Politics four politicians discussed possible health- and cancer policies in their coming party programmes. The seminar was held in Norwegian.
Morgenen 9. april 2024 på Litteraturhuset i Oslo: Fire politikere fra går opp på scenen. De er Inger Noer (Venstre), Erlend Svardal Bøe (Høyre), Julianne Ofstad (FrP) og Marthe Scharning Lund (Arbeiderpartiet). I løpet av den neste timen skal de diskutere helsepolitikken sin for neste programperiode, men først tar de til orde for bedre samarbeid i egne rekker.
– Vi vet at flere vil få kreft og overleve kreft framover, og mye av kreftomsorgen er det kommunene som har ansvar for, så jeg er opptatt av at vi får et godt samspill mellom det som skjer nasjonalt, lokalt og regionalt, også politisk, sier Erlend Svardal Bøe, som er medlem i Helse- og omsorgskomiteen på Stortinget for Høyre.
Julianne Ofstad har gått fra å jobbe med helsepolitikk i stortingsgruppa til FrP til å bli lokalpolitiker i Oslo (hun er varaordfører), og hun oppfordrer også politikerne til å jobbe bedre på tvers av lokale og nasjonale politiske fora.
– Vi må være flinkere til å jobbe på tvers av lokalpolitikerne og de nasjonale og ha en mer helhetlig tilnærming til helsefeletet enn bare å se på hva skjer i kommunene og hva skjer i spesialisthelsetjenesten, sier hun.
Forebygging
Under seminaret viste vi fire korte videoer om relevante temaer for kreftpolitkken. I den første videoen snakker Sara Mjelva, Seksjonsleder for forebygging i Kreftforeningen, om nettopp forebygging.
I videoen stiller Mjelva spørsmålet: Hvordan vil ditt parti bidra til å forebygge sykdom i tiden som kommer?
– Forebygging handler om så himla mye mer enn røykeslutt. Jeg har vært helsebyråd i Oslo, og det handler om å tenke bredere i forebyggingspolitikken, om gode nabolag, å gi folk kunnskap om egen helse, å få med innvandrerbefolkningen og skape nettverk. Folkehelse er kjempeviktig, vi kommer til å knekke om vi ikke tar større grep rundt dette, sier Marthe Scharning Lund, som er leder for bystyregruppa til Arbeiderpartiet i Oslo, og sitter i programkomiteen i Arbeiderpartiet.
– Det dreier seg ikke bare om å få folk til å trene og spise sunnere. Folkehelsebombene er fedme, og alkoholforbruket har økt med 60 prosent på 30 år, og rødt kjøtt har en stor betydning for et bredt spekter av kreftsykdommer. Vi må regulerere når det gjelder usunn mat, og vi må forebygge der vi ser at det faktisk virker, og da trenger vi god forskning på det, sier Inger Noer, som er fastlege i tillegg til at hun sitter i programkomiteen i Venstre.
Diagnostikk
Moderator Thomas Axelsen, leder for samfunnspolitisk avdeling i Kreftforeningen, stiller spørsmålet: Har partiene gjort seg noen tanker om diagnostisering av kreftpasienter?
– Tidligere behandlet man brystkreft med en cocktail av cytostatika, og håpet at noe hjalp, med enorme bivirkninger, og der vi er i dag, med diagnostisk og terapautisk skreddersøm, er enorme fremskritt, og det må vi bare heie på, og vi må bare finansiere det, sier Inger Noer, og legger til at selv om det er dyrt, er en økonomisk oppside at vi sparer masse penger på at folk blir friske raskere.
– Det koster penger å begynne å bruke noe, en kostnad som kanskje vil bli lavere etter hvert. Vi må være flinkere til å ta i bruk nye behandlinger raskere, sier Jualianne Ofstad, og legger til at vi bør se til land som er bedre på ta i bruk ny diagnostikk, og til Sverige, der de har satt seg som mål å utrydde livmorhalskreft ti år tidligere enn vi har her i Norge.
– Mer av kreftbehandlingen framover vil ha behov for mer spesialisering, som lymfekreft, og der vil jeg se til EU, der de har et Mission on Cancer som sier at innen 2030 skal 90 prosent av EUs kreftpasienter behandles i et comprehensive cancer center, sier Erlend Svardal Bøe, og legger til at det for Høyre blir viktig å bygge opp disse kreftsentrene i helseregionene i Norge.
– Jeg blir helt svimmel når folk snakker om CRISPR, men vi er langt unna å gjøre det tilgjengelig for folk, og likevel er det the sky is the limit, sier Marthe Scharning Lund, og referer til all ny teknologi som bedrer nettopp diagnostikk.
Kliniske studier
I den andre korte videoen snakker MSD Norges Hans Petter Strifeldt om behovet for kliniske studier.
Kan vi gjøre mer for å lykkes med kliniske studier?
Erlend Svardal Bøe var statssekretær i helse- og omsorgsdepartementet da handlingsplanen for kliniske studier ble lagt fram for tre år siden, og han sier at selv om antallet kliniske studier i Norge går ned, bidrar kliniske studier like fullt til at pasientene får raskere tilgang til ny behandling. Han mener at politikerne bør se på en ny handlingsplan, men en annen ting er også viktig:
– Vi bør se på kulturen ute i sykehusene og hvor godt samarbeid vi klarer å ha med industrien og helsenæringen i årene framover.
Inger Noer er enig i at vi bør se på en ny plan for kliniske studier. Hun understreker også at vi må huske på at behandlinger har ulik effekt for menn og kvinner, og at vi derfor også bør se på kvinnehelsemeldingen i denne sammenhengen.
– En ny handlingsplan kunne vært bra for å ha et godt grunnlag, og vi må være konkurransedyktige på dette området. Vi vet at Norge ofte blir nedprioritert av helsenæringen, og det må vi sørge for fra politisk hold, at vi har et godt samarbeid med næringen, sier Julianne Ofstad.
– Vi har et byråkrati i Norge som bruker veldig langt tid på å gi godkjenning for en del utprøvinger, og der har vi en vei å gå, legger Erlend Svardal Bøe til.
Kreftbiobank og helsenæring
I den tredje videoen spiller Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster, noen næringspolitiske baller over til politikerne, og en om kreftbiobank.
Trenger vi en kreftbiobank?
– Ja, det tror jeg at vi gjør, sier Erlend Svardal Bøe, og legger til at vi må tiltrekke oss kompetansen hjem til Norge, men også skape et bedre hjemmemarked for å utvikle mer helsenæring i landet vårt.
– Hvordan får vi gjort det?, spør Thomas Axelsen.
– Jeg mener det handler om katapult, som vi ikke har hatt på helse, og nå får vi det. Hvordan får vi ideene bedre i system, svarer Bøe.
– Og skal det komme en katapult på helse, kan den godt komme her i Oslo, sier Marthe Scharning Lund, og legger til at det går an å ha fullt fokus på å etablere helsenæring, få ting på marked, og der har vi et godt utgangspunkt i Oslo.
Julianne Ofstad er enig, og understreker at vi da må legge enda mer til rette for bedre offentlig-privat samarbeid.
– Jeg opplever noen ganger at man har en grunnleggende mistillit til hverandre, og det legger ikke et godt grunnalg for samarbeid, sier hun.
– Det at vi prøver å skape innovasjon og næring ut av forskningsresultater er en kjempegod idé! Det er enormt kapitalkrevende, men det må være mulig, sier Inger Noer, og understreker at Venstre er et parti som hele tida har lagt til rette for gündere.
– Og det kan vel få plass i disse partiprogrammene, håper vi, sier moderator Thomas Axelsen.
Samfunnsøkonomien
I den siste videoen presenterer Erland Skogli fra Menon Economics et samfunnsøkonomisk perspektiv på kreft og teknologi. Teknologikomponenten er en mye større del av totalbudsjettet i forsvaret enn i helsesektoren, og skal vi løse helsepersonellkrisen, må vi også ha en økt satsing på teknologi i helse.
Vi går tom for folk før vi går tom for penger, sa Helsepersonellkommisjonen. Har vi tilstrekkelig kriseforståelse for dette i dag?
– Da jeg ble helsebyråd sov jeg nesten ikke om natta da jeg tenkte på hvordan dette skulle gå. Det handler om å bruke penger på dem vi allerede har, gi dem bedre kompetanse og lyst til tå bli i tjenesten, og om bruk av ny teknologi som frigir tid, det handler egentlig om å jobbe på andre måter, sier Marthe Scharning Lund.
– Det er en krise som er her. Vi må se på om tiltak gir en klinisk relevant merverdi for pasienten eller ikke. Vi må slutte med ting som ikke hjelper, avslutter sier Inger Noer.
– Helsevesenet vårt er også en del av totalforsvaret, og funker ikke helsevesenet, kolapser vi fort i en krigssituasjon, for eksempel, sier Julianne Ofstad til slutt.
Velkommen i Arendal
Seminaret Fremtidens kreftpolitikk er del av møteserien Fremtidens kreftbehandling, som i år arrangeres av Kreftforeningen, Janssen, MSD, AstraZeneca og Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Neste frokostseminar i denne møteserien finner sted tirsdag 13. august 2024 under Arendalsuka. Det er også gratis og åpent for alle, og det vil bli strømmet.
Gikk du glipp av frokostseminaret Fremtidens kreftpolitikk 9. april på Litteraturhuset? Du kan se hele seminaret i opptak på Oslo Cancer Clusters YouTube-kanal.
In a great achievement, DoMore Diagnostics, a pioneering company in cancer diagnostics, has been awarded the prestigious EIC Accelerator grant.
The EIC Accelerator Grant consists of EUR 10 million (EUR 2.5 million in non-dilutive grant and EUR 7.5 million in equity matching). It signifies a financial injection and a resounding validation of the company’s groundbreaking work in improving cancer care worldwide. Recently we had a talk with CEO Torbjørn Furseth about the great news.
Team effort and Champagne
Competing with nearly 1100 applications vying for recognition, DoMore Diagnostics stood out as one of only two Norwegian companies to receive this coveted grant. CEO Torbjørn Furuseth expresses immense pride in the team’s effort, highlighting the significance of the achievement in their journey towards revolutionizing cancer diagnostics.
DoMore Diagnostics CEO Torbjørn Furuseth. Photo: DoMore
Speaking on the celebratory note, Torbjørn Furuseth shared: “We celebrated with champagne in our morning meeting, and there is a lot more to come!” The joyous occasion marks a testament to the dedication and hard work put forth by the entire team.
DoMore Diagnostics at a glance
For those unfamiliar, DoMore Diagnostics emerged from the DoMore! Lighthouse research project at the Institute of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital. The company is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence to revolutionize cancer diagnostics, aiming to simplify personalized treatment decisions for all cancer patients.
Their flagship product, Histotype Px® Colorectal, is a CE-IVDD marked digital biomarker designed to inform treatment decisions following surgical resection of colorectal tumours. By accurately predicting patient outcomes, this innovation aims to reduce unnecessary treatments and their associated adverse effects, thereby improving patient care significantly.
Significance of the grant
Receiving the EIC Accelerator award is nothing short of a game-changer for DoMore Diagnostics.
CEO Furuseth shed light on the meticulous application process. We were chosen as one of 42 companies from a total application pool of 1083 in a rigorous three-step evaluation process that included a substantial research and business case and commercialization proposal. That culminated in a panel interview by scientific and industry experts, and life science investors.
The blend of grant and equity matching makes it particularly attractive for early-phase companies like us, so we decided to put a significant effort into the application process, said Furuseth.
Furuseth further shares how being in the Oslo Cancer Cluster ecosystem has played a significant part in this process.
“Being a part of Oslo Cancer Cluster has helped DoMore to become aware of the opportunities for public support and how to increase the chances of success.” Torbjørn Furuseth
Plans ahead
The awarded funds will play a crucial role in furthering DoMore Diagnostics’ mission. The focus will be on developing essential datasets to quantify the health-economic benefits of their biomarker, paving the way for widespread clinical adoption across Europe and the US.
In the long run, the implications for patients can be profound. With over a million colorectal cancer patients awaiting better biomarkers for personalized treatment decisions, the impact of DoMore Diagnostics’ innovation cannot be overstated. With the support of the EIC Accelerator program, DoMore Diagnostics plans to accelerate its efforts, driving innovation in healthcare and improving outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator made the Financial Times Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs list.
“This recognition by the Financial Times celebrates our dedication to transforming oncology research and places us in a league with Europe’s most innovative ecosystems. It’s about more than accolades; it reflects our collective impact in pioneering new frontiers in cancer therapy and patient care,” said Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, when he was made aware of the news.
Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, is happy about making the Financial Times ranking. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
“This honor is a testament to the synergy between groundbreaking science and entrepreneurial spirit within the Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator. Our unique approach, focusing on collaboration and support, sets us apart in Europe’s diverse and dynamic start-up landscape, as highlighted by the Financial Times.” Ketil Widerberg
Only two Norwegian hubs are in the ranking. They are 6AM Accelerator, a pre-seed accelerator and investor for tech startups in Trondheim, and Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, with its laboratory-based community and cancer-focused companies next to Oslo University Hospital, the Radium Hospital. Oslo Cancer Cluster made 104th place out of 125 hubs in total.
“With world-leading researchers in shared and individual labs Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator exemplifies the critical role specialized lab infrastructure plays in supporting focused innovation within the incubator framework, particularly in the demanding field of cancer diagnostics and therapies,” said Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, in one of the incubator’s shared laboratories. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
Ranking methodology
According to Financial Times and their partners Statista and Sifted, Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs 2024 is a ranking of the top centres for founders offering incubator and/or accelerator programmes to people who want to build or grow a company.
To identify the 125 leading hubs, a registration and survey process was conducted. Several thousand hubs were evaluated, and several elements were considered for the evaluation, with the main criterion being the assessment of the respective start-up hub by alumni who participated in at least one incubator or accelerator programme run by the respective hub. In addition, the recommendations of external experts, such as investors, entrepreneurs, and academics were included. Finally, the most successful startups coming out of a hub were examined.
What does it take to make it for new biotech companies? We are looking for answers, digging into the legacy and environment surrounding successful start-up companies like ARTBIO.
One of the newest members of Oslo Cancer Cluster is the clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company ARTBIO. On their webpage, they present the company in these words:
ARTBIO is redefining cancer care by developing a new class of alpha radioligand therapies (ART) and building the ecosystem that maximizes their potential.
We first wrote about ARTBIO in an article presenting the newest members in January. Here, we can read that ARTBIO is shaped by a long-standing scientific legacy with nearly a century of pioneering work in radiation therapy conducted at the University of Oslo and Norway’s Radium Hospital.
What is this legacy all about, and what kind of environment is optimal for successful start-up companies like ARTBIO to grow up in?
The answer appears to be fourfold.
The obvious part: financing
Part of the answer for ARTBIO is the tremendous financing round that raised USD 90 Million in December last year, for progress in the pipeline and isotope technology development for a new class of alpha radioligand therapies. The news of the company raising this amount from private investors made headlines in the Norwegian newspaper E24. How was this possible in today’s slow and skeptical market?
“There are several reasons why we managed to raise one billion NOK in the series A investment. The first one is that ARTBIO is a very attractive investment case with a differentiated technology and pipeline within radio pharmacy, which is a field that is receiving a lot of attention internationally”, said Anders Tuv.
He is Managing Director at Radforsk, an early-stage evergreen fund dedicated to oncology. Radforsk is one of ARTBIO’s founders.
In the latest investment round Boston-based venture capital fund Third Rock Ventures was the main investor, together with an undisclosed healthcare fund and existing seed lead investors F-Prime Capital and Omega Funds, according to a press release from the company.
The crucial part: the right people
“Even though it is crucial to have the right technology as a foundation, it is a must to have the right people and teams. And on that note, we have hit the bull’s eye with ARTBIO”, Tuv said and added:
“The company has been rigged the right way to see it through and succeed with realizing their potential in a global competition.”
Tuv especially mentioned the hiring of ARTBIO CEO Emanuele Ostuni as a key success factor, who was also the first full-time employee. He is described as bright, tenacious, and with a compassionate drive to succeed for patients.
To the question what do you think it will take to get to the next milestone? Ostuni answered:
“Our goals all involve doing things that have not been done before. As such they require creativity, collaboration, and practical optimism.”
Ostuni added:
“We are working to start a phase 1 trial this year. That will require a working technology for P212 isolation and a robust process for manufacturing the therapeutic product. We are also working to create a broader pipeline of programs that addresses patient needs – several of these programs should also move forward this year.”
The historical part: the legacy
So far, we have touched upon the company’s technology, the people, and the financing. What about this long-standing scientific legacy that we started with?
Anders Tuv explained:
“The scientific founders behind ARTBIO are the same people that developed the only alpha-emitting radionuclide treatment on the market so far (Xofigo), the legendary researchers and founders Roy Larsen and Øyvind Bruland.”
Tuv added:
“I think that both the seed round and the series A round in particular have shown that we have worked hard and done many things right with ARTBIO. We got international specialist investors and founding CEO Emanuele involved at a very early stage with Roy Larsen and Øyvind Bruland, and F-Prime and Radforsk have been active investors, building the company and heavily involved from the beginning. We have been thinking globally from the start and extracted talent where they were to be found.”
This is the reason why ARTBIO has offices in Boston, Basel, London, and Oslo.
The part of the environment
Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park and Incubator, and the entire Campus around the Radium Hospital, including Radforsk, offer an environment for companies like ARTBIO to begin their journey, especially in radiopharmacy and precision medicine in cancer.
“We have a strong legacy and a good ecosystem for radiopharmacy in Oslo, including the Radium Hospital and the environment in Oslo Cancer Cluster”, Tuv said, and Ostuni agreed:
“We appreciate the availability of flexible space that is already partially equipped at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator – it allowed us to get started quickly when we were building the company.”
“The culture of openness and support at the Radium hospital also made sure that we could establish collaborations with academic groups and progress some programs while at the same time providing educational opportunities for female scientists”, said Ostuni.
So there you have it; the somewhat complex answer to what it takes to make it – at least through the first serious financing rounds.
About ARTBIO and Radforsk
ARTBIO’s approach: Alpha radioligand therapeutics (ARTs) are gaining attention as a promising experimental modality for delivering lethal radioactivity directly to cancer cells. The unique ARTBIO approach selects the optimal alpha-precursor isotope (Pb-212) and tumour-specific targets to create therapeutics with the potential for the highest efficacy and safety. ARTBIO is currently advancing multiple pipeline programs with lead program AB001 first in human trials.
Radforsk is engaged in the commercialisation of cancer research. Our goal is to develop better cancer treatment – for all patients. We invest in and develop infrastructure through Radforsk Innovation and companies through Radforsk Invest. Radforsk Invest is an oncology focused investment fund dedicated to developing immunotherapies, precision medicine and radiopharmaceuticals. The fund has an evergreen structure allowing flexibility and focus on investments that will create long-term value. Radforsk Invest`s model is based on very active ownership as investors and hands-on company builders. Radforsk’s portfolio of companies spans from early start-ups to public companies with products on the global market. For more information, please contact Anders Tuv, Managing Director Radforsk Invest (at@radforsk.no).
Eli Lilly selected Norway as the site for its groundbreaking study project, SUNRAY-01, despite the recent year’s decline in applications for clinical cancer trials.
This study examines the efficacy of the drug candidate LY3537982 on advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a specific genetic alteration. and represents a significant advancement in health research and treatment for patients with KRAS G12C mutations, potentially reshaping the treatment landscape for this specific patient group.
The KRAS G12C mutation is a specific alteration in the KRAS gene, often associated with certain cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer. This mutation plays a significant role in promoting the growth and spread of cancer cells. Researchers are exploring methods to block or inhibit the effects of this mutation.
Decline in trails
Recently, Norway has experienced a notable decline in the number of applications for cancer clinical trials, dropping from 158 in 2022 to 98 in 2023. Lars Petter Strand, Senior Medical Director for the Nordics at Eli Lilly, voiced concern, noting,
Lars Petter Strand. Photo Eli Lilly
“We observe that the number of cancer clinical trials in Norway has significantly decreased.” He highlighted the global trend of increasing clinical trials in countries like the USA and China, contrasting with the reductions in most European countries.
Norway’s participation in Eli Lilly’s SUNRAY-01 study indicates a positive shift. Lars Petter Strand attributed the decision to several favourable trends in Norway’s healthcare system, including initiatives like CONNECT, IMPRESS, InPRED, and NorTrials, which have enhanced infrastructure and processes, making Norway an appealing destination for clinical trials.
Positive outlook for patients
Bjørn Henning Grønberg, Head of Department for Translational Cancer Research at St. Olav Hospital, one of the 7 hospitals selected for this study, emphasized the importance of such studies, stating, “It is always welcome to offer study participation to our patients.” The proportion of lung cancer patients with KRAS mutations eligible for targeted treatment through this study exceeds those eligible for other targeted treatments.
One of the most exciting and significant aspects of this study is its focus on finding targeted treatments for KRAS mutations, which currently aren’t as effective as other options available.
Patients with this mutation respond to immunotherapy, unlike those with EGFR and ALK positives, making it an interesting combination to explore. However, in the past, this has been challenging, as the combination of KRAS inhibitors with immunotherapy was too toxic, says Grønberg.
Challenges and opportunities
Despite these positive developments, Norway encounters challenges in maintaining its attractiveness for clinical trials. Strand emphasized the importance of addressing barriers such as delayed introduction of new treatments, lengthy approval processes, and capacity constraints in diagnostic tools at hospitals.
The roadmap for the health sector, a strategic document guiding sector development, underscores the significance of clinical trials in health research. While the government has set ambitious goals for increasing clinical trials, collaboration across sectors and collective efforts are essential to address challenges hindering this vital part of medical research.
Oslo Cancer Cluster General Manager Ketil Widerberg emphasizes that this new study aligns well with the Norwegian government’s aspirations for a national health industry and ongoing efforts at Oslo Cancer Cluster to foster innovation and collaboration within the cancer research field. It represents a crucial step towards advancing cancer care and supporting Norway’s health industry growth.
Widerberg stresses the importance of patients accessing the latest treatment, doctors and researchers gaining insights into the latest technology, and the development of the Norwegian health industry, as Norwegian centres of expertise gain international visibility.
Crucial collaborations
To attract more clinical trials to Norway, stakeholders must collaborate effectively, as Lars Petter Strand highlights. It requires creating sufficient resources in hospitals, facilitating efficient communication between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare institutions, and streamlining startup processes. Improved communication between the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals is essential, as demonstrated by Eli Lilly’s collaboration with NorTrials during site recruitment for this study.
Collaboration between industry players, research institutions, and government bodies is crucial for advancing cancer research. Initiatives like NorTrials facilitate this collaboration, ensuring nationwide access to cutting-edge treatments, says Strand
A new collaboration agreement between AstraZeneca, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Oslo Science City aims to strengthen the Nordic health industry by facilitating closer collaboration between researchers, startups, and pharmaceutical companies.
This is a translation of an article in Norwegian, written jointly by Oslo Science City and Oslo Cancer Cluster. The Norwegian version can be read on Oslo Science City’s webpage.
The focus on investment in the health industry in Norway gained momentum after Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre announced at the Norway Life Science conference in February 2023 that the government would develop a roadmap for the health industry.
In June, the health industry was selected as the fourth national export promotion initiative under the export reform “All of Norway Exports.” Two months later, Vestre and Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol presented the roadmap, outlining 41 measures and 12 focus areas aimed at the sector developing drugs, medical devices, and digital tools.
Ahead of this year’s Norway Life Science conference, the Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and the innovation district Oslo Science City are following up with a collaboration agreement to strengthen contacts and cooperation between Norwegian and Swedish research and innovation environments. The agreement will facilitate Norwegian startups’ access to residency at AstraZeneca’s innovation hub, BioVentureHub, in Gothenburg. Simultaneously, Swedish companies will have the opportunity to reside at Oslo Cancer Cluster and collaborate closely with their environments in cancer and precision medicine, as well as the outstanding research groups from the Radium Hospital, part of Oslo University Hospital, and the University of Oslo, which are gathered in Oslo Science City.
“It is important for AstraZeneca to contribute to the success of new startups and to strengthen the entire Nordic health industry. Therefore, we are very happy to participate in this collaboration, which will benefit all parties and build the Nordic region`s position internationally as a leading region in health and life sciences.” Guro Bjøntegaard, Managing Director of AstraZeneca Norway.
Industrial expertise and international connections
BioVentureHub was established in 2014 as an open and internationally oriented innovation ecosystem based on a public-private partnership model. Here, promising startups and research groups in Life Sciences can access office and laboratory space close to AstraZeneca’s strong professional communities and advanced research infrastructure.
AstraZeneca BioVentureHub is a not-for-profit innovation hub offering an inside track to AstraZeneca’s scientific expertise and facilities, for academic groups and small and medium-sized enterprises. It is integrated at the heart of AstraZeneca’s R&D center, in the new emerging life science ecosystem, in Gothenburg. Photo: AstraZeneca
“For our company, it is crucial to maintain close contact with the companies and knowledge communities that contribute to pushing the knowledge frontier in the fields we work in. Some of these companies and environments end up entering formal collaborations with AstraZeneca, but the most important purpose of BioVentureHub is to create a professional meeting place for creativity and innovation,” said Bjøntegaard.
From the Norwegian side, Oslo Cancer Cluster will have the role of identifying the companies that are offered residency in BioVentureHub. General manager Ketil Widerberg points out that promising Norwegian startups often lack industrial expertise and an important link to the international market:
“International collaboration is essential to scale up Norwegian startups. BioVentureHub can connect our start-ups to international value chains, and it is only a short train ride from Oslo. I think that will be quite effective!” Ketil Widerberg, Oslo Cancer Cluster
Lifting the entire Nordic region
The parties to the agreement also want to involve Innovation Norway, whereby Norwegian companies staying at BioVentureHub can apply for support during their residency. In the long term, the goal is also to involve Vinnova, Innovation Norway’s Swedish sister organization, in the collaboration.
“Health technology is an important Norwegian export industry, and at Innovation Norway, we encourage this type of broad Nordic collaboration between industry, startups, and research environments. By building stronger collaboration between the governmental agencies responsible for grants and support in the Nordic countries, we can contribute to lifting the entire Nordic region.” Håkon Haugli, CEO of Innovation Norway.
Over several decades, Norway has invested significant public funds in health research, but Christine Wergeland Sørbye, Managing Director of Oslo Science City, points out that several analyses show that we have been less successful than other countries in using this research to develop new companies.
“There is great potential here for business development that will both create new jobs and benefit Norwegian patients in the form of new medicines and treatments.” Christine Wergeland Sørbye, Oslo Science City
“By strengthening the collaboration between research and business across Nordic borders, we shall realize this potential,” says Wergeland Sørbye.
World-leading translational cancer research entered Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park during this one-day conference and created a buzz.
Once a year, the Kaare Norum auditorium is filled with cancer experts, researchers, clinicians, and students. Numerous questions arose from an engaged audience during the scientific presentations and in the mingling areas during the breaks.
The best way of experiencing Cancer Crosslinks, meeting fellow cancer professionals, and exchanging experiences, was of course to participate in person. If you were prevented from attending, we have made this accessible picture special of the day.
Oslo Cancer Cluster EU advisor Marine Jeanmougin during one of the breaks.
“The Cancer Crosslinks educational series aims to make the latest translational research in Oncology and Haematology accessible to Norwegian researchers and clinicians. It is such a privilege to contribute to shaping the scientific programme and to dialogue with world-leading experts.”
Marine Jeanmougin, Oslo Cancer Cluster’s EU advisor and part of the scientific Cancer Crosslinks 2024 team.
Prof. Sonja Loges from Heidelberg University was the keynote speaker. She gave the audience an overview of the personalized oncology landscape in Germany, among other interesting topics.
On 25 January, around 300 people participated in scientific sessions during the 16th edition of the conference Cancer Crosslinks, themed “Bridging innovations to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients”.
This edition covered a range of topics, including targeted treatments and immunotherapies, the role of new technologies in oncology, and the impact of tumour heterogeneity on clinical outcome.
Dr. Leo Rasche from University Hospital Würzburg was one of the speakers at Cancer Crosslinks 2024. He also participated actively in the audience.
The audience gained insights, for instance into how the composition of the microbiome can affect response to immunotherapy, and in the case of myeloma; how a single dormant cancer cell can cause a patient to relapse after 10 years of remission. Participants also got an overview of the personalized oncology landscape in Germany and heard how AI-driven innovations can change the way clinical studies are run.
Dr. Lisa Derosa from Institut Gustave Roussy and moderator Dr. Marte Grønli Cameron from Sørlandet Hospital on stage during the event.
To get an overview of the speakers and moderators of the day, and their research, please read this article.
Read about the sponsors behind Cancer Crosslinks in this article.
Be part of the buzzing conversation next year. We are already planning for Cancer Crosslinks 2025!
There will be a new opportunity to be present in person next January when we arrange the 17th Cancer Crosslinks during the 10th anniversary of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park.
Meet the sponsors behind Cancer Crosslinks 2024: Bristol Myers Squibb and Daiichi-Sankyo.
Cancer Crosslinks 2024, the sixteenth edition of the annual cancer conference, is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, at the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. It is a free event, open to all, and will be presented both on-site and digitally.
This educational meeting, organized by Oslo Cancer Cluster in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, serves as a pivotal platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of cancer research and treatment.
Charlotte Wu Homme, Oslo Cancer Cluster head of membership and events, is happy for the contributions to Cancer Crosslinks 2024 and expresses gratitude to the collective efforts of speakers, moderators, sponsors, and the wider Oslo Cancer Cluster membership and oncology ecosystem.
Charlotte Wu Homme. Photo: Stig Jarnes.
Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) is the event’s co-founder and continues to play a crucial role. The company emphasizes the importance of events like Cancer Crosslinks, considering them inspirational kick-offs for the scientific milieu in Norway. BMS’s commitment aligns with the broad scientific innovations discussed at the conference, reflecting their dedication to breakthrough medicines and global patient impact.
Ali Areffard. Photo: Ilja C. Hendel.
Ali Areffard, Disease Area Head Oncology & Hematology at Bristol Myers Squibb Norway, emphasizes the company’s broad interest in significant scientific innovations.
We are continually seeking to launch breakthrough medicines to reach more patients around the world. Ali Areffard
He highlights the relevance of all topics on the programme for their industry, academia, and public healthcare organizations.
A crucial platform
Daiichi-Sankyo proudly co-sponsors Cancer Crosslinks 2024, recognizing its 16-year tradition of delivering high-level scientific and clinical content. The company views the event as a crucial platform for bringing together international and national researchers at the forefront of cancer research. Daiichi-Sankyo emphasizes the importance of such arenas in driving translational and clinical research collaborations to advance innovative cancer treatments.
Georg Lindefjeld, Medical Advisor Oncology at Daiichi-Sankyo, expresses high interest in various aspects of the conference programme. Particularly relevant to their work in developing Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), Lindefjeld highlights the significance of up-to-date diagnostics, AI-supported precision medicine, and overcoming tumour resistance.
Georg Lindefjeld. Photo
For our company developing ADCs and cooperating with AstraZeneca and Merck/MSD to bring our new products to market, the tumour diagnostic relevance of our products, overcoming tumour resistance to treatment and combination synergies with immunotherapy in frontline settings are of high interest to us. Georg Lindefjeld
A day of innovative research
Marine Jeanmougin, Oslo Cancer Cluster’s lead EU advisor, is part of the scientific Cancer Crosslinks 2024 team. She is looking forward to an edition that features leading experts from the EU, UK, and USA, and prominent moderators from Norway, to discuss the latest advances in Precision Oncology & Immunotherapies.
Marine Jeanmougin, lead EU affairs. Photo: Margit Selsjord.
Expect a day filled with innovative research and clinical insights, at the forefront of oncology and haematology, says Jeanmougin
Opportunity for networking
Cancer Crosslinks has evolved into a leading forum, uniting oncologists, haematologists, translational researchers, healthcare providers, regulatory experts, and industry representatives. The conference fosters interactions between researchers and clinicians, encouraging translational and clinical research collaborations to propel innovative cancer treatments.
Both BMS and Daiichi-Sankyo express enthusiasm for the upcoming event, looking forward to the distinguished program, speaker panels, and informal interactions. BMS sees the event as an opportunity for networking and creating synergies going into 2024, while Daiichi-Sankyo anticipates engaging with researchers and clinicians that could lead to new collaborations and projects.
Meet the members who recently joined or re-joined our cluster.
A warm welcome to our newest members! Oslo Cancer Cluster’s diverse member base includes university hospitals, research centres, patient organizations, start-ups, biotech and technology companies, global pharma, investors, financial institutions, and service providers. Together, they cover the whole spectrum of oncology, contributing to a unique ecosystem that accelerates the development of innovative cancer treatments. Oslo Cancer Cluster works tirelessly together with our members to enhance the development of novel cancer diagnostics and therapies to improve patients’ lives worldwide.
We are proud to announce that the following companies have recently joined our cluster:
We had the opportunity to speak with the companies this week and let them introduce themselves. Read on to learn more about why they joined the cluster, and what they’re currently working on:
ARTBIO is a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company redefining cancer care by creating a new class of alpha radioligand therapies (ARTs). Alpha radioligand therapeutics are gaining attention as a promising experimental modality for delivering lethal radioactivity directly to cancer cells. The unique ARTBIO approach selects the optimal alpha-precursor isotope (Pb-212) and tumour-specific targets to create therapeutics with the potential for the highest efficacy and safety. ARTBIO is currently advancing multiple pipeline programs with lead program AB001 first in human trials. ARTBIO is shaped by a long-standing scientific legacy with nearly a century of pioneering work in radiation therapy conducted at the University of Oslo and Norway’s Radium Hospital.
We are excited to be accepted as members of Oslo Cancer Cluster and look forward to collaborating with this rich ecosystem of leading healthcare institutions, researchers, and innovative stakeholders to empower patient-centric advances in cancer care, says Conrad Wüller, Director of strategy and operations
Cody is a Norwegian company developing products, lab equipment and production machinery. With a core competence in mechanical engineering and advanced automation. Cody has extensive experience in developing tailor-made GMP production and packaging solutions for radiopharmaceuticals and other pharmaceuticals. Cody works closely with their customers in the various phases of the development processes to find efficient, robust, and safe production solutions for both the clinical stages and commercial production.
We are excited about the growing number of radiopharmaceutical companies in Norway, and we will do our part in bringing the products to production. Cody has been working in the radio pharma industry since 2011, and we are now looking forward to being a part of Oslo Cancer Cluster, make new connections, and create new opportunities together, says Ken Andre Kihle, CEO
Exact Sciences is a provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, focusing on cancer prevention, early detection, and personalised treatment. Their invention Cologuard and Oncotype DX (ODX) tests have seen success in various markets. The tests, now available in Norway, received a favourable Single Technology Assessment (STA) from the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) in October 2023. The company awaits the final decision by the Decision Forum (Beslutningsforum) for ODX to be publicly available and reimbursed across all Norwegian Cancer Clinics. ODX predicts chemotherapy benefits, identifying a significant portion of Breast Cancer patients (HR+/HER2-neg) who can avoid unnecessary adjuvant chemotherapy, reducing side effects and improving quality of life.
As a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster, we align with our commitment to enhancing the lives of cancer patients through the accelerated development of new diagnostics and treatments. Our focus on precision medicine and personalized treatment decisions is shared by the Cluster, and we value being a part of the collaborative and innovative environment, says Glenn Gundersen, Country Manager and PhD.
Fortrea is a clinical research organization that specializes in developing treatments for cancer patients. The company has a long history in clinical development and draws on expertise from its predecessors, Covance and Labcorp Drug Development. In July 2023, Fortrea became an independent company and now has a dedicated team of over 2,400 oncology specialists, including 60 medical oncologists. They work with more than 30,000 cancer centers in 90 countries and have experience in over 40 different types of cancer. With their experiences and dedicated team, Fortrea possesses the necessary insights, experience, scale, and processes to expedite the delivery of new treatments to cancer patients.
Fortrea is well-equipped to assist Oslo Cancer Cluster members in advancing their assets through clinical research and onto the next stage of development, thanks to our extensive scale and experience, says Norma Aspajo Vidal, the Director of Business Development
LINK Medical is a leading clinical research organization and regulatory service provider offering a wide range of expertise, flexible services, and innovative technologies for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries across Northern Europe and beyond. LINK Medical was founded in Oslo in 1995, and has over 145 dedicated colleagues in the Nordics, UK, and Germany, with a variety of specialist backgrounds. LINK Medical wants to help Oslo Cance Cluster members with a local presence in their development of cancer treatment and diagnostics. With their long experience in conducting complex clinical trials, and over 90 oncology studies. In addition, Link Medical’s regulatory team has extensive experience with supporting all stages of medical product development.
We are so delighted to once again be a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster, and we look forward to supporting the product development journey of Oslo Cancer Cluster members in their endeavours to help improve the lives of patients. Our vision is to advance health innovations, and we truly believe that LINK Medical continues to play an important role in the eco-system of developing life-saving products, says Sissel Lønning Andresen, CEO.
SurViva is a consultancy firm based in Norway that specializes in providing quality assurance (QA) services and digital quality management systems (eQMS) to clients in the food, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries. They offer customized quality packages to meet the specific needs of individual companies. The company’s goal is to promote activity and value creation in Norway by helping life science companies develop and professionalize their systems and processes. SurViva shares the vision of the Oslo Cancer Cluster to accelerate cancer treatments and diagnostics that improve patients’ lives.
We believe we can contribute to this goal by reducing barriers, saving time and costs for companies, and enabling accelerated development of new cancer treatments, shares Astrid Hilde Myrset, CEO.
Join us for a day of educational talks and mingling with colleagues in the oncology community.
Cancer Crosslinks 2024 will take place on-site in Kaare Nourum Auditorium at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park on 25 January 2024, starting at 10:30. You can read more about the programme, and register here.
The event features distinguished speakers from Germany, France, the UK, and the USA, presenting the latest advancements in diagnostic and treatment options for solid and haematological cancers. With a focus on bridging innovations for improved clinical outcomes, the program includes talks by renowned experts, such as Prof. Sonja Loges on targeted therapies, Dr Lisa Derosa on microbiota-centred interventions and cancer immunotherapy, Dr Leo Rasche on tumour heterogeneity in multiple myeloma, Dr Raza Ali on highly multiplexed imaging for precision breast immuno-oncology, Dr Paolo Tarantino on antibody-drug conjugates, and Prof. Mihaela van der Schaar on AI-enabled personalized medicine.
The event also highlights Norwegian moderators, including Dr Vilde Drageset Haakensen, Dr Marte Grønlie Cameron, Dr Fredrik Schjesvold, and Dr Katrin Kleinmanns.
Cancer Crosslinks 2024 title is “Bridging innovations to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients”. To kick off Cancer Crosslinks 2024, Sonja Loges will speak on this topic in her keynote presentation
Prof. Sonja Loges. Photo: ESMO.
Sonja Loges
Professor, Director, Dept of Personalized Oncology, DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute & Division of Personalized Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany. Prof. Loges is at the forefront of transformative research, focusing on targeted therapies and non-invasive liquid biopsies. Her work in translational research bridges the gap between scientific discoveries and clinical applications, offering personalized and cutting-edge approaches for improved cancer outcomes.
Targeted therapies are a type of cancer treatment that specifically targets the cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
Liquid biopsies involve analyzing bodily fluids to detect cancer-associated substances like genetic mutations and proteins. Non-invasive tests can be conducted without the need for traditional tissue biopsies.
Dr Lisa Derosa
Lisa Derosa
Immuno-Oncologist, Associate Professor, Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy of Cancer unit, Zitvogel Lab, Institut Gustave Roussy, Paris, France. Her research focuses on the influence of gut microbiota on cancer development and treatment. Dr Derosa introduced how antibiotics can suppress the immune system in cancer immunotherapy and examined the impact of gut microbiota composition on antitumor immunity with immune checkpoint inhibitors. She will give a talk on Microbiota-centered interventions and cancer immunotherapy: recent learnings and clinical implications.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively by releasing T-cells. The gut microbiota’s composition seems to play a role in how well this type of treatment works.
Dr Leo Rasche, Photo: Ukw.
Leo Rasche
Senior Physician, Specialist in Internal Medicine, Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Junior Group Leader, Mildred Scheel Nachwuchszentrum (MSNZ) for Cancer Research Germany. Dr Leo Rasche focuses on researching multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting plasma cells in the bone marrow. His work includes using medical imaging to understand the disease, exploring tumour genomics for genetic insights, studying tumour evolution over time, and developing immunotherapy approaches for treatment. Rasche will give a talk on Tumor heterogeneity in multiple myeloma: clinical consequences?
Tumour evolution refers to the changes in the genetic and molecular characteristics of cancer cells as the disease progresses. Understanding this evolution is crucial for developing targeted and effective treatments.
Dr Raza Ali. Photo: privat.
Raza Ali
Group Leader, Systems Cancer Pathology Lab, Honorary Consultant Pathologist, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, UK. His research group uses imaging mass cytometry to investigate breast cancer’s spatial dynamics, analyzing cell changes during disease progression and treatment. The method identifies adaptations and biomarkers influencing relapse and treatment outcomes. Dr Ali will give a talk on Highly multiplexed imaging for precision breast immuno-oncology.
Imaging mass cytometry is an advanced imaging technique that allows researchers to simultaneously analyse multiple biomarkers and cellular characteristics within tissue samples.
Biomarkers are measurable indicators of disease severity or presence. It can be a substance indicating a particular disease state. For example, the presence of an antibody may indicate an infection.
Dr Paolo Tarantino. Photo: Sam Ogden.
Paolo Tarantino
Advanced Research Fellow at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Dr. Tarantino’s research focuses on three key areas: HER2 oncoprotein study, delving into its role in certain breast cancers; exploration of HER2-low breast tumour biology; and innovation in novel antibody-drug conjugates, refining precision in chemotherapy delivery for enhanced cancer treatment. He will give a talk called Antibody-drug conjugates: a pan-histologic revolution in the treatment of cancer.
HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2) is a protein that can promote the growth of cancer cells. Its overexpression is associated with more aggressive forms of breast cancer.
Membrane Tyrosine Kinase: HER2 is a type of protein that sits on the cell membrane (outer layer of the cell) and can activate other proteins inside the cell by adding phosphate to them.
Oncogene: An oncogene is a gene that, when mutated or overactive, can contribute to cancer development. HER2 is an oncogene.
Novel antibody-drug conjugates: (ADCs) refer to a type of targeted cancer therapy that combines the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the cytotoxic (cell-killing) properties of chemotherapy drugs. This combination is designed to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
Prof. Mihaela van der Schaar
Mihaela van der Schaar
John Humphrey Plummer Professor of Machine Learning, AI, and Medicine. Director, Cambridge Center for AI in Medicine, University of Cambridge. In addition to leading the van der Schaar Lab, Prof. Mihaela is the founder and director of the Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine (CCAIM)UK.
Prof. Mihaela van der Schaar is a pioneer in the field of machine learning for healthcare. Her research is primarily focused on improving methods to forecast individual health risks and identifying crucial factors for accurate risk prediction. Her groundbreaking research findings have led to the development of improved treatment options for patients suffering from heart failure, cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Her research has made significant contributions to personalized and targeted healthcare interventions. She will give a talk on AI-enabled personalized medicine.
Norwegian moderators
Dr Vilde Drageset Haakensen
Vilde Drageset Haakensen
Senior Consultant Oncologist and Head of Lung Cancer Research, Dept of Oncology & Project group leader, Dept of Cancer Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Norway. She leads projects studying checkpoint inhibitors, radiotherapy combinations, and the telomerase peptide vaccine UV1. Dr Haakensen is also involved in repurposing targeted therapy for lung cancer, specifically ALK-inhibitors for ALK-negative tumours. She secures research grants, collaborates with industrial partners, and contributes to patient advocacy, cancer centre standards, and European cancer initiatives.
ALK inhibitors are a type of medication that specifically targets and blocks the activity of the ALK protein. This helps to inhibit the growth of tumours that have ALK alterations. These inhibitors have been effective in treating certain types of cancer, such as non-small cell lung cancer.
Dr Marte Grønli Cameron
Marte Grønlie Cameron
Clinical Oncologist, Palliative Care Unit and Head of Research at the Center for Cancer Treatment, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand, Norway. Dr Marte Cameron is a consultant clinical oncologist at the Center for Cancer Treatment in Kristiansand, Norway. For the majority of her career, she has worked as a gastro-oncologist, and for the past three years, in the Palliative Care Unit of the cancer center. Dr Cameron’s clinical practice and research interests now converge on targeting symptoms of advanced cancer, particularly neuropathic pain.
Dr Fredrik Schjesvold
Fredrik Schjesvold
Leader of Oslo Myeloma Center, Dept of Haematology, Oslo University Hospital, Norway. Head of the Norwegian Myeloma Association, President of the Nordic Myeloma Study Group, and board member of the European Myeloma Network. Dr Schjesvold is recognized globally as an expert in myeloma and shares his insights through talks across Europe, America, and Asia. His research contributions are extensive, being a principal investigator for academic studies and a national investigator for numerous clinical trials in multiple myeloma. Additionally, he has played a crucial role in guideline development, co-authoring European (ESMO) and global (IMWG) guidelines, and leading the creation of Norwegian myeloma guidelines.
Dr Katrin Kleinmanns
Katrin Kleinmanns
Researcher, Precision Oncology Lab (PrecOS), Innovative Novel Ovarian Cancer Treatment Approaches (INOVA) group, University of Bergen, Norway. Dr Kleinmanns work within the Innovative Novel Ovarian Cancer Treatment Approaches (INOVA) group centres on developing and characterizing immunocompetent patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of ovarian carcinomas. Her primary objectives include implementing targeted fluorescence image-guided surgery to enhance surgical outcomes and phenotypically characterizing the intricate ovarian tumour microenvironment. Dr Kleinmanns aims to identify new immunological targets for innovative therapeutic interventions in ovarian cancer treatment.
Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are a preclinical research tool used in cancer research. A PDX model is a type of mouse model that carries fragments of a patient’s tumour. These models are highly valuable because they attempt to replicate the characteristics of the original tumour within a living organism.
Afternoon mingle
The educational program includes an afternoon networking session. You are welcome to join us at 4:15 pm outside the auditorium.
Don’t miss this opportunity to make new connections in the oncology community, revisit old acquaintances and engage in stimulating discussions with other health professionals.
The Cancer Mission Hub Norway arranged its yearly high-level meeting for the fourth time.
The cancer mission is bold, concrete, and measurable, aiming to change a key challenge in society, namely how we jointly approach cancer. It is about understanding, preventing, diagnosing, treating, and following up cancer patients and their families, and it aims to improve the lives of three million people by 2030.
The goal of the Norwegian Mission Hub, one of the first cancer mission hubs established in Europe, is to work jointly on this societal challenge in effective ways.
Ketil Widerberg, the general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, opened the high-level meeting on 19 December 2023. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
EU’s holistic approach
The first keynote speaker on the programme was Cathrine Marie Lofthus, Secretary General of the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services. She underlined that Norway shares the same cancer challenges as the EU states.
“We commend the holistic approach chosen by the EU,” Lofthus said and underlined how Norway is in line with the EU in the cancer mission.
Her ministry is on the verge of presenting a new national cancer strategy next year, replacing the current strategy called Living with cancer.
“We will pay more attention to the patient’s psychosocial health needs and the need for follow-up in the new cancer strategy.” Cathrine Lofthus.
Genetic testing is also one of the areas with more emphasis in the new strategy.
Cathrine Marie Lofthus, Secretary General of the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, underlined that Norway shares the same cancer challenges as the EU states. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Harnessing the power of data
The second keynote address was by Mark Lawler, Associate pro-vice-chancellor, professor of digital health, and chair in translational cancer genomics at Queen’s University Belfast. He spoke about the research project European Groundshot: Reimagining cancer research and its implementation across Europe.
“If you will remember only one thing from my speech: Data eats opinion for lunch.” Mark Lawler
The research project European Groundshot looked at the impact of Covid 19 on cancer screenings and diagnosis, investigating the impact of real-time data analysis from Hospital Trust across the UK.
“And we were shocked,” Mark Lawler said to an attentive audience.
One of the findings was that 7 out of 10 people with a suspicion of cancer were neither going to their GP nor a specialist for help.
Another was that the war in Ukraine does have an impact on cancer in Europe since Ukraine and Russia are two big contributors to clinical trials in cancer.
A third point was that health research is very important, and effective, to improve people’s health, and should be seen as an investment in our health.
“Working together does make sense,” said Mark Lawler, and added that comprehensive cancer centers do lead to better cancer care.
Profesor Mark Lawler presented the research project European Groundshot: Reimagining cancer research and its implementation across Europe. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
The third keynote address was a perspective from the US Cancer Moonshot, by Jason Paragas, CEO DVLP Medicines, Former Director of Innovation, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory & Ex Officio member of the Blue-Ribbon Panel.
“In our government, everybody is in favor of coordination, but nobody wants to be coordinated. That is what a moonshot truly is,” Jason Paragas said, continuing with a reference to Albert Einstein’s letter to US President Franklin Roosevelt in 1939, and the outcome of this letter, the Manhattan Project.
“What makes a successful Moonshot: a clear goal that is only possible from collective action.” Jason Paragas
The outcomes from successful moonshot programs can be these, Paragas argued: The US testing weapons on supercomputers instead of in the desert. As a bonus, we have supercomputers evolving from this goal, becoming increasingly faster and more powerful. Another example is the outcome of the single goal of Operation Warp Speed: a functioning vaccine technology against Covid 19.
“And where did we fail with moonshots? I will argue that it is the Cancer Moonshot. It did not have a clear single goal.”
So, what can we do? This is the question to use to frame a moonshot. Jason Paragas lists these questions to spark our imagination:
Can we diagnose all cancers by stage 0-1?
Can we make 100 % of all cancers targetable?
Can we make cancer the 10th leading cause of death?
Can we diagnose cancer right 100% of the time?
What is the one goal?
After the keynote addresses, the high-level meeting facilitated three moderated panel discussions. The first was called Global cooperation in cancer with societal impact and was moderated by Ketil Widerberg. His first question was an encouragement to think in the moonshot way: What would be – from your angle, a bold, concrete, and measurable action we should take tomorrow to reach the cancer mission’s objective?
“We need a quick win,” Mark Lawler said, following up with a concrete quick-win goal in cancer that we can collaborate on across borders:
“We can eliminate HPV-cancers, we can do that as a collective in Europe.”
Toward the end of the discussion, Widerberg repeated this first question. Would he get other answers? Here are some of the answers he got:
We can start with a work package on health data.
Let us cut the time it takes research to become treatment in half.
A lesson from technology is that we need a multisided platform. Start with one problem in Norwegian health data, with cancer, and solve other health issues in addition.
In the first panel we met: Mari Sundli Tveit, Chief Executive, Research Council of Norway, Cathrine Lofthus, Secretary General, the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Service, Ingrid S. Ross, General Secretary, Norwegian Cancer Society, Ketil Widerberg, General Manager Oslo Cancer Cluster (Moderator), Anabela Isidro, Coordinator ECHoS, AICIB (Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation), Mark Lawler, Associate Pro-vice-chancellor, Professor of digital health, and Chair in translational cancer genomics, Queen’s University Belfast, and Jason Paragas, CEO DVLP Medicines, Former Director of Innovation, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory & Ex Officio member of the Blue-Ribbon Panel. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
The most important advice
The second panel was a conversation including the Norwegian reflections on the common effort in the cancer mission. Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, General Secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society, moderated the panel. She asked: What is the most important advice for the mission hub?
“To involve politicians and get commitment from the top is important to succeed with missions. Another advice is to monitor the projects that are set in motion and set interim goals. Also, it is to collaborate with others than the ones you apply for research funding with,” said Espen Solberg, Research Leader at the Norwegian Institute for Research and Education Studies (NIFU).
In the panel from the left: Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, General Secretary, Norwegian Cancer Society, moderated the panel with Espen Solberg, Research leader, NIFU, Kirsten Viga Skretting, Special Advisor, KS, Oddbjørn Straume, professor and senior physician, Haukeland University Hospital, Knut-Inge Klepp, director Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Sissi Leyell Espetvedt, Special Advisor, the Norwegian Directorate of Health. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Wanting the same thing
The third panel was a conversation about the engagement of the health industry in a mission-oriented innovation system, and ways of collaboration. Ole Johan Borge, Director of health and public sector at the Research Council of Norway, moderated the panel, and asked the question: What is your strategy to start new initiatives and pave the way towards so-called impossible solutions?
“It is important to want something and then work systematically with this one thing,” said Kjetil Taskén, Director of the Institute of Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital.
Taskén won the Innovation Prize of the University of Oslo earlier this year and is the coordinator of a large new EU project called PRIME ROSE.
“And everyone has to want the same thing, it cannot be about single institutions or even single countries,” Taskén added.
In the panel from the left: Ole Johan Borge, Director Health and public sector, the Research Council of Norway, was moderating the panel with Arild Kristensen, CEO at the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Leif Rune Skymoen, Managing Director the Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Norway (LMI), Giske Ursin, Director at the Cancer Registry of Norway, Ketil Taskén, Director of Institute of Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital. Photo Oslo Cancer Cluster
Read more about our EU Cancer Mission initiatives and the work of the Mission Hub in these articles from our archive:
Oslo Cancer Cluster Members secure a staggering NOK 92 Million from the Research Council of Norway.
The Research Council of Norway allocates NOK 494 million to 39 research-based innovation projects in companies across the entire country, marking a significant boost for cancer innovation. Oslo Cancer Cluster celebrates the success of several member companies, who collectively secured a remarkable NOK 92 million of the funds. Our member companies are:
Oncosyne
DoMore diagnostics
Hemispherian
AdjuTec Pharma
Blue Wave Therapeutics
Augere Medical
Kjetil Widerberg, Oslo Cancer Cluster’s General Manager, expresses his excitement, stating
“This fantastic news is a testament to the hard work and risk-taking spirit of individuals in these companies. It validates the quality of our ecosystem, bringing us significant steps closer to improving cancer patients’ lives through the acceleration of new diagnostics and treatments.”
Oslo Cancer Cluster extends recognition to The Research Council of Norway for the acknowledgment of the high quality of these Norwegian cancer companies, some of which are integral to Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC) Incubator.
This funding injection serves as a powerful catalyst, propelling these innovative projects into new realms of possibility and advancing the frontier of cancer research and treatment.
Thrilled and Grateful
Oncosyne, a biotechnology start-up in the OCC Incubator, received a NOK 16 million grant for “clinical feasibility of in vitro diagnostic drug testing for pancreatic cancer.” Cofounder & CTO, Peter W. Eide, shares his gratitude for the Research Council’s support, emphasizing the opportunity to enhance their drug modeling platform and initiate vital clinical studies for pancreatic cancer patients.
Peter W. Eide, Co-founder and CTO of Oncosyne. Photo: OCC.
DoMore Diagnostics, also an OCC Incubator company, secures NOK 16 million for clinical validation and implementation of the AI-based digital biomarker Histotype Px, to personalize treatment in colorectal cancer. CEO Torbjørn Furuseth shares the excitement of competing with strong applicants and expresses the motivation to accelerate plans.
Thorbjørn Furuseth CEO of DoMore Diagnostics. Photo: DoMore.
Hemispherianreceives a substantial NOK 16 million grant towards “a one-of-a-kind approach to treat Ovarian Cancer.” Hemispherian CEO, Zeno Albisser, expresses immense gratitude for the support,
“We are immensely grateful for this support from the Research Council of Norway. Our team is excited to advance our second asset, GLIX5, towards clinical use. We are dedicated to developing therapies that will make a tangible difference in the lives of those battling cancer.”
AdjuTec Pharma,also part of the OCC Incubator, secures NOK 16 million towards the “development of a novel broad-spectrum antibiotic-resistant inhibitor product.” CEO Bjørn Klem acknowledges the award’s significance, serving as both external validation and a catalyst for private capital raising to propel the project into the clinical phase.
AdjuTec Pharma CEO Bjørn Klem. Photo: OCC/Stig Jarnes.
Blue Wave Therapeutics also receives NOK 16 million towards their project ALPHAGLIO: Development of a novel treatment for glioblastoma.
“It feels incredibly good. This is the third time we’ve applied, so now it will be fantastic to finally get started with this project.” says CEO Jostein Dahle
Blue Wave Therapeutics CEO Jostein Dahle. Photo: Blue Wave.
Augere Medical is thrilled to announce the acceptance of its application for the IPN grant by the Research Council, securing close to NOK 12 million towards the project “ColoCompare: colonoscopy guidance and AI-assisted procedure comparison.”
Augere CEO and Co-founder, Pia Helén Smedsrud, expresses gratitude for the opportunity
“These funds will enable further research into novel technologies that can improve the detection and prevention of colorectal cancer. We are thankful for the opportunity and look forward to sharing our progress and technology with the public in the next few years.”
Augere CEO and Co-founder, Pia Helén Smedsrud. Photo: Augere.
Here are seven highlights from this eventful year.
2023 has seen the crystallization of several significant developments at Oslo Cancer Cluster. We’ve immersed ourselves in the cancer mission, initiated new endeavors both nationally and across Europe, and welcomed new members into our community.
Growing the Community
Throughout the year, we’ve been delighted to witness growth in both our membership and physical space. Discover more about some of our new members through these articles:
For a sneak peek at the ongoing construction between the Innovation Park and the Institute for Cancer Research, you can visit the live building site webcam on the Innovation Park website.
Connecting Efforts
A new cluster collaboration came to life in 2023. A primary task at Oslo Cancer Cluster is to foster connections within the cancer innovation sphere. Facilitating investment opportunities for emerging companies is a vital part of this process. At the start of the year, we reinforced our collaboration with other health and life science clusters in Norway to achieve this, aiming for increased success among Norwegian companies. This initiative is led by The Life Science Cluster and supported by Viken County for two years.
The leaders of the four health and life science clusters, from the left: Ketil Widerberg, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, The Life Science Cluster, Arild Kristensen, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Lena Nymo Helli, Norway Health Tech. Foto: Jofrid Åsland, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
The non-profit company HealthCatalyst brings together Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, and the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster to enhance testing facilities for health companies. In June, the company forged a new collaboration agreement with NorTrials Medical Equipment, aiming to elevate Norway as a testing ground for health technologies.
And here is the animation explainer that CONNECT made to explain personalised medicine (in Norwegian only).
Big and Small Meeting Places
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 centred around the theme “New dimensions to the hallmarks of cancer: How is the last decade of discoveries advancing our understanding of cancer biology and transforming precision medicine.” It served as a day of inspiration, insights, and interactions for professionals from across the cancer field in Norway and beyond.
Interested in joining Cancer Crosslinks 2024? The theme for next year is “Bridging innovations to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients.” Registration is open!
Throughout the year, we’ve organized smaller gatherings for our members and community, such as the Summer gathering and the December gathering. These meetings occur every June and December, and we hope to see you there next year!
Our incubator has also facilitated smaller meetings between start-ups and potential investors. During one such occasion in the summer, US healthcare and life science investors visited. Read about their interaction in this article.
Finally, we were present at the large venues too. One of these was the Nordic Life Science Days in Copenhagen, where Oslo Cancer Cluster coordinated the joint booth Norway for Life Science, promoting the Norwegian healthcare and life science industry. This is the article and this is part of our team in front of the Norwegian booth:
The Oslo Cancer Cluster team representing and networking in Copenhagen. From Left: Charlotte Homme, Dave Tippett, Thomas Andersson, Janne Nestvold and Bente Prestegård.
Our Take on the Cancer Mission
This year, we’ve raised the question, “How can Norway succeed with the EU’s Mission on Cancer?” loudly and clearly. Explore discussions and insights from two seminars in the meeting series “The Future of Cancer Treatments” held during 2023. The seminars are also available on our YouTube channel.
Espen Solberg (NIFU), Camilla Stoltenberg (FHI), Leif Rune Skymoen (LMI) and Ole Alexander Opdalshei (Norwegian Cancer Society) discuss how to perform the Cancer Mission in Norway.
The Cancer Mission Hub Norway is another crucial arena for the same topic. Oslo Cancer Cluster proudly collaborates within this hub. In May 2023, we commenced work with 56 other organizations spanning 28 countries in the EU project called ECHoS. It received a 6-million-euro grant from The European Union. Read about our plans through this consortium in these two articles:
Oslo Cancer Cluster continued to act as a Changemaker in 2023. In the cluster strategy for 2023-25, this is one of our three roles, aiming to improve the framework for cancer innovations in the Norwegian health industry. This involves contributing input to relevant national policies and addressing specific challenges. Discover more on our webpage or read our input to the State budget proposal. Additionally, watch our participation in the parliamentary health committee hearing on our YouTube-channel. Note that most of the content is in Norwegian.
In late summer, the government published its roadmap for the health industry, focusing on commercializing research and developing health as a green export success. Read more in this article.
Young Talents
Ullern Upper Secondary School and Oslo Cancer Cluster have a mutually rewarding school collaboration. In 2023, numerous engaging activities took place with students, their mentors, student research projects, and student work placements.
Bente Prestegård is project manager for the school collaboration with Ullern Upper Secondary. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
Projects Coming Together
Throughout the year, we’ve closely followed the AnteNor-project, learning extensively about polygenic risk scores (PRS) and their significance in future cancer prevention and early detection.
Discover more about the AnteNor-project in these articles:
The panel discussion about implementing PRS tests included (from left to right): Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder of Antegenes, Solveig Hofvind, Head of the Mammography Programme at the Cancer Registry of Norway, Ole Alexander Opdalshei, Deputy Secretary General at the Norwegian Cancer Society, Lovise Olaug Mæhle, senior consultant at the Department of Medical Genetics at Oslo University Hospital and Ketil Widerberg, general manager at Oslo Cancer Cluster, as moderator.
Exploring the improvement possibilities in manufacturing T-cell therapies was the focal point at a workshop organized by the CellFIT project in Trondheim in October. The seminar convened project partners and experts to address a significant challenge for cell-based cancer therapy – the need for efficient and scalable production. Discover more about their discussions in this article.
Meet Oslo Cancer Cluster’s new communications advisor Margit Selsjord.
Margit Selsjord will be assisting OCC in communication tasks, working on the websites, in social media, and ensuring that crucial messages are shared with members and the wider audience.
“I am passionate about using my expertise to contribute to solving one of the most significant societal challenges of our time. The increasing prevalence of cancer, even at a very young age, makes it incredibly meaningful to be working for Oslo Cancer Cluster,” Selsjord said.
She is taking over for Sofia Linden who will be on maternity leave throughout 2024.
Aiming to inspire
Selsjord is a trained photojournalist and comes directly from a similar position at LMI (The Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry) where she had roles in communication and content production. She has many years of experience in communication within the health, pharmaceutical, and research fields, and she is also an artist and teacher.
Even in her free time, Selsjord is dedicated to health and prevention. Through interests such as vegan cooking, yoga, meditation, strength training, and climbing, she hopes to inspire others to take better care of their bodies.
“I believe that with my diverse background, experience, and education, I can contribute in many areas, especially in enhancing visual communication. I look forward to working closely and offer my services to the team and members.”
You can get in touch with Margit Selsjord by email. Please find her details inour team overview.
This year’s Nordic Life Science Days took place in Copenhagen on 29-30 November.
Since 2015, Oslo Cancer Cluster has coordinated the joint booth Norway for Life Science, promoting the Norwegian healthcare and life science industry. This year together with Norway Health Tech, The Life Science Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Centre for Digital Life Norway, NorTrials, Aleap, Legemiddelindustrien (LMI), Inven2, Innovation Norway, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Copenhagen and Curida.
The Oslo Cancer Cluster team representing and networking in Copenhagen. From Left: Charlotte Homme, Dave Tippett, Thomas Andersson (Business Development, OCC Incubator), Janne Nestvold (COO, OCC Incubator) and Bente Prestegård.
Our members on stage
Anette Weyergang, CEO at RAB Diagniostics, a new company that works towards making cancer treatment more effective and match the right patient with the right drug. RAB Diagniostics is a part of Oslo Cancer Clusters Incubator accelerator program which provide the project with business development.
RAB diagnostics CEO Anette Weyergang at Nordic Life Science Days 2023 in Copenhagen.
Weyergang is a pharmacist by education and has spent her career since 2004 in Professor Kristian Berg’s research group at the Institute for Cancer Research.
It was great fun pitching RAB Diagniostics in this environment at NLS days, I wish I had more than 4 minutes on stage to talk about our ongoing mission, which is to help finding the right patients so that we can spare those who are less likely to respond to unnecessary treatments.
Adam Robertson CEO at Hemispherian, pitching at NLSDays 2023.
Adam Robertson, Chief Scientific Officer at Hemispherian, was thrilled to present at Nordic Life Science days. Hemispherian is an innovative preclinical pharmaceutical company focused on developing a novel class of small molecule drugs.
Presenting at NLS Days was an exciting experience. I am glad that so many participants were able to attend. Being a part of such high calibre pitches is hugely motivating.
Hemispherian is at the forefront of revolutionizing cancer treatment, offering hope and potential solutions for patients facing hard-to-treat cancers, especially glioblastoma. The company will enter clinical development in 2024. Robertson shares that Hemispherian’s drug candidates have shown excellent efficacy including in orthotopic glioblastoma xenograft models, as well as excellent tolerability in several animal models.
A Norwegian perspective: The foundations of the ECHoS project are laid and Cancer Mission activities are speeding up in Norway.
Over the initial six months of ECHoS, Oslo Cancer Cluster and its collaborators have made significant contributions towards achieving the project’s goals by increasing awareness and mobilising the Norwegian ecosystem for the EU’s Mission on Cancer.
With its early setup of the National Cancer Mission Hub in 2021, Norway is well-positioned to implement the Cancer Mission. Partners of the national hub are taking part in the European effort to establish similar structures in all member states and associated countries, under the ECHoS project.
“ECHoS provides an opportunity to explore new collaborative formats among stakeholders, including patients and citizens. It paves the way to establish novel partnerships across sectors and create opportunities to foster innovation in cancer care.” Marine Jeanmougin, Lead EU affairs and digital innovation in Oslo Cancer Cluster
Political discussions
Two public meetings were organised with politicians, experts, and representatives from different sectors in April and August. The debate revolved around the importance to commit to the Mission, how to use Missions as a tool for political change and how Norway can deliver on the Mission.
At the meeting Fremtidens kreftbehandling in April, key opinion leaders discussed how Norway should commit to the EU’s Mission on Cancer. Photo: Sofia Linden
Raising awareness
During The Economist’s World Cancer Series in Brussels, Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, moderated a panel discussion on cancer prevention. Clinicians, policymakers, and patient advocates discussed: How can equal access to screening be guaranteed? And what strategies can be implemented to adopt innovative methods for cancer detection?
Panel discussion with key opinion leaders at The Economist’s World Cancer Series in Brussel. Photo: Dave Tippett
Engaging stakeholders
Oslo Cancer Cluster recently conducted a working session on multistakeholder cooperation. Discussions addressed the possible challenges in establishing complex partnerships but also the opportunities offered by the mission approach to bring concrete solutions to cancer patients. The event fostered bottom-up thinking among ECHoS partners and tapped into the experience that participants have accumulated within their own ecosystems.
A cross-border, multi-national, virtual workshop with partners from ECHoS work package 3, work task 3, delved into new forms of collaboration towards the Mission on Cancer.
About ECHoS
ECHoS is a European project, funded by Horizon Europe Programme. It aims at supporting the implementation of the Cancer Mission activities in all Member State and Associated Country (MS/AC) through the establishment and development of National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs) operating at national, regional, and local levels.
Are polygenic risk scores the key to personalising cancer prevention in Norway?
Imagine that your saliva can reveal your personal risk for developing certain diseases. Think about the possibilities of detecting cancer at an early stage, preventing serious disease and saving lives. This is what polygenic risk score (PRS) tests are all about.
The AnteNOR project has investigated how such a test for breast cancer can be implemented in the Norwegian healthcare system. In a recent seminar at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, researchers and experts met to present the results and discuss the way forward.
Watch the seminar here:
Analysing Norwegian data
Eivind Hovig, Professor at the Centre for Bioinformatics at the University of Oslo, and group leader at Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, has investigated the performance of breast cancer polygenic risk score in the Norwegian population.
Eivind Hovig, Professor at the Centre for Bioinformatics at the University of Oslo, and group leader at Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Denise O’Mahony, researcher at the Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics at University of Oslo, supplemented Hovig’s presentation. Her research group has among other things analysed the distribution of polygenic risk scores in Norwegian data compared to Estonian data.
“By the age of 49 we see a total of 182 women that have a higher risk than the median absolute risk at 50, which is the age that women enter screening, therefore indicating the benefit of incorporating the PRS in clinical practice,” commented O’Mahony.
Denise O’Mahony, researcher at the Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics at University of Oslo. Photo: Wenche Gerhardsen / Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Testing in the clinic
A clinical pilot study at Vestre Viken breast centre has evaluated the impact of implementing population-based genetic testing strategy for breast cancer precision prevention. There were 80 study participants aged 40-50 who took the saliva-based PRS test at the breast centre. Some of these women were ultimately recommended earlier screening or more intensive screening.
“Half of them were recommended to participate in standard screening. Almost half of them were recommended to start screening at an earlier age than 50. One was recommended to start annual mammography screening immediately,” said Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken.
Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Is this cost-effective?
As with any innovation, the tests come at a price. Kari Kollstad, health economist at Oecona AS, has developed a cost-effectiveness analysis of a polygenic risk-tailored breast cancer screening program in Norway.
“The preliminary results show that risk-stratified screening is more costly than current mammography screening, mainly driven by: costs associated with implementing the test and consultations, as well as screening costs. Risk-stratified screening also resulted in an increase in life years and quality-adjusted life years, and a redistribution of cancer cases compared to current mammography screening,” said Kollstad.
This means that while the tests come with a cost, risk stratified screening means that breast cancer can be detected at an earlier stage and that patients live longer.
Kari Kollstad, health economist at Oecona AS. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Towards individual-based screening
The presentation was followed by a panel discussion about how to implement PRS tests in clinical practice.
“As an oncologist with 33 years of experience, I have encountered numerous cases of advanced breast cancer in women of various ages. When analyzing their risks and individual stories, I realized that we could prevent most of these unfortunate situations. Breast cancer risks vary significantly among women, but our screening approaches are the same for all. It is crucial that we enhance the current real-world practices for breast cancer prevention and screening, especially considering the availability of innovative solutions,” commented Dr. Peeter Padrik, CEO and Founder of Antegenes.
The company Antegenes has developed novel polygenic risk score-based genetic tests to estimate the risk of common cancers.
Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder of Antegenes. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
“I believe precision cancer prevention will be the right way for the future. We need to see what we can do to find more women with breast cancer that need to be treated,” commented Ole Alexander Opdalshei, deputy secretary general, the Norwegian Cancer Society.
“We have been doing mammography screening for 30 years now and using the same procedures and equipment, so it is definitely time for change. We need to go more personalised. We need more efficient tools and we need to consider if it is time to extend the age range targeted in the program. I think the Antegenes test could contribute to making BreastScreen Norway more personalized and better for women: if we could start inviting women 48 years old, test all women and plan a personalised screening for the women. It would be expensive, but perhaps cost-effective in the long run,” commented Solveig Hofvind, Head of the Mammography Programme at The Cancer Registry of Norway.
Thomas London has joined the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator
“It was an honour to be elected to the board,” Thomas London said.
London is a businessman who has been trying to buy property from Oslo municipality to expand Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park to make room for more businesses and laboratories within the cancer sphere. The slow process now seems to have found a solution with the new Oslo City Council.
London underlines the value for society in having an incubator dedicated to new companies working with cancer, often developing innovative Norwegian cancer research.
“The work of the incubator affects many lives and will continue doing so in the future. I wish to be an active board member and support the work of the incubator team in developing the incubator to be even bigger and help even more start-up companies through their first critical years.”
There is also a personal reason why Thomas London was eager to take on a board position in the incubator. Like so many, he has had close relations get cancer.
“I am personally invested in the fight against cancer and in developing better cancer care.”
Expanding the innovation park
As the manager of the real estate development company Oslo Science Hub AS, he oversees the final expansion of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. The final expansion is planned to be about 40,000 square metres. London is sure that cancer innovation in Norway will grow with the park.
“In the coming years it will be easier to see the entire Campus Radiumhospitalet as one innovative area,” London said.
A model of the planned expansion of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Phase 4 is being built today, between the hospital and the current park. Phase 5, to the far right in the picture, is planned to be built by 2028. The two planned building phases will add about 50,000 square metres to the park. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
How can manufacturing of T cell therapies be improved?
This was a key question at a workshop organised by the CellFIT project in Trondheim last week. The seminar brought together project partners and experts as they tried to address one of the biggest challenges for cell-based cancer therapy – efficient and scalable production.
“One of the key reasons why patients relapse after CAR T-cell therapy is that the therapeutic T cells do not persist in the patients after infusion. We know that patients that have cancer-reactive stem-cell like memory T cells respond better to treatment and these cells persist for a very long time, but these cells are rare. In the CellFit project we will optimize T cell manufacturing to produce more of these T cells for therapy. OUS has a central role in CAR-T cell development and manufacturing, and can test this in patient T cells,” commented Else Marit Inderberg, PhD, Senior Scientist, Group Leader, Head of Immunomonitoring, Department of Oncology, Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital.
ThermoFisher is one of the project partners and contributes with innovative reagents to ensure optimal growth factors for the cells.
“The Thermo Fisher Scientific team greatly appreciated the workshop and opportunity to meet face-to-face with the team and workshop participants. The presentations were of high quality covering important parts of cell therapy development from the development of novel CAR-T receptors, high-complex assays and initiatives to bring new cell therapies to patients via the ACT center. Already looking forward to the next workshop!” commented Tuva Holt Hereng, Senior Manager R&D Cell Therapy at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
State-of-the-art facilities
The day before the workshop, project partners were given a tour of the SINTEF Labs in Trondheim.
“It was great to welcome both the CellFit team and the workshop participants in Trondheim! Being close to the SINTEF labs a facility tour was a nice way to show some of the infrastructure used for high-throughput process development for the CellFit project. We also got great speakers that showed us the forefront of T-cell therapy development, which was both inspiring and very impressive,” commented Hanne Haslene-Hox, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, SINTEF.
Hanne Haslene-Hox, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, SINTEF gave a tour of the SINTEF labs in Trondheim. Photo: Dave Tippett
Public-private collaboration
To improve therapeutic efficacy, increased collaboration between manufacturers (industries) and patient treatment centers (hospitals) is needed.
“Supporting the scientists and stakeholders in the CellFit Project will help to assure that we reach collective goals. Oslo Cancer Cluster supports this project by providing advisory and opportunities for dissemination of knowledge to the wider oncology ecosystem,” commented Charlotte Wu Homme, Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Else Marit Inderberg, PhD, Senior Scientist, Group Leader, Head of Immunomonitoring, Department of Oncology, Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital and Charlotte Wu Homme, Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster. Photo: Dave Tippett
About CellFIT
The primary aim for the CellFit project is to define optimal growth conditions for improved manufacturing of therapeutically active T cells. Established in 2021 and funded by The Research Council of Norway, the CellFit Project is a collaboration led by Oslo University Hospital, Department of Cellular Therapy. The project includes project partners Oslo Cancer Cluster, SINTEF, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
New data shows 27% improved survival for malignant mesothelioma patients in the NIPU trial.
Positive results from the NIPU trial announced last night show the combination of a universal cancer vaccine and checkpoint inhibitors in patients with malignant mesothelioma reduces the risk of death by 27%.
“For patients with malignant mesothelioma, few treatment options are available after first-line chemotherapy. The NIPU study showed that patients receiving UV1 vaccination as add-on to nivolumab and ipilimumab experienced an increased objective response rate and a clinically meaningful prolonged survival. These encouraging results provide a foundation for advancing further clinical development with UV1 vaccination in mesothelioma patients,” said Principal Investigator of the NIPU clinical trial, Professor Åslaug Helland, MD Ph.D.
Åslaug Helland, Principal Investigator of the NIPU clinical trial. Photo: Per Marius Didriksen, Oslo University Hospital
The ‘gold standard’
This is the first demonstration of the efficacy and therapeutic impact of a universal cancer vaccine in a Phase II trial. The universal cancer vaccine is the lead product of the Norwegian biotech company Ultimovacs, which is developing novel immunotherapies against cancer. The vaccine is currently being tested in five Phase II trials on different cancer indications.
“We are thrilled to announce the highly advantageous results from the first randomized UV1 Phase II trial, marking a major milestone for Ultimovacs. Overall survival is the ‘gold standard’ in cancer treatment. We believe these data support further development in mesothelioma, and we are looking forward to discussing the results with the regulatory authorities,” said Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs.
Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs. Photo: Ultimovacs
Since malignant mesothelioma is a hard-to-treat cancer, the positive results from the NIPU trial give cause for optimism in the ongoing Ultimovacs’ trials for other cancer indications too, including malignant melanoma, head and neck cancer, ovarian cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.
In October 2023, the FDA ranted Orphan Drug Designation for UV1 in the treatment of mesothelioma, but there is still a way to go before the drug reaches the market. The treatment has to be assessed in a Phase III trial and undergo regulatory approval before becoming widely available.
Improved survival and response rate
Oslo University Hospital leads the NIPU study with support from Ultimovacs and Bristol-Myers Squibb. It includes 118 patients from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Australia. The patients are in second-line treatment, which means they already received chemotherapy without beneficial results and have no other treatment options.
The patients were divided into two randomized groups: 59 patients received the universal cancer vaccine in combination with checkpoint inhibitors, and the other group received only checkpoint inhibitors. Results show that patients who received the universal cancer vaccine had a prolonged survival rate and a significantly better objective response rate. This means the patients lived longer and more patients’ tumours shrunk than in the control arm. In addition, the treatment showed no added side effects.
“We want to extend our gratitude to the patients and their families, as well as the dedicated investigators and all our supporters whose invaluable contributions made this study possible,” Helland commented.
Her er de viktigste sakene i statsbudsjettet 2024 for Oslo Cancer Clusters medlemmer.
Vi har sett nærmere på statsbudsjettet for neste år, og funnet disse lyspunktene for våre medlemmer.
Ekstra til tidligfase
En gründerpakke på 220 millioner kroner ligger ligger bakt inn i statsbudsjettet. 70 millioner av disse kronene skal gå til å styrke Innovasjon Norges ordninger for etablerere og vekstselskap. I tillegg foreslår regjeringen å sette av 150 millioner kroner til investeringer i tidligfasebedrifter gjennom Investinor. Dette er gode nyheter, mener Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
– Offentlig støtte og såkornmidler er et viktig element i å utvikle ny norsk helsenæring, og satsingen er velkommen!
En liten justering og påminnelse er likevel på sin plass.
– Samtidig, med tanke på nye bioteknologiselskap innen kreft, trengs en kraftigere innsats om vi skal lykkes med å tiltrekke og utvikle ideene. Lange utviklingsløp krever betydelig risikoavlastende kapital i tidlig fase. For eksempel hentet nylig radiofarmasiselskapet ArtBio inn 250 millioner kroner bare på en første investeringsrunde, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Et tilskudd på 110,9 millioner kroner foreslås videreført fra 2023 til persontilpasset medisin. Tilskuddet finansierer blant annet etablering og drift av nasjonalt genomsenter, infrastruktur for presisjonsdiagnostikk (InPred) og det nasjonale kompetansenettverket innenfor persontilpasset medisin (NorPreM). Ketil Widerberg mener at det er gledelig at persontilpasset medisin blir prioritert videre til neste år.
– Persontilpasset medisin er viktig for pasienter, som slipper mange bivirkning og får effektive medisiner. Det er også et område der vi i Norge er i forskningsfronten, har et innovativt samarbeid i det offentlig-private konsortiet CONNECT, og har lovende oppstartsfirmaer som Zelluna Immunotherapy og andre i vårt økosystem.
I en helhetlig satsing på persontilpasset medisin, er diagnostikk og spesielt gentester vesentlige ingredienser.
– Gentester burde satses på i større grad.
Kartlegger helsekatapult
Tilskuddene til testfasiliteter for oppstartsbedrifter skal økes som et ledd i regjeringens politikk for en grønn omstilling av norsk næringsliv. Konkret vil det si 26 millioner kroner mer til testfasiliteter gjennom Sivas katapultordning i 2024.
Per i dag finnes fem sentre under katapultordningen. De dekker produksjonsteknologi, materialteknologi, digitalisering, hav og marin teknologi og fornybar energi. Det finnes ikke noe eget katapultsenter for helse, men helse var blant fire prioriterte områder i forprosjekter som ble gjennomført i 2019/2020 for ny utlysning av ordningen. I regjeringens veikart for helsenæringen, som ble lansert i august, ba regjeringen Siva, i samarbeid med Forskningsrådet og Innovasjon Norge, om å utrede hvordan helsenæringen i større grad kan få nytte av katapultordningen. Nå øremerkes to millioner statsbudsjettkroner til en slik kartlegging, som del av de nevnte 26 millionene til testfasiliteter. Ketil Widerberg er glad for det.
– Vi er glade for at helsekatapult blir prioritert, og ser frem til å jobbe med de andre helseklyngene for å realisere potensialet for at norsk forskning skal kunne bli til helsenæring og fremtidige industrieventyr.
Totalt får ordningene Norsk katapult og Grønn plattform 214,3 millioner kroner i 2024.
Regjeringen foreslår å sette 94,7 millioner kroner inn på å fremme norsk eksport i 2024. Det er en økning på 45 millioner kroner, som et ledd i eksportreformen Hele Norge eksporterer, der helsenæring er ett av årets to nye satsingsområder, som blir lansert av regjeringen i løpet av høsten.
Budsjettpengene går først og fremst til Innovasjon Norges internasjonale satsinger, stiftelsen Norwegian Energy Partners (Norwep), arbeid med eksportprogrammet og profilering. De ulike eksportsatsingene presenteres som prosjekter i denne posten, og har ikke fått øremerkede midler.
Nasjonal kreftstrategi
Til neste år vil regjeringen presentere en oppdatert kreftstrategi, som også skal tre i kraft til neste år. Det følger ingen budsjettmidler med.
I den nye strategien skal ny kunnskap på kreftområdet ivaretas, samtidig som de fem overordnede målene videreføres fra nåværende strategi:
Norge skal bli et foregangsland for kreftforebygging
Norge skal bli et foregangsland for gode pasientforløp
En mer brukerorientert kreftomsorg
Flere skal overleve og leve lenger med kreft
Best mulig livskvalitet for kreftpasienter og pårørende
– Vi mener det er viktig å se på hvordan vi samarbeider for å nå målene, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Han understreker at ulike samarbeid må være en del av selve strategien.
– Vi har flere etablerte samarbeidsarenaer som vi må videreutvikle, som den norske mission huben, CONNECT-samarbeidet på presisjonsmedisin, og helseklyngesamarbeidet. Det er også rom for bedre samarbeid mellom norske og internasjonale institusjoner, mellom offentlige og private aktører, og på tvers av nasjonale siloer. Hvordan vi samarbeider må være en integrert del av en kreftstrategi – og en mulighet til å få til mer uten flere budsjettkroner, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Helse- og omsorgstjenestene skal bli enklere og mer brukervennlige. Derfor foreslår regjeringen 150 millioner kroner til en ny helseteknologiordning, og 100 millioner kroner til utvikling av digital samhandling i helse- og omsorgssektoren. En helseteknologiordning skal gi kommunene drahjelp for å investere i og ta i bruk helseteknologi. Kommunene kan søke om tilskudd for å skaffe digitale løsninger og finne leverandører.
– For kreftpasienter betyr det mye hva slags teknologi som er tilgjengelig der de bor, for å få en effektiv oppfølging etter kreftsykdom. Vi ser derfor frem til at en satsing på helseteknologiordning vil kunne bidra til bedre oppfølging av pasientene.
Til grunn ligger en ramme på 1,25 milliarder kroner over seks år for å gjennomføre de nasjonale tiltakene for digital samhandling. Her gjelder det å bruke pengene smart, og etablere det vi mangler innen helseteknologi.
– For å gjøre bruk av ny teknologi i helse, mangler vi etablerte prosesser, budsjetter og samarbeid om helseteknologi, slik som vi har på legemidler. Spesielt blir dette tydelig for digitale løsninger, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Andre kreftrelaterte bevilgninger
Tarmkreftscreeningprogrammet fortsetter med videreførte 215,1 millioner kroner.
Hjemmetest i livmorhalsprogrammet får 26 millioner kroner i 2024.
Hudkreftstrategien og UV-nettverket får 2 millioner kroner ekstra, som blant annet skal gå til oppmerksomhetskampanjer.
Vite mer om statsbudsjettet 2024? Du finner alle budsjettdokumentene på regjeringen.no.
Meet the newest member of Oslo Cancer Cluster – SurViva, a Norwegian consultancy providing quality guidance for life science companies.
“Cancer research is one of SurViva’s strategic areas of focus, as this is an area where Norway clearly has the potential to develop innovative treatments and value-creating businesses. SurViva is joining Oslo Cancer Cluster to offer our comprehensive Quality package enabling businesses to more efficiently turn great science into lifesaving products,” said Astrid Hilde Myrset, CEO of SurViva.
SurViva is a small Norwegian consultancy offering services including quality assurance (QA) and customised digital quality management systems (eQMS) to health start-ups.
“Quality assurance and the establishment of a quality management system may represent a significant hurdle for small developing companies. Historically, the solution for the individual company has been to employ a QA in a 100% position. A newly hired QA is often alone, may have limited experience, and can easily end up creating resource-intensive systems that can grow out of proportion and require an unnecessary amount of time and expense for the company,” said Myrset.
Focus on quality
SurViva works to grow a pool of quality expertise available for several companies in parallel, to accelerate product development and promote industrial growth.
“In this way, the individual company can get started with its quality system at the right time and have flexible access to qualified resources at any time throughout the development process. When desirable, own QA personnel may be hired, and by having access to a competence pool, it will be easier to make smart choices based on shared experiences and expertise,” said Myrset.
Helping developing companies
SurViva became a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster in September 2023 to contribute to the organisation’s vision of accelerating cancer treatments and diagnostics that improve patients’ lives.
“We think our vision is very well aligned with Oslo Cancer Cluster’s vision. Our Quality package will save time and costs for developing companies, and thus enable accelerated development of new cancer treatments,” said Myrset.
How a simple saliva test can reveal the risk of breast cancer in the Norwegian population.
A study by the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital and OÜ Antegenes looking into Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) and breast cancer in Norway was recently published in the journal MDPI Cancer. PRS technology is a type of genetic test that can reveal an individual’s risk of developing cancer.
“The study was initiated to assess the possibility of using a combination of genetic markers for a given woman here in Norway to predict the risk of developing breast cancer over her life,” said Eivind Hovig, Professor at the Department of Bioinformatics at the University of Oslo, and one of the co-authors to the article.
Early detection
Every year, there are close to 4 200 new breast cancer cases and almost 600 deaths from breast cancer in Norway, according to reports from the Norwegian Cancer Registry. Early detection is crucial for survival, but almost 40 per cent of breast cancer cases are not diagnosed at an early stage.
“The results indeed indicate that it is entirely feasible to apply such a predictor meaningfully in a Norwegian context,” said Hovig.
Personalised screening
Current breast cancer screening in Norway is implemented for women at age 50-69, but approximately 20 per cent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in younger women. These tests can potentially be used to identify younger women with a higher risk and lead to a more personalised screening approach.
“As the application of such a predictor may have implications for management of patients with high risk scores, it may lead to different screening strategies and a better understanding of the risk profiles of these patients,” added Hovig.
The PRS test used in the study was developed by the Estonian company Antegenes. The study was conducted as a part of AnteNOR, a project that investigates how PRS can be implemented for prevention and early detection of breast cancer in Norway.
How will Norway commercialise research and turn health into a green export success?
The roadmap for the health industry was released today by Ingvild Kjerkol, Minister of Health and Care Services, and Jan Christian Vestre, Minister of Industry, Trade and Fisheries. The roadmap includes 12 focus areas and 41 actions, which the two ministries have worked together with industry to identify.
Commercialising research
One of the focus areas is testing and piloting of novel health solutions.
“We will become better at commercialising research results and create industry. We want the state to contribute considerably more so companies have access to testing facilities, so they can develop their solutions. We will develop the catapult scheme for the health industry,” said Vestre.
Today there is no health catapult in Norway. SIVA, the Research Council of Norway and Innovation Norway will now investigate how the health industry can better utilise the catapult scheme.
“The health clusters are ready to contribute! Based on work we did in 2019 and 2020, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster and Norway Health Tech have set up Health Catalyst, a national arena for developing, testing and piloting novel solutions in health. Among other things, we have signed an agreement to collaborate with Nortrials,” commented Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
A green export opportunity
In 2021, the Norwegian health industry had a total turnover of NOK 65 billion, where NOK 22 billion came from export alone, according to a Menon Economics report (2023).
“The health industry has a natural place in a low emission society. We believe we can increase the export from the health industry considerably, and this will contribute to solve global challenges and create workplaces in our own country,” commented Vestre and added there will be additional funding for this.
The Norwegian health industry is united through the clusters and is ready to contribute as the government launches this historical investment.
“When we work with pharma and biotech, we create green workplaces. We work to establish national production, local testing, and precision medicine, which will shorten value chains, as well as decrease transport and logistics,” commented Widerberg.
A supercluster is needed
The Norwegian clusters were also mentioned especially for their ability to facilitate collaboration and knowledge transfer between large and small companies, and research environments – which will strengthen the success of Norwegian export.
“We want to clarify that the three internationally renowned, National Centres of Expertise (NCE) clusters in health, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster and Norway Health Tech, wish to unite into a supercluster.
“We hope the revised cluster programme builds on an understanding that all parties must contribute to the development and financing of the clusters to make public-private collaboration a reality,” commented Widerberg.
Towards a Cancer Mission?
Kjerkol also mentioned several actions that will make a big difference for the development of cancer therapeutics and diagnostics in Norway. These include:
Securing that research milieus in the private and public sector get guidance on clinical studies
Developing the Directorate for Medical Products
Facilitating access to health data for the health industry
Investing in clinical studies and personalised medicine
Creating a strategic arena for dialogue between health authorities and industry
“Oslo Cancer Cluster is delighted that input we have made over the last two years towards public policy are taken seriously in this roadmap, but there is still work to do. Our project CONNECT shows the opportunities of public-private collaboration in implementation of precision medicine including regulatory innovation. We applaud that the government wants to build on this.”
“We believe these combined efforts represent the first steps towards Norway making its mark internationally and are a contribution to the European Mission on Cancer,” said Widerberg.
Ulrich Spreng, Chief Medical Officer of the South-Eastern Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst), underlined how critical personalised treatments will be in the future. Spreng sits in the Decision Forum of New Methods, the national system that manages the introduction of new treatments in Norway. The Decision Forum looks at three criteria; the severity of the disease, the effect of the treatment and the resources it requires.
“If you can target treatment better according to an individual patient’s genetic profile, there will be a greater effect. This makes it easier to implement that drug since it is a different relationship between resources and effect than when you treat a large patient group where many do not have an effect. It is important for us to separate a total patient group into subgroups according to their genetic profile. This is very exciting for New Methods!” Spreng commented.
Urgent lack of resources
The Norwegian health service faces a lack of resources and personnel, according to an investigation by the Health Personnel Commission in 2022. Gro Live Fagereng, Coordinator Precision Cancer Medicine at Oslo University Hospital, agreed this is a major challenge:
“We have limited time and finances in the health service, so we must prioritise the available resources. Both personalised medicine and research in general form the basis for making the best priorities. We need to invest in research to make the most of our resources. I hope and believe we will have a more systematic and learning health service in the future; that we will learn more from patients, so we can update treatments and make better priorities.”
Åsmund Flobak, oncologist at St. Olavs Hospital, explained how personalised medicine enables us to learn from patients:
“Traditionally, we have treated patients on a group level, but we know that patients are different; some respond and some do not. The goal is to find out which biomarkers relate to which treatments. We have worked to establish publicly financed precision diagnostics through InPreD and we give patients precision treatment through IMPRESS. A third of us will at some point get cancer, so we must implement better treatments.”
Watch this video (in Norwegian) to understand personalised medicine:
Health economists also agree that this strategy can help to save resources.
“When a patient gets the right treatment, you avoid giving a treatment that doesn’t work well enough first and there are fewer side effects. The consequence is less use of resources in the health service and we can live better lives,” commented Erik Magnus Sæther, Partner at Oslo Economics.
Public-private collaboration needed
Karoline Knutsen, Manager Market Access at Legemiddelindustrien (LMI), said that the vision for the future looks grim:
“The number of people of working age will decrease, while there will be more elderly in need of health services. We will see more chronically ill people with complex diseases. We believe new technologies and treatments are part of the solution, so more of us can keep working. The success of implementation of personalised medicine relies not just on financial investments, but also on contributions from many key players and stakeholders. Everyone must sit around the same table.”
CONNECT was set up to be that table, as a public-private consortium driving the implementation of precision cancer medicine in Norway. Since 2020, CONNECT has gathered 30 partners, including industry, patient organisations, university hospitals and several governmental institutions.
“We need to nurture this collaboration, develop it and use it in more areas,” commented Thomas Axelsen, Head of Politics at the Norwegian Cancer Society. “Personalised medicine in cancer needs to happen, no matter what. It is just about how fast we want it to happen. If we do it faster, we can save patients’ lives.”
“Personalised medicine should be an integrated part of the specialist health service. We need to develop the health service in a way that maximises value creation, both for the individual and for society as a whole,” said Truls Vasvik, State Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
“Our doors are always open. We need to talk together about the development of competences, research and new price models; how we can get documentation of small patient groups and single treatments with uncertain long-term effects,” added Vasvik.
Norway needs more big companies to deliver on the Mission on Cancer.
The European Union has launched the Mission on Cancer with the goal to improve the lives of 3 million Europeans. In the recent meeting Fremtidens kreftbehandling during Arendalsuka, key experts and politicians gathered to discuss the implications of this for Norway. See the meeting here. See the meeting here.
“With missions, we need to mobilise all resources in society towards a common goal. This is a new way to work and it challenges the established system. It is a historic investment from the EU; they are leaving no stone unturned in the fight against cancer,” said Astrid Bjerke, strategic adviser for the Norwegian Cancer Society.
A Norwegian Cancer Mission Hub has already been set up in Norway by several stakeholders, including Cancer Society, Oslo Cancer Cluster, The Research Council, The Norwegian Health Directorate, the Cancer Registry of Norway, and more.
“Norway is a part of the Mission on Cancer and this is important both for the ministry and from political leadership. EU has seen that we have to work together in the area of health. It is important that Norway is a part of this, because it also gives us possibilities.
“We have a great health service and fantastic health data, which we need to take better advantage of. We have a high degree of knowledge and fabulous research environments, as well as a population with a high degree of trust. Many positive things are happening, but we need to attract the big companies and their competence,” said Cathrine Lofthus, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
Successful industry collaborations
Idar Kreutzer, director of The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), gave several historic examples of how Norway has built industries based on public-private collaboration, such as water power and the oil industry.
“We were impressed when we saw the power of the development of vaccines during the pandemic, which was a real collaboration between authorities, researchers and industry – with impressive results! The health industry is already exporting for more than NOK 20 billion per year, but the potential is even larger and Norway has perfect conditions to grow a health industry,” said Kreutzer.
One example of a current collaboration between academia and industry is the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, which is expanding and has recently signed a lease agreement with the global company Thermo Fisher Scientific.
“We are doing many of the right things in Norway from basic research to patient treatment, but we need to look at the whole ecosystem. We built this ecosystem in miniature around the Radium Hospital, because this is where most of the cancer patients come through and most cancer research is done. It has been a difficult journey, but we have a very exciting pipeline with several up-and-coming companies and promising treatments,” said Jónas Einarsson, CEO of Radforsk Investment Fund and founder of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Is there political will?
There seemed to be broad political consensus around the Cancer Mission among the politicians at the meeting.
“Missions and the EU’s work in this area is a part of our new cancer strategy and we have to collaborate on this, as well as collaborate with the EU. The mission concept is nothing new. It is first and foremost about achieving collaboration between the health service and the industry. Our cancer strategy will lay the basis for this: to gather all resources around a common goal,” said Even Røed, the Labour Party (Norway).
“We need to replace the income from oil and gas with new industries, which need to have large potentials. All Nordic countries have managed to make their health industries grow. Now we have the opportunity in Norway. The health service, academic milieus and industry are already gathering momentum, but there is a lack of political will. Norway has joined the Mission on Cancer, but how will it be implemented in Norway? There needs to be political will to build the health industry,” said Alfred Bjørlo, the Liberal Party (Norway).
“This is a really exciting method, to involve civil society, industry and academic milieus. I am most concerned about this being politically anchored. Will we see it when the new Cancer Strategy is presented? Will we see the Minister of Health together with the Minister of Industry and a representative from the European Union? Will we be connected to the Europen Union, or will this be a Norwegian hobby project, where we don’t take advantage of the big advantages we have?” asked Kristoffer Robin Haug, Green Party (Norway).
The meeting was organised by Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Cancer Society, Legemiddelindustrien LMI, MSD Norway, Janssen Norway and AstraZeneca Norway. Thank you to our collaboration partners!
Tirsdag 15. august, kl. 08.00-09.00, Clarion Hotel Tyholmen Sal A
Velkommen til frokostseminar om samfunnsoppdraget kreft.
Hvert år får 3,5 millioner europeere diagnosen kreft. Om utviklingen fortsetter, vil tallet være 4,3 millioner i 2035. Kreft er i dag den vanligste dødsårsaken i Norge og i flere europeiske land. Utfordringen på kreftområdet er med andre ord formidabel – og økende. Nettopp derfor har EU definert kreft som en av fem store samfunnsutfordringer, som har fått sine tilsvarende målrettede samfunnsoppdrag, såkalte missions. Disse oppdragene skal føre til løsningsforslag på vår tids største utfordringer innen miljø, klima og kreft.
Hvordan kan vi best lykkes med et samfunnsoppdrag på kreft i Norge? Hva har helsenæring og eksport med et samfunnsoppdrag på kreft å gjøre? Og er det ønskelig fra politisk hold å bruke missions som metode? Dette er sentrale spørsmål vi vil debattere med politikere og samfunnsaktører under dette frokostseminaret i møteserien Fremtidens kreftbehandling.
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Kreftforeningen, Legemiddelindustrien, Janssen Norge, MSD Norge, AstraZeneca Norge
Tirsdag 15. august, kl. 14.30-15.30, Clarion Hotel Tyholmen Sal A
Hvordan vil USAs enorme støttepakke til egen industri påvirke medisinsk innovasjon i Europa og Norge?
Amerikanerne har lansert en støttepakke til egen industri, kalt Inflation Reduction Act. Denne vil påvirke investeringer i forskning og innovasjon i USA, og få ringvirkninger for Europa og Norge.
Inflation Reduction Act, som ble vedtatt i amerikansk lov i fjor, skal få fart på det grønne skiftet og redusere inflasjonen i USA. Men kommentatorer peker på at det vel så mye er en gigantisk pakke for å hente industri og arbeidsplasser hjem, blant annet gjennom subsidier. I pakken kommer også en rekke tiltak som påvirker utvikling av legemidler. Blant annet har flere legemiddelselskaper uttrykt bekymring for en betydelig usikkerhet knyttet til investeringer i forskning og utvikling, og at flere fremtidige kliniske studier kan bli satt på pause.
Hvordan skal Europa og Norge svare på dette?
Historisk har Europa vært ledende på medisinsk innovasjon, men de siste tjue årene har vi falt etter USA. I 2002 var forskjellen mellom investeringer i forskning og utvikling i helseteknologi mellom USA og Europa på 2 milliarder euro, og i dag har denne forskjellen blitt 25 milliarder euro. På tross av dette er Europa i en unik situasjon til å ta over lederrollen innen medisinsk innovasjon, med et helsevesen i verdensklasse, og en lang historie innen forskning og utvikling. Når USA nå satser tungt på egen industri, er det en mulighet for Europa til å intensivere sin egen innovasjonskraft innen helse.
Medisinsk innovasjon er avhengig av et levende økosystem mellom private aktører, helsetjenester og akademia. Derfor vil vi invitere aktører fra det norske økosystemet for å diskutere hvordan Europa, inkludert Norge, skal svare på den globale utviklingen som USA nå dytter framover med sin nasjonale støttepakke.
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Abbvie, Photocure
Digital solutions offer significant potential to enhance healthcare delivery and innovation for Norwegian businesses. Despite a multitude of available apps, global downloads, and opportunities, many healthcare systems struggle with effective utilization due to trust issues and market complexity. This event highlights successful European cases, aiming to inspire Norway to become a pioneer in secure and impactful digital healthcare solutions.
Agenda:
13:30 – Introduction and Moderation Presented by Stephen McAdam from DNV
13:35 – Norges strategi for implementering av digitale helse teknologier Presented by Lucie Aunan, Divisjonsdirektør at Direktoratet for eHelse (Presentation in Norwegian)
13:40 – The Importance of Certification for Norwegian Municipalities Presented by Terje Wistner, Director ehealth at KS
13:45 – Sleepio: Experience from the UK and Other Countries (Video)
13:48 – A European Perspective: What’s Working and What’s Not Presented by Liz Ashall Payne, CEO and Founder of Orcha
14:00 – Challenges of Implementing Digital Solutions in Norway Presented by Solvor Øverlien Magi, CEO of Lifeness
14:07 – Round Table Discussion Participants: KS, Lifeness, Orcha, CEO of Norwegian Smart Care Cluster Arild Kristensen representing Norwegian Health clusters
14:25 – Summarizing Comments Presented by Stephen McAdam
14:30 – Closing Remarks
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, The Life Science Cluster, DNV
Onsdag 16. august, kl. 16.30-17.30, Clarion Hotel Tyholmen Sal A
Konsortiet CONNECT inviterer til diskusjon om persontilpasset medisin i lys av ressurskrisen i helsetjenestene.
Hva er de største ressursutfordringene helsetjenesten står overfor – og hvordan kan persontilpasset medisin bidra til å løse disse?
I løpet av denne timen tar vi på oss fremtidsbrillene. Vi ser på hva den nye strategien for persontilpasset medisin sier om utsiktene for mer presis behandling, og hvordan blant annet data fra norske kreftpasienter kan bidra til en mer effektiv bruk av helsepersonell og ressurser.
Både fagfolk og politikere deler sitt syn på hva som vil skape bedre ressursbruk i helsetjenesten i årene framover, og hvilken plass persontilpasset medisin bør få i helsetjenesten.
Artificial intelligence is changing the way radiation therapy is used to combat cancer.
A Norwegian technology, developed by the company Kongsberg Beam Technology to improve the precision of external beam radiation therapy, is being tested at Oslo University Hospital.
“There are almost half a million Norwegians living with cancer today. Many more cancer patients survive after radiation therapy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the patients get well. What concerns us most today is to create treatment plans with less side effects,” said Karsten Rydén-Eilertsen, Head of Proton Therapy Physics at Oslo University Hospital and responsible for the test project.
Huge developments
Karsten Rydén-Eilertsen has worked with radiation therapy at Oslo University Hospital for 33 years. He remembers when the doctors had to make radiotherapy plans for cancer patients using only 2D X-ray images and palpating the tumour site with their hands. Medical physicists and radiotherapy technicians would calculate the dose using standardised charts.
“I have experienced an explosive development in the field of radiation therapy against cancer. We now only use three- and four-dimensional images that we transfer to a sophisticated treatment planning system, where we can outline the tumour and vital organs in detail. There are advanced algorithms for calculating the exact right doses for the individual patient,” Rydén-Eilertsen explained.
These developments are thanks to major advancements in imaging technology, computer power, programming and data handling.
“The big difference today is that the level of personalisation and precision is much higher. We can deposit a high dose of radiation that can destroy the tumour while sparing healthy tissue,” Rydén-Eilertsen commented.
Still many side-effects
With radiation therapy, doctors aim to eradicate the tumour, while minimizing the damage to healthy tissue and vital organs.
“It is a difficult balancing act, because sometimes the organs are so close to the tumour that you can’t avoid affecting them with radiation. Sometimes, you need to choose between destroying the tumour and keeping a vital organ,” Rydén-Eilertsen said.
This dilemma isn’t unique for radiation therapy, but is also true for other cancer treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy.
“With radiation therapy, you will never have zero radiation dose to the surrounding tissue. There will always be some side-effects. My hope with proton therapy is that these side effects will be reduced,” added Rydén-Eilertsen.
Photons vs. protons
Traditional radiation therapy involves beaming millions of photons through the patient’s body to the tumour. The photons deposit radiation all along their way through the body before exiting. It is not possible to control the photons to only deposit radiation to cancer cells.
“Proton therapy is different. Protons are heavy particles that loose most of their energy the moment they stop. By adjusting their initial speed, you can direct them to deposit most of the radiation dose at the site of the tumour. This means that you don’t affect tissue ‘behind’ the tumour and there is minimal damage ‘in front’ of it. This opens for the possibility to greatly reduce side-effects,” explained Rydén-Eilertsen.
The challenge with protons however is that they are very sensitive to which type of tissue they pass through. The energy loss will be different in bone versus in fat.
“In proton therapy, changes in the patient’s body during treatment are critical. The anatomy of the patient may change from when we take the first CT scan for treatment planning to the day of treatment. A treatment course may take several weeks and involve 30-40 treatment sessions. The anatomy may change both between and during a session. Ideally, one may think that a new plan should be created for every session, but today we don’t have the resources for this. That is why we introduce margins to ensure that the tumour gets properly irradiated every time. Sometimes these margins need to be so large that the patient may still get side-effects,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
First of its kind
This is where the MAMA-K technology developed by Kongsberg Beam Technology comes in. It can build a digital twin of the patient representing their anatomy as accurately as possible. The twin is created by using advanced mathematical models that allow for all image data sets to be combined into a longitudinal, virtual representation of the patient’s anatomy.
“With this mathematical modelling, we can visualize and quantify how the patient’s body, tumour and vital organs change over time, as well as, make an accurate scoring of the accumulated doses to the tumour and organs at risk,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
This system will generate knowledge about how different cancer patients’ bodies, tumours and vital organs change while undergoing radiation therapy and the impact this may have on the delivered dose. This will be valuable when starting up proton therapy centres in Norway.
“The mathematical models may make it possible to even predict anatomical changes and the related consequences for the dosage. Artificial intelligence can tell us how the patient might look in 24 hours, so we can create a treatment plan accordingly. The next day, we can take a new CT image and compare if the AI’s prediction is correct. We can then introduce smaller margins, which will also reduce side-effects,” explained Rydén-Eilertsen.
There are 16 treatment machines that generate 3-dimensional data and 2 000 patient appointments every week at the Radium Hospital, generating a large volume of potential test data, which could map changes in cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.
“These data will be extremely valuable when we enter the era of proton therapy because they will tell us more about how patients’ bodies change. Then we can become better at adapting treatment plans and hitting the tumour directly,” explained Rydén-Eilertsen.
AI to identify organs
The next step will be to adjust the treatment plan while the patient is on the table by using real-time images. To accomplish this, the shape and location of the tumour and organs at risk must be extracted from the images. The use of AI will be crucial to realize the speed needed. AI models to identify different parts of the anatomy must be trained and tested – something Kongsberg Beam Technology hopes to have in place soon.
“One of the biggest workloads in radiation treatment today is that doctors must manually outline the tumour and organs at risk in the CT images. We have already tested AI methods to identify anatomic parts of the body, especially vital organs, and the models are very good at this. To find tumours is a different story. We have tested some models that can find breast tissue, and they work well. I think it is only a matter of technological development. A lot will happen in this area,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
Norwegian proton therapy centres
There are two proton therapy centres being built in Norway and Rydén-Eilertsen believes the MAMA-K technology will be very useful in these centres.
“The exciting part about the establishment of proton therapy is that the number of patients eligible for treatment is quite small, perhaps between 100-200 patients every year, while the capacity of the centres is around 800 patients a year. About 70-80 per cent of patients will be recruited via clinical studies, which have the goal to document that side effects are less with protons than with photons. In this setting, it is super important to know what the patient looks like, and MAMA-K will be a useful tool to achieve this. I don’t know about anyone else that is developing this kind of technology. It is truly unique,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
Kongsberg Beam Technology is a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster and participating in the Accelerator Programme at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator. Read more about the company at their website https://www.kongsbergbeamtech.com/
The newest member of Oslo Cancer Cluster is Gilead, a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases.
Pascal van Peborgh, Senior Director Medical Affairs for Gilead Nordics answered some questions on why Gilead joins Oslo Cancer Cluster, how they are involved in the cancer field and why the Nordics is an important area for the company.
What is Gilead’s motivation to join Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC)?
“Gilead’s ambition is to build strong partnerships with cancer research centers and oncology-focused organizations to accelerate research and ultimately provide Norwegian patients with novel therapeutic options. We want to work together with other OCC members on basic research topics and in finding ways to provide better access for patients who suffer from cancer. Part of this ambition was why we partnered in the CONNECT public-private partnership.”
Tell us more about Gilead’s investment in cancer and the company’s oncology pipeline.
“Gilead has a long history of bringing innovation to patients in improving patients’ outcomes and at times provided a cure for people facing specific life-threatening infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Gilead is now applying the same approach and commitment to cancer. We have purposefully built a deep and broad oncology portfolio with a focus on trying to address critical unmet needs in oncology care.
“This framework defines our portfolio, with assets that have complementary MOAs and strong scientific rationale for treatment combination opportunities. From antibody-drug conjugates and small molecules to cell therapy-based approaches, our research and development programs are providing new hope for people with overlooked, underserved, and difficult-to-treat cancers.
“This includes many of the most exciting and most promising targets in oncology today, with strong potential across tumor types, lines of treatment, and multiple opportunities for unique combination therapies. We have investigational agents in trials across varied solid tumors: breast, lung, GI, GU, including bladder, among many others. And in blood cancers: MDS, AML, LBCL, adult lymphoblastic leukemia and more. We are well positioned to establish Gilead as a leading Oncology company.”
What do you think about opportunities in Norway, and the Nordics, for the development of new cancer treatments? How do you view the milieus here for cancer research and health industry?
“We see Norway as a pioneer in Precision Medicine, e.g., the CONNECT and IMPRESS initiatives. It has also a strong history of registry data utilization, e.g., and building further new additions to cancer registry like INSPIRE BC and LC. Norway is also highly ranked for cancer research in Europe, with a government and policies supporting the development of precision medicines and clinical trials, with Inven2 and NorTrial being established as examples.
“In addition, the systematization of care in Norway and especially around Oslo University Hospital provides a central node with adequate infrastructure, expertise, and innovation in the cancer research eco-system and more specifically for translational research and clinical trials. Finally, the Oslo University Hospital being an accredited Comprehensive Cancer Center with an extensive international network provides us with further confidence to invest in cancer research in Norway.“
Do you have an ambition to launch cancer clinical trials in the Nordics?
“Our ambition is to continue to initiate new clinical trials within oncology in the Nordics in greater scope, and more specifically in Norway. We at Gilead, view the Nordic countries as having high-quality infrastructure that supports clinical research and studies. The countries have national support functions that provides information and services to researchers that are interested in clinical research – both for observational studies and for clinical interventional studies.
“Gilead, with its own R&D portfolio or through opt-in agreements has currently more than 70 ongoing oncology R&D programs focusing on three therapeutic strategies: triggering tumor intrinsic cell death, promoting immune-mediated tumor killing, and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. To be able to fully deliver on this pipeline we will need close collaboration with clinical and academic research.”
Learn more about the members of Oslo Cancer Cluster by visiting our Member Overview page.
The EU is looking to polygenic risk scores to improve prevention and early detection of cancer
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have become one of the focus areas for prevention and early detection of cancer in the European Union’s Mission on Cancer.
“PRS tests can provide a measure of your personal risk of developing a specific disease due to your genes,” explained Krista Kruuv-Käo, project manager of AnteNOR, a project that investigates how PRS can be implemented for prevention and early detection of breast cancer in Norway.
Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan outlines 10 flagship initiatives and number 7 focuses on how cancers develop:
“Alongside the ‘Genomic for Public Health’ project, the European Initiative to Understand Cancer (UNCAN.eu), planned to be launched under the foreseen Mission on Cancer to increase the understanding of how cancers develop, will also help identify individuals at high risk from common cancers using the polygenic risk scores technique. This should facilitate personalised approaches to cancer prevention and care, allowing for actions to be taken to decrease risk or to detect cancer as early as possible.”
What about Norway?
There are about 4 200 new cases and almost 600 deaths due to breast cancer in Norway each year, according to reports from the Norwegian Cancer Registry.
“Early detection of breast cancer can save lives, but approximately 40 per cent of breast cancer cases in Norway are not detected at an early stage. For breast cancer, 31 per cent of all diagnoses are due to genetic predisposition and many women develop cancer before they reach the screening age of 50,” Kruuv-Käo commented.
There are already genetic tests in the Norwegian specialist healthcare service for monogenic pathogenic variants, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, but not on a population-wide basis. PRS tests have not been implemented yet, although they are both cheaper and can identify more women with a moderate to high risk of developing breast cancer.
Improving cancer screening
The results of the AnteNOR project were recently presented at a meeting organized by the Norwegian Cancer Mission Hub.
“The project shows that PRS tests can be used for effective risk stratification for population-wide breast screening. By introducing genetic risk testing with PRS tests and monogenic testing, the women with moderate to high risk of developing breast cancer can be identified before the screening age of 50 years. With a personalised screening programme, some women may need to screen earlier and more often, while others can go to screenings less frequently in the future,” Kruuv-Käo explained.
Estonia is already preparing for the introduction of a personalized breast cancer screening program, and the plan is to launch it this year. Will Norway follow?
A new cancer treatment against osteosarcoma has been developed in the labs of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
A new target for CAR therapy against osteosarcoma has been discovered in the Translational Research Unit at the Department of Cellular Therapy (Olso University Hospital). The results of their research, which was completed in the laboratories of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, were recently published in an article in Nature Communications.
“CAR is a new type of molecule. It stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor. It is part of a bigger family of cancer treatments called immunotherapy, in which you use the immune system of the patient to fight cancer,” explained Sébastien Wälchli, who has co-led this research project with Else Marit Inderberg.
A unique molecule
Chimeric antigen receptor therapy (CAR T) is a cancer treatment in which a patient’s T cells (a type of immune cell often referred to as the “foot soldiers” of the immune system) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells.
“In the case of the CAR, we help the immune system to recognize cancer cells by putting in a completely artificial receptor. The key part of the receptor is the recognition site, so it will guide the immune cell to the tumour. Normally, we need a molecule that can recognize a cancer marker. The molecule of choice is an antibody,” said Wälchli.
The antibody that Wälchli’s group used was first isolated by clinical researcher and sarcoma expert Prof. Øyvind Bruland in 1986.
”We designed the CAR based on this antibody by using its coding sequence. This antibody is quite unique because it recognizes the marker on the surface of lung metastasis of osteosarcoma. We created a Osteosarcoma CAR (OSCAR) molecule to see if we could use the power of this antibody in immunotherapy and the results published in Nature Communications prove that we can,” explained Wälchli.
A full preclinical validation
The preclinical development of the treatment took place in the laboratories of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator which are fully equipped for such a process.
“We did a full preclinical validation of OSCAR using devices installed at the incubators for the in vitro and further tested it in vivo using different animal models where we mimicked what would happen in human. Our colleagues in Barcelona tested the injection of tumour cells directly into the bone of mice and observed a lower progression of cancer in the mice treated with OSCAR T cells, than we,” said Wälchli.
Furthermore, the group did experiments to check the toxicity of OSCAR T cells.
“We tried to predict using different healthy tissues if this CAR would only recognize tumour cells and spare healthy tissues. We concluded that it was safe, but before you inject it in human, you will never know for sure,” said Wälchli.
What is osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer and affects many children and older people. It is quite well-treated with chemotherapy, but when it metastasizes to the lungs, it becomes more difficult to treat. Surgery can slow down the progression, but the cancer can reappear.
“This is where our hearts brought us. We are not choosing cancer by patient. We always talk with the clinicians. When we first discussed with Bruland, we did not know much about osteosarcoma. He told us about patients who have absolutely no alternative,” Wälchli explained.
There are other CARs in development against osteosarcoma globally, and some have already reached clinical phase, but none cover all patients.
“In the seminal paper of Bruland in 1986, they checked the biobank and estimated that 90 per cent of all osteosarcoma patients were positive to this antigen. This was confirmed by our collaborators in Spain. According to the first estimate, it looks like this marker is the most important that has been described so far,” said Wälchli.
Three Nordic start-ups pitched at the International Cancer Cluster Showcase 2023.
This year’s International Cancer Cluster Showcase (ICCS) featured 20 emerging oncology companies that presented their recent innovations, partnering and investment opportunities on 5 June 2023 in Boston, as a satellite event to BIO International Convention.
The companies were selected by innovation hubs in the United States (Massachusetts & Philadelphia), Quebec, Norway, the UK Golden Triangle, Switzerland, France, and Taiwan.
“BIO International Convention is one of the largest gatherings of biotechnology and life sciences professionals from around the world. It provides an excellent platform for companies to network with potential partners, investors, customers, and collaborators. Via being part of the ICCS program emerging oncology companies get special visibility and exposure at the start of BIO. For those searching for collaboration, partnering and investment opportunities ICCS is an efficient format to meet 20 companies from international hubs and learn about their latest science, technologies, and (mostly preclinical) assets,” commented Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs, Oslo Cancer Cluster and coordinator of the ICCS programme.
Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs at Oslo Cancer Cluster, welcomed the audience to the 12th International Cancer Cluster Showcase.
Promising Norwegian companies
NaDeNo, Hemispherian and One-Carbon Therapeutics represented the Nordic region during the event, which included four-minute pitches from each company.
“Attending the BIO International conference for the first time as a small Norwegian start-up we highly appreciated the opportunity to share our story to a larger audience! Being visible in this way accelerates new relationships and valuable networking, and it really kick-started the conference for us. Many thanks to OCC for giving us this opportunity,” commented Annbjørg Falck, CEO and co-founder of NaDeNo.
Adam Robertson, CSO of Hemispherian, presented one of the Nordic companies.
“The International Cancer Cluster Showcase presents a tremendous opportunity for Hemispherian to showcase our pharmaceutical development program on a global stage. This international exposure serves to highlight the exceptional nature of our technology and the expertise of our team. We are thrilled to have the privilege of presenting alongside other outstanding companies, which also provides us with a platform to showcase the rapidly growing Norwegian biotechnology sector. The event allows us to further establish Hemispherian’s reputation, attract attention to our innovative approach, and foster collaborations in the fight against cancer,” commented Adam Robertson, CSO of Hemispherian.
Returning to Boston
This was the 12th edition of the International Cancer Cluster Showcase. Since 2012, the event has presented about 200 oncology start-ups and biotech companies as a satellite event to BIO International Convention and now returned to Boston where this format was started. The event connects emerging oncology companies from different innovation hubs with potential partners from the global oncology community gathering at BIO.
The International Cancer Cluster Showcase 2023 was organized by Cambridge Innovation Partners, Montréal InVivo, The Wistar Institute, Oslo Cancer Cluster, OBN, Biopôle and Matwin.
The event was kindly sponsored by Precision for Medicine, BIO and The Wistar Institute.
View the digital brochure to learn about the companies and access contact details
US healthcare and life science investors wanted to learn about Norwegian cancer companies.
Cancer entrepreneurs caught the attention of investors from the USA when they introduced their innovative ideas at a meeting in the Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator last week.
“I was impressed by the Norwegian healthcare infrastructure and local entrepreneurial talent, which together serve as a catalyst for start-up innovation in the cancer field and wanted to learn more about how others can collaborate with this unique and world-class ecosystem,” commented Sandeep Vardhan, Managing Director at Kalpesh Ventures, one of the investors at the meeting.
The speakers were put to the test to present their companies in under five minutes. Topics ranged from novel drug targets in cancer immunotherapy and clinical decision support tools to machine-learning on colonoscopies and real-world evidence to accelerate drug development.
Taking ideas to market
“Competent investors is often key to success. That knowledgeable US investors invest time and energy in Norwegian cancer innovation and want to learn about the companies in the Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is a good sign. It is our job to connect start-ups with global investors and life science networks – so that they can succeed with taking their ideas to market,” commented Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Maria C. Lundstad Aulie was also at the meeting in her new role as Investment Manager Health and Life Sciences Oslo, Invest in Norway, Innovation Norway.
“I am excited about the interest shown in the Norwegian life science industry. An Alumina group from Colombia University, consisting of nine investors and entrepreneurs with competence and interest in health and life science, recently came to Norway to learn more about our health landscape. I am happy to work together Oslo Cancer Cluster to help follow up on every potential lead that can strengthen our health ecosystem. This visit was also a great start as I just started a new position working with the US market as well as with international investments into the health and life science industry in the bigger Oslo region,” commented Aulie.
See the presenters below:
Andreas Petlund, CEO of Augere Medical.
Christian Jonasson, Research Director of NordicRWE.
Bjarte Håvik, Project Leader at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Ernest Aw, Research Manager and Business Developer of Thelper.
Mark Tyrell, Chief Medical & Executive Officer at Vitae Evidence.
The following article is in Norwegian. It is about a new collaboration agreement between NorTrials Medical Equipment and HealthCatalyst with the aim to develop Norway as a test nation for health technologies. Please visit the Health Catalyst website if you want more information about the initiative.
NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr har inngått en samarbeidsavtale med HealthCatalyst AS for å utvikle Norge som testnasjon for helseteknologi.
Akselererer innovasjon i helsesektoren
HealthCatalyst AS er et samarbeid mellom de tre norske helseklyngene Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Oslo Cancer Cluster og Norway Health Tech. Selskapet har som mål å bygge et ledende globalt test- og innovasjonssenter som utvikler Norges posisjon som en unik testside for fremtidens helse- og teknologitjenester.
HealthCatalyst AS er et non-profit selskap som eies med like deler av de tre klyngene. Selskapet vil bidra til økt konkurransekraft og økt verdi for den norske helseindustrien. Selskapet vil også bidra til å akselerere innovasjonsprosessen fra ide til marked for å skape robuste selskaper innen digital helse, medisinsk robotikk, og innenfor kunstig intelligens (AI). Dette vil bidra til å tiltrekke store utenlandske aktører til å legge test/utviklingsoppdrag i Norge.
NorTrials er et samarbeid mellom regionale helsemyndigheter og organisasjonene for legemiddel- og medisinteknisk industri, etablert på oppdrag fra Helse- og omsorgsdepartementet i 2021. Målet med NorTrials er å styrke og effektivisere kliniske studier i Norge gjennom å tilby et samarbeidsnettverk mellom ulike aktører i helse- og forskningssektoren.
Medisinsk utstyr er helt sentralt i det meste av diagnostikk og behandling av pasienter i sykehusene. Kliniske studier i forskning, utvikling og utprøving av medisinsk utstyr (teknologi) er noe de fleste sykehus driver med i større eller mindre grad, enten i egen forskning, samarbeidsprosjekter med universiteter og forskningsinstitutter, eller i samarbeid med industri. NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr er lagt til St. Olavs hospital HF.
Testkonsept for digitale løsninger
Samarbeidet mellom HealthCatalyst AS og NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr vil blant annet omfatte et felles kontaktpunkt for brukere der bedrifter, helsepersonell og forskere kan ta kontakt og få hjelp til det videre løp. Det vil også innebære utvikling av testkonseptet for digitale løsninger, inkludert forretningsmodeller, post market evaluering og tjenestemodeller. Internasjonal markedsføring vil også være en del av samarbeidet.
For å sikre at samarbeidet utvikler seg som begge parter ønsker, vil det etableres en styringsgruppe og en arbeidsgruppe. Arbeidsgruppen vil ha ansvaret for å definere konkrete oppgaver og aktiviteter for samarbeidet og legge til rette for at samarbeidet utvikler seg positivt. Det vil utvikles en strategi med handlingsplan for samarbeidet.
Milepæl for norsk helseteknologi
Dette samarbeidet vil være en milepæl for norsk helseteknologi og vil bidra til å øke Norges posisjon som en testnasjon for helseteknologi. Det vil også være et viktig bidrag til å utvikle norsk helseindustri og skape nye arbeidsplasser.
Foto: Thor Nielsen
Thomas Langø, faglig leder NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr. Foto: Nortrails
Jan Gunnar Skogås, senterleder NorTrials Medisinsk Utstyr. Foto: Nortrials
Patient and industry perspectives are key as new board members join Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, CEO of the Norweigan Cancer Society, and Leif Rune Skymoen, general manager of the Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Norway (Legemiddelindustrien – LMI) were voted into the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster at the General Assembly in May 2023.
Both newcomers bring a strong focus on the development of Norwegian health industry and collaboration between public and private partners – to improve patient’s lives.
Helping cancer companies
“I am grateful for this trust and look forward to starting the work in the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster. The most important issue for me is to contribute to the development of Norwegian health industry that creates new solutions and treatments for future patients.
“We need to work so the incredibly important cancer companies in the cluster get the best circumstances going forward. This means a special focus on the development of the Radiumhospital Campus and to secure that Norwegian companies in cancer get maximal opportunities through the EU Mission on Cancer, as well as, to use my experience in communication and political advocacy to influence the framework for the Norwegian health industry,” commented Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross.
Stenstadvold Ross has worked in the field of cancer for almost 10 years and has almost 20 years of experience in political advocacy, organisational development, and leadership within different NGO’s. Ross is also deputy chairman of the board of Abelia, and chair of the board of the European Fair Pricing Network.
Putting Norway on the map
“Oslo Cancer Cluster has through many years been an important driver for collaboration between different actors in the cancer field and an energic ambassador for Norway internationally. I am thankful for this opportunity to contribute to that research and development in the Norwegian cancer milieu benefits even more patients. And to build a new industry in a field where Norway has an extraordinary opportunity to succeed,” Skymoen commented.
Leif Rune Skymoen, general manager of LMI.
Skymoen has held several leadership roles in the Norwegian health industry, including Country Director for Eli Lilly Norway, CEO of Nansen Neuroscience, and co-founder and CEO of Curida.
Could a screening programme reduce lung cancer mortality in Norway?
Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer and the fourth most frequently occurring cancer in Europe. Yet, there are still no established lung cancer screening programmes in the world. Why is that and how can the challenges in screening and early detection be overcome?
These were some of the questions discussed in depth at the Lung Cancer Symposium: Early Diagnostics and Screening, Benchmarking the Nordics+ on 24 May 2023 at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
“Screening for lung cancer has been in the pipeline for years. Now it seems right to start in the Nordic countries. With this first Nordic meeting for lung cancer screening, we had the pleasure to share our pilot projects, the very important selection methods of high-risk populations and our experiences so far. We all met in a very friendly atmosphere and look forward to collaborating in the future,” commented Oluf Dimitri Røe, MD, PhD, Professor, NTNU, the co-chair and moderator of the symposium.
Collective efforts
Attendees from academia, industry, patient organisations, the cancer registry and governmental agencies took part in the symposium.
“Cooperation is key in the fight against cancer. The Lung Cancer Symposium: Early Diagnosis & Screening, Benchmarking the Nordics+ highlighted this as experts in the Nordics and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO) shared benchmarking with an engaged audience. It was motivating to witness this and to be a part of the collective efforts for cooperation amongst this oncology ecosystem,” confirmed Charlotte Wu Homme, symposium co-chair, who serves as Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Nordic speakers
The programme included expert speakers from the Nordic countries Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. They framed the challenges of lung cancer and addressed clinical models for risk prediction, early diagnosis, and screening in the Nordics.
There was also an introduction by the Norwegian Cancer Society and a digital presentation giving the World Health Organisation’s perspective. Finally, a panel discussion covered implementation models for screening and selection.
About
Lung Cancer Symposium: Early Diagnostics & Screening, Benchmarking the Nordics+ was sponsored by Astra Zeneca and Daiichi Sankyo and received support from Innovation Norway. The first symposium was presented on May 24, 2023. Based on feedback, a follow-up symposium is planned for 2024.
The symposium was organised by Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Organizing committee: Oluf Dimitri Røe, NTNU, and from OCC: Charlotte Homme, Dave Tippett, Marine Jeanmougin.
List of speakers (full titles):
Ole Alexander Opdalshei, Deputy of Research, Norwegian Cancer Society
Oluf Dimitri Røe, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU), Department of Oncology, Levanger Hospital, Levanger, Norway,
Mattias Johansson, Head Scientist, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO) Lyon, France
Aija Knuuttila, MD PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, HUS Comprehensive Cancer Center, Helsinki, Finland
Hrönn Harðardóttir, Pulmonologist, Landspítali University Hospital, Reykjevik, Iceland
Bengt Bergman, M.D, Ph,D,, Respiratory Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg
Zaigham Saghir, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
Haseem Ashraf, Associate Professor, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, Department of Imaging, Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Did you find this interesting? Join our upcoming events via our event calendar or get recommendations in your inbox via our monthly newsletter.
The Estonian provider of PRS tests Antegenes supports the recent guidance from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have recently been the subject of statements by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). These scores are used in the clinical assessment of an individual’s genetic risk for certain diseases. In simple terms, PRS tests provide a statistical prediction of an individual’s increased clinical risk for a specific condition, such as cancer.
Antegenes, an Estonian provider of PRS tests, welcomes ACMG’s initiative and considers it a crucial step towards establishing best practices and guidelines for the widespread use of PRS technology.
Dr Peeter Padrik, CEO of Antegenes, explains: “The considerations by ACMG align with our guiding principles at Antegenes for the development and use of our polygenic risk score tests. Our clinical grade genetic tests are in use in several European countries, and we have already applied these principles in their development and in providing cancer prevention services.”
Understanding polygenic risk scores
ACMG’s statements emphasize several important points related to PRS testing. First, it is crucial to understand that PRS test results do not provide a definitive diagnosis of a disease, such as cancer. Instead, they offer a statistical prediction of an increased clinical risk. Antegenes ensures clarity on this matter by providing explicit information in their test materials.
Furthermore, a low PRS does not exclude the possibility of significant risk for the disease in question. PRS represents only one aspect of an individual’s hereditary risk, and there are other factors that can influence the development of tumors. Antegenes emphasizes the importance of considering PRS results within the context of other relevant clinical data.
Considerations for effective implementation
Another factor to consider is that PRS predictions may vary based on the population used as reference. Ethnic background plays a role in this variation. Antegenes addresses this by analyzing PRS performance using data from different ethnic groups and making necessary adjustments to the test results. They always include information about an individual’s ethnic group in their genetic testing process.
ACMG also highlights the importance of complementing PRS testing with monogenic testing in certain clinical scenarios where the underlying genetic cause is known or suspected. Antegenes fully supports this approach and recommends considering both PRS testing and monogenic pathogenic variant testing, aligning with established clinical guidelines.
Promoting evidence-based medical management
Antegenes agrees with ACMG’s stance that patients and healthcare providers should have informed discussions about the indications for PRS testing and how the results will be used in guiding medical management. They emphasize the importance of evidence-based PRS-based medical management and have developed clinical recommendations based on PRS risk levels and existing professional guidelines.
In summary, Antegenes fully supports ACMG’s statements and has taken into account the described limitations of PRS testing. They have implemented solutions, provided relevant information, and developed clinical recommendations based on available evidence for the prevention and screening of specific tumor types.
About
Antegenes is a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster. The Antenor implementational research project, focused on preventing breast cancer based on genetic risks, is currently underway in collaboration with Norwegian scientific and clinical partners and is scheduled to conclude by the end of 2023. The project partners are Oslo University Hospital, the University of Oslo, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Oslo Cancer Cluster and Antegenes.
How can the Nordics use health data to accelerate the development of cancer precision medicine?
”We have a foundation for health data that is among the best in the world.”
State Secretary Ellen Rønning-Arnesen from the Ministry of Health and Care Services presented the government’s work with health data at an EHiN meeting earlier this month.
“Our main task now is to make Norwegian health data even more available for research. We have a good starting point for this with good systems and high trust from the population that the data will be used safely and securely,” commented Rønning-Arnesen.
More targeted treatments
Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, presented an idea to the government’s vision, inspired by the EU initiative European Health Data Space:
“The Nordics can become a test bed for precision medicine, we can create a Nordic Health Data Space and do regulatory innovation. The old way of documenting the effect of treatments doesn’t work, especially in cancer. The patient groups are so small that we can’t use control arms the same way as before.”
Widerberg mentioned the national clinical study IMPRESS-Norway as an example. By using advanced molecular diagnostics, they have identified targeted treatments for cancer patients with no other options left.
“Health data should be used as documentation for faster approval of new medicines. Norway and the Nordics can lead the way here in regulatory innovation. Let’s create a Nordic Health Data Space to solve this challenge now!” Widerberg suggested.
Potential of genome data
Denmark is already using health data for clinical research and patient treatment. The Danish National Genome Center work with the implementation of whole genome sequencing in patient treatment, collecting and storing Danish genome data, making genome data accessible for clinicians, researchers and patients, and promoting the development of personalised medicine in Denmark.
“Genetic data are important and should be used when sensible, especially for research, development of new medicine and patient treatment. We are still operating too much from a one-size-fits-all. When it comes to cancer, the Nordic countries cooperate well together,” commented Bettina Lundgren, director at Danish National Genome Center.
“Through the pandemic, we demonstrated that we could get quick access to data. We got data in almost real-time and at quite a low cost. We also need to lift the Norwegian population-based cohorts as a valuable source. We can use them to analyse the side effects of vaccines and the genetic risk of developing disease. We can hope for a future personalized vaccine strategy,” said Gun Peggy Strømstad Knudsen, deputy director general of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Want to learn more?
EHiN (E-Health in Norway) has been an annual conference for almost a decade and arranges meetings throughout the year. Here are some of the upcoming events:
The European Union has awarded 6 million euros to a consortium of 57 organizations spanning across 28 countries. They have joined forces to fight cancer at all levels of society, by supporting cancer research and innovation, policy development and citizen engagement.
“The ambitious approach taken by the European Commission to reduce the cancer burden for patients requires a coordinated response from relevant actors across Europe,” commented Marine Jeanmougin, responsible for EU affairs and digitalisation at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The project is called ECHoS and is coordinated by the Portugese Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (AICIB). Oslo Cancer Cluster together with partners of Cancer Mission Hub Norway have contributed from the Norwegian side.
“The strong collaboration between Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Research Council, the Cancer Society and their partners, has brought Norway to take a central role in ECHoS. The Cancer Mission Hub Norway has the potential to shape best practices, in a joint effort with our European collaborators,” Jeanmougin commented.
Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. Grant Agreement Nº: 101104587.Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Norwegian cancer researcher dedicated to clinical trials receives prestigious prize.
Professor Åslaug Helland is the recipient of the King Olav Vs Cancer Research Award 2023. Helland is an oncologist and Research Director at Oslo University Hospital (Comprehensive Cancer Centre).
“This is a great honour, and I am very happy about this recognition of the research environment involved. I have been very fortunate working with lots of very talented people over the years!” Helland commented.
The cancer prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian Cancer Society, and it is the highest honour for Norwegian cancer researchers.
The international experts that evaluated the nominated for the prize, emphasized how Helland through her clinical studies has contributed to developing a more personalised treatment for cancer patients.
Innovation for patients
When asked what the biggest challenge right now for the development of cancer diagnostics and treatments in Norway is, Helland responded:
“The developments in cancer diagnostics and treatment over the past few years have been very good, and we need to continue securing the competence and development in all health regions. It is in many ways a new field, and building competence takes time.
“In addition, we need to find ways to offer new and innovative treatments to our patients, and to encourage more clinical trials in Norwegian hospitals. This is an obvious goal from both the public health care system and from the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry, and by working together we achieve more!”
Leading the way for change
Helland is the Principal Investigator for IMPRESS-Norway, a national clinical study in cancer precision medicine, and Director of MATRIX, the Norwegian Centre for Clinical Cancer Research, as well as Leader for Nortrials. Helland’s key roles in these trailblazing initiatives show her commitment to continually improving cancer care.
“In the future, we have more options in diagnostics and treatment. The field is developing very rapidly, and the public healthcare system will develop to offer new and innovative treatments and diagnostics in a sustainable way. We also have improved decision support systems and improved follow-up programs for our patients,” said Helland.
Helland received the prize in the University Aula from His Majesty King Harald of Norway and in the presence of family, friends, colleagues and the general cancer research community.
How can Norway succeed with the EU’s Mission on Cancer?
“This challenges the Norwegian way of doing politics,” commented Espen Solberg, Head of Research at NIFU – Nordic institute for studies in Innovation, Research and Education, at the recent breakfast meeting Fremtidens kreftbehandling about the Mission on Cancer.
“Politicians need to be bold, set goals and create a plan. They need to ask: where are we in three, four or five years? We don’t do this very much in politics. Politicians usually work in different fields. A mission requires all fields to work together,” continued Solberg.
The state as entrepreneur
The European Commission has set the ambitious goal of improving the lives of 3 million Europeans affected by cancer by 2023. This is the Mission on Cancer, one of five missions the European Commission has identified. Missions are a new way to bring concrete solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time.
“This is a methodology that models a way to do public innovation, to solve problems that do not have a solution, and where you need to mobilise knowledge from different fields. All successful missions are characterised by concrete challenges to solve, for example technological, in a specific area. Cancer can obviously be one such mission,” commented Lars Peder Nordbakken, economist, Civita.
Both Nordbakken and Solberg agreed that the state needs to be the main driver and act as an active entrepreneur for a mission to be successful. All key players need to be involved and it is important to find the best competency in the area.
Should Norway find its niche?
Camilla Stoltenberg has led the Norwegian Institute of Public Health through the corona pandemic, a kind of mission in its own right.
“In my opinion, cancer treatment is too narrow. I think that if we are to succeed in Norway, prevention and promoting health are the most important things to do. We have better preconditions to assert ourselves internationally in these two areas and I believe we can do a fantastic job if we focus on them,” commented Stoltenberg.
Leif Rune Skymoen, CEO of the Norwegian Pharmaceutical Association, emphasised the value of focussing on cancer treatments and diagnostics.
“The industry will be an important contributor of competency, investments and tools in diagnostics and treatments to fight cancer. Cancer is a field where Norway has very good research environment and strong companies developing future cancer treatments and diagnostics. The Cancer Mission presents opportunities such as funding and new partnerships, which will be positive also for Norway,” commented Skymoen.
Where is the political vision?
With a new national cancer strategy underway, the question on everyone’s minds is: are the politicians indeed bold, with set goals and a clear plan? The politicians themselves think there is still a way to go.
“We are not good enough at connecting to these opportunities. The most important thing we do is to take advantage of what is happening on an EU level, both for research and industry. This challenges the way we do politics,” said Truls Vasvik, Arbeiderpartiet (Norwegian Labour Party).
“We need to discuss how Norway in the best way can get a strong connection to EU’s Mission on Cancer. The point of missions is to connect to the process, not just sit and wait for the results. It is not just about funding schemes, but a comprehensive investment. We need a more thorough discussion about how we as a society connect to this,” said Alfred Bjørlo, Venstre (Norwegian Liberal Party).
A national hub
Norway is already involved in the EU Mission on Cancer through different funding programmes, for example Horizon Europe and EU4Health, as well as through a national mission hub.
“The Missions methodology breaks down the sectorial approach and forces us to collaborate across health, research, education, and industry. It also contributes to faster implementation of research. It can also create public engagement and enthusiasm among the public,” said Ole Alexander Opdalshei, deputy secretary general, Norwegian Cancer Society.
“Together with Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Research Council and other key players, we have put together a national hub so the developments on a European level also will benefit Norwegian cancer patients. We connect different milieus and create new constellations for collaboration,” continued Opdalshei.
Fremtidens kreftbehandling is a political meeting series organised by Oslo Cancer Cluster, LMI – Legemiddelindustrien and Kreftforeningen, with support from AstraZeneca Norway, MSD Norway and Janssen Norway. Please save the date for our next meeting in Arendal on Tuesday, 15 August 2023, 08:00-09:00, at Clarion Hotel Tyholmen.
Say hello to the four new members that have joined our cluster organisation this year.
Oslo Cancer Cluster works to accelerate the development of novel cancer diagnostics and treatments, to improve patients lives.
Our member base comprises university hospitals, research centres, patient organisations, start-ups and biotech companies, global pharma and technology companies, investors, financial institutions as well as service providers – all working in the cancer field. Jointly, they cover the entire oncology value chain, from exploratory research to delivering novel therapeutics and diagnostics to patients worldwide.
This week, we talked to the four newest members about what they do and why they joined our cancer eco-system.
Nadeno – improving cancer treatments
Yrr Mørch, CTO and Co-founder, and Annbjørg Falck, CEO and Co-founder, Nadeno.
“NaDeNo is developing a vehicle for delivery of ‘hard to deliver’ drugs with great potential for improved cancer treatment. We are focused on developing new treatment solutions for patients with ‘hard to treat cancers’ and we aim to deliver effective drugs of low water solubility safely to the cancer cells by using our nanoparticle technology.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster offers a highly valuable international network for Norwegian biotech companies within the oncology space, and we see the OCC as a trusted partner that can help us progress our development.”
Annbjørg Falck, CEO and Co-founder, Nadeno
Hjernesvulstforeningen – advocating for patients
Rolf J. Ledal, Secretary general, The Norwegian Brain Tumour Association
“Hjernesvulstforeningen, The Norwegian Brain Tumour Association, is a patient advocacy organisation covering all the different diagnosis of brain tumours. We are involved in research as well as peer to peer support, learning patients and their families cognitive strategies for living well with such an disease and political lobbying for longer and better lives.
“Our motivation for being a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster is to connect with a broader variety of companies and research facilities who together will be able to make new discoveries within treatment options. We have the patient experts that the research community need to cooperate with to solve the many puzzles that still is unsolved. Brain cancer is on the top of diagnosis with poor outcome, together we are going to change that.”
Rolf J. Ledal, Secretary general, The Norwegian Brain Tumour Association
Node Pharma – developing radiopharmaceuticals
Tor Espen Stav-Noraas, CEO and founder of Node Pharma.
“Node Pharma is developing radiopharmaceuticals for metastatic cancer patients with limited treatment options. Our targeted drug compound is designed to eradicate tumors without damaging healthy tissue. This will save patients and improve quality of life after treatment.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster will bring important expertise, connections and enable us to accelerate our drug development.”
Tor Espen Stav-Noraas, CEO and founder, Node Pharma
Marigold Innovation – founding life science companies
Peter Horn, founder and CEO, Marigold Innovation
“One way Marigold Innovation can contribute is through our new approach to founding life science companies. We are co-founders, not advisors or consultants. We engage with researchers and innovators as early as possible to ensure everything is in place before company formation – and then co-found the companies together with them.
“We’re originally from Denmark, but we think Nordic. We have founded companies in Sweden and our many connections here made Norway the obvious next step. The OCC community looks like a perfect match for a home in Norway.”
A special sweet pastry is the weekly highlight in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Buns with a creamy vanilla centre, sugar coating and coconut sprinkles … These are the traditional Norwegian skoleboller served to the tenants of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator every Friday.
The buns are handmade by a group called Tilrettelagt, consisting of students with special needs who attend Ullern Upper Secondary School. Tilrettelagt arranges important training for the students to prepare them for working life.
“This is an activity that the students can enjoy and have use for in their daily lives. It also brings us out of our little bubble so we can meet with the other people in the building,” said school assistant Lisbeth Fjellstad.
Young bakers
Since the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park opened in 2015, Tilrettelagt has been baking the buns to sell to students, teachers, and companies in the building.
The students bake the buns themselves and many of the students know the recipe by heart.
“It is fantastic. My plan is to get a job at a bakery that makes gluten-free goods,” said Halvard, one of the students.
The students learn practical skills in the bakery that prepares them for worklife. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Learning practical skills
The students deliver the buns to the tenants in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator and sell the buns in the school hallways to other students and teachers.
“It is good for the students to learn practical skills and do meaningful work. This activity develops their skills in mathematics, Norwegian, communication, collaboration, sales, service, and hygiene. We continually work with these subjects in the bakery,” said teacher Susann Steinsvik.
In Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, the buns are a bonus for the hard-working cancer researchers. During the coffee breaks, they can have meaningful conversations with other tenants and develop their ideas.
The patients have colorectal cancer with liver metastases, a patient group with a high unmet medical need. They receive chemotherapy in combination with the company’s technology called ACT (short for Acoustic Cluster Therapy). The early results show that the patients had better responses to chemotherapy when their tumours were exposed to ACT.
“Results of the Phase I study have given us several insights, most importantly that the treatment did not reveal any unexpected side effects either on its own or worsen the side effects of chemotherapy in the treated patients. The results also suggest a positive tumour response associated with the ACT treatment. This trial will set the stage for diversifying the use of this technology platform to a wide range of systemic therapies across multiple tumour types,” commented Prof. Dr. Udai Banerji, the principal investigator of the ACTIVATE study.
Seven patients have been recruited to the study, currently active at The Royal Marsden Hospital and Newcastle Hospital. The company is also collaborating with radiologists at Oslo University Hospital to open another study site for Norwegian patients.
What is ACT?
Acoustic cluster therapy is a method for improved drug delivery, by using ultrasound technology and the company’s proprietary product consisting of microbubbles and microdroplets. The microbubbles and microdroplets have opposite charges and therefore form small clusters, which are injected into the patient’s blood.
When these clusters are exposed to ultrasound vibrations, the droplets evaporate into the bubbles and turn into larger “ACT bubbles”. These are temporarily trapped in the patients’ capillaries, the smallest blood vessels in the body. The ACT bubbles can then be manipulated with a different ultrasound wavelength that makes them oscillate. This stretches the wall of the blood vessel and creates shear forces and streaming in the tissue, so that the cancer drug can be delivered effectively to the tumour.
“Targeted ultrasound is an emerging treatment modality with a lot of interest. You need better methods for efficient delivery of drugs to the disease areas. Targeted ultrasound with ACT is non-invasive and can potentially be done for a number of treatments and indications,” commented Per Walday, CEO of Exact Therapeutics.
For example, the company Vingmed Ultrasound was built on Norwegian science and technology, and established as a start-up in 1986 developing medical ultrasound diagnostic equipment. The company was later acquired by GE Healthcare and this segment today generates 3 billion dollars in revenue.
Another success story is the company Nycomed, which was also founded on deep science in Norway, and created contrast agents in a variety of forms for diagnostic purposes. Nycomed ended up achieving market leadership and was acquired by GE Healthcare. Today, this is a 2-billion-dollar revenue business.
“Norway is a true global leader in this field, not only in technology and science, but also in business. The medtech and pharmaceutical components are key to us. Exact Therapeutics was spun-off from the pharma business in GE Healthcare. We have agreements with GE Healthcare on development and manufacturing. These are the two building blocks and the foundation for Exact,” commented Anders Wold, Chairman of the Board, Exact Therapeutics.
“The tumour microenvironment plays a key role in the response to cancer therapies, especially immunotherapy. The majority of cancer patients still do not respond to immunotherapy. The holy grail in this field is to make cold tumours hot and the key is to modify the tumour microenvironment. We hope to achieve this with the ACT treatment,” commented Walday.
Per Walday, CEO, at Exact Therapeutics’ Science and Technology event. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The research project will be performed in collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Institute of Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London and the Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, in Phoenix.
Almost 7 of 10 Norwegians don’t know about the opportunity to participate in clinical trials.
The annual report Helsepolitisk barometer (Health Political Barometer in English) from Kantar reveals what Norwegians currently think about health politics.
A main finding shows Norwegians do not know what clinical trials are or how to participate in them.
The report is based on a survey conducted with over 2 000 respondents, who are representative of Norwegian population over 18 years old.
Lack of awareness about clinical trials
The population has little knowledge of what clinical studies are, how they are accessed, and if it is a relevant treatment option when diagnosed with cancer.
More than a third of the respondents – 37 per cent – answered they do not know about the routines for clinical trials. In addition, 15 per cent answered, “I am not sure what a clinical trial means” and 16 per cent chose the option “I wouldn’t have known to ask about a clinical trial as a treatment option”.
“If patients don’t know about clinical trials, they won’t know to ask about it either. Clinical studies give access to new treatments. Today, many people don’t have access to clinical trials or don’t know about it. In practice, this creates a class divide,” commented Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The Norwegian population has little knowledge of what clinical studies are, how they are used and if this is an opportunity they have access to in case of a cancer diagnosis. Source: Extract from Helsepolitisk barometer 2023
Want more modern treatments
The government should prioritize the use of more modern cancer treatments with less side effects, according to 49 per cent of the respondents.
“Today, most cancer patients need to go through two or three standard-of-care treatments before they are evaluated for precision treatment. Can we as a society move the modern treatments, that precision medicine represent, further into first line of treatment? We need public-private collaboration to develop new cancer treatments to achieve this,” commented Widerberg.
In addition, 38 per cent think giving as good cancer treatment as our neighbouring countries should be the priority. The third most popular option was to prioritize offering more experimental treatment as part of standard care, chosen by 24 per cent of the respondents.
Treatments with less side effects and the same treatment options as our neighbouring countries, are the things voters think the government should prioritize. Source: Extract from Helsepolitisk barometer 2023
Calling for a Mission on Cancer
An overwhelming majority – 74 per cent – think a Mission on cancer would contribute to improving the lives of people affected by cancer.
“The European Union has launched a Mission on Cancer and set aside a significant amount of money for this. An important part of the Cancer Mission is prevention. Norway can spearhead how to work on cancer prevention and prevention of other diseases,” Widerberg commented.
74 per cent think a mission on cancer will contribute to improving the lives of those affected by a cancer diagnosis. Source: Extract from Helsepolitisk barometer 2023
Anette Weyergang wants to make cancer treatment more effective and match the right patient with the right drug.
“I am motivated by the thought that I can make a difference for someone. It is risky to leave a long career in research and start a company, but if that’s what it takes, I am ready to do it. I believe our research findings can be of value to patients, and I feel obligated to do what I can to transform this into something that can be used.”
Anette Weyergang, Senior Scientist and Project Group Leader at Oslo University Hospital is on the verge of creating a company to bring her cancer research into the world. Her discovery could make a real difference in how novel cancer treatments are used in patients.
“As an academic researcher when you make a discovery, you almost expect there is a team ready to commercialise your innovation. This isn’t the case. You can’t just call up a pharmaceutical company and say ‘Look what I found!’. There is a lot you need to do and document before a big company wants to take your innovation further.”
From researcher to entrepreneur
Many times, it is up to the researchers to take charge of the development of their innovation into a product themselves.
“This is a lot of work and it often feels like having two full-time jobs: being a researcher and a founder. There should be funding for the innovation activities of a project leader.”
Weyergang is a pharmacist by education and has spent her career since 2004 in Professor Kristian Berg’s research group at the Institute for Cancer Research.
“I feel lucky to work in such a group, where excellent research is performed by highly skilled people, with collaborations at the institute and internationally. This has created a drive in me.”
Berg is a well-known name in Norwegian cancer research, especially in methods for improving drug delivery. He has several patents, which have led to the establishment of the two companies Photocure and PCI Biotech. As such, it makes sense that Weyergang also wants to take her research further.
Solving problems for patients
Weyergang’s projects are in the field of translational research. This means that the researchers are constantly drawing parallels between what they discover in the laboratory and what is happening with patients in the clinic.
“I talk a lot with clinicians at Oslo University Hospital, so that I can position my research to make it as relevant as possible for what is happening in the clinic. I ask: What is the current treatment? What problems do the patients have? Why can’t we cure them? How can we solve this? I boil these big questions down into a few concrete hypotheses, perform research and aim to bring my results into the clinic.”
The last 20-30 years, there has been a revolution in cancer treatments. This has led to a wave of new medicines that are much more targeted towards specific cancers.
“Even the most effective new drugs do not work on all patients. We have found a biomarker called RAB5 that we can look at in the patient’s tumour and predict if some of these novel treatments will work or not.”
The biomarker may tell if the patient will benefit from treatment with the antibody conjugates, which is a very popular cancer treatment right now used to deliver chemotherapy to cancer tumours.
Initially, Weyergang received coaching from Jónas Einarsson and Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen at Radforsk Investment Fund, who took an interest in the research project.
“They helped us to figure out how to communicate around the project and how it can be possible to make money from it. We realized that this project can make a profit, but that we have a long road ahead of us.”
The project was also selected for the innovation programme SPARK Norway at UiO Life Science two years ago.
“It has been a steep learning curve. We learnt about commercialization through educational seminars and connected with a network with the right competencies. Also, the funding we received has prepared the project for commercialization.”
As of September 2022, the project has been taken up in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, where Weyergang receives business development advice from Thomas Andersson to attract seed funding.
“Attracting investments is difficult right now. The most important thing for us is financing: how to get it, understanding what kind of funding to look for, and identifying who might be interested. We are setting up a company to sell a product and the development of that product will cost a lot of money.”
Calling for more basic research
Norway has a world-class cancer research environment, built upon many decades of excellent research.
“The biggest problem with being a cancer researcher today is financing and long term security. There are permanent positions for scientists, but employees need to acquire the funds for their projects themselves. This insecurity weighs heavily and is the reason many brilliant minds disappear.”
Finally, Weyergang highlights the importance of basic research which is fundamental for all translational research and innovation.
“To develop cancer treatment we need new ideas both within basic and translational research.”
Oslo University Hospital will help in the preparation and creation of more Comprehensive Cancer Centres.
There are significant inequalities across Europe in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, and access to clinical trials. In addition, patients that are diagnosed and treated in research-active hospitals have better outcomes than patients treated in general hospitals.
This is why the European Union has an ambition that 90% of eligible patients have access to Comprehensive Cancer Centres by 2030. This is one of the goals in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which was launched by the European Commission last year and has 4 billion euros earmarked for cancer.
As part of a Joint Action programme for the preparation and creation of more Comprehensive Cancer Centres, Oslo University Hospital has been selected, together with Institut National du Cancer in France, for a central work package, that will look at the framework for building Comprehensive Cancer Centres.
Oslo University Hospital is currently the only Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Norway.
The Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan & the Mission on Cancer have the ambitious goal to improve the lives of three million Europeans by 2030. This will be achieved through better understanding of cancer, prevention, early diagnosis, personalised treatment, and improved quality of life during and after treatment.
Ole Dahlberg, CEO of Curida Diatec, reveals where he thinks the health industry is headed, why Norway needs to own its medical manufacturing, and how we might learn from the Americans.
“I wish that we can make things happen faster here in Norway. We can learn from the Americans that you don’t need to have all details in place to get going. If we commit to invest in the health industry, it will not go wrong.”
Ole Dahlberg is the new CEO of Curida Diatec. He has more than 25 years’ experience from the life sciences. He was Managing Director for Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway for eight years, and later Vice President for Thermo Fisher working out of California, USA. He has also co-founded three start-up companies, and sits on several boards, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, Nadeno, DoMore Diagnostics, and Caedo Oncology.
“If we commit to invest in the health industry, it will not go wrong.”
Why does this accomplished international business leader wish to invest his time in Norway?
“There is a lot of great research being done here, but it needs to translate to value creation for companies, and we need more commercial partners to help put products on the market.”
Is Norway prepared?
This is where Curida comes into the picture. Curida is a Norwegian company that helps biotech companies that want to scale up manufacturing, or that want to transfer their manufacturing and need help with quality improvement.
“Norway is at a crossroads when it comes to national preparedness.”
“Curida is at an inflection point right now and will need to make significant investments to upgrade. There is interest to invest in the company, especially from international investors. At the same time, Norway is at a crossroads when it comes to national preparedness. The government needs to make a strategic choice about which manufacturing processes they want to control. I hear many stakeholders calling for a clear direction from the government,” said Dahlberg.
A missed opportunity
Dahlberg has been in a similar situation before. When he was Managing Director for Thermo Fisher Scientific, the company together with Novartis wanted to invest in production facilities for cell therapies in Norway. There were already advanced laboratories in use at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
“This demonstrated we could do it. But we were not able to reach an agreement with the government on how to transfer technology and scale the business on reasonable terms.”
Instead, Thermo Fisher Scientific set up production facilities in Vilnius, Lithuania, where they received better support from the government. Today, the Vilnius site is scaling fast with 1 900 employees that are manufacturing world-class products and building sought after competence.
“The pandemic demonstrated the importance of manufacturing control and building key competence.”
“Back then it was less important to me as an international industry leader; I had to make the right decision for Thermo Fisher Scientific. As a Norwegian however, this was clearly a missed opportunity. The pandemic demonstrated the importance of manufacturing control and building key competence.”
Time to take a risk!
The health industry in Norway has grown rapidly the last decade. A new generation of up-and-coming researchers are eager to take a chance and create companies. More start-ups are spun out from research than before. There have already been successful examples of companies on the stock market.
“The problem is that many of the companies don’t scale. We need politicians to work closely with the industry and innovators. Politicians also need to enable cross-ministry collaborations and initiatives, and finally agree to a common purpose and a few goals. We have a good foundation in Norway with much experience in process industry, and tradition and reputation for our ability to work internationally.”
“We need politicians to work closely with the industry and innovators.”
Dahlberg also thinks the politicians should start promoting Norway as a place for international collaboration and technological innovation, as well as a country that attracts life science talents.
“Companies have difficulties finding the right talents. I think politicians should make sure students want to come here and that the networks attract more high-skilled people. We need both young and old, different nationalities and of all competencies. We must help talent immigrants manage the complex tax situation when they move to Norway.”
A Norwegian success story
Curida is one of the recent success stories from the Norwegian health industry. The company has had an incredible development over the last eight years, increasing its annual turnover from NOK 50 million in 2015 to NOK 200 million today. The company has already lined up agreements with international companies to increase that number significantly in the next 18 months.
“It is crucial for the Norwegian government to support the industry now if they want to have influence and necessary control on key manufacturing in Norway.”
“Curida is a fully owned Norwegian company, and it is no longer a start-up, but is scaling fast. We have signed new contracts and have more customers coming in. We will invest in new technologies, upgrade our production processes, build competence and organisation, and initiate great collaborations. It is crucial for the Norwegian government to support the industry now if they want to have influence and necessary control on key manufacturing in Norway,” said Dahlberg.
As difficult as landing a plane …
When it comes to manufacturing medicines, the tech transfer process is extremely time-consuming, complicated, and unpredictable. Projects can run out of time, costs can increase, and the customer might lose its window to the market or have to take existing products off the market.
At the Curida site in Elverum, there are over 130 employees spanning 20 nationalities, who all hold unique competencies in this field. Some of them have been with the company since its establishment almost 30 years ago.
“The highly skilled employees make Curida great at tech transfer. It is a bit like landing an airplane. There are a lot of moving parts, and many things can go wrong. Curida has done an impressive number of tech transfers and shown every single time that we can deliver on quality, time, and price.”
It is often in the tech transfer processes that small companies struggle.
“We do not have a traditional pharma industry, like in Sweden, and that is why we need to scale fast.”
“If the companies manage to do the right job and surround themselves with the right partners, they can quickly enter clinical phase. This is where Norway needs to expand the value chain. We do not have a traditional pharma industry, like in Sweden, and that is why we need to scale fast,” said Dahlberg,
A growing innovation milieu
Dahlberg has been on the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster for the last seven years and followed how the clusters have made an impact on Norwegian innovation.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster has been a pioneer in this field, with a clear oncology focus. They have started their own incubator and with their close connection to Radforsk Investment Fund, we see many exciting companies coming through the organisation. Oslo Cancer Cluster is an extremely important facilitator, represents diverse members and has become a well-recognized international brand.
“The challenge going forward will be to understand the value proposition to our members and listen closely to what they need. It is an exciting road we have ahead of us, and I look forward to contributing to the organisation’s future direction.”
A new clinical pilot offers personalised breast cancer screening to Norwegian women.
A new clinical pilot will investigate how women can receive more personalised breast cancer screening. Currently, women in the age group 50-69 are invited to mammogram screenings every second year in Norway, but 20 percent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed among younger women.
“This ‘one size fits all’ approach does not take into account the different breast cancer risks of individual women. A more personalised screening program might be beneficial for both women and society, both in terms of increased surveillance of persons at higher risk for breast cancer, as well as more targeted use of resources. My motivation as a breast radiologist is to work for a high-quality, evidence-based screening program for breast cancer, and this study is an exciting contribution in that respect,” said Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, where the study is running.
Tone Hovda, senior radiologist, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust
Using innovative DNA analysis
Participants of the study will submit a saliva sample, which is sent to Estonia for a genetic data analysis done by the Estonian medical technology company and healthcare service provider Antegenes that has developed the genetic test AnteBC. The AnteBC test is a CE-certified medical device.
The test is used to map a range of gene variants that individually don’t give increased risk for breast cancer, but where the combination of several genes can result in an increased risk. This is called polygenic risk score (PRS) and has never been used in screening programmes in Norway before.
Saliva shows risk of breast cancer
The results from the test will show if the participant has an elevated genetic risk for breast cancer. If it doesn’t, the participant will be recommended to follow the ordinary screening programme for breast cancer in Norway.
If the test shows an elevated risk for breast cancer, the participant will be offered a control scheme, which may include a recommendation of starting regular mammography before they turn 50 years old and/or go to mammography more often than every two years.
“The study analyses a woman’s genetic predisposition to the development of breast cancer, and based on that, provides personalized clinical recommendations for the prevention and early detection of disease. In the pilot study, both a woman’s polygenic risk and, if necessary, the presence of rare single genes that increase the risk of breast cancer will be evaluated,” commented Peeter Padrik, CEO, Antegenes.
Participants will also answer a questionnaire to give background information, such as family history. If there is suspicion of elevated risk of hereditary familial disease, the participant may be offered genetic counselling and extended genetic testing according to current clinical practice.
Towards personalised screening
This initiative is part of the implementation research project AnteNOR, which aims to investigate how it will be possible to implement a more personalised screening programme for breast cancer in Norway, based on the individual’s genetic risk for disease.
The project partners are Oslo University Hospital, the University of Oslo, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Oslo Cancer Cluster and Antegenes. It has received funding fromThe Norway Grants Green ICT programme and runs between 2021-2024.
The clinical trial has received approval from the regional ethics committee and is registered in the database clinicaltrial.gov.
Get to know the latest additions to our cancer cluster a bit better!
Oslo Cancer Cluster is a member organization with a vision to accelerate the development of novel cancer diagnostics and therapies to improve patients’ lives.
We have about 100 members, spanning the whole oncology value chain. These include university hospitals, research institutions, patient organisations, companies in pharmaceutical development, biotech, technology, human resources, recruitment, legal services and more.
We are proud to announce the following companies have recently joined our cluster: Augere Medical, Culture Intelligence, Diffia, Expert Analytics, Miphic and PharmaRelations.
We asked them to introduce themselves further and below you can read what they said.
Developing AI-based decision support systems
“Augere Medical develops AI-based decision support systems for medical video examinations. Our first product is real-time support to highlight polyps during colonoscopy examinations. Such polyps have the potential to develop into cancer, and it is therefore important to uncover as many as possible during the examination.
“Augere Medical looks forward to benefit from the extensive knowledge present in the Oslo Cancer Cluster network. We also look forward to share our knowledge and experiences from developing a medical deep tech product.”
Andreas Petlund, Chief Executive Officer, Augere Medical
Optimizing the work culture with value-driven actions
“Our purpose is to radically improve how people work together. In uncertain times, working together have never been more important. We help organizations to measure, identify and optimize their culture trough values driven actions.
“Our contributions to the group (cluster) will be to use our competency around people, collaboration, and culture-capital, to drive high performance and business growth.”
Improving the care and quality of life for cancer patients
“Diffia is a digital health company working to improve the care and quality of life for cancer patients, by helping hospitals and municipalities provide more care at home. We also provide clinicians with a seamlessly integrated experience to coordinate care better and more efficiently.
“We view Oslo Cancer Cluster as a unique organization that brings together the oncology value chain, both public and private, to drive innovation through collaboration and knowledge sharing. As a member, we aim to learn from and contribute to the cluster’s efforts in enhancing the lives of people with cancer.”
Dr. Petter Risøe, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, Diffia
Solving problems in technology development
“Expert Analytics is a private research company advertised as a haven for academics passionate about problem-solving. At Expert Analytics, we offer consultancy services to assist the development of technologies in the biomedical sector through data analytics, pipeline automation, and fundamental research.
“Our scientists have diverse scientific backgrounds covering molecular biology, neuroscience, and nuclear physics and are ready to apply their knowledge to novel solutions for complex problems.”
Sebastian Franco Ulloa, Ph.D. Principal Data Analyst, Biotechnology Division, Expert Analytics
Delivering mitochondrial testing for cancer patients
“Mitochondria produce essentially all the energy that our bodies need to live. Despite that we still don’t have the technology to test mitochondrial function in clinics. Miphic is a solution for that. Mitochondria in cancer cells are very different in comparison to healthy cells. Miphic has the first-ever proof-of-concept that mitochondria of a cancer patient can be easily tested, and that this information can be used for personalized anti-cancer therapy.
“Miphic has a revolutionary technology that will allow to test mitochondria in clinics. Working together with the many partners from Oslo Cancer Cluster, we will tune and diversify our platform for the exact clinical needs of various cancer treatments. Miphic wants to learn the requirements of pharma partners and clinical personnel to deliver a streamlined and cost-effective mitochondrial screening for real world cancer patients.”
Delivering the best candidates in Nordic life science
“PharmaRelations is a full service partner for the Life Science industry. We support Nordic Life Science through all phases of development. We deliver the best candidates within recruitment and interim solutions. We have more than 70 years experience from different Life Science companies from all sectors commercial, medical, regulatory, QA, PV. Call me for an non-binding conversation.”
Scroll down for an English version of this article.
Klyngene har en unik rolle i å øke private investeringer til norsk næringsliv. Nå går fem norske klynger innen helse og livsvitenskap sammen om investorarbeid og internasjonalisering slik at enda flere norske bedrifter skal lykkes. Prosjektet ledes av The Life Science Cluster.
Sammen med Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster og Biotech North skal The Life Science Cluster sørge for en samlet innsats for å presentere norske bedrifter til nye og eksisterende investorer klyngene har kontakt med. Prosjektet er støttet av Viken fylkeskommune over to år.
– Klyngene har allerede et godt samarbeid på flere områder. Nå styrker vi dette ytterligere, og systematiserer og samordner arbeidet med investorer og internasjonalisering. Prosjektet vil lage en metodikk for å presentere norske selskaper for nordiske og internasjonale investorer. Målet er at enda flere bedrifter skal lykkes når vi samarbeider, sier Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
Urolige markeder og lavere investeringsvilje
Livsvitenskap og helseteknologi er motsykliske næringer og skaper løsninger verden trenger i omstilling og utfordrende tider, men til og med denne typen selskaper opplever at investorene har færre midler tilgjengelig enn tidligere.
– Prosjektet har vært planlagt en god stund, men timingen er dessverre svært god nå. Vi ser at urolige finansmarkeder gjør det vanskeligere for selskaper å hente nok investeringer til å følge planlagte utviklingsløp. Det er alvorlig. Løsninger som møter mange av de store helseutfordringene som kommer i årene framover, risikerer å ikke blir realisert fordi bedriftene mangler midler, sier Lena Nymo Helli, CEO, Norway Health Tech.
Lange og kompliserte utviklingsløp
Bedrifter som utvikler løsninger innen helse og livsvitenskap må gjennom lange, kompliserte og kapitalintensive utviklingsløp med høy risiko. Det betyr at selskapene har behov for ulike investorer til ulik tid i utviklingsløpet – helt fra forskning til produktlansering.
Selskapene trenger derfor investorer med ulik kompetanse, med ulik markedsforståelse og ulike nettverk i ulike markeder. Selskapene finner noen slike investorer i Norge, men langt fra nok til å bringe produktene sine helt frem til markedet. Klyngene med sine solide internasjonale nettverk er svært viktige for at selskapene skal finne riktig kompetanse til riktig tid i utviklingsløpet.
– Vi vet at selskapene ikke bare trenger penger, men kompetent kapital, spesielt i begynnelsen av utviklingsløpet. Da er det svært viktig å finne riktig investor. Alle klyngene legger til rette for dette og har gjort det i flere år. Gjennom dette samarbeidet øker vi både tilgangene til antall investorer og profesjonaliserer måten vi presenterer selskapene våre til dem, sier Ketil Widerberg, General Manager, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
– Helseteknologiselskaper utvikler nye løsninger, men det tar ofte lang tid å få dem tatt i bruk i helsetjenesten. Kompetente investorer kan bringe kapital og erfaring om hva som har fungert i andre land, og bidra til at selskapene både står ut løpet, og får nye løsninger fortere til pasienter, helsevesen og samfunnet, sier Arild Kristensen, CEO, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
Banebrytende klyngesamarbeid
Klynger er døråpnere for privat kapital. De fem klyngene samarbeider i dette prosjektet om å utvikle eksisterende investornettverk, samt å kartlegge og mobilisere investorer som har interesser innen og på tvers av teknologiområder. På denne måten ønsker de samarbeidende klyngene å øke interessen nasjonalt og internasjonalt for norske teknologier og selskaper.
– Våre medlemsselskap konkurrerer i et internasjonalt marked. Når investorer søker etter gode investeringsprosjekter, er de i utgangspunktet ikke opptatt av hvilket land prosjektet har opprinnelse i. De er i alle fall ikke opptatt av hvilke deler av et norsk økosystem det tilhører. Vi er svært bevisste på at vi med dette samler oss som en norsk kraftfull satsing for livsvitenskap og helseteknologi – som har mange interessante løsninger for de rette investorene, både norske og internasjonale. Det sier Line Kjelstrup, Cluster Manager, Biotech North.
Viktig eksportområde med stort vekstpotensial
Norge står overfor en stor omstilling, og har behov for nye eksportområder. Helseteknologi og livsvitenskap er allerede et betydelig eksportområde i Norge, men har potensial for å bli mye større. I 2021 eksporterte helseindustrien for 27 mrd. i 2021. Det viser en rapport fra Menon om verdien av norsk helseindustri fra 2022. Klyngene var derfor sentrale i arbeidet med felles innspill fra bransjen som på slutten av 2022 ble sendt til Nasjonalt eksportråd.
– Vi må tiltrekke flere investeringer til Norge, slik at mer av verdiskapingen av norske innovasjoner forblir i Norge. Slik kan de bedriftene vi nå jobber med nå bidra til at Norge når målet om doblet fastlandseksport innen 2030, sier Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
Inven2 som er teknologioverføringskontor for Helse Sør-Øst, Universitetet i Oslo og Oslo Universitetssykehus, SPARK Norway som er del av UiO Livsvitenskap, og Veksthuset for verdiskapning ved UiO er også partnere i prosjektet.
Inkubatorene Aleap, Sharelab, OCC Incubator og Aggrator er klyngenes faste samarbeidspartnere og støtter prosjektet.
Metodikk for samordnet investorarbeid for livsvitenskap og helseteknologi
Et felles prosjekt fra helse- og livsvitenskapsklyngene i Norge.
Ledet av The life Science Cluster
Partnere: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster og Biotech North
Tilskudd fra Viken fylkeskommune over to år
Klyngene skal samarbeide om å presentere norske selskaper for nordiske og internasjonale investorer.
Clusters collaborate to strengthen work with investors
The clusters have a unique role to increase private investments in Norwegian industry. Now five Norwegian clusters in health and life science are teaming up to work with investors and internationalization, so that even more Norwegian companies will succeed. The project is led by The Life Science Cluster.
Together with Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster and Biotech North, The Life Science Cluster will ensure a coordinated effort to present Norwegian companies to new and existing investors that the clusters are in contact with. The project is supported by Viken County for the duration of two years.
“The clusters already collaborate well in several areas. Now we are strengthening this further, and systematizing and coordinating the work with investors and internationalization. The project will create a methodology for presenting Norwegian companies to Nordic and international investors. The goal is that even more companies will succeed when we collaborate,” said Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
Volatile markets and lower interest to invest
Life science and health technology are countercyclical industries and create solutions that the world needs during transitional and challenging times, but even these types of companies experience that investors have less funds available than before.
“The project has been planned for a while, but the timing is unfortunately very good now. We see that volatile financial markets make it more difficult for companies to raise enough funds to follow their planned course of development. This is serious. Solutions that answer many of the big health challenges in the years to come, run the risk of not being realized because companies lack funds,” said Lena Nymo Helli, CEO, Norway Health Tech.
Long and complicated courses of development
Companies that develop solutions in health and life science need to go through long, complicated and capital intensive courses of development with high risk. This means that the companies need different investors at different times during the course of development – all the way from research to product launch.
The companies therefore need investors with different competencies, different market understandings and contact networks in different markets. The companies find such investors in Norway, but far from enough to bring their products all the way to market. The clusters with their solid international networks are very important for the companies to find the right competency at the right time in their courses of development.
“We know that companies not only need funds, but also competent capital, especially in the beginning of the course of development. Then it is extremely important to find the right investor. All the clusters facilitate this and have been doing so for years. Through this collaboration, we are increasing both the access to the number of investors and professionalizing the way we present companies to them,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
“Health technology companies develop new solutions, but it often takes a long time to implement them in the health service. Competent investors can bring capital and experience about what has worked in other countries, and contribute to the companies getting through the course of development, and get new solutions faster to the patients, health sector and society,” said Arild Kristensen, CEO, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
Groundbreaking cluster collaboration
Clusters open the doors to private capital. The five clusters collaborate in this project on developing the existing investor networks, as well as mapping and mobilizing investors that have an interest in and across technology sectors. In this way the collaborating clusters wish to increase the interest nationally and internationally for Norwegian technologies and companies.
“Our member companies compete in an international market. When investors look for good investment projects, they are not too concerned with which country the project originates from. They are in any case not concerned with which parts of the Norwegian ecosystem it belongs to. We are very aware that we are gathering ourselves as one Norwegian strong initiative for life science and health technology – that has many interesting solutions for the right investors, both Norwegian and international,” said Line Kjelstrup, Cluster Manager, Biotech North.
Important area for export with big growth potential
Norway faces a huge transition, and needs new areas of export. Health technology and life science are already two important export industries in Norway, but have the potential of becoming even larger. The health industry exported for NOK 27 bn in 2021, according to a 2022 report from Menon Economics about the value of the health industry. The clusters were central in the creation of a coordinated response from the industry in the end of 2022, which was sent to the National Council for Export.
“We need to attract more investments to Norway, so that more of the value creation from Norwegian innovations stay in Norway. In that way, the companies we work with now, can contribute to Norway reaching the goal of doubled mainland exports before 2030,” said Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 was a day of inspiration, insights, and interactions for professionals from across the cancer field in Norway and beyond.
The 15th Cancer Crosslinks was held in Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park on 26 January 2023, gathering the oncology community for a day of engaging talks from renowned international and Norwegian experts.
The event was attended by more than 300 people on-site, including oncologists, hematologists, researchers, industry representatives, health authority officials, and more. More than 250 people followed digitally from across Norway.
Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Cancer Crosslinks 2023, Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The common theme throughout the conference was The Hallmarks of Cancer, referring to Douglas Hanahan’s and Robert Weinberg’s seminal publications from 2000, 2011 and 2022.
Despite the impressive progress there are still unmet needs in many cancer types and for countless patients.
“We were honoured that Douglas Hanahan gave the opening keynote and perfectly set the scene for this year’s programme. The Hallmarks of Cancer have been an inspiration for Cancer Crosslinks since the first meeting in 2009. Since then, the understanding of cancer biology has tremendously increased and novel, effective treatments have been developed. Despite the impressive progress there are still unmet needs in many cancer types and for countless patients. We hope that Cancer Crosslinks again stimulates new ideas, debates, translational research and collaboration,” said Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs at the Oslo Cancer Cluster and Program Lead for Cancer Crosslinks.
Inspiring insights
The programme included presentations from a group of passionate clinicians and scientists, who shared their recent research and shed light on different “hallmarks”. They also discussed how to translate these into novel treatment concepts for solid and haematological tumours.
One of the speakers at the conference, Jakob Kather, Professor of Clinical Artificial Intelligence, Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden; Germany, said:
”I find it really striking that you [the organizers] manage to identify the topics of tomorrow early on. I think the history of Cancer Crosslinks shows you have anticipated the future trends a couple of years before others.”
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 covered a variety of themes spanning from lung cancer evolution, epigenetics, and tumor metabolism to cell therapy, precision medicine and artificial intelligence biomarkers.
Tom Erkers, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Another speaker, Tom Erkers, Assistant Professor, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, commented:
“This conference is great because it has a broad scope and it includes the whole life science community, including students, researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies. It presents a great opportunity to share research, speak with collaborators, and develop new ideas.”
Discussing ideas and concepts
For Norwegian researchers, Cancer Crosslinks has become an arena where they gain first-hand knowledge of developments in the cancer field globally, talk with international experts face-to-face and advance their own research in collaboration with colleagues.
One of the moderators Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog, Consultant Oncologist, Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway said:
“This is an exciting opportunity to hear from people who are at the frontlines of their fields about the latest research developments. The conference is also a great arena for networking and potential collaboration.”
Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog and Katarina Puco, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Her co-moderator Katarina Puco, Senior Consultant Oncologist at Oslo University Hospital, Institute of Cancer research & Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, added:
“Cancer Crosslinks offers a unique chance to hear still (or yet) unpublished data and talk directly to the speakers. This gives one new perspectives on what to do in one’s own research and a possibility to establish new collaborations.”
The milieu in Trondheim was also represented by May-Britt Tessem, Associate Professor/Research Scientist, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, who contributed as moderator:
“It is fantastic that Cancer Crosslinks gathers so many researchers and clinicians from across Norway and within various cancer fields. I think it is smart to meet in this way and have an arena to meet, but also experience excellent international speakers.”
Stimulating new collaborations
An important feature of Cancer Crosslinks is the lively networking, which aims to promote new collaborations and knowledge exchange between all participants.
Networking break at Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Aslan Tasdogan, Associate Professor, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Institute for Tumor Metabolism, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Germany, commented:
“Cancer Crosslinks was one of the best conferences in recent years. I have made a lot of new connections with excellent scientists. I look forward to continuing to exchange ideas with my Norwegian colleagues.”
Alpaslan (Aslan) Tasdogan, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Another speaker, Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Group Leader, Cancer Metastasis Lab, CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, UCL Cancer Institute; Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Translational Lung Oncology, UCL Hospital, London, UK, said:
“It has been wonderful to meet Norwegian oncologists and clinicians with great interest in academic research and basic biology. I have already established ideas with new collaborators, so I feel very positive about what we take away from this meeting. It is not only our ability to share data between scientists and clinicians, and our ability to think about concepts in oncology and how that might impact how we treat our patients, but also the ability to do good research across countries.”
A special addition to Cancer Crosslinks 2023 was the afternoon networking session, which included a musical performance, an unveiling of building plans for Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park and mingling into the evening.
Jakob Nikolas Kather, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Prof. Kather further commented:
“I am very impressed by the conference, the active participation of the community, the line-up of speakers and the lively discussions between the speakers and the audience. My impression is that the Norwegian cancer research environment is very innovative and that it is successful at integrating the scientific methods with new technological approaches. It is a great place to think about the cancer diagnostics and treatments of the future – and to make them a reality.”
New connections were made between the incubators in Gothenburg and Oslo.
GU ventures, an incubator that supports projects and companies spawned by the University of Gothenburg, visited Oslo Cancer Cluster on 25-26 January 2023. Anders Waas, Business Development Advisor for GU Ventures, was accompanied by several cancer companies from the Gothenburg milieu, including Sortina Pharma (Sara Rhost and Göran Landberg, Iscaff Pharma (Per Setterberg), Simsen diagnostics (Gustav Johansson) and Oncorena (Börje Haraldsson and Pål Falck).
The OCC Incubator team, consisting of Ketil Widerberg, CEO, Janne Nestvold, COO, and Thomas Andersson, Business Development Advisor, facilitated meetings with several companies from Oslo Cancer Cluster.
GU Ventures also participated at Cancer Crosslinks, an annual educational meeting which gathers prominent experts in oncology, providing a forum for networking and interaction.
Anders Waas commented: “We were very impressed by the research, the start-up companies and the activities at Oslo Cancer Cluster and strive to build a closer collaboration, which can benefit the development of cancer research and growth of cancer companies in the Oslo – Gothenburg region.”
Thomas Andersson commented: “This was a great experience for Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator. We were very impressed by the quality of the companies from GU Ventures and look forward to collaborating more closely.”
Join us for a day of educational talks and mingling with colleagues in the oncology community.
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 will take place on 26 January 2023 (starting at 10:30) in Kaare Norum Auditorium at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park.
International experts
The programme includes international experts sharing the latest advances in cancer precision medicine and immune-oncology.
The title of Cancer Crosslinks 2023 is New dimensions to the hallmarks of cancer: How is the last decade of discoveries advancing our understanding of cancer biology and transforming precision medicine. It is therefore appropriate that the day begins with a talk from the co-author of The Hallmarks of Cancer.
Douglas Hanahan
Douglas Hanahan, Distinguished Scholar of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (Zurich/New York), Professor of Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland will give a digital talk on The Hallmarks of Cancer: New Dimensions – Integrating Pre-Clinical and Clinical Cancer Trials of Mechanism-Targeted Therapies.
The three seminal publications are freely available via the following links:
Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Group Leader, Cancer Metastasis Lab, CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, UCL Cancer Institute; Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Translational Lung Oncology, UCL Hospital, London, UK will give a talk on The natural history of non-small cell lung cancer evolution in TRACERx.
Nilofer Azad
Nilofer Azad, Co-Director of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, USA will give a digital talk on Epigenetic (Combination) Therapy – exploiting complex biology to offer novel treatment options for patients with GI cancers.
Alpaslan (Aslan) Tasdogan
Alpaslan (Aslan) Tasdogan Associate Professor, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Institute for Tumor Metabolism, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Germany will give a talk on The metabolic regulation of cancer progression.
Thomas Nerreter
Thomas Nerreter, Junior Group Leader, Chair of Cellular Immunotherapy, Translational CAR-T Research Program, University Hospital and CCC Würzburg, Germany will give a talk on Cellular Therapy for solid and hematological tumors: novel targets and technologies.
Tom Erkers
Tom Erkers, Assistant Professor, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden will give a talk on Data-driven hallmarks of acute myeloid leukemia: biological, prognostic & therapeutic implications.
Jakob Nikolas Kather
Jakob Nikolas Kather, Professor of Clinical Artificial Intelligence, Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden; Germany will give a talk on AI biomarkers in cancer: recent progress and the way to clinical implementation.
Norwegian moderators
Four Norwegian cancer researchers, representing the milieus at Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, will guide the audience through the programme.
Katarina Puco
Katarina Puco, Senior Consultant Oncologist at Oslo University Hospital, Institute of Cancer research & Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo
Anna Pasetto
Anna Pasetto, Associate Professor, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Oslo; Director of the Center for Advanced Cell Therapy (ACT) Cancer Clinic, Oslo University Hospital
May-Britt Tessem
May-Britt Tessem, Associate Professor/Research Scientist, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU
Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog
Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog, Consultant Oncologist, Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Mingling with colleagues
The educational programme is complemented by an afternoon networking session starting at 16:15 outside the auditorium. Don’t miss this opportunity to make new connections in the oncology community, revisit old acquaintances and engage in stimulating discussions with other health professionals.
One of the hallmarks of Cancer Crosslinks is the lively networking before, in-between and after the talks. Photo: Cameo UB
Oslo Cancer Cluster has received the Gold Label certificate from the European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI)with an overall score of 94%.
The Gold Label certificate is granted by the European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI) to cluster organisations that receive at least 80% on their cluster management excellence score. It is the highest recognition a European cluster organisation can achieve.
In October 2022, two independent cluster experts performed an assessment of all 31 quality indicators and awarded Oslo Cancer Cluster a score of 94%.
The indicators concern the quality of:
the structure of the cluster,
governance,
financing,
strategy,
services,
and recognition.
The assessment was performed through interviews with two members of staff. The interviews were also substantiated with relevant documentation.
This was the second time Oslo Cancer Cluster was assessed by the ECEI. The cluster received its first gold label with an overall score of 91% in December 2019.
The Gold Label certificate is valid for two years (until the end of 2024).
The European project ECHoS (Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies) was recommended for funding by the European Commission.
ECHoS (Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies) aims to support the implementation of the Cancer Mission activities in all member states and associated countries through the establishment and development of Cancer Mission Hubs operating at national, regional and local levels.
In Norway, a national Cancer Mission Hub has already been set up in a collaborative effort from various actors of the oncology ecosystem. Several members of the hub are active partners in ECHoS, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Cancer Society, Oslo University Hospital and SINTEF.
Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. Grant Agreement Nº: 101104587.Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Strong Norwegian oncology presence at DNB Nordic Healthcare Conference 2022.
The DNB Nordic Healthcare Conference was back with in-person attendance last week, connecting some of the best Nordic health companies with eager investors at the DNB main office in Oslo.
“Health is key in Norway’s transition to a green economy. DNB shows great social responsibility by bringing together key players in business, investment, and health. It is encouraging to see the high-quality of the companies at this conference,” commented Ketil Widerberg, general manager at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The conference included four different sessions with company presentations. A total of 14 members from Oslo Cancer Cluster were there, demonstrating the first-class cancer innovation emerging from Norwegian research environments.
The podcast Radium, produced by the investment fund Radforsk, also recorded an episode with perspectives on where the Nordic healthcare sectors.
Up-and-coming companies competed
Eleven health start-ups competed for the Health Prize of NOK 1 million during the Venture Session. Six members of Oslo Cancer Cluster were selected for this competition, and two were fast-tracked for the final. Here are snapshots from their pitches:
Bjørn Klem presented Adjutec Pharma, a company fighting against the global crisis of anti-microbial resistance.
Kerstin Jakobsson presented Kongsberg Beam Technology, a medtech start-up developing the next generation’s proton radiation therapy, by personalising the treatment for each patient.
Katja Vetvik presented Thelper, a Norwegian company that is developing targeted immunotherapies against cancer.
Peter W. Eide presented Oncosyne, a company that will provide game-changing functional diagnostic tools that give cancer patients significantly better and longer lives.
Torbjørn Furuseth presented DoMore Diagnostics, a company that is transforming cancer diagnostics with artificial intelligence.
Adam Robertson presented Hemispherian, a company developing a pipeline of first-in-class epigenetic therapeutics against aggressive cancers.
The companies ArxxTherapeutics, Bulbitech, Clexbio, Helseboka and Nadenod also pitched in this session. After a nerve-racking final, with heated discussions in the investor panel and a packed auditorium voting for their favorite start-up, Clexbio won the prestigious prize.
Oncology companies drew a crowd
There were two sessions with listed companies and one session with private companies, including 9 members from Oslo Cancer Cluster in total. The rooms filled up quickly, and the companies received many questions from curious investors. Here are some messages from their presentations.
Dan Schneider, CEO of Photocure, described how the company is improving the lives of bladder cancer patients with unique photodynamic technology for diagnosis and treatment. Visit the Photocure website to learn more.
Jan Alfheim, CEO of Oncoinvent, presented how the company uses alpha-emitting radiotherapeutics to kill all cancer cells in body cavities, including micro-metastatic disease. Visit the Oncoinvent website to learn more.
Martin Olin, CEO of BerGenBio, introduced how the company uses targeting AXL inhibitors to prevent the progression of cancer.
Namir Hassan, CEO of Zelluna Immunotherapy, talked about how the company wants to save lives through innovative cancer-targeted cell therapies, using the unique TCR-NK technology.
Per Walday, CEO of Exact Therapeutics, informed about how the company improves drug delivery with an ultrasound technology platform, using specifically designed microbubbles.
Mikael Engsig, CEO of Nykode Therapeutics, addressed how the company’s unique vaccine technology platform has the potential to be applicable to several disease areas.
Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs, focused on the company’s next-generation universal cancer vaccine, that can educate the immune system to recognize telomerase, an enzyme that is expressed in 85% of all cancer types.
Erik Wiklund, CEO of Targovax, spoke about how the company wants to make PD1 checkpoint inhibitors work for all patients, with the company’s oncolytic therapy.
The conference was organised by DNB with support from Oslo Cancer Cluster and Norway Health Tech. The event also collaborates with the following Norwegian clusters and networks in healthcare: The Life Science Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, The Life Science Cluster, Norwegian Inflammation Network, Nansen Neuroscience Network and Aleap.
2022 has been a year of post-pandemic growth for us, where we have revitalised the team, made new collaborations across borders and raised our voice on political issues. We have also started new initiatives, created more meeting places and welcomed new members to our community. Find out how you can engage with us in the snippets below.
Growing our community
We are nothing without our members. This year, we welcomed 10 new members to our cluster, strengthening our position as one of Norway’s leading health clusters.
The membership base spans different sectors of society, including: academia, drug development, technology, human resources and recruitment, legal firms, clinical service providers, investment funds, and more. The size of our members ranges from one-person companies to multi-national corporations. The one thing all members have in common is the motivation to work together to accelerate the development of cancer treatments and diagnostics.
Make some new connections! Please visit our Member Overview to see who else is part of our cluster.
New members of Oslo Cancer Cluster in 2022.
Arranging popular meeting places
Meeting places are the heart and soul of our organisation. This is where people meet to discuss how to accelerate the development of cancer treatments and diagnostics. Whether your interest lies in educational forums, political debate, partnering opportunities, networking with colleagues or meetings with investors, we have a tailored event for you. Here are a few from the year gone-by:
Cancer Crosslinks, an annual event with talks from some of the most renowned cancer researchers in the world, accompanied by lively interactions between the participants, took place in January.
Fremtidens kreftbehandling was arranged in April and August, offering vibrant political discussions between patients, politicians, clinicians, and industry representatives.
The Summer and December Gatherings, two networking events for our members and stakeholders to get to know one another in an informal setting, were organised in June and December.
NLSDays brought us to Malmö (Sweden) in the end of September. We promoted Norwegian life science in a joint booth and helped our members achieve the most from their partnering.
DNB Nordic Healthcare Conference, a unique place for investors to meet with start-ups in the Norwegian healthcare sector, takes place in December.
Did these teasers spark your interest? Please visit our Event Calendar to register for events.
Our events offer educational forums, networking opportunities and new arenas for cooperation. This photo was taken at a satellite meeting in connection with Onkologisk forum 2022. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / CONNECT
Building successful companies
Similar to how an incubator provides a warm, nurturing growth environment for babies, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator helps early-stage cancer start-ups develop into successful businesses.
This year, five companies from our Incubator (DoMore Diagnostics, Thelper, Adjutec Pharma, Kongsberg Beam Technology and OncoSyne) were selected for the DNB Nordic Healthcare Conference’s Venture Session. Several companies pitched at NLSInvest, at BioStock Life Science Summit and were also featured in the International Cancer Cluster Showcase digital brochure.
As a recognition of the Incubator’s accomplishments, SIVA extended their financing for another year with NOK 3,5 million. This means we can continue to help cancer start-ups grow and develop life-saving treatments.
Interested in the services and facilities at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator? Visit their website or contact Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, to schedule a visit.
Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, takes an active and hands-on approach when developing the cancer start-ups. This photo was taken at the Biostock Life Science Summit 2022. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen
Connecting public with private
There is a wave of promising cancer treatments coming in the field of precision medicine. Still, questions remain about how to quickly get these implemented in the Norwegian healthcare system.
The public-private consortium CONNECT was set up in 2021 by 22 founding partners to drive the implementation of precision cancer medicine in Norway, with Oslo Cancer Cluster as project manager.
During 2022, CONNECT has held a long line of educational seminars, grown to include 30 partners, created a positive climate for public-private collaborations in cancer, and put Norway on the map for precision cancer medicine internationally, most notably in a Letter to the Editor in Nature Medicine.
Get engaged in CONNECT! Please visit the CONNECT website or contact Jutta Heix, Project Lead in CONNECT and Head of International Affairs in Oslo Cancer Cluster.
In CONNECT, stakeholders from both the public and private sector work together to drive the implementation of precision cancer medicine. This photo was taken at one of the Steering Committee meetings in 2022. Foto: Fartein Rudjord
Making our voice heard
We fight for political change, so cancer innovation in Norway can thrive. One way of doing this is by affecting the framework conditions, such as national policies, governmental strategies and state budgets.
That is why we had an active presence at Arendalsuka 2022, where we held meetings together with our partners, talked to politicians and promoted topics that are important for our members.
We also had a record number of on-site visits by curious politicians that want to learn more about our cancer eco-system.
Help us affect political change! Read all our input or get in touch with Wenche Gerhardsen, Head of Communications at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Jan Christian Vestre, Minister of Industry, received a tour of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, by Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, general secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society, and Ketil Widerberg, general manager in Oslo Cancer Cluster, in August 2022. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Inspiring homegrown talent
We want to raise the next generation of cancer researchers. That is why we have a collaboration with Ullern Upper Secondary School, where we take students out of the traditional classroom setting and give them a taste of what life as a researcher or health professional is like.
During 2022, we arranged work placements for the students and a thematic day together with clinicians from the Radium Hospital. We also had good news from several Ullern alumni, including Simone Mester becoming CEO of start-up Authera and Ullern students winning EU Science Competition.
We know these students can become the entrepreneurs, inventors, researchers and talents that the Norwegian life science environment needs. We are proud to help inspire them.
How can you help inspire the young? Read more on the website or get in touch with Bente Prestegård, Project Manager in Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Joining the European efforts
The European Union has launched a Cancer Mission with the goal to improve the lives of 3 million people living with cancer by 2030. We want to position Norway to help this ambitious endeavour.
In 2022, we launched a national Cancer Mission Hub together with key players in the Norwegian cancer field. The hub will inform about EU opportunities, mobilise the Norwegian stakeholders and foster collaboration between all participants.
We employed two new team members to meet the demands of all ongoing activities.
Marine Jeanmougin, our new EU advisor, brings aboard scientific expertise and has unique perspectives into European affairs. You can contact Marine for help with applications to EU funding and for information on upcoming EU calls.
Marine Jeanmougin, EU Advisor, Oslo Cancer Cluster
Dave Tippett, our new Membership advisor, is an administration wizard that helps the team, our members and everyone in the office become more efficient. Dave splits his time between Oslo Cancer Cluster and the Incubator to ensure that things are running smoothly, so the researchers have time to focus on what they do best.
Dave Tippett, Membership advisor, Oslo Cancer Cluster
For general queries, please visit our Team pageto find out who to contact.
What a year it has been for the development of Norwegian biotech companies!
We want to recognise the accomplishments of our members this year. Many of them have reached impressive milestones and unfortunately we can’t include all. So we have selected 10 outstanding news stories. These represent both big and small companies, covering various sectors and focusing on different types of cancer therapies and diagnostics. We hope this list serves as inspiration for you and that you get to know our members a bit better.
Strategic collaboration on optimizing TCRs
Nextera set up a strategic collaboration with Zelluna Immunotherapy in March. Together they will optimize T cell receptors (TCRs), which are crucial in the development of a special type of cancer treatment called TCR-based natural killer cell therapies. Nextera is a research-based target and drug discovery company with a unique protein engineering and discovery platform – NextCore.
NEC Oncoimmunity acquired VAXIMM’s neoantigen vaccine development assets in March. These assets will be used to faster develop personalized T cell cancer vaccines. NEC OncoImmunity AS is a biotechnology company that has developed a machine-learning software to enable development of personalized cancer immunotherapy, in addition to infectious disease vaccines.
Richard Stratford and Trevor Clancy, founders of NEC OncoImmunity AS, an AI driven biotechnology company. They grew the company in the Oslo Cancer Cluster ecosystem, making use of the cluster’s advice and support, and networking and partnering opportunities. The photo was taken in December 2018 outside Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Artificial intelligence improves cancer prognosis
In May, DoMore Diagnostics became the first company ever to get a CE-mark for a product that utilises artificial intelligence to improve patient outcomes. The company has developed a deep learning algorithm that can give more accurate prognosis for colorectal cancer patients by analysing standard histology images.
The deep learning algorithm that DoMore Diagnostics is commercialising was first invented by Professor Håvard Danielsen at the Institute of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, also situated in Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Danielsen received the King Olav V’s Cancer Research Award in 2022 for his research into artificial intelligence and cancer. Photo: ICGI
Alpha emitter therapy against colorectal cancer
Oncoinvent initiated a phase 2 trial for colorectal patients to be treated with their drug candidate Radspherin in August. The study will be conducted at two sites (the Radium Hospital in Norway and at Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden) and the first patient was included in August. Oncoinvent is a clinical stage company advancing alpha emitter therapy across a variety of cancers.
Zelluna Immunotherapy received an investment from Takeda Ventures Inc. during the company’s financing round in August. The funds will help advance the company’s lead product. Zelluna Immunotherapy is a company pioneering the development of a new type of treatment against solid cancers called “allogeneic T cell receptor guided natural killer cell immunotherapies”.
Zelluna Immunotherapy have enterred several strategic collaborations this year, including with Takeda Ventures and Nextera. This photo was taken of the Zelluna Immunotherapy team at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Photo: Zelluna Immunotherapy
Digital platform for research collaboration
Ledidi revealed the company’s software technology will be used in UK hospitals to improve the treatment, prognosis and care of patients with breast cancer in September. It is the pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s UK branch that is offering subscription access to NHS hospitals for the cloud-based research and registry platform Ledidi Core. Ledidi is a Norwegian technology company with an end-to-end solution for health registers and research.
Einar Martin Aandahl, founder and CEO of Ledidi, developed the research platform because as a clinician he saw a need for simpler collaboration on data between doctors, institutions and countries. Photo: Ledidi
Promising results for universal cancer vaccine
Ultimovacs announced positive three-year results with 71% survival rate for patients in the first cohort of a study into metastatic malignant melanoma in October. The patients had been treated with the company’s product UV1 (a universal cancer vaccine) in combination with pembrolizumab (a checkpoint inhibitor anticancer drug). Ultimovacs is an immunotherapy company developing immune-stimulatory vaccines to treat a broad range of cancers.
Lytix Biopharma expanded the ATLAS study to three European countries in November. ATLAS is a phase 2 combination study, treating patients with advanced melanoma with the company’s product LTX-315 (a first-in-class oncolytic molecule) and pembrolizumab (a checkpoint inhibitor anticancer drug). Lytix Biopharma is a clinical stage biotech company developing novel cancer immunotherapies.
Photocure’s partner Asieris enrolled the first patient in a phase 3 trial exploring the use of Hexvix and blue versus white light cystoscopy in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in November. Hexvix is a drug that preferentially accumulates in cancer cells in the bladder, making them glow bright pink during blue light cystoscopy. This makes it easier to detect and diagnose tumours.
Nykode Therapeutics continues to show positive results from the company’s phase 2 clinical study against cervical cancer in November. The patients in the study have received Nykode Therapeutic’s VB.10.16 (a therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of human papilloma virus-16 induced malignancies) and atezolizumab (a checkpoint inhibitor anti-cancer drug from Roche). Nykode Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel immunotherapies.
Would you like to have your company’s news story featured on our website? Please get in touch with Sofia Linden, Communications adviser at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
SIVA continues backing our Incubator so we can help cancer start-ups succeed
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator has been awarded NOK 3,5 million to continue supporting cancer innovators during 2023. The funds come from SIVA, a governmental enterprise facilitating a national infrastructure for innovation.
Why are these funds important? Well, the road is long from a promising innovation is born until it becomes a solution that improves patients’ lives. An innovator often needs support to make their idea into a commercial product.
Precision therapy against cancer
This was the case with Kongsberg Beam Technology, founded by Per Håvard Kleven who had invented a digital solution to improve proton therapy, based on expertise from the Kongsberg defence industry.
The company was admitted into the Accelerator programme at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator in 2019. The incubator team worked closely with the company and helped with everything from setting up a business plan, developing a company strategy and recruiting management, to attracting the company’s first investors.
Kerstin Johansson, CEO of Kongsberg Beam Technology, one of the companies in the Incubator that has received help from SIVA.
“If it wasn’t for Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, Kongsberg Beam Technology wouldn’t be where we are today.”
“If it wasn’t for Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, Kongsberg Beam Technology wouldn’t be where we are today. From being a one-man company, we have grown to a semi-virtual company with a mix of employees and CRO/service companies with key competences for the road to commercialise our product MaMa-K. To date we have attracted NOK 50,4 million in private investments and public funding. We strongly believe that with our solution, MaMa-K software intended for radiation therapy the clinical benefits will be significantly better and cancer patients will have a much better life with less side effects after the treatment,” said Kerstin Jakobsson, CEO of Kongsberg Beam Technology.
A melting pot for innovation
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is the only cancer incubator among the total 35 companies accepted into the SIVA’s new ten-year Incubator programme starting 2023. The Incubator offers business development services, state-of-the-art laboratories, and access to a global cancer community.
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator have state-of-the-art labs that are shared between academics and private companies. Photo: Christopher Olssøn
A multitude of languages can be heard between the international researchers as you walk down the hallways. When peering into the labs, you see academics working side-by-side with private companies. This is a true melting pot for health innovation.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is uniquely situated next to Oslo University Hospital and can provide the network in oncology that early-stage companies in cancer need.”
“Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is uniquely situated next to Oslo University Hospital and can provide the network in oncology that early-stage companies in cancer need. We are now expanding the Innovation Park to make room for more companies, who are in dire need of our facilities and expertise. This is good for the companies, it benefits the patients and adds value to Norwegian society,” said Ketil Widerberg, CEO and Chairman of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
The Incubator is situated in Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, right next to the Cancer Research Institute and a stone’s throw away from the Oslo University Hospital (a Comprehensive Cancer Centre). Photo: Christian Tandberg
Please note. This article is only in Norwegian. A longer article in English will be published shortly.
Tre av Oslo Cancer Cluster Inkubator sine selskaper, Kongsberg Beam Technology, AdjuTec Pharma og Thelper, presenterte i går og i dag seg på den svenske investorkonferansen «Biostock Life Science Fall Summit 2022».
I tillegg presenterte Oslo Cancer Cluster-medlem Ultimovacs seg.
Konferansen gikk av stabelen i Lund og var fullbooket. Gjennom to dager har selskaper og investorer satt hverandre i stevne, der en majoritet av svenske selskaper har vist seg fram for investorer fra både Sverige og Danmark.
Inkubator-selskapene har fått tilgang til å delta her gjennom et nylig etablert samarbeid mellom inkubatoren og BioStock, som er et svensk, digitalt nyhets- og analyseselskap fokusert på selskaper innen livsvitenskapssektoren.
Fra Oslo Cancer Cluster Inkubator har COO Janne Nestvold og Senior Advisor Business Development Thomas Andersson deltatt.
Kongsberg Beam Technology ble presentert av CEO Kerstin Jakobsson. Selskapet utvikler neste-generasjons protonterapi ved å persontilpasse behandlingen til hver enkelt pasient. Foto: Thomas Andersson
AdjuTec Pharma ble presentert av CEO Bjørn Klem. Selskapet utvikler antibiotika-produkter mot multiresistente infeksjoner. Foto: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen
AstraZeneca, the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo and Oslo Cancer Cluster enter a new mentoring collaboration for life science start-ups.
A new collaboration between the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the SPARK Programme at Norway’s largest life science university and Norway’s only cancer cluster is set in motion to grow the life science sector in the Nordics. At the core of the collaboration is AstraZeneca’s business and science mentoring programme, called AstraZeneca Exchange Nordics.
How does it work?
Mentors from AstraZeneca support Nordic entrepreneurs and start-ups to speed up innovations that benefit patients. By sharing expertise, the mentors help move start-ups towards sustainable and successful growth.
The mentors cover a wide range of expertise for all phases of drug development but also help to address critical issues such as health economics, payer and market access and business development. Furthermore, the programme offers mentoring opportunities in Data Science, AI and Digital Health.
“Our goal is to focus on where we can help to make a difference. We want to see more successful companies grow and increase the attractiveness of the Nordic region. By contributing with knowledge and expertise from AstraZeneca mentors, we can with simple measurements add value and inspiration for start-ups in the Life Science sector”, said Joachim Reischl, Head of Diagnostic Science AstraZeneca, and AZ mentor.
Air view of the AstraZeneca site in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo: AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca has established relationships with several Nordic incubators, connecting entrepreneurs with AstraZeneca mentors. The mentors arrange non-confidential, single advisory sessions on strategic questions in the early start-up journey to help entrepreneurial ideas grow.
Oslo Cancer Cluster and the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo will both identify and select projects or companies in their networks that may benefit from mentoring.
Access to industry specialists
The mentoring programme and the public-private collaboration fits right into Oslo Cancer Cluster’s goal to support the development of promising start-ups in the cancer field.
“Via AstraZeneca’s business & science mentoring programme Oslo Cancer Cluster’s start-ups and biotechs get access to industry specialists for discussing strategic questions early in their R&D journey. It will be truly helpful for a variety of start-ups in our cluster”, said Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
“Mentoring from AstraZeneca’s experts will be highly valuable for the SPARK Norway projects in their endeavour to build new start-ups based on their innovative academic ideas. Getting the industry perspective and feedback will help the projects progress in the right direction and shape their understanding of how they can develop their idea into a new product”, stated Morten Egeberg, Administrative Leader UiO:Life Science and Leader SPARK Norway at the University of Oslo.
A positive contribution
Inven2 is a Tech Transfer Office, owned by the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, that was established to administer the commercial potential of inventions and work from these two institutions and all the health trusts in the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. They welcome the initiative for projects and start-ups in the SPARK and Oslo Cancer Cluster networks.
“We welcome these new opportunities for academic innovators and start-up companies emerging from the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital. When establishing new start-ups, competence and previous experience is of critical importance. The AstraZeneca mentoring programme will indeed be a positive contribution to support new entrepreneurs for faster onboarding on their innovation journey”, said Jens Halvard Grønlien, Vice President Innovation in Inven2.
Oslo Cancer Cluster and the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo both signed a memorandum of understanding with AstraZeneca in October 2022.
More information about AstraZeneca’s business & science mentoring program can be found on their website via the following links:
Artificial intelligence is one of the central themes as Norway responds to the EU Cancer Mission.
The European Union has launched the Mission on Cancer and the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan that aim to jointly improve the lives of 3 million people by 2030.
Norwegian organisations working in cancer, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Cancer Society and others, have joined forces to make the most of these opportunities. Together, they have formed the Cancer Mission Hub Norway.
“With a long tradition of patient involvement, a strong national health service and many emerging companies in the health sector, Norway is uniquely positioned to respond to the EU’s Cancer Mission,” said Ole Aleksander Opdalshei, Deputy General Secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society, as he opened the meeting Artificial Intelligence in Cancer – Implementation and EU opportunities.
One of the hub’s initiatives is to position Norway in the AI field, by gathering relevant actors and exploring the AI & cancer theme.
View the meeting here:
The promises of AI
Vibeke Binz Vallevik, moderator for the meeting held at Kreftforeningens Vitensenter on 13 October 2022 introduced the subject:
“We have been talking about AI in healthcare for a few years now – its hype and potential. How it can accelerate research, help drug discovery, handle large datasets, improve manual processes and be a tool for clinical decision support.”
The possible applications of AI in oncology are plentiful. An example of how artificial intelligence can be used to improve cancer prognosis is the DoMore Project, from the Institute of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital.
“AI and deep learning represent a new era for prognosis and the field is growing exponentially,” said Professor Håvard Danielsen, leader of the DoMore Project and recipient of the King Olav V’s Cancer Research Award, during a keynote speech at the meeting.
Danielsen presented how they have developed an AI-based prognostic tool for prostate, colorectal and lung cancer.
Vallevik mentioned the barriers to clinical implementation, including technological issues, legal access, culture, competence, procurement and economic factors, organizational, infrastructure, data quality, quality assurance and trust. This all begs the question: is AI in health just a hype?
A scientific panel talked about the opportunities and challenges in artifical intelligence and health. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
A scientific panel brought their perspectives on these opportunities and challenges.
“AI is really key to empower and enable precision medicine, so matching patients to drugs and stratifying patients in a more intelligent way. It is absolutely key to fully personalize the cancer therapies in the future. We are working for instance on developing personalized cancer vaccines, that is completely dependent on AI,” commented Richard Stratford, CEO, NEC OncoImmunity AS.
Inga Strümke, Researcher at the Dept. of Computer Science, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at NTNU, raised an ethical dilemma:
“You cannot guarantee that a neural network that has learned to solve a problem will always work and function the way you expect and intended it to. So, what should we do instead? I think medicine is well-equipped to answer this question, because it has a strong tradition for testing systematically.”
As both Hauke Bartsch, Assoc. Prof. (University of Bergen/Dept. of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital) and Ishita Barua, MD & Manager at Deloitte, also pointed out during the discussions, another challenge is ensuring that AI-based tools are adapted for their users, namely the health personnel and the patients.
How can Norway contribute?
The second part of the meeting included a keynote speech from Evangelia Markidou, Head of Sector – Artificial Intelligence Technology, Deployment and Impact at European Commission, and a policy panel. The panel discussed how national multidisciplinary initiatives can pave the way for European collaborations.
“How can a country like Norway contribute? Our public health system is one of the best in the world and the Cancer Registry has collected data from patients for the last 70 years. This enables us to see what is happening on a population scale that other countries cannot. We can document what works and doesn’t work,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The number of successful Norwegian research applications for EU funding also shows great promise.
“If you look at applications within cancer and artificial intelligence during the last two years, Norwegian researchers have received 10 million euros in total,” said Ole Johan Borge, Department Director Health, Research Council of Norway.
Cancer Mission Hub Norway will continue to work towards informing, fostering, and mobilising the Norwegian research environments towards the EU Cancer Mission.
A new research project is exploring how polygenic risk score tests can be used for early detection and prevention of breast cancer in Norway.
Your genes can reveal more about your future than you might realise. New testing technology called polygenic risk scores provide a measure of your personal risk to develop a disease due to your genes.
The research project AnteNOR is exploring how these tests can be implemented in Norway to prevent and detect breast cancer earlier.
“We need tools for more precise screening. Many cancer risks come from our genetic dispositions, and we can identify individual risk levels for common cancers with personalized screening,” said Peeter Padrik, CEO of the Estonian company Antegenes, which offers clinical grade genetic tests for cancer precision prevention.
Breast cancer screening in Norway is done through the mammography programme, coordinated by the Norwegian Cancer Registry, and usually starts when a woman turns 50. However, 20 per cent of all breast cancer cases happen to women who are younger than 50 years old. Some of these women could benefit from taking the polygenic risk score test.
“We are currently seeing a revolution in cancer diagnostics, treatments, and care. We believe personalised approaches have the potential to transform cancer from a deadly disease to a disease patients live well with. Identifying breast cancer early by using genetic tests is part of this revolution,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The AnteNOR partners will together investigate how to create models for new screening programmes, where genetics-based screening can be used. The project also investigates how to implement these new approaches in the clinic and national health service.
The project has been funded by the Norway Grants Green ICT Programme and will be carried out in 2022-2023.
Take a peek behind the scenes in the making of the 15th edition of Cancer Crosslinks.
Cancer Crosslinks, a unique educational forum for the Norwegian oncology community, will take place on 26 January 2023 at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park.
It has truly “taken a village” to build the annual meeting place Cancer Crosslinks, in the sense that it has been supported by a whole community in oncology.
Cancer Crosslinks was established in 2009, when Oslo Cancer Cluster in collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb organized the first meeting of its kind. Since then, the meeting has been supported by 15 sponsors in addition to BMS – all members of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The lively networking is one of the signatures of Cancer Crosslinks, where clinicians, researchers, industry representatives, health officials, and more, meet and make new connections. Photo: Cameo UB
The goal of Cancer Crosslinks is to promote interactions between researchers and clinicians, as well as to encourage translational and clinical research, and new collaborations to advance the development of innovative cancer treatments.
Charlotte Wu Homme, Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Project Lead, Cancer Crosslinks, commented:
“Oslo Cancer Cluster is committed to supporting the tradition of scientific inquiry by providing relevant and successfully facilitated symposiums for the oncology community. This support, made possible by our members and sponsors, helps us to make a positive impact on society.”
The hallmark of Cancer Crosslinks is the full-day educational programme featuring distinguished international and national experts presenting recent advances in oncology.
Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Scientific Lead and Co-Founder, Cancer Crosslinks, commented:
“When developing the programme, we start by identifying emerging concepts and recent progress in precision treatment and immuno-oncology, which are close to clinical implementation and of relevance beyond one specific cancer indication. We then reach out to leading experts from the US and Europe who can discuss these topics. Inviting these clinicians and researchers to Norway offers a unique opportunity to stimulate discussions and potential collaborations with their colleagues here.”
Cancer Crosslinks has attracted renowned speakers from across the world. In 2020, Michel Sadelain, Director, Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, gave a talk.
The title of Cancer Crosslinks 2023 is “New dimensions to the hallmarks of cancer: How is the last decade of discoveries advancing our understanding of cancer biology and transforming precision medicine?”. The idea of The Hallmarks of Cancer was originally coined by Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg in a 2000 paper published in CELL. It has inspired the Cancer Crosslinks programmes since 2009.
“We are honoured that Prof. Hanahan accepted our invitation to give the opening keynote,” Heix added.
Across sectors and borders
Cancer Crosslinks is open to everyone and free to attend, and usually attracts more than 350 representatives from all over Norway. The lively networking is one of the main reasons people participate on-site. The program is also live-streamed, which opens for even broader and more international participation.
Cancer Crosslinks attracts participants from across Norway and different sectors of society. Photo: Cameo UB
Marine Jeanmougin, EU Advisor, Oslo Cancer Cluster, commented:
“The rise of digital technologies presents an opportunity to support oncology care and address some of the unmet needs in the clinic. We are thrilled to welcome two outstanding young researchers to talk us through their latest work in computational biology and clinical artificial intelligence!”
Cancer Crosslinks has become one of the leading national meeting places gathering oncologists, hematologists, translational researchers, healthcare providers, regulatory experts, and industry representatives.
This meeting series is marking 15 years of excellence based on the continued support of members of Oslo Cancer Cluster, the team behind Oslo Cancer Cluster and the wider oncology ecosystem. Thank you also to Innovation Norway for supporting Cancer Crosslinks through the mature cluster programme.
British hospitals can now improve care of breast cancer patients by using a new health data platform from Norway.
The pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s UK branch has announced grants to provide NHS hospitals with subscription access to a research and registry platform from the Norwegian company Ledidi. The platform will be used for clinical audit of breast cancer patients.
Ledidi, a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster, was formed by two academic surgeons, who saw the need for better tools for collecting, structuring, analyzing and visualizing health data.
Knowledge about the effect of cancer treatments and diagnostics is often limited to what is known from clinical studies, but little is known about the effect once they are implemented in standard clinical practice.
“For cancer clinics, the possibilities of monitoring patient outcomes combined with other data from their patients daily, gives new possibilities of understanding the effect of their efforts and identifying areas in patient care and treatment that could be improved,” commented Einar Martin Aandahl, CEO and co-founder of Ledidi.
The problem is that data gathered from patients is often fragmented in different systems, unstructured and contains a lot of free text. To be able to monitor patients’ outcomes, the data needs to be structured in a way that makes them available for analysis.
Collaboration between clinics
The two clinicians teamed up with engineers and developed a cloud-based service to help clinicians and researchers collaborate on data across hospitals and faster reach novel discoveries.
“Ledidi Core allows the clinicians to create structured databases and forms for data capture, so that data can be collected in the same format from several collaborating colleagues or clinics. The solution is designed for multiple participants to collaborate on a shared database,” Aandahl explained.
According to Aandahl, the database can be shared between health personnel, but they cannot access each other’s data directly, and it is done in compliance with security and privacy regulations. Still, everyone can run analysis on the whole dataset and get instant results from the data. Aandahl also informs us the database can be used both for research studies and patient registries.
“By collaborating with other clinics, one also gets the possibility to compare practice from clinic to clinic and find a benchmark for how your own clinic is performing. By this, we aim to break down the barriers between research and clinical practice,” Aandahl added.
Towards data-driven healthcare
Almost every sector of society is becoming increasingly digitalized, but the health care sector has been lagging behind, both because of strict regulations on health data and the complexities in providing healthcare.
“By finding safe and easy ways to structure and collaborate on health data for secondary purposes, we can generate new knowledge and insights that can improve patient care and the health of many people. We believe health care needs to be more data driven and we work to lift the barriers standing in the way,” Aandahl said.
Olso Cancer Cluster joined NLSDays 2022 to strengthen Nordic ties in life science, healthcare and oncology.
Nordic Life Science Days 2022 were held on 28-29 September in Malmö, gathering the Nordic life science community for partnering opportunities, educational sessions and mingling in the exhibition area.
Advancing Norwegian life science
Since 2015, Oslo Cancer Cluster has coordinated the joint booth Norway for Life Science, promoting the Norwegian healthcare and life science industry. This year, the ten Norwegian life science partners came together once again in the exhibition area to make new contacts and reinforce bonds across borders.
The Norwegian booth included Oslo Cancer Cluster, UiO Life Science, Aleap, Norway Health Tech, Nansen Neuroscience Network, The Life Science Cluster, Innovation Norway, Legemiddelindustrien (LMI), Norwegian Research Council, the Centre for Digital Life and Inven2.
Vaccine insights
Oslo Cancer Cluster co-hosted one of the super sessions in the NLSDays programme, together with the Life Science Cluster. The topic was Vaccine Crosslinks: From cancer to COVID and included presentations from key experts in vaccine development from the Nordics. Mikael Engsig, CEO of Nykode Therapeutics, commented:
“Nykode Therapeutics was founded on the basis of our unique immunotherapy technology platform and its properties to up or downregulate specific immune responses. Today, we strive hard to put the platform to its full use across several therapeutics areas with unmet medical needs such as oncology, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases.”
Immune links between cancer and infectious diseases were discussed by the panelists during super session 3. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The speakers included: Ms. Eleanor Malone (Editor in Chief, Citeline), Dr. Heinz Lubenau (Chief Drug Development Officer, NEC OncoImmunity), Mr. Michael Engsig (CEO, Nykode Therapeutics), Dr. Holger Kissel (Vice President Business Alliances, BioNTech), Dr. Carl Kilander (Partner, HealthCap), Mr. Mike Ryan (Executive Vice President Europe, Eversana) and Dr. Gunnveig Grødeland (Senior Scientist and Research Group Leader, University of Oslo).
Eversana and Citeline kindly sponsored this session.
Our members on the stage
OncoSyne and DoMore Diagnostics, two companies from the Accelerator programme in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, were selected as “Rising Stars” at this year’s NLSInvest. The two companies pitched to an audience of global investors, along with start-up companies from across the Nordics.
Peter W. Eide, CTO in Oncosyne, pitched at NLSInvest. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
“We saw NLSDays as an excellent opportunity to meet new collaborators and promote the company. As such, the conference was very useful. We have a host of promising follow-up meetings, and being selected for pitching with other NLSDays Rising Stars was a nice recognition of our achievements and ambitious growth targets,” said Peter W. Eide, CTO in OncoSyne.
Torbjørn Furuseth, CEO and co-founder of DoMore Diagnostics, presented the company to the NLSDays audience. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
“It is great to see that NLSDays has become such a large and important event, gathering so many early-stage companies, investors and others. We were happy for being selected as one of the Rising Stars and got the opportunity to pitch our company. This event is a great place to network and we had several good meetings,” said Torbjørn Furuseth, CEO and co-founder of DoMore Diagnostics.
In addition to our “Rising Stars”, several members of Oslo Cancer Cluster held company presentations during the NLSDays programme.
Gjest Breistein, CFO of Lytix Biopharma, presented the company’s vaccination technology platform for treatment of cancer. Kerstin Jakobsson, CEO of Kongsberg Beam Technology, presented the company’s proton radiation therapy devices for cancer treatment. Bjørn Klem, CEO of Adjutec Pharma, presented the company’s novel solutions against antibiotic resistance.
Sparking innovation
The NLSDays Fireside Chat with SPARK took a deep dive into how the SPARK programme has been set up at universities in the Nordics.
“There is a great untapped potential in research being done at the universities to be transformed into innovative solutions that create value for society. This isn’t unique for Oslo, or even for Norway, but also a challenge for universities across Europe. When Jutta Heix from Oslo Cancer Cluster introduced us to the SPARK concept, we saw it was a good match for UiO Life Science and decided to sponsor it. It has had great success at Stanford University and there have been over 60 programmes established globally,” said Morten Egeberg, Leader of SPARK Norway at the University of Oslo.
Morten Egeberg, Leader of SPARK Norway, moderated the SPARK Fireside Chat at NLSDays 2022. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The so-called “Sparkees”, academic innovators who have undergone the SPARK programme, had the opportunity to meet with investors at NLSDays. They were prepared beforehand about what to expect from these partnering meetings and how to build international networks.
“The focus at this year’s NLSDays was to build a closer collaboration between the SPARK programmes in the Nordics. The programmes in Norway and Finland are already well-established, and Denmark is currently setting up their programme. Our mentors all have relevant backgrounds and industry experience. The aim now is to share mentors across borders, so the ‘Sparkees’ can gain access to a wider network of expertise,” Egeberg added.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to visit our booth, schedule partnering meetings with us and join our sessions. The next Nordic Life Science Days will take place in Copenhagen on 29-30 September 2023. We look forward to seeing you there!
Her er de viktigste postene for Oslo Cancer Clusters medlemmer i statsbudsjett for 2023.
Forskning og utvikling
Regjeringen foreslår å bevilge 43,6 milliarder kroner til forskning og utvikling (FoU). Det tilsvarer en realnedgang på 1,1 prosent. Totalt 78,1 millioner kroner skal gå til arbeidet med å gjøre helsedata enklere og mer tilgjengelig for forskning. Formålet er å sikre mer og bedre helseforskning, som skal bidra til bedre helsetjenester, mer innovasjon og bedre utnyttelse av de norske registrene vi i dag har.
– Norge er, med personnummer, registre og et nasjonalt helsevesen, ett av få land i verden som har muligheten til å redusere tiden for klinisk utvikling signifikant, og gi bedre pasientbehandling. Med et begrenset budsjett i forhold til våre naboland, og kutt i Folkehelseinstituttet, vil økt samarbeid med private aktører bli stadig viktigere på dette feltet, sier Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Samunnsoppdrag og forskning
Regjeringen foreslår å bevilge 3,7 milliarder kroner til deltakelse i EUs rammeprogram for forskning og innovasjon, Horisont Europa, og til de forpliktelsene som henger igjen fra forrige rammeprogram, Horisont 2020.
Oslo Cancer Cluster mener at regjeringen bør se disse bevilgningene i sammenheng med en videre satsing på samfunnsoppdrag, missions, slik at den norske innsatsen bedre skal stemme overens med det vi kan hente tilbake fra EU. EU-kommisjonen har som kjent identifisert fem samfunnsutfordringer som de ønsker konkrete og ambisiøse løsninger på innen 2030.
– Kreft er en av de virkelig vanskelige utfordringene i EU, der de største firmaene og de beste statlige instituttene ikke klarer å finne løsningen på egen hånd. EU putter 4 milliarder Euro inn i EU’s Beating Cancer Plan. De store europeiske landene posisjonerer seg ved å styrke organisasjoner og starte spissede initiativer, for å sikre relevans, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Planen tar opp samfunnsoppdrag som metode, og lanserer en nasjonal satsing på to samfunnsoppdrag: bærekraftig fôr, og å inkludere flere unge i utdanning, arbeids- og samfunnsliv.
– Det er bra at regjeringen støtter EUs samfunnsoppdrag i den nye langtidsplanen. Vi håper at de legger innsats på koordinering, mobilisering og oppbygging av sterke forsknings-, utviklings- og innovasjonsmiljøer, sier Widerberg.
Viktige kreftscreeninger
28,5 millioner kroner skal gå til å få hjemmetest som en del av livmorhalsprogrammet. Regjeringen foreslår også å bruke 10 millioner kroner for å gjøre leseprosessene i screeningprogrammene i mammografiprogrammet mer effektive ved å bruke kunstig intelligens. Til det nye, nasjonale screeningprogrammet for tarmkreft, foreslås en samlet bevilgning på 203 millioner kroner i 2023. Tilbudet gis til kvinner og menn det året de fyller 55 år, og skal gjøres landsdekkende innen 2024.
Oslo Cancer Cluster understreker at det er viktig å prioritere screening og hjemmetester, fordi dette er virkemidler som fungerer for å oppdage kreft i tidlige stadier, og forhindre alvorlige sykdomsforløp og død.
– Ny teknologi, som kunstig intelligens, vil på flere områder effektivisere screening, samt gi muligheter for utvikling av ny teknologi og innovasjon. Her vil samarbeid med internasjonale miljøer bli sentralt, sier Widerberg.
Mer til metodevurdering
Systemet for Nye metoder vurderer nye behandlingsmetoder for innføring i spesialisthelsetjenesten. Regjeringen skriver i sitt forslag til statsbudsjett at de vil sørge for at systemet for Nye metodervidereutvikles i takt med den medisinskteknologiske utviklingen, og foreslår derfor 28 millioner kroner til “styrking av metodevurderingskapasitet og veiledning i Folkehelseinstituttet og Legemiddelverket i 2023”.
Statens legemiddelverk får også 8 millioner kroner i økt bevilging til å styrke regulatorisk og vitenskapelig veiledning og saksbehandling ved kliniske studier.
De regionale helseforetakene får 104,7 millioner kroner i tilskudd til tiltak innenfor persontilpasset medisin. Tilskuddet skal benyttes til å finansiere sekvenseringsutstyr i helseforetakene, det nasjonale kompetansenettverket for persontilpasset medisin, infrastruktur for presisjonsdiagnostikk og etablering av nasjonalt genomsenter.
Styrker eiendom i Siva
Eiendomsvirksomheten i det statlige foretaket Siva foreslås styrket med 100 millioner kroner i 2023. 35 millioner blir tilført som risikokapital, mens de resterende 65 millionene blir tilført som egenkapital.
– Dette er viktig for kreftinnovasjon, fordi eiendomsvirksomheten til Siva har vært, og er, sentral for utviklingen av Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovasjonspark og innovasjonsmiljøet ved Radiumhospitalet, sier Widerberg.
Siva er en av eierne i Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark og inkubator. Innovasjonsparken planlegger å utvide, etter ønske fra forskningsmiljøer og industri. En utvidelse av parken vil innebære flere laboratorier, og mer nødvendig plass til bedrifter innen helsenæringen.
Grønn helsenæring
Regjeringen vil ha mer grønn nærings- og eksportomstilling, og foreslår derfor å omprioritere deler av midlene i det næringsrettede virkemiddelapparatet. Foreslåtte tiltak er blant annet ny utlysning under Grønn plattform med en ramme på 600 millioner kroner, å øke rammen for Innovasjon Norges Grønne vekstlån, å tilførse kapital til Siva, og å styrke Innovasjon Norges arbeid med strategiske eksportfremmesatsinger.
– Det er viktig for oss å understreke at helsenæringen er en grønn næring, der eksport trenger en strategisk satsing. Helsenæringen hører naturlig hjemme i en norsk satsing på grønn eksport, sier Widerberg.
Immunotherapy has the potential to cure advanced cancer – now a new Centre of Excellence will look at how to tailor precise and effective treatments for patients.
Nine new Centers of Excellence have been awarded NOK 1,4 billion by the Norwegian Research Council. One of the centers will focus on precision immunotherapy and has received NOK 155 million.
Develop effective treatments
The centre is called Precision Immunotherapy Alliance (PRIMA) and is led by Johanna Olweus, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Head of Department of Cancer Immunology, Oslo University Hospital and Karl-Johan Malmberg, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, University of Oslo. The alliance consists of in total seven research group leaders from Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo.
“Our center aims to identify targets and immune receptors that enable precise and effective treatment of cancer with manageable side effects, but the goal is that the therapies that will be developed can be used for many patients. The tools and technologies that we will develop based on our in-house concepts provide unique opportunities for this, in particular because of the complementary expertise of the various center partners,” commented Olweus.
A great acknowledgment
Malmberg and Olweus said the designation of the Centre of Excellence represents a great acknowledgement of the cancer research milieu in Oslo, and that it puts them in the position to make an even greater impact internationally.
“The timing to form a Centre of Excellence in precision immunotherapy is perfect. The possibilities to make breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy research have never been bigger. The research group leaders that have joined forces in Precision Immunotherapy Alliance possess complementary expertise needed to address outstanding challenges in the field,” commented Malmberg.
Access to new therapies
Malmberg and Olweus stressed that the success of the centre relies upon collaboration with different institutions. They hope Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo will support them and that they can have a good dialogue with medical authorities, such as the Norwegian Medicines Agency.
“The aim is that Norwegian patients will get access to new therapies in clinical trials very early, rather than having to wait for new therapies to come from abroad. Innovation can also spur a generation of new start-ups and collaboration with existing industry, resulting in more clinical trials being attracted to Norway. We also believe that this will allow for us to attract talented researchers and clinicians who want to work with cancer immunotherapy, from Norway and abroad,” said Olweus.
Attendants from across Norway, the Nordics and the world discussed how molecular tests can realise precision cancer medicine in the clinic, through a prostate cancer perspective.
The Norwegian Cancer Symposium was held on 14-15 September in Oslo and titled “Sustainable Cancer Care Using Molecular Tests – From a Prostate Cancer Perspective”. The two-day event brought together top-ranking researchers, clinicians, industry and policymakers.
“The intention of the symposium is to strengthen collaborations between clinicians, researchers, health authorities and representatives from the patient organization and the industry to bring biomarkers needed to realize precision medicine into the clinic,” said Kristin Austlid Taskén, Senior Scientist and Professor at the Institute of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, and Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 8th Norwegian Cancer Symposium.
Exploring the research forefront
The programme included presentations from high-profile speakers that had travelled to Norway from different parts of the world, including USA, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden.
Austlid Taskén commented on what she thought were the highlights from the talks:
“How do we identify patients who will benefit from PARPi treatment? What is needed to include use of biomarkers in the guidelines for treatment and into the clinic? What is the role of the tumour microenvironment in biomarker discovery and precision medicine? What are the bottle necks in implementation of precision medicine? How can we coordinate efforts to build and finance powerful cohorts for biomarker discovery and validation?”
Industry met academia
The audience included participants from across Norway and the Nordic countries, both from academic institutions and from pharmaceutical companies.
Marte Jonsson, Medical Advisor, Oncology in Bayer, was eager to learn about the latest findings in the field of prostate cancer and form new relationships:
“It is possible to get to know other people in the field, to form new relationships, strengthen existing ones or find new collaboration partners. Over a coffee or lunch, you may meet someone who is interested in starting a new investigator-initiated clinical trial for instance. To advance in the field, it is important for all stakeholders to communicate with each other, and national conferences are a great place for researchers, clinicians and the industry to engage with each other.”
Arton Baftiu, Medical Advisor, Solid Tumor at Janssen, was one of the industry representatives attending the Norwegian Cancer Symposium 2022. Photo: Janssen
Arton Baftiu, Medical Advisor, Solid Tumor at Janssen, was impressed by the research updates presented:
“My highlight from this symposium is the impressive work that is being done in the field of cancer – starting from the discovery of new biomarkers, new genetic tests and the cutting-edge clinical trials that are now being rolled out to Norwegian cancer patients. As a pharmacist, to witness the medical advancements in the era of personalized cancer treatment within prostate- and lung cancer, giving patients better survival outcomes and quality of life, brings additional responsibility but also a huge motivation to my role as a medical advisor in Janssen.”
Important insights for patients
Several interviewees mentioned the patient story during the panel discussion as their most memorable moment from the symposium.
“The panel discussion, particularly with the patient who presented his case, not only based on emotions, but on facts, really impressed me. Listening to all the parts in the discussion made me realize that we have to work even harder to ensure that the gap we observe time after time between drugs that are approved and the needed diagnostic test needs to be closed much faster than it is today. Access to testing should not be the limiting factor, when we know every day counts,” said Reza Shirzadi, Oncology Diagnostic Liaison at AstraZeneca.
The Norwegian Cancer Symposium 2022 was presented by the Institute of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, with sponsorship from Norsk Hydro’s Fund for Cancer Research, University of Oslo: Life Science, and with support from Oslo Cancer Cluster. A special acknowledgement to Oslo Cancer Cluster’s membership and project team, together with Innovation Norway Mature Clusters funding.
The first national initiatives for precision cancer medicine have successfully taken shape in Norway, but what has been achieved and what does it mean for cancer patients?
“We are standing at the entrance of a fantastic era, where the dream is to give precise and effective treatment to all patients.”
Jan Frich, Deputy CEO and Chief Medical Officer at the South-Eastern Regional Health Authority opened the meeting at Arendalsuka 2022, where the key topics were cancer, precision medicine and cooperation.
The meeting gave an overview of the success of the national initiatives in precision cancer medicine in Norway over the last two years and was organised by the public-private consortium CONNECT.
Watch the meeting here:
Understanding cancer
So, what is cancer and precision medicine all about?
“It is about more precis diagnostics and more precise treatment, which consider the characteristics of the individual patient and their disease. The cancer is not classified in terms of where it is found, but in terms of its molecular traits,” Frich commented.
Sigbjørn Smeland, Head of the Cancer Clinic at Oslo University Hospital, agreed that the evolving understanding of cancer is now changing how cancer is diagnosed:
“Cancer is about specific changes in the genetic material, which lead to uncontrolled growth. There has been an extreme development in the technology for testing. Now you can get the results from a gene panel test in a matter of days. This changes oncology and it is the way we must go forward.”
Advantages of genetic testing
The national infrastructure for precision cancer diagnostics – also known as InPreD – is being set up at all university hospitals. Three hospitals have already begun testing.
Hege Russnes, Professor, Senior Consultant in Pathology and Research Group Leader at Oslo University Hospital, gave an update on their progress:
“We are well underway with broad gene panel testing of cancer patients that do not have other treatment options. Twice a week, the results are discussed in a tumour board that decides if the available treatments in clinical studies will be beneficial or not.”
Hege Russnes (Oslo University Hospital), Grethe Foss (Norwegian Directorate of Health) and Birgitte Lygren (Roche Diagnostics) discussed the importance of precision diagnostics for cancer patients. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Grethe Foss, Senior Adviser at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, explained:
“The Norwegian Directorate of Health have helped to facilitate the refunds of the large gene panel tests. It is important to make this a part of the established health service. It makes it easier to recruit patients to clinical studies.”
The pharmaceutical industry also sees advantages in testing more cancer patients.
“Broad genetic testing is the basis for implementation of precision medicine, so we quickly can map out which patients can benefit from other treatments. To have this testing in place, enables us to open more clinical studies in Norway,” said Birgitte Lygren, Medical Affairs Manager at Roche Diagnostics.
From diagnosis to treatment
Patients that have received testing can be recruited into clinical trials. IMPRESS-Norway was established in 2020 as a national clinical study that aims to evaluate the efficacy of cancer drugs on new indications. Pharmaceutical companies contribute drugs into the study, which are reimbursed by the regional health authorities if the patient has responded to treatment after 16 weeks.
The study is available at all hospitals that treat cancer patients in Norway and coordinated by Åslaug Helland, Research Director at Oslo University Hospital and Professor at the University of Oslo.
“We have teamed up with four pharmaceutical companies and we know there are more coming onboard this autumn. That means we will be able to include more patients for treatment,” Helland said.
Ole Alexander Opdalshei (Norwegian Cancer Society), Eli Bergli (Novartis) and Åslaug Helland (Oslo University Hospital) talked about the importance of industry collaboration in clinical studies. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Eli Bergli, Medical Head Oncology at Novartis Norway, complemented:
“We gain more knowledge about medicines in new diagnostic areas, where they are not approved today. Our neighbouring countries are now looking to Norway and getting inspired of what we have achieved.”
Ole Alexander Opdalshei, Assistant General Secretary at the Norwegian Cancer Society, was impressed by the collaboration across sectors:
“As a patient, you are completely dependent on the good collaboration and trust between public and private. This is important to secure the patients access to new drugs.”
Where are we headed?
Approximately 100 patients have been included in IMPRESS so far and about 70 patients have reached the first end point. The results are promising, as about 40 per cent have responded to the off-label treatment so far.
Kjetil Taskén, Head of the Cancer Research Institute at Oslo University Hospital, said:
“Precision medicine is about using the knowledge we have and try to find the right treatment for each patient. With precision diagnostics, we can find out which treatments don’t work and, in principal, get better Return On Investment when paying for new treatments.”
Terje Svabø moderated the meeting. In this photo Steinar Thoresen (Merck) and Sigbjørn Smeland (Oslo University Hospital) explain the difference precision cancer medicine can make. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Steinar Thoresen, Senior Medical Consultant in Merck Oncology and Medical Director in NordicRWE, is eager to build on these initiatives:
“This has been built with enthusiasm and passion. We have become recognized internationally. Now, it is time to set new goals. What could they be? More drugs into IMPRESS, quicker access to novel treatments, new financing models and better use of health data.”
The fantastic era of precision medicine, that Frich referred to at the start, is no longer a distant dream. Norway is paving the way to make precision medicine available to all cancer patients.
Næringsminister Jan Christian Vestre besøkte Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark, og fikk samtidig en omvisning i den norske næringen som er viktigst for kreftpasienter.
/ the Norwegian Minister of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Jan Christian Vestre, visited Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park and received a tour of the most important Norwegian industry for cancer patients.
– Her kan du nesten gå med tøfler mellom sykehuset, forskningsbygget og bedriftene i innovasjonsparken. Det er noe som ikke finnes mange andre steder i verden, sa Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Han pekte på det nye bygget i Radiumhospitalet, som reiser seg etter planen tvers overfor Institutt for kreftforskning og Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark, blant annet med Ullern videregående skole og flere selskaper som jobber med kreft. Fire av dem skulle straks få næringsministeren på besøk.
– Campus Radiumhospitalet er kopibar, og vi forsøker å få til noe slikt også ved Rikshospitalet, med det nye Livsvitenskapsbygget, sa Bjørn Atle Bjørnbeth, administrerende direktør ved Oslo Universitetssykehus.
Nysgjerrig på kreftinnovasjoner
Første stopp på rundturen i parken var hos Oslo Cancer Cluster inkubator. Der sto oppstartsselskapet Oncosyne klar på laben for å vise fram sin arbeidsflyt. De dyrker en pasientprøve fra sykehuset og tester ut alle tilgjengelige legemidler på pasientens egne celler. Dataanalysen blir så til en diagnostisk rapport, som legene kan bruke til å gi akkurat denne pasienten riktig legemiddel til riktig tid. Det er presisjonsmedisinens prinsipp.
– Du piloterer på en måte kreftbehandlingen på celler i laboratoriet i stedet for på pasienten, sa næringsminister Jan Christian Vestre.
– Ja, akkurat, på pasientens egne celler, fordi det blir mer korrekt fordi kreft er en så heterogen sykdom, sier Jarle Bruun, CEO i Oncosyne.
Videoen viser en av cellelabene i Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, og en demonstrasjon av hvordan Oncosyne jobber.
Fra liten til stor næring
Etter besøket hos oppstartsselskapet, gikk turen videre til Ultimovacs, et selskap som ble etablert i 2011, og som nå er på børs, og har sitt hovedprodukt, en universale kreftvaksine, i flere kliniske studier. Kreftvaksinen er basert på forskning opprinnelig fra Radiumhospitalet.
I likhet med Ultimovacs, konkurrerer helseselskaper som får testet sine behandlinger i kliniske studier i et globalt marked helt fra start.
Etter en kort tur bortover gangen møtte statsråden Zelluna Immunotherapy, et selskap som lager en ny form for celleterapi, også med opprinnelse fra forskning fra Radiumhospitalet. De startet i 2016, og har i dag ansatte med hele tolv ulike nasjonaliteter. Folk flytter rett og slett til Norge for å jobbe i Zelluna Immunotherapy.
– Veien er kort fra forskere til selskaper her. For oss har det vært en kjempefordel å være her i inkubatoren, sa Geir Christian Melen, Finance Director i Zelluna Immunotherapy.
Et tema begynte å vise seg på rundturen. Hva har disse selskapene til felles? De er alle del av den norske helsenæringen, og de jobber med å lage bedre kreftbehandlinger for pasientene.
– Vi trenger selskaper for å få bedre behandlinger som kommer pasientene til gode. Det er dette som gjør nettopp helsenæringen spesiell. Den har et grunnleggende mål om å hjelpe pasienter, med diagnostikk, behandling eller oppfølging, sa Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, generalsekretær i Kreftforeningen, som var vertskap for besøket sammen med Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Ønsker å investere
Neste stopp på rundturen var et stort, internasjonalt selskap, som nå ønsker å investere i en utvidelse av innovasjonsparken og miljøet rundt Radiumhostpitalet. Dette selskapet er Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Næringsbygg er en viktig del av grunnlaget for å drive næring, også helsenæring. I denne videoen forteller de fire lederne av de norske helseklyngene hva de mener er viktig at politikerne bidrar med. Videoen ble spilt inn i Arendal i august 2022, under Arendalsuka.
Thermo Fisher Scientific er et internasjonalt selskap med 400 milliarder kroner i omsetning og 100 000 ansatte. I Norge er omsetningen drøye 1,7 milliarder kroner, og her har de 300 ansatte, med kontorer i innovasjonsparken og produksjonslokaler i Lillestrøm. De lager viktige bestanddeler i celleterapi, diagnostikk og andre bioteknologiske prosesser.
– Helsenæring begynner i det små, med gode ideer, forskning og oppstartsbedrifter. Derfor er inkubatorer og støttemiljøer viktige, men det er også av betydning å ha investorer og internasjonale samarbeidspartnere i de samme lokalene som laboratorier og forskere. Nærhet gjør framgangen for små selskaper lettere, sa Ketil Widerberg.
Næringsminister Jan Christian Vestre (til høyre) avsluttet besøket hos Oslo Cancer Cluster inkubator og innovasjonspark med et stopp ved tomten som er prosjektert til å bygge ut parken. Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen, kommunikasjonsansvarlig i Radforsk, forteller om utbyggingsplanene som blant annet Thermo Fisher Scientific ønsker å investere i. Med på bildet er blant andre også Gaute Moldestad (direktør industri SIVA SF), Sigbjørn Smeland (leder Kreftklinikken OUS) og Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross.
Thermo Fisher trenger umiddelbart 5000 kvadratmeter til nye laboratorier, kontorer, og visningssenter for celleterapi, og er villig til å investere på den gamle tomten sin ved siden av dagens innovasjonspark, der det i dag står gamle bygg og forfaller.
Investorene er klare for å bære kostnadene for en utbyggelse av Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark alene, men i likhet med kreftpasienter har de ikke tid til å vente.
Under Arendalsuka arrangerte Radforsk et møte om utbyggingen av Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark, som har stagnert i møte med Oslo kommune. I forkant av møtet lagde vi denne videoen av Jónas Einarsson, CEO i Radforsk. Møtet kan sees i opptak, følg denne lenken til Facebook.
Cancer patient Silje Morild Helland spends all her time searching for better treatments.
“I want to spend my time doing this. It is not just my life, but many people’s lives. We all want to be here for our loved ones. I have made friends who have the same diagnosis and several of them are not here anymore. People are dying while waiting for important medicines.”
Silje was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant in 2015. Since then, she has tried all the treatments that are available to her in Norway. Now, her current treatment is losing effect and Silje feels she has a responsibility to search for more options, since many other cancer patients cannot.
“I think it is problematic that breast cancer patients are assessed according to the average age of the entire patient group. It is said we are too old for the new treatment to be cost effective. It is too expensive in relation to how old we are on the group level, but I am not too old,” Silje said.
Silje told her story at the meeting Fremtidens Kreftbehandling – Hver Dag Teller, Eller? during the Norwegian political festival Arendalsuka. The meeting was organised jointly by Oslo Cancer Cluster, LMI, the Norwegian Cancer Society, Astra Zeneca Norway, Janssen Norway and MSD Norway.
Watch the meeting here:
Is this even legal?
The lawyer Geir Lippestad explained at the meeting that the system called Nye Metoder has been given the legal mandate by publicly appointed officials to decide which medicines will be approved in Norway.
“We do not have any case law or Supreme Court decisions concerning Nye Metoder. This is because it is not possible for patients to appeal decisions that have been made. This is not completely unproblematic. In an open society, the right to appeal is a guarantee for legal safety. This is something we need to debate politically. It is very unusual that there is not a bigger legal framework to appeal.”
Calling for a mission on cancer
Sigrid Bratlie, special advisor in the Norwegian Cancer Society, told the audience about recent advances in the cancer field.
“We are at a breaking point in the development of knowledge and technology. Two areas that are moving especially fast are personalised medicine and immunotherapy.”
Bratlie explained that future cancer treatments will be defined by four characteristics. The treatments will be more personalized and more influenced by advanced technologies. They will be given more in combination with one another, and clinical studies will be an integrated part of standard treatment.
“To realise the potential we have in Norway, we need to invest and set ambitious goals. The European Union has launched a Cancer Mission with the goal to improve the lives of 3 million people by 2030. The USA has the Cancer Moonshot to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years.”
Steinar Thoresen (Merck), Sigrid Bratlie (Kreftforeningen) and Truls Vasvik (Labour Party) discussed access to new cancer treatments. Photo: Sofia Lindén / Oslo Cancer Cluster
What is Norway doing?
Sigbjørn Smeland, Head of the Cancer Clinic at Oslo University Hospital, and Steinar Thoresen, Senior Medical Consultant Merck Oncology and Medical Director NordicRWE, introduced the new initiatives for precision cancer medicine in Norway.
One of them is IMPRESS, a national study where patients with metastatic cancer who have exhausted all treatment options get a chance to try another treatment based on the cancer’s genetic mutation.
Another initiative is CONNECT, a public-private consortium driving the implementation of precision medicine in Norway. Several companies in CONNECT have agreed to contribute pharmaceuticals to the IMPRESS study.
“Precision medicine is one of the pillars of the cancer treatments of the future. We must organise ourselves differently. It requires a closer collaboration between industry and academia. We are looking at the individual patient, instead of groups of patients, which gives us a different type of knowledge base,” Smeland explained.
Steinar Thoresen complemented:
“The industry has gone from being a part, to becoming a partner. For the first time we have a shared risk between private and public. This can be a framework for future payment structures. People have started to say ‘Look to Norway’ and we have no time to lose. We need to collaborate to get more clinical studies, to get more drugs into IMPRESS and to make use of Norwegian health data.”
The politician Truls Vasvik from the Norwegian Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) was also at the meeting.
“We need to work together with industry to succeed. We need to establish a system that can handle the extremely rapid changes in cancer treatment. We also need to think new about price models. We have a focus on cancer right now, because many are getting ill, and the development is going extremely fast.”
Silje Morild Helland does not think the system is good enough. If she can’t get new treatment in Norway, she plans on travelling abroad, like many other Norwegian cancer patients already have.
Arendalsuka er Norges største politiske festival, og neste uke tar mange viktige temaer over gatene i sørlandsbyen. Vi er selvsagt der også i år, for å gå i dialoger om temaet kreftbehandling og utvikling av nye, innovative behandlingsmetoder. Du kan møte oss over flere dager, på flere arenaer. Mange av møtene blir også strømmet, slik at du strengt tatt ikke må reise til Arendal for å delta på seminarene. Klikk på lenkene for å få en oversikt over hvilke møter som strømmes.
Vi anbefaler appen til Arendalsuka. Der kan du markere hvilke arrangementer du ikke vil gå glipp av. Påmelding er ikke nødvendig, alt under Arendalsuka er gratis og åpent for alle. Vi gleder oss til å møte deg der!
Nøkkelen til bedre kreftbehandling er samarbeid
Tirsdag 16.8, 10.00-11.30, Clarion Tyholmen
CONNECT er et offentlig-privat konsortium som jobber for å innføre presisjonsmedisin innen kreftbehandling raskere. 30 partnere samler alle norske universitetssykehus, flere legemiddel- og teknologiselskaper, Kreftforeningen, Folkehelseinstituttet, Direktoratet for e-helse, og Helsedirektoratet. Konsortiet er koordinert av Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Under dette seminaret vil du få vite mer om hva CONNECT har jobbet med – og fått til – siden det ble opprettet i desember 2020. Noen av temaene er genetisk testing, norske kliniske studier som et tilbud til kreftpasientene, hvordan helsevesenet og legemiddelselskapene samarbeider for å utvikle bedre behandlinger, og hvordan spesialisthelsetjenesten og Helsedirektoratet samarbeider. Programmet rundes av med en politisk debatt om muligheter og utfordringer for presisjonsmedisin for kreftpasienter i Norge.
For mer enn to år siden lanserte digitaliseringsministeren Norges strategi innen kunstig intelligens. Norge skulle lede an i kunstig intelligens-kappløpet, og norske helsevesen skulle bli best på kunstig intelligens, og norsk helsedata ble referert til som et norsk konkurransefortrinn. Men, hvordan har det egentlig gått, og har norsk helsevesen virkelig blitt pioneren innen intelligent helseteknologi, og hvordan kan vi norske aktører samarbeide internasjonalt?
Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) og eHelsesenteret fra UiA, Visual intelligence fra UiT, Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consorium (NORA), Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC), og Norwegian Smart Care Cluster (NSCC) inviterer til debatt om kunstig intelliges i helse.
Vi setter fokus på mulighetene med bruk av kunstig i helsesektoren, og diskuterer hvordan vi best kan bruke norske AI-kompetanse innen helse, hvordan norske helsedata kan brukes til å fremme befolkningshelse, og om det er for langt fra helseforskning til praktisk bruk av AI innen helse.
Vi inviterer sentrale aktører til faglige innlegg og debatt omkring den nasjonale strategien av kunstig intelligens
Arrangører: Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) og eHelsesenteret fra UiA, Visual intelligence fra UiT, Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consorium (NORA), Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC), og Norwegian Smart Care Cluster (NSCC)
Hvordan legge til rette for at de små blir store i norsk helseindustri?
Onsdag 17.8, 12.30-13.30, båten til Næringslivsforeningen
Helsenæringen kan skape flere arbeidsplasser og eksportinntekter enn i dag – men det krever en real satsing! For å styrke Norges posisjon innen helseindustrien kreves mer offentlig-privat samarbeid. Vi tar diskusjonen om både muligheter og fallgruver.
Våger vi å la dette toget gå fra oss? Tiden er overmoden for å sikre en god posisjon i eksport av norsk helseindustri. Dagens blide viser en skog av oppstartsbedrifter innen helse. For at denne skogen skal vokse seg stor og frodig kan vi ikke fortsette som før.
Vekst krever gode vekstforhold. Her finnes store muligheter for inntekter både til næringsliv og stat. Men, det krever at vi bygger et godt hjemmemarked. Våre fyrtårn som skal ut i verden vil ha et helt annet utgangspunkt med solide røtter i Norge. Får vi til dette, kan vi sikre muligheten til å skape en viktig og bærekraftig næring for landet, samtidig som vi utvikler gode helseløsninger for innbyggerne og helsetjenesten.
HelseINN belyser hvorfor det er så vanskelig å etablere seg på hjemmemarkedet, og hvordan det offentlige ofte opplever manglende dialog med markedet.
Lederne av de fire helseklyngene i Norge jobber hver dag for å sikre norske bedrifter fotfeste og utvikling i en ung industri. De forteller hvilke utfordringer de møter, og hva de gjør for å håndtere disse.
Politiske rammer er avgjørende for å sikre fotfeste. Næringspolitikere forteller hvordan de vil legge til rette for norsk helseindustri.
Ikke minst skal vi høre fra en bedrift som kjenner hvor skoen trykker.
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, The Life Science Cluster, HelseINN
Har vi en innovasjonspolitikk som mobiliserer akademia til å skape mer innovasjon?
Onsdag 17.8, 15.00-16.30, Thon hotell
I dette seminaret skal vi diskutere om vi har en god nok innovasjonspolitikk for å fremme innovasjon spunnet ut av forskning. Vi skal ha med en rekke innledere som belyser dette temaet fra undervisning og studenter til teknologioverføingskontorenes rolle og økosystemets rolle. Ikke minst skal vi se på om kulturendringen innen akademia mot mer innovasjon går raskt nok.
Arrangører: Inven2, The Life Science Cluster, Sharelab, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Aleap
Fremtidens kreftbehandling: Hver dag teller – eller?
Torsdag 18.8, 08.00-09.30, Clarion Tyholmen
Velkommen til frokostseminar i møteserien Fremtidens kreftbehandling, der vi serverer frokost, innsikt og debatt.
Fremtidens kreftbehandling er en møteserie som siden 2015 har stilt spørsmål om hvordan norske kreftpasienter kan sikres den beste behandlingen både i dag og i fremtiden. Under seminarene møter publikum fagpersoner, politikere, helsemyndigheter, bedrifter og organisasjoner fra kreftmiljøet i Norge. Møtene er gratis og åpne for alle.
I Arendal spør vi: Hvordan kan vi få hver dag til å telle for kreftpasienter som venter på behandlingene de trenger for å leve?
Det handler om tid. En rapport fra EFPIA for 2021, utgitt i april, viser at Norge bruker mer tid enn Sverige, Danmark og England på å ta i bruk nye medisiner. Probas evaluering av Nye metoder viser også tendensen til at Norge bruker lenger tid enn disse landene på innføring av nye legemidler. Hva kan vi gjøre med dette?
Vi har med oss en liste med behov og løsninger til Arendal!
Have you heard about our most recent members? Find out more about our growing cancer community below.
A wonderful mix of new members presented at our annual Summer Gathering last week, including companies in cancer prognostics and diagnostics, HR and recruitment, and financial and biopharma services. Here is a short overview from the presenters.
Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder of Antegenes, presented the Estonian company that offers innovative genetic tests for cancer prevention.
“If we detect disease as early as possible, we can also eliminate disease efficiently,” Padrik said.
Padrik explained that breast cancer screening in Norway begins from 50 years, but that 20 per cent of breast cancer cases happen to women younger than 50 years old. It is not reasonable to screen all younger women, but those who have elevated risk for breast cancer can be screened earlier.
Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder, Antegenes.
“We need tools for more precise screening. Many cancer risks come from our genetic dispositions and we can identify individual risk levels for common cancers with personalized screening,” Padrik said.
New technology called polygenic risk scores can summarise risks from many gene variants for cancers, but this has not yet been implemented in the public healthcare systems. The company Antegenes has developed tests using polygenic risk scores for breast, prostate, colorectal and melanoma cancers. They are now creating models for new screening programmes, where genetics-based screening can be used, and how to implement these new approaches.
Ján Tkáč, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Glycanostics, presented the start-up company that develops tests for cancer diagnostics.
The company uses a glycan-based liquid biopsy approach. Glycans are complex carbohydrates attached to proteins. Glycanostics have developed a diagnostic cancer test by identifying glycan changes associated with cancer in the blood. The company has so far focused on prostate cancer diagnostics.
“This is an ideal cancer diagnostic test that can provide high accuracy. It can be done by analysis of blood and be cost-effective. We can avoid unnecessary biopsies, monitor disease progression and treatment, and it is applicable for 11 cancer types,” Tkáč said.
Ján Tkáč, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Glycanostics
Glycanostics have already filed five patent applications and are ready to scale up the technology for breast cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.
“We look forward to participating in Oslo Cancer Cluster’s projects to shape the diagnostics future for oncological patients. Collaboration with cluster members and international cluster partners can drive our mission faster and share Glycanostics’ vision,” Tkáč said.
Jon Bjørbekk, Head of Recruitment, Life Sciences at Randstad, presented the recruitment company that is a global market leader in HR services.
“Randstad is quite new in Norway. We have been here for about 14 years and originate from the Netherlands. We are present in 39 countries and have 35 000 employees,” Bjørbekk said.
The company’s area of expertise is executive search, search and selection, and temporary hiring.
Jon Bjørbekk, Head of Recruitment, Life Sciences at Randstad.
“People in the life science industry are quite hard to find or relocate. Most of you are quite loyal to your employers, so it is our job to make you curious about a career move. Things are growing in Norway and there is a huge focus on healthcare and startups for the last 5-10 years,” Bjørbekk said.
Bjørbekk underlines the importance of having local knowledge, keeping close feedback with job applicants and building employer branding in all steps of the recruitment process.
Jo Helge Grepstad, Head of Sales, presented TheVIT, a service provider that has a vision to be the best support apparatus for businesses.
“We are a service provider, so we are not in the field of health or curing cancer, but we want to help you find the cure to cancer by supporting your business in the fields where we are specialists,” Grepstad said.
Jo Helge Grepstad, Head of Sales, TheVIT.
TheVIT works in the areas of advisory and services, and supports companies with finances, human resources and business intelligence. They are located at Rebel where Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator also has some office space.
“Our values are value, innovation and team. We seek good solutions for our clients through putting together the right team with the right competence to solve the challenges the clients are facing. Complemented by utilizing new technologies, we can support growth. Our resources include financial and business controllers, financial managers, CFOs, HR managers and business intelligence resources, and we are open for dialogue with other members of Oslo Cancer Cluster,” Grepstad said.
Sandy Mercurio, Senior Manager of Business Development at Veracyte, presented the US-based global diagnostics company, which provides a range of services to biopharma partners. Last year, Veracyte acquired the French company HalioDx, which specialized in immuno-oncology and was a member of the Oslo Cancer Cluster community.
“Veracyte offers a unique portfolio of multi-omic testing services to our biopharma partners to help them in their biomarker strategy and support their drug development programs by leveraging the best insights from clinical samples through our innovative technologies. Our expertise in immuno-oncology and biostatistics, combined with our robust quality and compliance systems enable us to help our biopharma partners discover clinically relevant biomarkers, identify patients for clinical trials and develop companion diagnostics.”
Sandy Mercurio, Senior Manager of Business Development, Veracyte
The company recently introduced the Veracyte Biopharma Atlas, which is a comprehensive database to help guide clinical trials. The company has been involved in clinical trials for CAR T therapies and vaccines, and has dozens of biopharma partners.
Comunin AS has also joined Oslo Cancer Cluster recently and they will be presented at a later date.
Please visit the Membership Overview to see all members of our organisation.
A new agreement reinforces the collaboration on cancer between Sweden and Norway.
“Norway and Sweden must work together towards making precision medicine a standard for all cancer patients,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the University of Oslo and the Karolinska Institute during a visit by the Norwegian Crown Prince Couple and a Norwegian industry delegation in Stockholm on 2 May.
Use comparative advantages
“This is a Memorandum of Understanding about the development of further collaboration between the University of Oslo and the Karolinska Institute. It deals with general activities, including exchanges of students and researchers, the organisation of mutual academic and scientific activities, and collaboration on educational programmes,” said Per Morten Sandset, Professor and Vice-Rector of the University of Oslo.
Per Morten Sandset, Vice-Rector, University of Oslo. Photo: Jarli & Jordan / UiO
Among other things, the agreement includes collaboration on precision medicine, clinical studies and the European Union’s Cancer Mission. The thought is to use the comparative advantages of Sweden and Norway to mutually strengthen the countries’ research environments and advance cancer research.
We need to team up
“Nordic countries have a lot to contribute: excellent research, very good public healthcare systems and national registries. We need to team up and position the Nordics as a strong player contributing to the global value chain from bench to bedside. The Nordics should unite and act as a one-stop shop for clinical trials within oncology and work with the global companies to set up Nordic collaborations,” said Widerberg.
Ketil Widerberg, general manager, Oslo Cancer Cluster. Photo: Stig Jarlnes / OCC
The agreement was signed during a session on health industry, which the Norwegian health clusters had organised collectively. This was led by Widerberg, who has also recently enterred the board of Karolinska Innovation, a role that ties the Norwegian and Swedish innovation environments even closer together.
“Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are way too small to get attention alone. We are not seen as interesting markets due to small population sizes. But if we team up, it is different. With EU’s cancer mission this gets even more important,” said Widerberg.
The latest addition to the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster is Jon Kirknes from the Norwegian Cancer Society.
Jon Kirknes, Head of Department for Analysis and Politics at the Norwegian Cancer Society, has joined the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster in 2022.
“I am very glad that I have been given this opportunity and I think that Oslo Cancer Cluster’s vision is very good. I am looking forward to working together with very competent board members and partners in helping patients – by accelerating the development of innovative cancer treatments,” Kirknes said.
Jon Kirknes has previously worked in the Department for Cancer Research, Prevention and Cancer Care in the Norwegian Cancer Society. Before that, he worked at the Norwegian Defence University College with Higher Education and Research. He brings wide experience in political advocacy, organizational development, and leadership.
Fighting cancer together
It is fitting that the board includes a representative from the Norwegian Cancer Society. Besides being a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Cancer Society shares similar goals for cancer in Norway.
“We work continuously to improve society’s attitude to the prevention and treatment of cancer. We fight cancer locally, nationally, and globally through research and preventive measures, information, support, advice and lobbying. Consideration for cancer patients and their needs will be central in my efforts to achieve Oslo Cancer Cluster’s goals and I see many areas of collaboration,” Kirknes said.
Some of the central issues Kirknes is working for are:
Early detection and access to treatment methods and personalized medicine.
Clinical trials as part of treatment.
Seamless treatment and care, including better infrastructure and coherent medical records, digitalization and development of welfare technology.
EU’s Mission on Cancer in Horizon Europe.
Public health in all sectors, with emphasis on genetics and the environment.
Partnership perspectives
Kirknes hopes he can help Oslo Cancer Cluster identify novel collaboration opportunities.
“The Norwegian Cancer Society reaches a broader audience through cooperation with others. I hope to bring in our ‘partnership-perspective’ and experience in working with other patient associations and other cancer organizations, public institutions, researchers, healthcare organizations, foundations and businesses – to give Oslo Cancer Cluster new learning opportunities, so we can achieve greater visibility, raise Oslo Cancer Cluster’s profile, promote learning and development, and bring forward synergies that such collaboration can facilitate.”
Jon Kirknes is Head of Department for Analysis and Politics at the Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS) – one of the largest organizations in Norway representing the voices of those affected by cancer. Previously he headed the department for Cancer Research, Prevention and Cancer care. Before Kirknes joined NCS he worked at The Norwegian Defence University College with higher education and research. He has wide experience in political advocacy, organizational development and leadership.
Today, Kirknes is also board member at Gemini Centre for Sepsis Research, member of The Union for International Cancer Control’s (UICC) Taskforce group on Antimicrobial resistance and member of the Norwegian Directorate of Health’s User Council, who promotes the user perspective in strategically important matters and processes in the Directorate.
There is a Norwegian version of this text further down.
The health industry is – and has always been – a part of the solution to many of the challenges in the healthcare sector. The industry contributes to preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease, as well as rehabilitating people. This increases the population’s quality of life, while reducing the burden on the health service, lowering sick leave, and increasing work life participation.
The Menon Economics report “The Value of the Health Industry 2022” was released on Friday 10 June 2022. The report is an annual publication, which was first published in 2016, when several key actors decided to join forces and create a report that describes the entire Norwegian health industry in numbers.
This year’s report is the seventh in line and based on three central contributions from the health industry to Norwegian economy:
the value creation by the health industry, which contributes to increased BNP and to create jobs,
the importance of the health industry to maintain an efficient public healthcare service,
the importance of the health industry for public health, which reduces the burden of sickness, increases employment, and reduces health costs.
“New technologies and innovative treatments are transforming the cancer field and can create significant value for Norway as we transition to a sustainable economy. We need stronger collaboration between the public and private sector to realise the full potential of the health industry. This can reduce the burden on the healthcare service and make it both better and more efficient. This can also create new jobs and attract international investments to Norway. Above all, this can give cancer patients better health, longer lives and higher work life participation.“
Ketil Widerberg, general manager, Oslo Cancer Cluster
These are the most important findings in the report:
1. The value creation by the health industry
The value creation by the private health industry increased in the ten-year period from 2010 to 2020 with over 85 per cent. The corresponding growth for the rest of Norwegian private industry was nearly 25 per cent (strongly affected by the corona pandemic in 2020). The health industry constitutes an ever growing part of Norwegian industry.
The companies in parts of the industry – especially in digital health, the pharmaceutical companies and the distribution companies in health technologies – report a very strong growth through the corona pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Parts of the private service industries experienced significant drops in activity – especially companies in mental health, addiction, and home and care.
The value creation of the private health industry totalled NOK 63 billions in 2020.
This is a little higher than the total value creation of the agricultural, forest, fishing, and aquaculture industries, which was NOK 62 billions (source: SSB, Nasjonalregnskapet).
The exports of the health industry totalled NOK 27,2 billion in 2021.
This is almost 60 per cent higher than the export of power in 2021.
The private health industry employed 83 500 people in the Norwegian economy in 2021.
This constitutes a little more than three per cent of all employment in the Norwegian economy.
This corresponds 35 per cent of the employment in the building and construction industry.
2. The importance of the health industry for the public healthcare service
The majority of the income (from Norway) to the private health industry comes from customers in the public sector – municipalities, public hospitals and other national public institutions.
Health technology, which is developed and delivered by the health industry, is essential to ensure that the public healthcare sector delivers high-quality health and care services in an efficient manner.
At the same time, the health industry is dependent on that the buyers in the public healthcare sector use the market in an efficient manner, in other words, that they are open to procuring new products and services. This is essential for private companies to gain access to growth capital and to be able to establish themselves abroad.
The mapping of the health industry’s experiences of interacting with the public healthcare sector shows several interesting findings;
The health industry perceives that the competency of the buyers in the municipalities is very low, while it is perceived as very high in the public hospitals.
The customers in the municipalities put a very high emphasis on price (at the expense of quality) in the procurement of health technology. The suppliers of private healthcare services are presented as the type of customer that emphasize quality the highest, when procuring health technology.
The suppliers of private healthcare services are perceived to be the type of customer who are most open to procuring new technology, and innovative products and services. Also in this area, the customers in the municipalities are perceived to be “the worst” among suppliers of health technology.
3. The importance of the health industry for public health
The societal costs of disease and health in Norway constitute two thirds of the BNP. These costs include:
The burden of disease – the economic value of lost years of life and the damage to health in the population because of disease and injury.
The cost of health services – the cost of equipment and services in the health sector.
Loss in production – the value creation that is not realised because of the people not able to work because of disease or injury.
Innovations in the health industry continuously contribute to reducing these costs. In this report, we present several examples of technology developed by the Norwegian health industry that increase the quality of treatment and increase the efficiency of diagnostics, treatment and follow-up of patients and users.
Paradoxically, the benefits from saved lives and better health are valued less today in the healthcare sector, than in other societal sectors, in the calculations of utility and cost efficiency in public budgets.
This can lead to a systematic underestimation of the value of investments in the healthcare sector compared to investments in life and health in other sectors.
The consortium partners: Aleap, The Norwegian Directorate for e-health, Inven2, LO Norway, Melanor, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Oslo Cancer Cluster, SIVA, The Life Science Cluster, The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprize (NHO) and NHO Geneo.
Read the press release in Norwegian below:
Dette er de viktigste funnene i «Helsenæringens verdi 2022»
Helsenæringen er – og har alltid vært – en del av løsningen på mange av våre helse- og omsorgsutfordringer. Næringen bidrar til å forebygge, diagnostisere, behandle og rehabilitere mennesker, noe som øker befolkningens livskvalitet, samt bidrar til å redusere belastningen på helsevesenet, redusere sykefraværet og til økt deltakelse i arbeidslivet.
Fredag 10. juni offentliggjøres Menon Economics-rapporten «Helsenæringens verdi 2022». Rapporten er en årlig utgivelse, som for første gang ble publisert i 2016 da de toneangivende aktørene innen helsenæringen i Norge for første gang gikk sammen om å utarbeide en rapport hvor målet var å beskrive hele den norske helsenæringen i tall.
Årets rapport, som er den sjette i rekken, tar utgangspunkt i tre sentrale bidrag fra helsenæringen til norsk økonomi: Helsenæringens verdiskaping – bidrag til BNP og arbeidsplasser, helsenæringens betydning for en effektiv offentlig helsetjeneste og helsenæringens betydning for folkehelsen – redusert sykdomsbyrde, økt sysselsetting og reduserte helsetjenestekostnader.
Her er hovedfunnene:
1. Helsenæringens verdiskaping
Verdiskapingen i den private helsenæringen steg i tiårsperioden fra 2010 til 2020 med over 85 prosent. Den tilsvarende verdiskapings-veksten for resten av norsk privat næringsliv var på i underkant av 25 prosent (sterkt preget av korona-pandemien i 2020). Helsenæringen utgjør en stadig større andel av norsk næringsliv.
Bedriftene i deler av næringen – især digital helse, legemiddelbedriftene og distribusjons-bedrifter innen helseteknologi – rapporterer om en svært sterk vekst gjennom korona-pandemien i 2020 og 2021.
Deler av de private tjenestebransjene opplevde betydelig aktivitetsfall – især aktører innen psykisk helse og avhengighet og bo og omsorg.
Den private helsenæringen hadde en samlet verdiskaping i 2020 på 63 mrd. NOK
Dette er litt høyere enn den samlede verdiskapingen i de to primærnæringene jord- og skogbruk og fiske, fangst og akvakultur, med samlet 62 mrd. NOK i verdiskaping (kilde: SSB, Nasjonalregnskapet)
Helsenæringen hadde i 2021 en samlet eksport på 27,2 mrd. NOK
Dette er nesten 60 prosent høyere enn verdien av krafteksporten i 2021
Den private helsenæringen sysselsatte i 2021 83.500 personer i norsk økonomi
Tilsvarer i overkant av tre prosent av all sysselsetting i norsk økonomi
Tilsvarer 35 prosent av sysselsettingen i bygg- og anleggsnæringen
2. Helsenæringens betydning for den offentlige helsetjenesten
Majoriteten av inntektene (fra Norge) til den private helsenæringen kommer kunder i offentlig sektor – kommuner, offentlige helseforetak og andre nasjonale offentlige institusjoner.
Helseteknologi utviklet og levert av helseindustrien er avgjørende for at den offentlige helsesektoren får levert helse- og omsorgstjenester av høy kvalitet, på en effektiv måte
Samtidig er helsenæringen avhengig av at innkjøperne i den offentlige helsesektoren benytter markedet på en effektiv måte, herunder at de er åpne for å anskaffe nye produkter og tjenester, for både å få tilgang til vekstkapital og for å kunne etablere seg i utlandet
Kartlegging av helsenæringens opplevelser av samhandlingen med den offentlige helsesektoren gir flere interessante funn;
Helsenæringen oppfatter innkjøpskompetansen gjennomgående er svært lav i kommune-sektoren, mens den oppfattes som svært høy i helseforetakene.
Kundene i kommunesektoren vektlegger pris svært høyt (på bekostning av kvalitet) i anskaffelser av helseteknologi. Private helsetjenesteleverandører trekkes frem som den kundetypen som vektlegger kvalitet høyest, ved anskaffelser av helseteknologi.
De private helsetjenesteleverandørene oppfattes å være kundetypen som er mest åpne for å anskaffe ny teknologi og innovative produkter og tjenester. Også på dette området oppleves kunder i kommunesektoren å være «dårligst» blant leverandørene av helseteknologi.
3. Helsenæringens betydning for folkehelsen
Samfunnskostnadene av sykdom og helse i Norge tilsvarer to tredeler av brutto nasjonalprodukt (BNP). Disse kostnadene består av;
Sykdomsbyrden – den økonomiske verdien av tapte leveår og helsetap i befolkningen som følge av sykdom og skader.
Helsetjenestekostnader – kostnadene av utstyr og tjenester i helsesektoren
Produksjonstapet – verdiskapingen som ikke realiseres som følge av at arbeids-kraftressurser er ute av stand til å jobbe, som en konsekvens av sykdom og skader
Innovasjoner i helsenæringen bidrar kontinuerlig til å redusere disse kostnadene. I denne rapporten presenterer vi en rekke eksempler på teknologi utviklet av den norske helsenæringen som øker behandlingskvaliteten og øker effektiviteten i diagnostisering, behandling og oppfølging av pasienter og brukere.
Paradoksalt nok er det i dag slik at gevinsten av sparte liv og bedre helse verdsettes lavere i helsesektoren, enn i andre samfunnssektorer, i beregninger av nytte- og kostnadseffekter av offentlige budsjettkroner.
Dette kan føre til en systematisk undervurdering av verdien av investeringer i helsesektoren sammenlignet med investeringer i liv og helse i andre sektorer.
Les hele rapporten her.
Deltakerne i konsortiet er: Aleap, Direktoratet for e-helse, Inven2, Landsorganisasjonen i Norge (LO), Melanor, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Oslo Cancer Cluster, SIVA, The Life Science Cluster, Næringslivets Hovedorganisasjon (NHO) og NHO Geneo.
Oslo Cancer Cluster has awarded EU funding of 2,4 million euro to companies that want to digitalise the medical sector.
What if the medical and technological sectors could join forces so that patients could receive more precise diagnosis and treatment? Imagine the products that could be created, the costs that could be saved and the lives that could be improved. This was the idea behind the EU-funded project DIGI-B-CUBE, which was coordinated by Oslo Cancer Cluster for the last three years.
“We need to create collaborations between people working in medicine and people working in tech, so they can develop innovative solutions to handle health data or analyse medical images. This can lead to faster, more precise diagnosis, and ultimately advance precision medicine in cancer,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Better diagnostics with tech
Simply explained, DIGI is short for digitalisation and B-CUBE is short for bio-imaging, bio-sensing and bio-banking. All three Bs are important tools in medical research and diagnosis, especially in personalised medicine.
The goal of DIGI-B-CUBE was to raise the level of digitalisation in these B-industries. The project’s approach was to match companies in health with relevant tech companies and provide funding so innovations could be developed.
“We see the medical sector, one of the most innovative sectors, is lingering behind in digitalisation.”
“We see the medical sector, one of the most innovative sectors, is lingering behind in digitalisation. When applying artificial intelligence to analysis of x-ray images, you can do much better diagnostics, statistical evaluations, and forecasts about who is disposed to get, for example, breast cancer. This is not just about making the processes more effective, but about the impact, which is better health, longer lives and saving lives,” said Tamara Högler, DIGI-B-CUBE coordinator on behalf of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Made idea into prototype
In total, DIGI-B-CUBE provided 2,4 million euros in funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme to 32 projects from 75 companies across Europe.
Cathrine Ro Heuch, CEO of Nordic Brain Tech, was one of the recipients. Heuch has suffered from headaches her entire life but received limited help from the healthcare system. When she met a group of neuroscientists with a novel solution while working for NTNU technology transfer, she decided to do something about it.
“The doctors from St Olav’s Hospital had invented a digital treatment for migraines in children. Using biofeedback, you can train the nervous system to be more relaxed. The principal of biofeedback is very old and recommended in the national guidelines for migraine treatments, but it is not available in the public healthcare system in Norway,” said Heuch.
Heuch founded the company Nordic Brain Tech with the goal to transform the solution into a product that is cost-effective and easy-to-use for patients at home. However, it is not easy to find private capital, because investors see a high risk in early-stage projects. Heuch needed public funding to make her idea into a prototype.
Högler also knows how difficult it is for early-stage companies to access public funding on an international level.
“Funding applications for European projects is not something you complete in one or two hours. It is a long process. The chance of receiving funding is low and the administrative process is complicated. In comparison, the application for DIGI-B-CUBE was quite lean and the project duration was short,” Högler explained.
Nordic Brain Tech applied for DIGI-B-CUBE funding, together with their partner i3tex in Sweden and their partner Thorgate in Estonia, and they were granted 150 000 euros.
“It was important to have partners in other countries because these skill sets are not widely available in Norway.”
“It was important to have partners in other countries because these skill sets are not widely available in Norway. There are many great medtech development companies in Sweden, so we found a partner there that could create the device. Estonia has many great software developers, so it was natural to ask someone there to help us create the app,” Heuch explained.
Using funding from DIGI-B-CUBE, they created a prototype that monitors body temperature, heart rate, and muscle tension, while connected to an app on your phone.
“The point of the treatment is to train the body to have better blood flow, increase the body temperature and relax the muscles in the neck. The idea is to follow a 12-week programme, using the product 10 minutes every day, to increase the patient’s awareness of how these body functions are connected to migraines,” Heuch explained.
Nordic Brain Tech are now on the way to launch a clinical study in Trondheim. If successful, this product may help the one in seven Norwegians who suffer from migraines today.
The DIGI-B-CUBE consortium met at Oslo Cancer Cluster in November 2021. From the left: Nikolaos Matskanis (Infopole), Panagiotis Markovits (Motivian), Gerry Renders (EISMEA), Miltiadis Anastasiadis (Motivan), Gawel Walczak (Secpho), Astrid Green (OCC), Milena Stoyanova (EISMEA), Ketil Widerberg (OCC) and Bente Prestegård (OCC).
Clusters connected companies
DIGI-B-CUBE was implemented by a consortium of eight partners in different European countries and co-ordinated by Oslo Cancer Cluster. The point of involving clusters was to ease the identification of the needs of the companies in each region and to simplify matchmaking between them.
“Small companies need incentives in order to work together across countries and sectors.”
“Small companies need incentives in order to work together across countries and sectors. It is great the European Union gives out these funds and that Oslo Cancer Cluster can take a role in connecting companies across Europe,” said Widerberg.
Carina Schachinger, Project Manager at Business Upper Austria, stresses that the success of the project went beyond the funding.
“This was a great success because we were able to connect these companies with research and business partners across borders. Companies could extend their network on an international level, which is normally quite difficult,” said Schachinger.
Although the corona pandemic made it challenging for the consortium and companies to meet, the interest in medical diagnostics suddenly increased. The fact that DIGI-B-CUBE went virtual enabled more companies from different countries to participate in the digital sessions. Ultimately, 980 SMEs applied for in total 426 innovation projects.
“What makes DIGI-B-CUBE great is that if you support these companies in their innovation, then it has an immediate benefit in the companies, but it is also about medical diagnostics and health in general. It has this big benefit for society. When we look at the 32 projects that received funding, it is great to have this precise approach to medicine and this can improve the lives for you and me,” said Schachinger.
Stay connected to our website and social media channels to learn more about our initiatives and funding calls on a European level.
Our Head of International Affairs is featured in Nordic Life Science Magazine.
Read about how we are accelerating the development of new cancer treatments and diagnostics, while connecting and helping innovators, and putting Norwegian oncology on the global map. In an exclusive interview, Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs in Oslo Cancer Cluster, talks about her efforts to advance an oncology innovation ecosystem.
In collaboration with Nordic Life Science Magazine, we are pleased to offer this issue to our readers for free.
Professor Håvard Danielsen has received a cancer research award for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve cancer prognosis.
King Olav Vs Cancer Research Award of 2022 has been granted to Professor Håvard Danielsen at the Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics (ICGI) at Oslo University Hospital.
“This is a huge recognition and an inspiration. I am proud to join the 29 cancer researchers that have received the prize before me,” Danielsen commented.
The prestigious prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian Cancer Society, and it is the highest honour for Norwegian cancer researchers.
The description states: “Danielsen is a pioneer and a world-leading expert in digital pathology and the development of new methods for the application of artificial intelligence”.
Ground-breaking AI research
Simply explained, Danielsen and his research team at ICGI have trained computers to recognise cancer tumours, their characteristics and the patient’s prognosis, by feeding the computer with millions of images of samples from tumours of cancer patients.
“We have used machine learning to automate cancer diagnostics and prognosis. We have developed new methods to give a more objective diagnosis,” said Danielsen.
There are three reasons for this.
Cancer diagnoses are made by pathologists, and the number of pathologists is declining while the number of cancer cases rise.
It is difficult for pathologists to determine the disease progression of the patient. This leads to many patients getting too much treatment or too little treatment, which is both expensive for society and damaging to the individual.
Tumours are very heterogeneous, more efficient methods to investigate more samples from each tumour are needed.
Artifical intelligence may drastically change the field of cancer pathology by offering new and objective methods that can easily be distributed as a supplement to the current practise.
This is a heatmap showing the result of the computer analysis in each part of the cancer sample. Photo: ICGI.
The research has mainly focused on colorectal cancer. However, the exact same technology and design can be applied to other cancer types too. The research group has already had positive results for prostate cancer and are now working on lung cancer.
“Instead of spending many years training a pathologist, you can simply copy the algorithm from one computer to another. A computer can work 24 hours a day, doesn’t make mistakes and doesn’t get tired. This is not a replacement of the pathologist, but a tool to help the pathologist,” said Danielsen.
From research to commercial product
The research is part of the DoMore project, a five-year project that was awarded NOK 60 million by the Norwegian Research Council as a trailblazer for connecting IT technologies in health.
“There were huge anticipations. We were expected to break new ground, act as an inspiration, and create new jobs for Norway. This was an opportunity you don’t get every day,” Danielsen said.
The partners in the DoMore project were Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Vestfold Hospital Trust, the University of Oxford, the University College London, DIPS, the Department of Informatics at Oslo University Hospital, and the Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics at Oslo University Hospital. Around 50 people have worked with DoMore so far.
“This is truly a team effort across Norwegian and international institutions, and with many people involved. I feel privileged to have led this project,” Danielsen commented.
The video below was produced by ICGI when the company was set up.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster, OCC, has played a central role in the project, from start to finish.” Danielsen said.
“Ketil Widerberg, general manager of OCC, has been one of the leaders of DoMore. His responsibility has been to ensure that we develop solutions that can be commercialised. He has participated in all discussions and nudged us in the right direction. The company DoMore Diagnostics is a direct result of OCC’s involvement in the project,” Danielsen continued.
Danielsen also believes having Oslo Cancer Cluster as a partner from the start helped convince the Norwegian Research Council to back the project, which made everything possible.
Danielsen and his research group are still working hard to invent new solutions for better, more accurate cancer prognosis, which the company DoMore Diagnostics aim to take to market.
Kjetil Taskén, Head and Director of Institute of Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital (OUS). Photo: OUS
“These initiatives represent a triple-win effect,” said Kjetil Taskén, Head and Director of Institute of Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital and Professor at University of Oslo. “The patients gain access to modern treatments; the researchers can investigate the effect of different medicines on new indications; and the industry can expand the application of their drugs.”
The three initiatives
InPreD is a service for precision diagnostics organised as a national infrastructure within the specialist health service.
IMPRESS-Norway is a nation-wide clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs on new indications.
CONNECT is a consortium of public and private stakeholders driving the implementation of precision cancer medicine in Norway.
Precision diagnostics for patients
Recent developments in precision medicine offer new medical opportunities for cancer patients, which has ignited a debate in Norway about access to more modern treatments. Though equal access is ensured through Norway’s universal health coverage, the medical possibilities challenge public budgets and has led to delayed access for some patient groups.
“There is a growing, worrying split in the health service, where some patients feel compelled to buy diagnostics and treatments at private clinics, when the opportunity does not exist in the public sector,” said Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, General Secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society. “These initiatives are spearheading new solutions for seriously ill cancer patients, wherever they live in Norway, and demonstrate what is possible to accomplish with public-private collaboration.”
Norway is one of the first countries in Europe to have a reimbursement scheme, with additional financial support from the regional health authorities to hospitals, for the gene panel test via InPreD. The infrastructure is being set up at all university hospitals in Norway and patients from all Norwegian hospitals can be referred to InPreD. It is currently only available to patients with no other treatment options. The results from the test are discussed in a weekly molecular tumour board that refers patients to clinical follow-up, IMPRESS or other clinical trials.
Åslaug Helland from Oslo University Hospital presented IMPRESS-Norway at Nordic Precision Medicine Forum 2022 in Stockholm. Photo: Åsmund Flobak
InPreD has screened more than 359 patients, of which 67 patients have been included into treatment cohorts in IMPRESS, as of April 2022. An additional 10-15 per cent of screened patients have been assigned to another clinical trial or drugs through compassionate use programmes. This means about 40 per cent of screened patients have received a new treatment option.
“This is about leaving no stone unturned, about finding drugs for patients who wouldn’t have gotten it otherwise. We want to serve the needs that the patients have in terms of modern treatments in the public healthcare system,” said Taskén.
Clinical trial offers new hope
There are currently 16 drugs available in IMPRESS and the goal is to include 23 drugs by the end of 2022. The first pharmaceutical company to join was Roche, providing eight drugs in January 2021. Novartis entered IMPRESS as second partner in 2021, now contributing four cancer medicines.
“These initiatives offer patients who have exhausted available treatments, a chance for new treatment options and hope,” said Eli Bergli, Medical Head Oncology, Novartis Norway. “Novartis is proud to be part of the implementation of precision diagnostics, so patients can receive a tailor-made treatment for their disease. These innovative partnerships, where public sector, academia and private industry collaborate in finding the best solutions for the future of healthcare, are ground-breaking and offer patients early access to new innovative treatments.”
“InPreD, IMPRESS and CONNECT are core initiatives for the implementation of precision medicine in Norway, and Roche is a proud partner,” agreed Kristin Krogsrud, Healthcare System Partner, in Roche Norway. “In addition to the important goals of establishing genetic testing in clinical practice and generation of scientific data, we see the work around development and piloting novel reimbursement methods as key to be able to improve patient’s access to personalized treatment.”
The four Norwegian regional health authorities recently decided to reimburse drugs in Stage 3 cohorts in the IMPRESS trial. The pharmaceutical industry pays for the first 16 weeks and, if the patient achieves a response after 16 weeks in the trial, the treatments can be reimbursed permanently from the public healthcare system. This is the first mechanism for a pay-for-performance model in precision cancer medicine in Norway ever.
Jan Frich, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority.
“We have had a great and close collaboration with the hospitals in the establishment of a national infrastructure in the Specialist Health Service for precision diagnostics in the cancer field (InPreD),” said Jan Frich, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. “The high inclusion numbers in the IMPRESS-study after referral from InPreD confirm that we are on the way to succeeding in establishing the necessary ecosystem for advanced diagnostics and clinical studies in the Specialist Health Service. This is something we are very proud of.”
Connecting public with private
The third initiative is CONNECT, a public-private consortium consisting of 28 partners, with Oslo Cancer Cluster being the project coordinator. The common goal is to drive the implementation of precision cancer medicine in Norway.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster is a neutral facilitator and an intermediator between public and private. They have been with us since we started working on these national initiatives. Among other things, Oslo Cancer Cluster has been a great supporter in bringing in the pharmaceutical companies in IMPRESS,” said Taskén.
The Norwegian Health Directorate is one of the observers in CONNECT and a coordinator for the National Strategy for Precision Medicine.
“We follow the work in CONNECT with great interest as it investigates new ways of implementing precision medicine,” said Grethe Foss, Project Leader for Precision Medicine at the Norwegian Health Directorate.
Taskén stresses one reason for the success of these initiatives is that they are not about profiling individual institutions or people but about coming together with shared objectives.
“There has been trust and we have been able to act together. The fact that these initiatives now receive international attention can hopefully lead to an expansion of our efforts, that more companies and institutions join, so that more cancer patients gain access to the cancer treatments of the future.”
Where are the Norwegian political ambitions for cancer treatment? We need more public-private collaboration on cancer.
Breakfast and political conversations on cancer are the hallmark for our meeting series Fremtidens kreftbehandling. On 21 April 2022, health officials, politicians, patient spokespeople and industry representatives met to discuss the future of cancer treatments. They all agreed: we need more public-private collaboration on cancer.
As introduction, Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, presented the results from a recent survey by Kantar of the Norwegian population’s views on health policy. The survey showed a majority want more modern cancer treatments with less side effects at public hospitals. They want the same treatment options as in other Nordic countries. They also think the public health service should pay for cancer treatments that work.
“We believe cancer can go from being a deadly disease to a disease people live well with, but we can’t get new treatments to the patients if the public and private sector don’t work together,” Widerberg said. “When we build roads, we assess the economy on a broader scale than when we assess new treatments. Is this really the kind of politics we want?”
The people’s wishes are clear, but how can doctors offer more modern treatments to their patients? In the first panel discussion, Anne Karin Rime, president of the Norwegian Medical Association, Jan Frich, deputy CEO of the South-Eastern Regional Health Authority, and Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, general secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society discussed how patients can gain access to precision medicine, which means the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.
“We are living in a kind of cancer revolution. There are many extremely promising treatments on the way, especially in precision medicine,” Stenstadvold Ross said. “The current system assesses the cost and effect of a treatment by looking at an average patient group. For lung cancer, it will typically be 60-plus men with a history of smoking, but if I developed lung cancer, my characteristics wouldn’t fit this description.”
Rime argued that these new, revolutionary medicines have made the doctor’s job more complicated.
“The role of the doctor has changed from deciding the best treatment for the patient. Now the doctor also needs to think about society as a whole: what can we afford to treat? It is extremely difficult for a doctor to know there are treatments or diagnostics that may help the patient, which they can’t offer,” said Rime. “Diagnostics become more important now and offering genetic tests to all patients to identify which treatment will work.”
Frich agreed that more precise diagnostics is the solution.
“The key to personalised treatment is good diagnostics,” Frich commented. “The last two-three years, much has happened in personalised medicine. We have created a national plan for advanced diagnostics and set aside resources for this. An infrastructure for precision diagnostics is being built. The CONNECT collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry work on a large clinical study called IMPRESS, which is supported with NOK 60 million from the regional health authorities.”
The system needs to change so that patients can take part in the cancer revolution. Gloria Traina is a PhD and advisor at the Specialist Health Section in the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services. They are working on a Strategy for Personalised Medicine to be launched before 2023.
“There has been some success getting precision medicine to Norway and there are many new initiatives, including InPred, IMPRESS and CONNECT. We now see there is a need for a revised strategy,” Traina explained.
While the new strategy materialises, patients are still waiting for access to better treatments. In the debate, politicians were challenged to declare their ambitions for Norway.
”I want to see more political vision. The European Union has launched a Cancer Mission, the goal is to improve the lives of 3 million people by 2030. What are Norway’s ambitions?” Stenstadvold Ross asked.
“We need to look at how we rig the decision-making systems, for example by involving clinicians and patients, how we attract clinical studies and how we implement personalised medicine,” Karl Kristian Bekeng from the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) said. “When it comes to collaboration on new technologies and new medicines, there should be a lot more public-private collaboration. This should not be a replacement of the public health service, but an improvement of the public health service.”
Sylvi Listhaug from the Progress Party Association (Fremskrittspartiet) criticised the decision-making system.
“I think many patients – and the population as a whole – question why Norway is so late in implementing new medicines that can save lives and give better quality of life. I also think there are many desperate doctors, who see there are medicines that can give their patients a better life, which they can’t offer. The way we do this in Norway is completely out-dated. It doesn’t work. We are putting forward a new bill to Parliament now to change the whole system,” Listhaug announced.
Hege Edvardsen, senior adviser in LMI, represented the pharmaceutical industry in the debate and challenged the politicians to become more hands-on.
“We see that political decisions do not agree with what is actually delivered in the health service,” said Edvardsen, “It is important to strengthen the public-private collaboration. We have done a lot in oncology, but we are still struggling to get access to new treatments and we are lagging behind other Nordic countries. We need to consider the entire ecosystem when we talk about these things. If we wish to increase the number of clinical studies and attract research investments to Norway, we must also become better at solving the access part.”
The meeting also included mingling between the participants and the audience, which sparked further conversations and reflections. The debate will continue in our communication channels and at our next meeting during Arendalsuka at Clarion Hotel Tyholmen on 18 August 2022 (08:00-09:30). We hope to see you there!
Watch the meeting here (in Norwegian):
This meeting was a collaboration between Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Cancer Society, LMI, AstraZeneca, Janssen and MSD.
Meet Dave Tippett, our newest team member supporting researchers to work better together.
“It is almost like a dating service at times,” Tippett jokingly explains. “Members come to us and explain their needs. Then we go through our database and try to find partners for them.”
Tippett is the new Membership and Events Coordinator for Oslo Cancer Cluster. This means he performs all-round administrative support, including on-boarding new members, arranging activities for members or involving members in the cluster’s projects.
Catering for researchers
Tippett is familiar with providing services for others. When Tippett moved to Norway from England, he worked in home care and learnt Norwegian on the job. Together with his partner, he then ran the successful catering business Kaffehagen. They were involved with several high-profile events for Oslo Cancer Cluster, including Cancer Crosslinks, Northern Future Forum, and more – until the corona pandemic forced Kaffehagen to close.
Luckily, Tippett’s unique skill set was still needed and, by the end of 2021, he was splitting his time 60/40 between Oslo Cancer Cluster and the Incubator. Tippett assists the Incubator tenants and provides technical support. In some ways, it is not too different from his previous work.
“I figure out good ways for researchers to work together.”
“The point of being a good administrator is to look at the problem and find a good administrative structure for it. Arranging a good party with delicious food or helping people do research and collaborate with their team is similar,” Tippett explains. “I figure out good ways to work together and deliver what people need.”
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is a vibrant professional environment that, among other things, provides laboratories and office spaces to cancer researchers from private companies and Oslo University Hospital.
“The work is very eclectic – you never know what the Incubator will ask of you,” Tippett says.
Committed to the cause
The job has an added meaning for Tippett since he has experienced cancer personally. Tippett recently lost both his mother and his best friend to cancer in a matter of weeks. Shortly thereafter, he found out he had carcinoma, but has now made a full recovery.
“I am motivated by the researchers working so hard to help people they have never even met before.”
“The researchers in the Incubator that I chat with on a day-to-day basis are genuinely nice people,” Tippett says. “I am motivated everyday by all of them working so hard to help people that they have never even met before.”
If you are an Incubator tenant or Oslo Cancer Cluster member, you can reach Dave Tippett at dt@oslocancercluster.no
Summer Gathering & Introduction of New Members (With a special feature for Cancer Crosslinks 2022) (16 June 14:00-16:00): https://bit.ly/Summer-Gathering-2022
I årets helsepolitiske barometer svarte mer enn 2000 spurte på spørsmål om kreft. Folk flest ønsker moderne kreftbehandling med færre bivirkninger på offentlige sykehus.
Torsdag 7. april presenterte Kantar funnene fra den årlige undersøkelsen Kantar helsepolitisk barometer 2022. Den er gjennomført blant mer enn 2000 respondenter, og kartlegger befolkningens holdninger i helsepolitiske spørsmål.
I år var Oslo Cancer Cluster med som partner i undersøkelsen, sammen med medlemmene Janssen og MSD. Det resulterte i fem spørsmål om kreftbehandling som del av helsepolitikken.
De viktigste funnene om befolkningens holdninger til kreftrelaterte politiske spørsmål, vises i grafene nedenfor.
Du kan enkelt se hele opptaket av sendingen, og laste ned den fulle presentasjonen, fra Kantars nettside.
Samarbeid er det viktigste
Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster, holdt et innlegg under presentasjonen av undersøkelsen, som du kan se, høre og lese her:
Pandemien har tydelig vist hvor avhengige vi er av at myndighetene satser for å utvikle et bedre helsetilbud til befolkningen. For vår del, betyr et bedre helsetilbud for kreftpasienter mye. Vi jobber for at kreftpasienter skal få bedre behandling raskere. Det er viktig fordi det gjøres mye revolusjonerende forskning på kreftområdet, og flere overlever takket være nye behandlingsalternativer, kommer tilbake i jobb og deltar i samfunnet igjen.
I Oslo Cancer Cluster mener vi at kreft vil bli en kronisk sykdom vi kan leve med, og ikke en sykdom vi dør av.
Samarbeid er viktig for oss. Spesielt mellom offentlige og private aktører innen helse, som sammen utvikler nye og bedre kreftbehandlinger.
Det blir ikke ny presisjonsmedisin til kreftsyke nordmenn hvis offentlige og private jobber på hver sin side av et kunstig juv.
Oppfinnsomheten og viljen til å skape nye løsninger er stor hos offentlige forskere og hos bedrifter, og nettopp denne viljen til innovasjon er det vi oppfordrer regjeringen og helsemyndighetene om å både legge til rette for – og å gå i direkte dialog med.
I år mener de spurte i Kantar helsepolitisk barometer at Høyre har den beste helse- og omsorgspolitikken, mens Arbeiderpartiet kommer tett etter. Fra 2018 og til 2021 utpekte derimot Arbeiderpartiet seg som partiet med den beste helsepolitikken. Det er gledelig at ett av våre to regjeringspartier setter avtrykk i folks bevissthet om nettopp helsespørsmål. I undersøkelsen spurte vi om hva som er viktigst for folk når regjeringen nå skal jobbe med en ny kreftstrategi.
Svaret var ikke til å ta feil av. Nesten halvparten (47%) vil ha bedre kreftmedisiner som gir færre bivirkninger.
37% vil ha like gode behandlinger som i våre naboland. Disse svarene er en pekepinn for myndighetene, når de nå legger planer og strategier for et helseområde som berører så mange av oss i løpet av livet.
Vår oppfordring til myndighetene, er mer samarbeid.
Samarbeid om å utvikle de beste behandlingene, som gir færre bivirkninger og virker bedre enn de vi bruker i dag. Samarbeid om å få disse nye behandlingene innført på sykehusene – slik at pasienter faktisk får nytte av dem.
Temaet offentlig-privat er et skille som går tvers gjennom denne undersøkelsen, og som har fått mye oppmerksomhet i mediene.
Vi mener at det er et skille som ofte er kunstig, og som kan krympes gjennom samarbeid. Men skillet har reelle konsekvenser for den enkelte pasient i dag.
Når en pasient får prøve et kreftlegemiddel for egen regning på et privat sykehus, og det fungerer, mener 40% at det offentlige helsevesenet bør betale for videre behandling. Like mange mener pasienten i tillegg bør få tilbakebetalt sine utgifter.
Vi trenger klare rammer for slike tilfeller i helsepolitikken. Det koker ofte ned til et ønske om å begrense offentlige kostnader, som jo er en del av politikernes jobb. Men det hjelper lite å begrense kostnadene til en dyr behandling om alternativet er enda større statlige kostnader med uførhet resten av pasientens liv.
Når vi bygger veier, vurderer vi samfunnsøkonomien på en bredere måte enn når vi vurderer tiltak innen helse. Er det egentlig en ønsket politikk?
Norsk offentlig helsevesen ble for noen måneder siden kåret til et av verdens beste. Det er noe som gjenspeiles i undersøkelsen. Majoriteten (54%) av befolkningen foretrekker å bli behandlet på et offentlig sykehus dersom de skulle få kreft. Det er med andre ord en høy grad av tillit til det offentlige helsetilbudet for kreftpasienter. Samtidig ønsket jo nesten halvparten av de spurte seg bedre kreftbehandlinger.
Ved å samarbeide, kan vi gi befolkningen det de ønsker seg, nemlig bedre kreftbehandlinger ved de offentlige sykehusene, som et tilbud til alle kreftpasienter i Norge.
Et eksempel som viser dette, er et offentlig-privat samarbeid for nye behandlinger med presisjonsmedisin, som heter CONNECT. Der samarbeider for øyeblikket 29 partnere om å innføre presisjonsmedisin innen kreft i norske sykehus, basert på kreftpasienters genetiske forandringer. Samarbeidet i CONNECT får internasjonal oppmerksomhet, og er et godt eksempel på hvordan internasjonale farmasiselskaper, norske oppstartselskaper, og offentlige myndigheter og sykehus kan jobbe sammen om å utvikle norsk helsenæring og hjelpe norske pasienter.
Tilbake til dagens helsepolitiske undersøkelse, og hva folk mener politikerne bør sette høyt:
Helse og omsorg er hva flest mener regjeringen bør prioritere i statsbudsjettet.
La oss trekke prioriteringen til kreft: Dersom samfunnets fellesmidler skulle omdisponeres for å gi bedre kreftbehandling gjennom det offentlige helsevesenet, mener 16% at midlene burde hentes fra innvandring og integrering, 12% mener overføringen burde gå fra klima og miljø, men flest (17%) mener innsatsen burde være som i dag.
Og nettopp det er interessant, at folk vil ha bedre kreftbehandling, men med offentlig prioritering på linje med i dag.
Hvordan kan politikerne få til dette kunststykket? Jo, politisk kan de legget til rette for mer presis medisin som reduserer kostnadene ved behandling som ikke virker godt nok, samtidig som de kan øke inntektene med å satse på de norske konkurransefortrinnene i helsenæringen.
Helsenæring kan bli lukrativt for Norge, slik det allerede lenge har vært i Danmark. Danske Novo Nordisk er det største firmaet i Norden uavhengig av bransje. Med dette tankesettet, bør Norge bli et foregangsland innen helsenæring, på bakgrunn av fremragende forskning, et verdensledende helsevesen og våre unike helsedata.
Vi jobber for at kreftpasienter skal få bedre behandling raskere.
Revolusjonerende forskning gjør at flere overlever kreftsykdommer, og flere deltar i samfunnet igjen. Men for at kreft skal bli en kronisk sykdom, må det mer til enn forskning, vi må også samarbeide bedre om å få de nye løsningene ut i verden. Vi kan ikke jobbe i siloer og tenke at vi som samfunn gjør så godt vi kan.
Kantars helsepolitiske barometer viser at helse er den viktigste saken for de fleste av oss, og at bedre medisiner med færre bivirkninger er viktigst dersom vi skulle få kreft.
Politikernes satsing på nettopp samarbeid er essensielt for å utvikle presisjonsmedisin som gir bedre behandling for pasientene og en norsk helsenæring i myndighetenes interesse.
Rebel and Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator start a collaboration to tighten the ties between cancer research and information technology.
The world of cancer treatments and the world of information technology sometimes seem far apart. A new collaboration between Rebel and Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator sets out to be beneficial to companies that inhabit both worlds – and to our society in general.
“Technology is about more than lines of code and gadgets. It is also about solving big societal challenges. This is an opportunity for us to contribute in one of the most important cases there is – cancer. Imagine how rewarding it is for tech heads to use their knowledge to improve diagnostics and cancer treatments,” said Peter Jetzel, Chief Rebel.
Rebel connects information technology- and software developers in the centre of Oslo. Since the hub opened last autumn, they have experienced that the need for technological competencies in Oslo is massive, also in the health sector and in companies that are traditionally considered biotech.
Peter Jetzel, Chief Rebel, on the hood of the DeLorian in one of the common areas in Rebel.
“Technology is an important driver in the future of cancer treatments, as digitalisation changes how we understand and develop medicine,” said Ketil Widerberg, CEO at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Wonderful spaces
The emerging health industry in Norway is booming, and more space is needed as the main Oslo Cancer Cluster hub at Campus Radiumhospitalet develops. While the construction of a second part of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park is under way, companies in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator can find space and new partners at Rebel.
Rebel has offices, conference rooms, project rooms, studios, makers spaces and a software lab in the area of Tullin, in the middle of Oslo. These will be made available to companies in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Some of the meeting rooms in the Rebel building come with a view.
A dynamic collaboration
The collaboration is dynamic and full of opportunities. There is room for projects, exchange of expert competencies, new establishments, and common arenas. The ambition is that the initiatives will grow from the grass, so to speak, on arenas that are made for knowledge sharing.
“To give the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, artificial intelligence will be central. To accelerate development of new cancer treatments, health data will be collected and analyzed in entirely new ways. In short, we need to think differently,» said Ketil Widerberg.
«Collaboration in clusters and collaborations between clusters are two sides of the same coin. Our two knowledge environments have different professional anchorages, but we are heading towards the same goal. We are starting this collaboration to find synergies and energy for mutual benefits,” said Peter Jetzel.
Marine Jeanmougin is the new EU advisor in Oslo Cancer Cluster. She defines herself as truly European.
“People outside Europe think of Europe as one destination. When they take a trip to a European country, they say they are travelling to Europe, and not to France, Germany, or Norway. This has influenced the way I see the continent as well,” said Jeanmougin.
The new EU advisor defines herself as European, and even beyond, as a citizen of the world. She has lived in Norway, Canada, and France, and has family and extended family around the globe.
“The way Europe is connected reinforces the feeling of it being one entity. You can always take a plane or a train for a couple of hours and be back home,” said Marine Jeanmougin.
Building bridges
With a PhD in Applied Mathematics, she knows the academic slopes from various institutions and countries. She has worked as a researcher at the Curie Institute in Paris, and at the Institute for Cancer Research in Oslo. In 2019, she secured a career grant from Helse Sør-Øst and established her own research team at the Department of Molecular Oncology, Oslo University Hospital. Her team is mainly exploring epigenetics heterogeneity in gastrointestinal cancers.
While working as the EU advisor in Oslo Cancer Cluster, she will keep conducting her research activities part-time.
Jeanmougin has a strong interest in building bridges between research and industry, and the EU advisor missions resonate strongly with her professional and personal motivations.
The advantages of the EU
“During the pandemic, and now with the war in Ukraine, it is so important to have one European system that protects us and gives us rights as European citizens, not just as citizens of separate nations,” said Marine Jeanmougin.
Part of what Marine Jeanmougin will do in Oslo Cancer Cluster, is related to these advantages that the EU grants researchers and businesses across its internal- and external borders. She will largely help connect the various actors of cancer research and innovation partners to support them in the development of project proposals under Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation.
If you have EU-related questions, please contact Marine Jeanmougin by email.
Rebekka Rolfsnes is doing her PhD with the start-up AdjuTec Pharma AS and the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Oslo (UiO). Together, they will look for solutions to antibiotic resistance.
Rebekka Rolfsnes has a Master’s in molecular biology and will be starting her PhD next month. The subject is antibiotic resistance, and more accurately she will study the mechanism of action of one of AdjuTec Pharma’s new compounds, called APC247, on resistant enzymes, bacteria, and off-target effects in human cells. The PhD project is a result of a collaboration between the industry and the university.
When asked why she wanted to work with AdjuTec, Rebekka Rolfsnes said:
“Working with a start-up in this field is a unique opportunity to be part of something big all the way from start.”
“Besides, the combination of pharmacy and microbiology is the most intriguing I know,” she added.
Rolfsnes will be writing three articles that will cast new light on the global health problem of antibiotic resistance.
“This is the subject that is closest to my heart because it is a global challenge and there is a hope to save the world. Although it is also a very scary issue,” Rolfsnes admitted.
Win-win relationship
Professor Hanne Cecilie Winther-Larsen at the Department of Pharmacy, UiO, is Rolfsnes’ main PhD supervisor.
“This PhD project will meet one of the largest challenges our society is currently facing, antimicrobial resistance, and we are happy to be a part of it. In the early phase of this project, there are many questions to answer and experiments to perform, which we find scientifically interesting,” said Winther-Larsen.
Professor Hanne Cecilie Winther-Larsen, in the lab at the Department of Pharmacy, UiO.
The Department of Pharmacy offers both competence and the infrastructure to support a successful outcome for the project. Professor Winther-Larsen had no doubt:
“The mutual relationship between the industry and the university creates a win-win situation.”
The slow pandemic
Antibiotics are important for treating infections but also for prophylactic use during major surgery, cancer therapy, and for patients vulnerable to infections, such as patients on immunosuppressive drugs and catheterized patients. But after many years of successful treatment of bacterial infections, there has been an alarming increase of infections that are resistant to even last-resort antibiotics.
Pål Rongved, founder, project leader, and CSO in AdjuTec, and professor at UiO, put it this way:
“Antibiotic resistance is the slow pandemic. It is a steadily increasing threat.”
Antibiotic resistance, or antimicrobial multidrug resistance, is due to decades of overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and human medicine, and with few antibiotic innovations. This creates all kinds of problems in hospitals, where the presence of bacteria is high.
The entire Adjutec Pharma team in front of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. From the left: Pål Rongved, Bjørg Bolstad, Ragnar Hovland, Rebekka Rolfsnes and Bjørn Klem.
AdjuTec’s story
AdjuTec’s story started in 2009, when professor Pål Rongved and one of his PhD students at UiO, Alexander Åstrand, found a remarkable effect in their PhD project (which was a collaboration with The University Hospital of Northern Norway and the University of Tromsø).
The effect was this: A chemical compound that could inactivate bacterial resistance enzymes, thus preserving the effect of common antibiotics.
In 2019, Rongved established AdjuTec Pharma to commercialize his invention, which he called the ZinChel technology. The first drug candidate was called APC148 and targets one of two main resistance enzyme families, the metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs). APC148 is the lead product of AdjuTec in preclinical development, planning for clinical trials in healthy volunteers next year.
AdjuTec has been heavily supported by the Norwegian Research Council (NRC) from the start, and with private investors also on board, the company can now develop its pharmaceutical projects and hire the right people. The company was recently awarded financial support from the City of Oslo, an industry innovation project (IPN) from NRC as well as Eurostars to kick-start the new APC247 preclinical program.
A new drug candidate
During the summer of 2021, AdjuTec designed a new substance that works on a broader spectrum of bacteria compared to APC148. This next-generation compound is called APC247. It is based on a different technology that shows promise in inhibiting both the main resistance families, the prior mentioned MBLs and the serine-beta-lactamases (SBLs).
Both AdjuTec products will be administered intravenously to patients in combination with antibiotics. If successful, and with various regulatory fast tracks, AdjuTec expects that the new drug candidate can be ready for market in five years.
The Life Science Cluster and Oslo Cancer Cluster are collaborating on the competence broker-service for Oslo-based companies.
Meet our new research and industry facilitator aka competence broker for Oslo-based companies. Bjarte Håvik is the dedicated competence broker for digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. He is also responsible for innovation and collaboration in The Life Science Cluster.
“As a competence broker for Oslo it is my ambition to match new ideas with the best research partners and public funding mechanism,” said Bjarte Håvik, competence broker for digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and life sciences.
International from day one
Before he joined The Life Science Cluster, Bjarte Håvik served as Norway´s Counselor for Research, Technology, and Higher Education in North America – integrating education, research, and innovation in comprehensive transatlantic collaborations. Emerging technologies and cross-sector partnerships have been key topics driving new collaborations. He also has a background from the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills with a focus on lifelong learning, transferable skills, broader impact, and non-academic jobs.
“Today, research-based innovation is key for a competitive and sustainable business. Being an early startup or an established business, a well-adapted research, development, and innovation strategy is needed as early as possible. The competitive stage is international from day one. As a competence broker the aim is to give new ideas from Oslo-based businesses the best start possible,” said Håvik.
Bjarte has a PhD-degree in molecular biology. Through a 15-year research career, he studied the neuronal system with a perspective from several life science disciplines, including molecular embryology, oncology, cognition, and biological psychiatry using a variety of technologies and model systems.
What a competence broker can do
A competence broker (from the Norwegian word kompetansemegler) is an agent for connecting research and industry, as well as a conveyor of expertise. The goal is to strengthen the research-based business development in Oslo and to mobilise more research-based innovation in the innovation districts of Oslo.
“The competence broker assists applicants in qualifying for the Oslo Regional Research Fund RRF (Oslo) – a funding program aimed to strengthen the region’s capability for innovation and the international competitiveness. In addition, the competence brokers provide valuable advice on internationalisation and guidance to additional public funding mechanisms from Innovation Norway, The Research Council of Norway, and Horizon Europe,” said Bjarte Håvik.
The service is funded by the City of Oslo and is free of charge. Companies in Oslo with research-based ideas are welcome to reach out to Bjarte Håvik or one of his competence broker colleagues in Oslo.
Would you like to book an appointment with Bjarte Håvik? This is his email.
Would you like to speak with a competence broker in another field? See the list of all five competence brokers in Oslo on the Regional Research Funds’ website (in Norwegian).
Tailored counseling, funding assistance, and innovation hangouts are part of the innovation package offered by the new Life Science Growth House at the University of Oslo.
“The Life Science Growth House is about utilizing the research. We are good at research, but we can become even better at transferring that knowledge to innovation and making use of it in society,” said Svein Stølen, Rector of the University of Oslo (UiO), when the Life Science Growth House was officially opened 17 Febryary 2022, according to an article in Titan.uio.no.
The new Growth House is going to have an open door with low-threshold services for researchers and students. They will have tailored counseling, including e.g. an assessment of the maturity and relevance of an idea, possible seed funding or external funding, possible collaborations with others in the UiOs innovation ecosystem, including mentoring and business partnerships, and ultimately possible meeting places, seminars, and competence courses.
Just another collaboration platform?
Ketil Widerberg, General Manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, welcomed the Life Science Growth House into the innovation ecosystem around UiO with these words from the stage at the opening event:
“Do we really need more initiatives for collaboration between academia and industry? The simple answer is yes.”
He stressed the importance of start-up companies as a natural sequel to good academic ideas.
“Too often ideas are hidden and forgotten in academia. Companies are only invited to “whitewash” and secure money from the Norwegian Research Council for research that is already planned in detail. Good ideas are out-licensed early on to secure next year’s budget instead of invested in Norwegian start-ups. Academics have to fight the system daily to be able to contribute to development,” he continued in his speech.
Ketil Widerberg speaking at the opening. Photo: UiO/Fartein Rudjord
Innovation hangouts
The Life Science Growth House will arrange innovation hangouts four times per year. This is an informal meeting place where students and researchers from the university may interact with actors from the public sector, hospitals, companies, mentors, business clusters, and incubators in their innovation ecosystem – like Oslo Cancer Cluster and our incubator! The hangouts include inspirational talks, matchmaking, food and beverage, and mingling.
The first innovation hangout is with Oslo Cancer Cluster. It will take place in the afternoon of 21 April. Save the date!
Interested in knowing more? Send an e-mail to innovation@lifesciencegrowthhouse.uio.no. Requests are read continuously by their innovation advisers. They will normally get back to you within two working days.
For more information about the services provided, please visit the Life Science Growth House webpage in English or in Norwegian.
Last year, we had the pleasure of welcoming 14 new members to Oslo Cancer Cluster.
In this brief overview, we are proud to introduce the new ensemble of cutting-edge cancer and science-related businesses – and a university.
Bio-Me AS has created a platform for precision microbiome profiling, which takes the vast knowledge of the microbiome to something that can be used in a clinical setting.
Daiichi-Sankyo is a global pharmaceutical company originating from Japan and with European headquarters in Germany. Daiichi-Sankyo has recently also set up a Nordic headquarter in Copenhagen with more than 20 employees.
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) is working on an exciting initiative to bring artificial intelligence (AI) and product design services together with healthcare and nursing, so that new projects can be launched in the research world.
You can read more about our members Bio-Me AS, Daiichi-Sankyo and OsloMet in this news article from June 2021.
Alv B is developing new immune therapy for solid cancers in cats and dogs. The new therapy will be available both as a supplement to standard treatments as well as a replacement for chemotherapy with strong side effects.
Comunin is a Norwegian start-up that provides a digital platform for smart patient monitoring and support.
Canica is a large, privately-owned investment company operating out of Norway and Switzerland, with core expertise within the fields of business development, retail, brand development and finance. It is focused on creating long-term value and employment.
Do More Diagnostics is a Norwegian start-up on a mission to transform cancer diagnostics with artificial intelligence. The goal is to improve patient care and make drug development more effective by utilizing artificial intelligence to increase the prognostic value of cancer tissue biopsies.
Glycanostics is a start-up company established in 2017 to bring its cancer diagnostics products to the EU and US markets. The company aims for early and more accurate cancer detection to prevent unnecessary biopsies and increase patient survival rate, and their product portfolio includes prostate and breast cancer non-invasive diagnostic kits and technology for glycan biomarker detection.
Hemispherian is an innovative preclinical pharmaceutical company focused on developing a novel class of small molecule drugs. These drugs target the TET2 enzyme as an epigenetic therapy for particularly aggressive cancers.
NordicRWE is a Norwegian Real-world Evidence (RWE) start-up company that has the ambition to be at the forefront of the data-driven drug development process. By tapping into the Nordic health data with its long follow-ups, incomparable completeness, and extensive linking possibilities, NordicRWE is uniquely positioned to be a key player in the forthcoming evolution of the RWE supported drug R&D.
You can read more about NordicRWE in this news article from September.
Norimun is a start-up and part of the OCC Incubator Accelerator programme. The company develops antibodies from the eggs of immunized hens. These IgY antibodies are currently used for passive immunization in aquaculture and livestock, as an alternative and supplement to the body’s own immune system.
Oncosyne is a start-up and part of the OCC Incubator Accelerator programme. The company will develop tests for the patient’s cancer cells and provide information about which treatments the patient will benefit from and which will not be of benefit.
OÜ Antegenes is an Estonian medical technology company founded in 2018. As a registered healthcare service provider of medical genetics, oncology and laboratory services in Estonia, the company uses high-tech polygenic risk score technology to assess a person’s genetic risk of developing cancer.
Randstad Care is dedicated to elevating the quality of talent available to meet the changing resource demands across life sciences organizations. Randstad’s recruiters combine their scientific, pharma and outsourcing expertise with an understanding of individual business needs to deliver the right talent, right away.
What happened in and with our cluster in 2021? Here is a “pick and mix” of our many news from this year.
As the year is coming to an end, we would like to round it up with highlights from our news section. Like 2020, this year was influenced by the pandemic and the restrictions it put on our activities and meeting places – but this year, we were used to the new normal. As a result, we started the year with our main event, Cancer Crosslinks, as a completely digital experience.
Cancer Crosslinks 2021
On 21 January 2021, the Norwegian Cancer Crosslinks presented its 13th edition, focusing on Driving the translation of Scientific Insights Into Clinical Practice: From “Nice to Know” to “Need to Implement”. For more information about Cancer Crosslinks, have a look at the event’s website.
The goal of the Cancer Crosslinks meetings is to promote interactions between researchers and clinicians, as well as to encourage translational and clinical research, and new collaborations to advance the development of innovative cancer treatments. Cancer Crosslinks Norway has become one of the leading national meeting places gathering oncologists, hematologists, translational researchers, healthcare providers, regulatory experts, and industry representatives.
Next year, Cancer Crosslinks 2022 will be both a digital and on-site event, if Covid guidelines permit, on Thursday 27 January. Hope you will join us! Sign up here.
Three key people behind Cancer Crosslinks 2021, Jutta Heix, Siri Børø and Ali Areffard, were interviewed by Health Talk. Screenshot: Health Talk
A year of changes for the incubator
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator had a newsworthy year. They launched a new Accelerator programme for incubator start-ups – identifying, selecting, and developing promising innovations that will improve the lives of cancer patients. The aim is to make the projects attractive for private and public investments. You can read about the OCCI Accelerator in this news article from March.
In May, the incubator changed leadership, as Bjørn Klem resigned and Janne Nestvold and Ketil Widerberg took over as the new leadership duo of the incubator. You can read about that change in this article.
Finally, we wish to show off the drive and efficiency of the incubator team in another year of the pandemic, turning office spaces into needed laboratories! Have a look at this article to find out how they did it.
A new leadership duo from the right: Ketil Widerberg as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Janne Nestvold as new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Former General Manager Bjørn Klem (to the left) went on to new adventures in the start-up scene in OCC Innovation Park, as the new CEO of AdjuTec Pharma.
School Collaboration 2021
The collaboration with Ullern Upper Secondary School was kept in shape during another fragmented school year, with new mentors for the older students in the programme. One of several articles written about this dynamic collaboration, is this one, about Pål Kristian Selbo, the new mentor from the Institute for Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital. All the school collaboration articles are in Norwegian.
Being a changemaker means that Oslo Cancer Cluster works towards improving the framework conditions for cancer innovations in the Norwegian health industry. During 2021, Oslo Cancer Cluster contributed to a total of eight public hearings about issues such as the outlook on Norway’s economy for the next forty years (Perspektivmeldingen), financial options for employees in start-ups and scale-ups, more available health data, the new plan for research and higher education, and the State Budget.
Read our political input and find out more about the role as a changemaker on this project webpage.
CONNECT up and running
While more than 30 000 Norwegians are diagnosed with cancer every year and the incidence is still increasing, more precise treatments can save lives. CONNECT is an initiative that was launched in December 2020, aiming to ensure that precision medicine reaches more cancer patients.
CONNECT, which stands for Norwegian Precision Cancer Medicine Implementation Consortium, is one of four interconnected initiatives that will ensure infrastructure and collaboration on diagnostics, clinical trials, implementation of advanced precision medicine, and use of health data e.g. for health economics analysis. In July 2021, five new partners joined the consortium, expanding the public-private space for discussions towards new solutions.
Read about the new partners in July in this article, and have a look at the CONNECT website, where all the partners are listed and the latest CONNECT news are released!
Meeting the members digitally
One of Oslo Cancer Cluster’s core activities is to set up meeting places for the members – and fill them with relevant topics and discussions. In 2021, our members joined us digitally for events that we typically have at the Innovation Park with food and mingling. One of these was the yearly Summer Gathering. Even though it was digital, we had a great group gathered, and we even got a visit from the Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education. Three new members were introduced at this meeting in June: Bio-Me, Daiichi-Sankyo, and OsloMet.
In December, we had even more new members to meet in our December Gathering, also a digital event. We are happy to announce that the following companies have joined us and been introduced to the rest of the cluster in 2021: OncoSyne AS, Do More Diagnostics, Comunin AS, Daiichi-Sankyo, OsloMet, Alv B AS, OÜ Antegenes, Norimun AS, Bio-Me AS, Nanostring Technologies Europe Limited.
Henrik Asheim, the Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education in June 2021. Screenshot from our member meeting in June.
A year of good member news
It has been a good year for several of our members, and we wish to refer to some of their good news and highlights during 2021.
In October, Ultimovacs announced a new clinical study for lung cancer patients in Norway. This is the company’s fifth phase II combination study in lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC). During the same month, the company also announced that they had had a successful private placement, raising NOK 270 Million in a significantly oversubscribed round, and had reached a significant milestone by receiving a dual Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Read more about the Ultimovacs good news here.
Another of our member companies also had a round of good news this autumn. Vaccibody became Nykode Therapeutics, and entered into a collaboration with Regeneron, to develop innovative vaccines against cancer and infectious diseases. The deal is potentially worth over USD 900 Million. Read more about Nykode’s good news here (external link).
Last, but not least, researchers at Oslo University Hospital have received NOK 50 Million to form a Centre for Advanced Cell and Gene therapy (ACT-Centre) located in cleanroom facilities at the hospital. Among the investors were Radforsk and The Norwegian Cancer Society. The investment is dedicated to actions that strengthen the competence in cell differentiation, manipulation, and genomic editing under full-scale good manufacturing practices (GMP). Read more about this new centre here (external link).
Oslo Science City feasibility study
Oslo Cancer Cluster is a member of the innovation district Oslo Science City. At the very end of November, it released the new feasibility study for the innovation district. The ambition is to develop a world-leading innovation district in the Norwegian capital.
Oslo Science City is the first innovation district in Norway. It mobilises 7 500 researchers, 30 000 students, and 300 start-ups in developing ecosystems for innovation and green transformation, bringing together educational institutions, researchers, the business community, and the public sector.
Group picture of the prominent guests and partners behind the study at Oslo City Hall. Photo: Oslo Science City
We became Mature
A shiny highlight for us, was when Oslo Cancer Cluster received the status “Mature Cluster” in the Norwegian Innovation Clusters programme. This happened in the middle of November. The mature cluster status is given to take advantage of the competencies and infrastructure that the clusters have developed over time. The goal is to allow for greater “industrial lifts” that contribute to the conversion and development of Norwegian industry.
We cannot wait to get started on our plans for 2022 as a Mature Cluster!
Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Lena Nymo Helli, CEO of Norway Health Tech, receives the new Mature Cluster status from Håkon Haugli, CEO of Innovation Norway. Photo: Tom Hansen
De fire helseklyngene i Norge skal fra neste år samarbeide om et veikart for bedrifter som ser mot det amerikanske markedet.
Scroll down for an English version of this article.
Med over 700 000 selskaper innen helse har USA den største helseindustrien globalt. Viken Fylkeskommune støtter og muliggjør prosjektet til helseklyngene.
Prosjektet bærer navnet “USA neste! Veikart til internasjonalisering for helsebedrifter”, og starter opp i januar 2022. De fire helseklyngene som går sammen om prosjektet er Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster og The Life Science Cluster.
Et puff ut i verden
– Målet med prosjektet er å hjelpe bedrifter med internasjonal satsing. Med utgangspunkt i den samlede kunnskapen og erfaringen klyngene har opparbeidet over tid, vil vi utvikle et bedre veikart ved å samarbeide, enn hver for oss. Synergiene vil bidra til å akselerere bedriftenes internasjonaliserings- og eksportaktiviteter ytterligere slik at vekst i omsetning, arbeidsplasser og verdiskaping vil skje raskere enn hvis dette samarbeidet ikke finner sted, sier Therese Oppegaard, prosjektleder i Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
USA er et viktig internasjonalt marked med stort potensiale. Bedrifter som lykkes der, har høy sannsynlighet for å lykkes i andre markeder. Når klyngene nå setter i gang et felles krafttak for internasjonalisering, blir det naturlig å søke samarbeid med Innovasjon Norge for å optimalisere arbeidet.
– Prosjektet USA neste! skal gi gründere og oppskaleringsbedrifter tilgang på ekspertise og nettverk de ellers normalt ikke har tilgang til, opplyser Oppegaard.
Therese Oppegaard, prosjektleder i Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
Et steg videre
Det internasjonale aspektet ved utvikling av bedre kreftlegemidler og diagnostikk har alltid vært viktig for Oslo Cancer Cluster, som nå ønsker å bygge videre på internasjonale initiativer med dette nye samarbeidet.
– Vi ønsker å skape ny innsikt, nye fora og muligheter for nytt samarbeid for våre medlemmer, og for det nasjonale økosystemet vi har for helseinnovasjon, sier Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs og prosjektleder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
– Ved å styrke nettverkene for klynger og helsenæring mellom Norge og USA, kan vi også gi bedre støtte til oppstarts- og biotechbedrifter på deres vei til nye forretningsmuligheter, sier Heix.
Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs i Oslo Cancer Cluster
Samarbeid forenkler veien
Chelsea Ranger, forretningsutvikler og investor-rådgiver, deltar i samarbeidsprosjektet fra The Life Science Cluster.
– Vi skal gjøre veien til det amerikanske markedet enklere og raskere for våre medlemmer. Når alle helseklyngene samarbeider, øker effekten av arbeidet, uavhengig av hvilken klynge selskapene er en del av. Vi representerer fire ulike industrisegmenter, men mulighetene for å jobbe smart sammen for å øke eksporten av norsk helseindustri, er store, sier Ranger.
– Det er mange gode norske oppstartsbedrifter med stort potensial for å lykkes i USA. Gjennom dette samarbeidet får de verdifulle kontakter mot industriledende eksperter, viktige fagmiljøer og ikke minst til investorer. Disse selskapene står i kapitalintensive utviklingsløp med høy risiko, og mange er avhengig av investorer i utlandet for å lykkes, avslutter Ranger.
Chelsea Ranger, prosjektleder i The Life Science Cluster.
En felles innsats
USA er blant de tre høyest prioriterte markedene for internasjonalisering og eksport hos de fire klyngene. Dette prosjektet legger til rette for å utnytte kontaktflater, kompetanse, medlemsmasse og allerede etablerte nettverk i ulike deler av USA.
Prosjektet er en felles innsats, og ledes av Trine Radmann fra Norway Health Tech.
– Vi tror fantastiske ting vil skje når de fire helseklyngene i Norge jobber sammen mot det amerikanske markedet. Forventningene er skyhøye til hva vi kan gjøre for å lette veien inn til verdens største helsemarked for norske helseselskap. Vi skal lytte, bygge kunnskap og hjelpe bedriftene. Veikartet til USA som nå skal utvikles gjennom dette programmet, kan brukes for fremtidige generasjoner av unge selskap som ser mot USA, sier Radmann.
Trine Radmann, prosjektansvarlig for USA Neste! og prosjektleder i Norway Health Tech.
Om USA Neste!
FINANSIERING: Viken Fylkeskommune
HVEM: Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster og The Life Science Cluster
HVA: Aktivitetene i prosjektet deles overordnet inn i fire områder:
Kartlegging/mobilisering
Opplæringsprogram
Internasjonalisering
Eksponering
OPPSTART: Prosjektet starter i januar 2022
KONTAKT: Ta kontakt med en av de fire prosjektlederne om du er interessert i mer informasjon:
A common road map secures the path to the American health market
From next year, the four health clusters in Norway will collaborate on a roadmap for companies looking at the American market.
This is a translated text from the Norwegian article above.
With over 700,000 health companies, the United States has the largest health industry globally. Viken County Municipality supports and enables the project for the health clusters.
The project is called «USA next! Roadmap to internationalization for health companies », starting in January 2022. The four health clusters that join forces on the project are the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and The Life Science Cluster.
“The goal of the project is to help companies with international investment. Based on the overall knowledge and experience the clusters have gained over time, we will develop a better roadmap by collaborating, than each for us. The synergies will help to accelerate the companies’ internationalization and export activities further so that growth in turnover, jobs, and value creation will take place faster than if this collaboration didn’t happen,” says Therese Oppegaard from Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
The United States is an important international market with great potential. Companies that succeed there have a high probability of success in other markets. When the clusters now join forces for internationalization, a logical step is to seek cooperation with Innovation Norway to optimize the work.
“The project USA next! will give entrepreneurs and scaling companies access to expertise and networks they otherwise don’t have access to,” Oppegaard states.
One step further
The international aspect of developing better cancer drugs and diagnostics has always been important for Oslo Cancer Cluster, who will build on previous international initiatives with this new collaboration. – We want to create new insights, new forums, and opportunities for new collaboration for our members, and for the national ecosystem we have for health innovation, says Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs in the Oslo Cancer Cluster, and project manager from the cluster.
“By strengthening the networks for clusters and health industries between Norway and the US, we can also provide better support to start-up and biotech companies on their way to new business opportunities,” says Heix.
Chelsea Ranger, business developer and investor advisor, contributing in the collaborative project from The Life Science Cluster, adds:
“We will make the road to the American market easier and faster for our members. When all the health clusters work together, the effect of the work increases, regardless of which cluster the companies are part of. The clusters represent four different industry segments, but the opportunities for working smart together to increase exports of the Norwegian health industry are great.”
“There are many good Norwegian start-up companies with great potential for success in the US. Through this collaboration, they gain valuable contacts with industry-leading experts, important professional environments and not least investors. These companies are in capital-intensive development races with high risk, and many depend on international investors to succeed,” Ranger concludes.
The United States is among the three most prioritized markets for internationalization and exports for the four clusters. This project facilitates the utilization of contact surfaces, expertise, membership and already established networks in various parts of the USA.
The project is a joint effort, and is led by Trine Radmann from Norway Health Tech.
“We think fantastic things will happen when the four health clusters in Norway work together towards the American market. Expectations are sky high for what we can do to facilitate the way into the world’s largest health market for Norwegian health companies. We will listen, build knowledge, and help companies. The road map to the USA, which will now be developed through this program, can be used for future generations of young companies looking towards the USA,” says Radmann.
The project starts in January 2022, contact one of the four contact persons below if you are interested in more information:
The innovation district Oslo Science City released a new feasibility study. The ambition is to develop a world-leading innovation district in the Norwegian capital.
Oslo Science City is the first innovation district in Norway. The members are the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst RHF), Sintef, NGI, Ferd, Studentsamskipnaden i Oslo, Oslo Pensjonsforsikring, the City of Oslo, and Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The district mobilises 7 500 researchers, 30 000 students, and 300 start-ups in developing ecosystems for innovation and green transformation, bringing together educational institutions, researchers, the business community, and the public sector.
Launched at City Hall
On Tuesday 30 November, the innovation district published its new feasibility study during a reception in the Oslo City Hall, with H.R.H. the Crown Prince of Norway, the Minister of Climate and Environment, the City Council Leader, and 600 guests present.
“The study presents the possibilities we have in front of us. We must grasp them! If we do so in a good way, it will strengthen Oslo’s international position as a knowledge capital. There is a big potential in developing new knowledge, new solutions, and sustainable jobs,” said City Council Leader Raymond Johansen in a press release by Oslo Science City.
Oslo Cancer Cluster is a member of Oslo Science City, with the area surrounding our Innovation Park and the Radium Hospital as one of six geographical focus areas in the innovation district.
Group picture of the prominent guests and partners behind the study at Oslo City Hall. Photo: Oslo Science City
About the feasibility study
Oslo Science City’s members are to develop the area from Majorstuen via Marienlyst and Blindern to Gaustad and Ullevål stadion, and also the Radium Hospital, to become a world leading innovation district contributing to a sustainable and modern Norway.
The study is made by A-LAB, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Civitas, Comte Bureau and Menon Economics. For the time being, it is available in Norwegian only.
DIGI-B-CUBE aims to unlock the cross-sectoral collaborative potential of small and medium-sized companies.
As a project funded under the European Union´s Horizon 2020 Programme, it aims to unlock this potential by combining novel digital technologies with bioimaging, biosensing, and biobanking.
DIGI-B-CUBE was established with Oslo Cancer Cluster as the project coordinator in 2019. The project supports the development and delivery of new market-sensitive disruptive technologies and key digital innovations to reconfigure patient-centered diagnostics towards a Health Economy 4.0.
Last week, a consortium consisting of eight partners met at the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, both in person and virtually. Milena Stoyanova and Gerry Renders were present from the Executive Agency (EISMEA) established by the European Commission. They highlighted the importance of supporting and empowering small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in their innovation activities.
DIGI-B-CUBE has funded a total of 55 projects, resulting in 2,5 MEUR provided directly to companies to boost the development of disruptive tech solutions and health tech innovations across Europe. One of these projects is CEREBRI.
Treating migraines
“We develop easy-to-use and scientifically proven technology to help people predict and prevent brain disorders,” said Cathrine Heuch, CEO of Nordic Brain Tech.
She explained that 14.7% of the population is affected by migraine, the most common neurological disorder costing the European economy €50 billion annually. Migraine results in reduced quality of life and limited daily performance in work and social life.
According to Heuch, there is a pressing need for treatments without side effects, that are affordable and more accessible than today’s alternatives, which mainly consist of medications associated with limited efficacy and negative side effects.
CEREBRI digital treatment
Nordic Brain Tech has in joint cooperation with i3tex and Thorgate developed a project called CEREBRI to optimize treatment software and a finger biosensor. CEREBRI is a digital treatment for preventing migraine, solving the demand for treatment without negative side effects.
With two wireless sensors and a smartphone app, patients can perform regular biofeedback training that has the potential to reduce migraine frequency by 50%. This enables treatment from the comfort of your own home, and virtual care from a physician, with potential cost savings of ~60% compared to biofeedback given in clinics.
CEREBRI can significantly increase a migraine patient’s quality of life and reduce costs to sick leave for businesses and health care providers, according to the project.
The companies in DIGI-B-CUBE receive funding and mentoring/coaching in the project. This week, Cathrine Heuch met Milena Stoyanova from EISMEA and her mentor in DIGI-B-CUBE, Astrid Green, at Oslo Cancer Clusters offices.
From the left: Astrid Green, Milena Stoyanova, Cathrine Heuch.
Hege Eiklid is the new coordinator of the Nordic Mentor Network for Entrepreneurship (NOME) in Norway.
“As a startup company, one is incapable of immediately building a team of world-class experts. To become a successful company, mentorship is necessary,” said Hege Eiklid.
The new coordinator of NOME in Norway has no doubts about the importance of world-class mentors for promising life science projects.
The essence of NOME
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator has coordinated NOME activities in Norway since 2016 and is actively seeking both start-ups and mentors to join this programme, offering free mentoring to promising start-ups in the life science sector.
NOME is a not-for-profit mentoring network in the life sciences, managed by Accelerace AS. The goal of NOME is to increase the success rate of Nordic life science start-ups by giving access to experienced mentors. Participation is free of charge and funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The mentors also work for free.
“Because NOME mentors work pro bono, the mentors are truly passionate about mentorship and genuinely believe in the mission of these high-potential companies,” said Eiklid.
She sincerely believes in connecting people in order to advance health technology.
“This passion is the essence of NOME,” she said.
A coordinator with experience
Hege Eiklid is a seasoned business development strategist with ample experience both leading and promoting startup companies within the field of health technology. As for the foundation of her expertise, she holds two master’s degrees: one in Economic Development from Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main and another in Business Development and Innovation from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Eiklid has a proven track record in the management of strategic partnerships, and her expertise is cemented in comprehensive, hands-on experience. She has managed an incubator for start-ups within the field of health tech, and she has experience from investing in and working as a mentor for other start-ups.
Oslo Cancer Cluster is happy to receive the status as a Mature Cluster in the Norwegian Innovation Clusters programme.
The news about the new status came during an event hosted by Innovation Norway on Monday 15 November 2021.
“This is an important part of the government’s politics to create profitable and attractive jobs around the entire country. The clusters have great importance for the companies that are part of them and for the local communities. When companies collaborate in this way, it is easier for them to join forces in research and development, share knowledge and competence. The clusters are tools to strengthen the adaptability of Norwegian businesses,” said the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre, according to a press release from Innovation Norway.
The programme Norwegian Innovation Clusters is financed by The Ministry of Local Governance and Modernisation with 192 Million NOK in 2021. It is run by Innovation Norway, Siva and The Research Council of Norway. There are 44 clusters today.
Mature Cluster programme
The new mature clusters are already part of the programme Norwegian Innovation Clusters, and the mature cluster status is given to take advantage of the competencies and infrastructure that the clusters have developed over time. The goal is to allow for greater “industrial lifts” that contribute to the conversion and development of Norwegian industry.
In addition to Oslo Cancer Cluster, the clusters entering this arrangement today are Eyde Cluster in Agder, NCE Media in Bergen, and Norway Health Tech in Oslo. We wish to congratulate all the mature clusters and look forward to fruitful collaborations!
New Arena and Arena Pro Clusters
There were also new clusters added to the programme in this round. We wish to welcome Circular Wave and Energi i Nord as Arena Clusters, and Norwegian Offshore Wind Cluster, Ocean Hyway Cluster, Stiim Aqua Cluster and Norwegian Energy Solutions as Arena Pro Clusters.
Patients report their own symptoms in a new project at Ahus, in which the university hospital collaborates with Roche and Kaiku Health.
A new project with 15 lung cancer patients has started this fall at Akershus University Hospital (Ahus), one of Norway’s largest hospitals, just outside of Oslo. Both the patients and the hospital staff are testing a new digital patient monitoring and management solution from the Finnish health technology company Kaiku Health, where the patients themselves are to report their symptoms and health conditions.
The project is a successful collaboration between patients and hospital staff at Ahus, the company Roche, and Kaiku Health. They are all members of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Satisfied patients
“So far we have received almost only positive user experiences. Patients are only asked to log symptoms they have had and do not have to consider all kinds of possible symptoms they might have. That helps them and our impression is that the patients are satisfied with the self-logging tool we are testing,” said Anne Edvardsen, Project Leader and Department Leader at the Lung Department at Ahus.
Anne Edvardsen. Photo: Ahus
Kaiku Health is a digital health interventions platform that provides patient-reported outcomes, monitoring, and intelligent symptom tracking. Currently, it is used in more than 75 clinics in Europe and America, helping clinicians provide optimized care with early interventions and personalized patient support.
Digital symptom management
“Digital symptom management is shown to improve patients’ overall survival and quality of life. While cancer immunotherapy has been shown to advance treatment outcomes of for example lung cancer patients, it has also introduced a new kind of safety profile. Companion digital health solutions can optimize symptom management and timely education for patients. In addition, clinics benefit from the use of the service, as digital therapy support can optimize the use of healthcare resources as well as processes in the daily clinic routine,” said Ann-Sofie Andersson-Ward, Global Strategic Sales Manager in Kaiku Health.
In Nordlandssykehuset, a smaller hospital in the north of Norway, a similar digital patient monitoring, also from Kaiku, is already a part of the regular patient treatment.
“By providing digital symptom management along with the capture and analysis of real-world data, Kaiku Health paves way for more personalised and value-based healthcare,” said Ann-Sofie Andersson-Ward.
Testing in several stages
Roche aims to deliver their digital patient monitoring and management solutions in an open ecosystem approach in collaboration with various industry partners and solution providers, such as Kaiku Health, and has done a prior pilot project with Kaiku Health in Germany, Finland, and Switzerland.
The results from this first pilot were published in Journal of Medical Internet Research in December last year and show a high user satisfaction and improved clinical care besides other benefits and a few challenges. You can read the article here. https://www.jmir.org/2020/12/e18655/
“With our current collaboration with Ahus, Roche aims to deliver industry-leading Digital Patient Monitoring and Management solutions that improve outcomes that matter to patients, such as quality of life and overall survival, for individuals receiving therapy for advanced or metastasized cancers. This can be achieved by empowering patients to continuously report symptoms from any location using mobile solutions and enabling healthcare professionals to intervene early before symptoms worsen, tailor care plans, and make effective treatment decisions. By using solutions that are seamlessly integrated into clinical care, it would also optimise healthcare resource utilization. In addition, we’re also exploring user experience of the solution alongside understanding how we can support broad adoption and adherence to the solutions,” said Fabienne O. Villars, Country Medical Manager for Lung in Roche Norway, and adds that it is also an important project to explore local requirements and regulatory needs.
Fabienne O. Villars. Photo: Roche
The current project is named KAISER and will run until March 2022.
Better equipped to master symptoms
“An advantage is that we can monitor the patients during the entire treatment and systemize our experiences. This kind of monitoring of symptoms through digital platforms is important to increase the understanding the patients have of their own health. When they participate in monitoring their own symptoms and changes in symptoms, they are better equipped to master their symptoms, with assistance by healthcare professionals,” said Anne Edvardsen.
The patients can use the tool as a type of diary for symptoms from cancer treatment, like for example fatigue, and the care team can look for patterns to check if treatments are working well. The hospital staff is learning how to react to the reports and whether they should follow up with the patients more closely based on the reported symptoms.
Useful in the future
“It has been a good collaboration where everyone has contributed to solving this puzzle, which takes a lot of effort ensuring privacy and data security in a large hospital like Ahus,” said Anne Edvardsen.
“The work Ahus has done in collaboration with us will become useful in the future for sure –for other hospitals, companies, and for the patients themselves,” said Villars.
In this article series, called Cluster Collaborations, we want to highlight the fruitful collaborations in the cluster, underlining the very essence of what Oslo Cancer Cluster is all about, from cancer research to cure.
Results from breast cancer screening pilot
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenA clinical pilot for personalised risk-based breast cancer screening has been conducted as part of the AnteNOR project. Here are some of the results.
The pilot study that was part of the AnteNOR research project investigated the use of a genetic test assessing the participants’ polygenic risk score (PRS) for breast cancer in tailoring a more personalised mammographic screening. Further, women’s experiences with the test were explored.
“In total, 80 women aged 40-50 years were included in the pilot study. They were recruited among women referred for clinical mammography at the breast center in Vestre Viken in Norway”, said Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, where the study was conducted.
AnteNOR has investigated how it will be possible to implement a more personalised screening programme for breast cancer in Norway, based on the individual’s genetic risk for disease.
Women with a prior diagnosis of breast cancer or premalignant breast disease were excluded, as were women who had already been through genetic counselling and testing due to family cancer history.
The participants submitted saliva samples that were sent to the project partner Antegenes in Estonia for DNA sequencing and calculation of the polygenic risk score using the AnteBC test developed by Antegenes.
Screening recommendations
The participants were then recommended for future mammographic screening based on the results of the PRS test. The participant’s 10-year breast cancer risk was assessed and compared to the 10-year breast cancer risk for average women of the same age.
Women with a 10-year risk lower to or equal to average were recommended to participate in the national mammography screening program, BreastScreen Norway, inviting women aged 50-69 to biennial mammography. Women with a relative risk higher than average were recommended to start biennial mammographic screening at an earlier age than 50 years, based on what age the risk of an average 50-year-old woman was reached.
Women with a relative risk double as large as the average risk were recommended annual mammography from the age they reached a double risk compared to an average 50-year-old woman.
Half had a higher risk
In total, 51% had a relative risk for breast cancer based on the PRS-test that was higher than the average population of the same age. These participants were recommended to start mammography screening at an earlier age than 50. 12% had a relative risk double as large as the average risk.
27% were referred to the Oslo University Hospital for more extended genetic testing due to family cancer history.
Family cancer history
At inclusion, the participants answered a questionnaire addressing family cancer history. Medical geneticists at Oslo University Hospital evaluated this information, and participants fulfilling national criteria based on family cancer history were referred for further genetic counselling and testing for hereditary cancer, independent of the results of the PRS test.
What the women experienced
All participants were invited to answer a follow-up questionnaire 6-9 months after the PRS testing, exploring the women’s experiences.
“The vast majority felt it reassuring to get information about their future risk for breast cancer and agreed that they would probably follow the recommendations regarding mammography screening given based on the tests”, said Tone Hovda.
The participants were given written information about the test results and recommendations, and the majority agreed that this communication was satisfactory.
The pilot study provided important information for future studies exploring personalised risk-based breast cancer screening using the polygenic risk score as a measure for stratification.
“We plan to publish the results with more detailed analyses, also including breast density, as soon as possible in a peer-reviewed journal.
“Polygenic risk score is promising as part of a more risk-based personalised screening program for breast cancer. Other risk factors as breast density and family history should probably also be included. We definitely need larger prospective screening studies to gain further knowledge to move towards more personalised breast cancer screening rather than the current “one-size-fits-all” screening,” said Hovda.
Read more in this previous article about the clinical pilot.
Sign up for the upcoming seminar Results from the AnteNOR project: Norway’s way towards precision prevention
About AnteNOR
The project partners of AnteNOR are Oslo University Hospital, the University of Oslo, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Oslo Cancer Cluster and Antegenes. The project has received funding from the Norway Grants Green ICT programme and is finalized this year.
The clinical pilot has received approval from the regional ethics committee and is registered in the database clinicaltrial.gov.
Har partiene en kreftpolitikk?
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenUnder frokostmøtet Fremtidens kreftpolitikk kunne politikere fra fire av partiene på Stortinget diskutere om helsepolitikken deres er relevant for norske kreftpasienter.
Summary: During the breakfast seminar The Future of Cancer Politics four politicians discussed possible health- and cancer policies in their coming party programmes. The seminar was held in Norwegian.
Morgenen 9. april 2024 på Litteraturhuset i Oslo: Fire politikere fra går opp på scenen. De er Inger Noer (Venstre), Erlend Svardal Bøe (Høyre), Julianne Ofstad (FrP) og Marthe Scharning Lund (Arbeiderpartiet). I løpet av den neste timen skal de diskutere helsepolitikken sin for neste programperiode, men først tar de til orde for bedre samarbeid i egne rekker.
– Vi vet at flere vil få kreft og overleve kreft framover, og mye av kreftomsorgen er det kommunene som har ansvar for, så jeg er opptatt av at vi får et godt samspill mellom det som skjer nasjonalt, lokalt og regionalt, også politisk, sier Erlend Svardal Bøe, som er medlem i Helse- og omsorgskomiteen på Stortinget for Høyre.
Julianne Ofstad har gått fra å jobbe med helsepolitikk i stortingsgruppa til FrP til å bli lokalpolitiker i Oslo (hun er varaordfører), og hun oppfordrer også politikerne til å jobbe bedre på tvers av lokale og nasjonale politiske fora.
– Vi må være flinkere til å jobbe på tvers av lokalpolitikerne og de nasjonale og ha en mer helhetlig tilnærming til helsefeletet enn bare å se på hva skjer i kommunene og hva skjer i spesialisthelsetjenesten, sier hun.
Forebygging
Under seminaret viste vi fire korte videoer om relevante temaer for kreftpolitkken. I den første videoen snakker Sara Mjelva, Seksjonsleder for forebygging i Kreftforeningen, om nettopp forebygging.
I videoen stiller Mjelva spørsmålet: Hvordan vil ditt parti bidra til å forebygge sykdom i tiden som kommer?
– Forebygging handler om så himla mye mer enn røykeslutt. Jeg har vært helsebyråd i Oslo, og det handler om å tenke bredere i forebyggingspolitikken, om gode nabolag, å gi folk kunnskap om egen helse, å få med innvandrerbefolkningen og skape nettverk. Folkehelse er kjempeviktig, vi kommer til å knekke om vi ikke tar større grep rundt dette, sier Marthe Scharning Lund, som er leder for bystyregruppa til Arbeiderpartiet i Oslo, og sitter i programkomiteen i Arbeiderpartiet.
– Det dreier seg ikke bare om å få folk til å trene og spise sunnere. Folkehelsebombene er fedme, og alkoholforbruket har økt med 60 prosent på 30 år, og rødt kjøtt har en stor betydning for et bredt spekter av kreftsykdommer. Vi må regulerere når det gjelder usunn mat, og vi må forebygge der vi ser at det faktisk virker, og da trenger vi god forskning på det, sier Inger Noer, som er fastlege i tillegg til at hun sitter i programkomiteen i Venstre.
Diagnostikk
Moderator Thomas Axelsen, leder for samfunnspolitisk avdeling i Kreftforeningen, stiller spørsmålet: Har partiene gjort seg noen tanker om diagnostisering av kreftpasienter?
– Tidligere behandlet man brystkreft med en cocktail av cytostatika, og håpet at noe hjalp, med enorme bivirkninger, og der vi er i dag, med diagnostisk og terapautisk skreddersøm, er enorme fremskritt, og det må vi bare heie på, og vi må bare finansiere det, sier Inger Noer, og legger til at selv om det er dyrt, er en økonomisk oppside at vi sparer masse penger på at folk blir friske raskere.
– Det koster penger å begynne å bruke noe, en kostnad som kanskje vil bli lavere etter hvert. Vi må være flinkere til å ta i bruk nye behandlinger raskere, sier Jualianne Ofstad, og legger til at vi bør se til land som er bedre på ta i bruk ny diagnostikk, og til Sverige, der de har satt seg som mål å utrydde livmorhalskreft ti år tidligere enn vi har her i Norge.
– Mer av kreftbehandlingen framover vil ha behov for mer spesialisering, som lymfekreft, og der vil jeg se til EU, der de har et Mission on Cancer som sier at innen 2030 skal 90 prosent av EUs kreftpasienter behandles i et comprehensive cancer center, sier Erlend Svardal Bøe, og legger til at det for Høyre blir viktig å bygge opp disse kreftsentrene i helseregionene i Norge.
– Jeg blir helt svimmel når folk snakker om CRISPR, men vi er langt unna å gjøre det tilgjengelig for folk, og likevel er det the sky is the limit, sier Marthe Scharning Lund, og referer til all ny teknologi som bedrer nettopp diagnostikk.
Kliniske studier
I den andre korte videoen snakker MSD Norges Hans Petter Strifeldt om behovet for kliniske studier.
Kan vi gjøre mer for å lykkes med kliniske studier?
Erlend Svardal Bøe var statssekretær i helse- og omsorgsdepartementet da handlingsplanen for kliniske studier ble lagt fram for tre år siden, og han sier at selv om antallet kliniske studier i Norge går ned, bidrar kliniske studier like fullt til at pasientene får raskere tilgang til ny behandling. Han mener at politikerne bør se på en ny handlingsplan, men en annen ting er også viktig:
– Vi bør se på kulturen ute i sykehusene og hvor godt samarbeid vi klarer å ha med industrien og helsenæringen i årene framover.
Inger Noer er enig i at vi bør se på en ny plan for kliniske studier. Hun understreker også at vi må huske på at behandlinger har ulik effekt for menn og kvinner, og at vi derfor også bør se på kvinnehelsemeldingen i denne sammenhengen.
– En ny handlingsplan kunne vært bra for å ha et godt grunnlag, og vi må være konkurransedyktige på dette området. Vi vet at Norge ofte blir nedprioritert av helsenæringen, og det må vi sørge for fra politisk hold, at vi har et godt samarbeid med næringen, sier Julianne Ofstad.
– Vi har et byråkrati i Norge som bruker veldig langt tid på å gi godkjenning for en del utprøvinger, og der har vi en vei å gå, legger Erlend Svardal Bøe til.
Kreftbiobank og helsenæring
I den tredje videoen spiller Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster, noen næringspolitiske baller over til politikerne, og en om kreftbiobank.
Trenger vi en kreftbiobank?
– Ja, det tror jeg at vi gjør, sier Erlend Svardal Bøe, og legger til at vi må tiltrekke oss kompetansen hjem til Norge, men også skape et bedre hjemmemarked for å utvikle mer helsenæring i landet vårt.
– Hvordan får vi gjort det?, spør Thomas Axelsen.
– Jeg mener det handler om katapult, som vi ikke har hatt på helse, og nå får vi det. Hvordan får vi ideene bedre i system, svarer Bøe.
– Og skal det komme en katapult på helse, kan den godt komme her i Oslo, sier Marthe Scharning Lund, og legger til at det går an å ha fullt fokus på å etablere helsenæring, få ting på marked, og der har vi et godt utgangspunkt i Oslo.
Julianne Ofstad er enig, og understreker at vi da må legge enda mer til rette for bedre offentlig-privat samarbeid.
– Jeg opplever noen ganger at man har en grunnleggende mistillit til hverandre, og det legger ikke et godt grunnalg for samarbeid, sier hun.
– Det at vi prøver å skape innovasjon og næring ut av forskningsresultater er en kjempegod idé! Det er enormt kapitalkrevende, men det må være mulig, sier Inger Noer, og understreker at Venstre er et parti som hele tida har lagt til rette for gündere.
– Og det kan vel få plass i disse partiprogrammene, håper vi, sier moderator Thomas Axelsen.
Samfunnsøkonomien
I den siste videoen presenterer Erland Skogli fra Menon Economics et samfunnsøkonomisk perspektiv på kreft og teknologi. Teknologikomponenten er en mye større del av totalbudsjettet i forsvaret enn i helsesektoren, og skal vi løse helsepersonellkrisen, må vi også ha en økt satsing på teknologi i helse.
Vi går tom for folk før vi går tom for penger, sa Helsepersonellkommisjonen. Har vi tilstrekkelig kriseforståelse for dette i dag?
– Da jeg ble helsebyråd sov jeg nesten ikke om natta da jeg tenkte på hvordan dette skulle gå. Det handler om å bruke penger på dem vi allerede har, gi dem bedre kompetanse og lyst til tå bli i tjenesten, og om bruk av ny teknologi som frigir tid, det handler egentlig om å jobbe på andre måter, sier Marthe Scharning Lund.
– Det er en krise som er her. Vi må se på om tiltak gir en klinisk relevant merverdi for pasienten eller ikke. Vi må slutte med ting som ikke hjelper, avslutter sier Inger Noer.
– Helsevesenet vårt er også en del av totalforsvaret, og funker ikke helsevesenet, kolapser vi fort i en krigssituasjon, for eksempel, sier Julianne Ofstad til slutt.
Velkommen i Arendal
Seminaret Fremtidens kreftpolitikk er del av møteserien Fremtidens kreftbehandling, som i år arrangeres av Kreftforeningen, Janssen, MSD, AstraZeneca og Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Neste frokostseminar i denne møteserien finner sted tirsdag 13. august 2024 under Arendalsuka. Det er også gratis og åpent for alle, og det vil bli strømmet.
Gikk du glipp av frokostseminaret Fremtidens kreftpolitikk 9. april på Litteraturhuset? Du kan se hele seminaret i opptak på Oslo Cancer Clusters YouTube-kanal.
DoMore Diagnostics secures EUR 10 million grant
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Margit Bratlie SelsjordIn a great achievement, DoMore Diagnostics, a pioneering company in cancer diagnostics, has been awarded the prestigious EIC Accelerator grant.
The EIC Accelerator Grant consists of EUR 10 million (EUR 2.5 million in non-dilutive grant and EUR 7.5 million in equity matching). It signifies a financial injection and a resounding validation of the company’s groundbreaking work in improving cancer care worldwide. Recently we had a talk with CEO Torbjørn Furseth about the great news.
Team effort and Champagne
Competing with nearly 1100 applications vying for recognition, DoMore Diagnostics stood out as one of only two Norwegian companies to receive this coveted grant. CEO Torbjørn Furuseth expresses immense pride in the team’s effort, highlighting the significance of the achievement in their journey towards revolutionizing cancer diagnostics.
DoMore Diagnostics CEO Torbjørn Furuseth. Photo: DoMore
DoMore Diagnostics at a glance
For those unfamiliar, DoMore Diagnostics emerged from the DoMore! Lighthouse research project at the Institute of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital. The company is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence to revolutionize cancer diagnostics, aiming to simplify personalized treatment decisions for all cancer patients.
Their flagship product, Histotype Px® Colorectal, is a CE-IVDD marked digital biomarker designed to inform treatment decisions following surgical resection of colorectal tumours. By accurately predicting patient outcomes, this innovation aims to reduce unnecessary treatments and their associated adverse effects, thereby improving patient care significantly.
Significance of the grant
Receiving the EIC Accelerator award is nothing short of a game-changer for DoMore Diagnostics.
CEO Furuseth shed light on the meticulous application process. We were chosen as one of 42 companies from a total application pool of 1083 in a rigorous three-step evaluation process that included a substantial research and business case and commercialization proposal. That culminated in a panel interview by scientific and industry experts, and life science investors.
The blend of grant and equity matching makes it particularly attractive for early-phase companies like us, so we decided to put a significant effort into the application process, said Furuseth.
Furuseth further shares how being in the Oslo Cancer Cluster ecosystem has played a significant part in this process.
Plans ahead
The awarded funds will play a crucial role in furthering DoMore Diagnostics’ mission. The focus will be on developing essential datasets to quantify the health-economic benefits of their biomarker, paving the way for widespread clinical adoption across Europe and the US.
In the long run, the implications for patients can be profound. With over a million colorectal cancer patients awaiting better biomarkers for personalized treatment decisions, the impact of DoMore Diagnostics’ innovation cannot be overstated. With the support of the EIC Accelerator program, DoMore Diagnostics plans to accelerate its efforts, driving innovation in healthcare and improving outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.
One of Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Wenche GerhardsenOslo Cancer Cluster Incubator made the Financial Times Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs list.
“This recognition by the Financial Times celebrates our dedication to transforming oncology research and places us in a league with Europe’s most innovative ecosystems. It’s about more than accolades; it reflects our collective impact in pioneering new frontiers in cancer therapy and patient care,” said Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, when he was made aware of the news.
Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, is happy about making the Financial Times ranking. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
Read more about the incubator companies and community on this incubator webpage.
Two Norwegian hubs
Only two Norwegian hubs are in the ranking. They are 6AM Accelerator, a pre-seed accelerator and investor for tech startups in Trondheim, and Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, with its laboratory-based community and cancer-focused companies next to Oslo University Hospital, the Radium Hospital. Oslo Cancer Cluster made 104th place out of 125 hubs in total.
Here you can read the complete list (link to Financial Times).
It is also published as a Special Report in the Financial Times.
Specialized lab infrastructure
“With world-leading researchers in shared and individual labs Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator exemplifies the critical role specialized lab infrastructure plays in supporting focused innovation within the incubator framework, particularly in the demanding field of cancer diagnostics and therapies,” said Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, in one of the incubator’s shared laboratories. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
Ranking methodology
According to Financial Times and their partners Statista and Sifted, Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs 2024 is a ranking of the top centres for founders offering incubator and/or accelerator programmes to people who want to build or grow a company.
To identify the 125 leading hubs, a registration and survey process was conducted. Several thousand hubs were evaluated, and several elements were considered for the evaluation, with the main criterion being the assessment of the respective start-up hub by alumni who participated in at least one incubator or accelerator programme run by the respective hub. In addition, the recommendations of external experts, such as investors, entrepreneurs, and academics were included. Finally, the most successful startups coming out of a hub were examined.
More about the ranking and methodology in this article in the Financial Times.
What does it take to make it?
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Wenche GerhardsenWhat does it take to make it for new biotech companies? We are looking for answers, digging into the legacy and environment surrounding successful start-up companies like ARTBIO.
One of the newest members of Oslo Cancer Cluster is the clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company ARTBIO. On their webpage, they present the company in these words:
ARTBIO is redefining cancer care by developing a new class of alpha radioligand therapies (ART) and building the ecosystem that maximizes their potential.
We first wrote about ARTBIO in an article presenting the newest members in January. Here, we can read that ARTBIO is shaped by a long-standing scientific legacy with nearly a century of pioneering work in radiation therapy conducted at the University of Oslo and Norway’s Radium Hospital.
What is this legacy all about, and what kind of environment is optimal for successful start-up companies like ARTBIO to grow up in?
The answer appears to be fourfold.
The obvious part: financing
Part of the answer for ARTBIO is the tremendous financing round that raised USD 90 Million in December last year, for progress in the pipeline and isotope technology development for a new class of alpha radioligand therapies. The news of the company raising this amount from private investors made headlines in the Norwegian newspaper E24. How was this possible in today’s slow and skeptical market?
He is Managing Director at Radforsk, an early-stage evergreen fund dedicated to oncology. Radforsk is one of ARTBIO’s founders.
In the latest investment round Boston-based venture capital fund Third Rock Ventures was the main investor, together with an undisclosed healthcare fund and existing seed lead investors F-Prime Capital and Omega Funds, according to a press release from the company.
The crucial part: the right people
“Even though it is crucial to have the right technology as a foundation, it is a must to have the right people and teams. And on that note, we have hit the bull’s eye with ARTBIO”, Tuv said and added:
Tuv especially mentioned the hiring of ARTBIO CEO Emanuele Ostuni as a key success factor, who was also the first full-time employee. He is described as bright, tenacious, and with a compassionate drive to succeed for patients.
To the question what do you think it will take to get to the next milestone? Ostuni answered:
Ostuni added:
“We are working to start a phase 1 trial this year. That will require a working technology for P212 isolation and a robust process for manufacturing the therapeutic product. We are also working to create a broader pipeline of programs that addresses patient needs – several of these programs should also move forward this year.”
The historical part: the legacy
So far, we have touched upon the company’s technology, the people, and the financing. What about this long-standing scientific legacy that we started with?
Anders Tuv explained:
Tuv added:
“I think that both the seed round and the series A round in particular have shown that we have worked hard and done many things right with ARTBIO. We got international specialist investors and founding CEO Emanuele involved at a very early stage with Roy Larsen and Øyvind Bruland, and F-Prime and Radforsk have been active investors, building the company and heavily involved from the beginning. We have been thinking globally from the start and extracted talent where they were to be found.”
This is the reason why ARTBIO has offices in Boston, Basel, London, and Oslo.
The part of the environment
Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park and Incubator, and the entire Campus around the Radium Hospital, including Radforsk, offer an environment for companies like ARTBIO to begin their journey, especially in radiopharmacy and precision medicine in cancer.
“We have a strong legacy and a good ecosystem for radiopharmacy in Oslo, including the Radium Hospital and the environment in Oslo Cancer Cluster”, Tuv said, and Ostuni agreed:
“The culture of openness and support at the Radium hospital also made sure that we could establish collaborations with academic groups and progress some programs while at the same time providing educational opportunities for female scientists”, said Ostuni.
So there you have it; the somewhat complex answer to what it takes to make it – at least through the first serious financing rounds.
About ARTBIO and Radforsk
ARTBIO’s approach: Alpha radioligand therapeutics (ARTs) are gaining attention as a promising experimental modality for delivering lethal radioactivity directly to cancer cells. The unique ARTBIO approach selects the optimal alpha-precursor isotope (Pb-212) and tumour-specific targets to create therapeutics with the potential for the highest efficacy and safety. ARTBIO is currently advancing multiple pipeline programs with lead program AB001 first in human trials.
Radforsk is engaged in the commercialisation of cancer research. Our goal is to develop better cancer treatment – for all patients. We invest in and develop infrastructure through Radforsk Innovation and companies through Radforsk Invest. Radforsk Invest is an oncology focused investment fund dedicated to developing immunotherapies, precision medicine and radiopharmaceuticals. The fund has an evergreen structure allowing flexibility and focus on investments that will create long-term value. Radforsk Invest`s model is based on very active ownership as investors and hands-on company builders. Radforsk’s portfolio of companies spans from early start-ups to public companies with products on the global market. For more information, please contact Anders Tuv, Managing Director Radforsk Invest (at@radforsk.no).
Advancing Cancer Research in Norway: Eli Lilly’s SUNRAY-01 Study
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenEli Lilly selected Norway as the site for its groundbreaking study project, SUNRAY-01, despite the recent year’s decline in applications for clinical cancer trials.
This study examines the efficacy of the drug candidate LY3537982 on advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a specific genetic alteration. and represents a significant advancement in health research and treatment for patients with KRAS G12C mutations, potentially reshaping the treatment landscape for this specific patient group.
The KRAS G12C mutation is a specific alteration in the KRAS gene, often associated with certain cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer. This mutation plays a significant role in promoting the growth and spread of cancer cells. Researchers are exploring methods to block or inhibit the effects of this mutation.
Decline in trails
Recently, Norway has experienced a notable decline in the number of applications for cancer clinical trials, dropping from 158 in 2022 to 98 in 2023. Lars Petter Strand, Senior Medical Director for the Nordics at Eli Lilly, voiced concern, noting,
Lars Petter Strand. Photo Eli Lilly
Norway’s participation in Eli Lilly’s SUNRAY-01 study indicates a positive shift. Lars Petter Strand attributed the decision to several favourable trends in Norway’s healthcare system, including initiatives like CONNECT, IMPRESS, InPRED, and NorTrials, which have enhanced infrastructure and processes, making Norway an appealing destination for clinical trials.
Positive outlook for patients
Bjørn Henning Grønberg, Head of Department for Translational Cancer Research at St. Olav Hospital, one of the 7 hospitals selected for this study, emphasized the importance of such studies, stating, “It is always welcome to offer study participation to our patients.” The proportion of lung cancer patients with KRAS mutations eligible for targeted treatment through this study exceeds those eligible for other targeted treatments.
One of the most exciting and significant aspects of this study is its focus on finding targeted treatments for KRAS mutations, which currently aren’t as effective as other options available.
Challenges and opportunities
Despite these positive developments, Norway encounters challenges in maintaining its attractiveness for clinical trials. Strand emphasized the importance of addressing barriers such as delayed introduction of new treatments, lengthy approval processes, and capacity constraints in diagnostic tools at hospitals.
The roadmap for the health sector, a strategic document guiding sector development, underscores the significance of clinical trials in health research. While the government has set ambitious goals for increasing clinical trials, collaboration across sectors and collective efforts are essential to address challenges hindering this vital part of medical research.
A roadmap for the health industry
Oslo Cancer Cluster General Manager Ketil Widerberg emphasizes that this new study aligns well with the Norwegian government’s aspirations for a national health industry and ongoing efforts at Oslo Cancer Cluster to foster innovation and collaboration within the cancer research field. It represents a crucial step towards advancing cancer care and supporting Norway’s health industry growth.
Widerberg stresses the importance of patients accessing the latest treatment, doctors and researchers gaining insights into the latest technology, and the development of the Norwegian health industry, as Norwegian centres of expertise gain international visibility.
Crucial collaborations
To attract more clinical trials to Norway, stakeholders must collaborate effectively, as Lars Petter Strand highlights. It requires creating sufficient resources in hospitals, facilitating efficient communication between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare institutions, and streamlining startup processes. Improved communication between the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals is essential, as demonstrated by Eli Lilly’s collaboration with NorTrials during site recruitment for this study.
Unique collaboration to build Nordic health industry
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Margit Bratlie SelsjordA new collaboration agreement between AstraZeneca, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Oslo Science City aims to strengthen the Nordic health industry by facilitating closer collaboration between researchers, startups, and pharmaceutical companies.
This is a translation of an article in Norwegian, written jointly by Oslo Science City and Oslo Cancer Cluster. The Norwegian version can be read on Oslo Science City’s webpage.
The focus on investment in the health industry in Norway gained momentum after Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre announced at the Norway Life Science conference in February 2023 that the government would develop a roadmap for the health industry.
In June, the health industry was selected as the fourth national export promotion initiative under the export reform “All of Norway Exports.” Two months later, Vestre and Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol presented the roadmap, outlining 41 measures and 12 focus areas aimed at the sector developing drugs, medical devices, and digital tools.
Ahead of this year’s Norway Life Science conference, the Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and the innovation district Oslo Science City are following up with a collaboration agreement to strengthen contacts and cooperation between Norwegian and Swedish research and innovation environments. The agreement will facilitate Norwegian startups’ access to residency at AstraZeneca’s innovation hub, BioVentureHub, in Gothenburg. Simultaneously, Swedish companies will have the opportunity to reside at Oslo Cancer Cluster and collaborate closely with their environments in cancer and precision medicine, as well as the outstanding research groups from the Radium Hospital, part of Oslo University Hospital, and the University of Oslo, which are gathered in Oslo Science City.
Industrial expertise and international connections
BioVentureHub was established in 2014 as an open and internationally oriented innovation ecosystem based on a public-private partnership model. Here, promising startups and research groups in Life Sciences can access office and laboratory space close to AstraZeneca’s strong professional communities and advanced research infrastructure.
AstraZeneca BioVentureHub is a not-for-profit innovation hub offering an inside track to AstraZeneca’s scientific expertise and facilities, for academic groups and small and medium-sized enterprises. It is integrated at the heart of AstraZeneca’s R&D center, in the new emerging life science ecosystem, in Gothenburg. Photo: AstraZeneca
“For our company, it is crucial to maintain close contact with the companies and knowledge communities that contribute to pushing the knowledge frontier in the fields we work in. Some of these companies and environments end up entering formal collaborations with AstraZeneca, but the most important purpose of BioVentureHub is to create a professional meeting place for creativity and innovation,” said Bjøntegaard.
From the Norwegian side, Oslo Cancer Cluster will have the role of identifying the companies that are offered residency in BioVentureHub. General manager Ketil Widerberg points out that promising Norwegian startups often lack industrial expertise and an important link to the international market:
Lifting the entire Nordic region
The parties to the agreement also want to involve Innovation Norway, whereby Norwegian companies staying at BioVentureHub can apply for support during their residency. In the long term, the goal is also to involve Vinnova, Innovation Norway’s Swedish sister organization, in the collaboration.
Over several decades, Norway has invested significant public funds in health research, but Christine Wergeland Sørbye, Managing Director of Oslo Science City, points out that several analyses show that we have been less successful than other countries in using this research to develop new companies.
“By strengthening the collaboration between research and business across Nordic borders, we shall realize this potential,” says Wergeland Sørbye.
A peak into Cancer Crosslinks
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenWorld-leading translational cancer research entered Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park during this one-day conference and created a buzz.
Once a year, the Kaare Norum auditorium is filled with cancer experts, researchers, clinicians, and students. Numerous questions arose from an engaged audience during the scientific presentations and in the mingling areas during the breaks.
The best way of experiencing Cancer Crosslinks, meeting fellow cancer professionals, and exchanging experiences, was of course to participate in person. If you were prevented from attending, we have made this accessible picture special of the day.
Oslo Cancer Cluster EU advisor Marine Jeanmougin during one of the breaks.
Prof. Sonja Loges from Heidelberg University was the keynote speaker. She gave the audience an overview of the personalized oncology landscape in Germany, among other interesting topics.
On 25 January, around 300 people participated in scientific sessions during the 16th edition of the conference Cancer Crosslinks, themed “Bridging innovations to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients”.
This edition covered a range of topics, including targeted treatments and immunotherapies, the role of new technologies in oncology, and the impact of tumour heterogeneity on clinical outcome.
Dr. Leo Rasche from University Hospital Würzburg was one of the speakers at Cancer Crosslinks 2024. He also participated actively in the audience.
The audience gained insights, for instance into how the composition of the microbiome can affect response to immunotherapy, and in the case of myeloma; how a single dormant cancer cell can cause a patient to relapse after 10 years of remission. Participants also got an overview of the personalized oncology landscape in Germany and heard how AI-driven innovations can change the way clinical studies are run.
Dr. Lisa Derosa from Institut Gustave Roussy and moderator Dr. Marte Grønli Cameron from Sørlandet Hospital on stage during the event.
Be part of the buzzing conversation next year. We are already planning for Cancer Crosslinks 2025!
There will be a new opportunity to be present in person next January when we arrange the 17th Cancer Crosslinks during the 10th anniversary of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park.
Oslo Cancer Cluster team member Charlotte Wu Homme opening the day
Speaker Prof. Mihaela van der Schaar
Speaker Dr Raza Ali
Moderators Dr Fredrik Schjesvold and Dr Katrin Kleinmanns with speaker Dr Leo Rasche
Cancer Crosslinks 2024 participants mingling
Oslo Cancer Cluster team member Dave Tippett mingling with participants
Moderators Dr Marte Grønlie Cameron and Dr Vilde Drageset Haakensen
Oslo Cancer Cluster team member Bente Prestegård in conversation with participants
Making Cancer Crosslinks possible
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Margit Bratlie SelsjordMeet the sponsors behind Cancer Crosslinks 2024: Bristol Myers Squibb and Daiichi-Sankyo.
Cancer Crosslinks 2024, the sixteenth edition of the annual cancer conference, is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, at the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. It is a free event, open to all, and will be presented both on-site and digitally.
This educational meeting, organized by Oslo Cancer Cluster in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, serves as a pivotal platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of cancer research and treatment.
To register and access the programme, please visit the Cancer Crosslinks event website.
Inspirational kick-offs
Charlotte Wu Homme, Oslo Cancer Cluster head of membership and events, is happy for the contributions to Cancer Crosslinks 2024 and expresses gratitude to the collective efforts of speakers, moderators, sponsors, and the wider Oslo Cancer Cluster membership and oncology ecosystem.
Charlotte Wu Homme. Photo: Stig Jarnes.
Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) is the event’s co-founder and continues to play a crucial role. The company emphasizes the importance of events like Cancer Crosslinks, considering them inspirational kick-offs for the scientific milieu in Norway. BMS’s commitment aligns with the broad scientific innovations discussed at the conference, reflecting their dedication to breakthrough medicines and global patient impact.
Ali Areffard. Photo: Ilja C. Hendel.
Ali Areffard, Disease Area Head Oncology & Hematology at Bristol Myers Squibb Norway, emphasizes the company’s broad interest in significant scientific innovations.
He highlights the relevance of all topics on the programme for their industry, academia, and public healthcare organizations.
A crucial platform
Daiichi-Sankyo proudly co-sponsors Cancer Crosslinks 2024, recognizing its 16-year tradition of delivering high-level scientific and clinical content. The company views the event as a crucial platform for bringing together international and national researchers at the forefront of cancer research. Daiichi-Sankyo emphasizes the importance of such arenas in driving translational and clinical research collaborations to advance innovative cancer treatments.
Georg Lindefjeld, Medical Advisor Oncology at Daiichi-Sankyo, expresses high interest in various aspects of the conference programme. Particularly relevant to their work in developing Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), Lindefjeld highlights the significance of up-to-date diagnostics, AI-supported precision medicine, and overcoming tumour resistance.
Georg Lindefjeld. Photo
A day of innovative research
Marine Jeanmougin, Oslo Cancer Cluster’s lead EU advisor, is part of the scientific Cancer Crosslinks 2024 team. She is looking forward to an edition that features leading experts from the EU, UK, and USA, and prominent moderators from Norway, to discuss the latest advances in Precision Oncology & Immunotherapies.
Marine Jeanmougin, lead EU affairs. Photo: Margit Selsjord.
Opportunity for networking
Cancer Crosslinks has evolved into a leading forum, uniting oncologists, haematologists, translational researchers, healthcare providers, regulatory experts, and industry representatives. The conference fosters interactions between researchers and clinicians, encouraging translational and clinical research collaborations to propel innovative cancer treatments.
Both BMS and Daiichi-Sankyo express enthusiasm for the upcoming event, looking forward to the distinguished program, speaker panels, and informal interactions. BMS sees the event as an opportunity for networking and creating synergies going into 2024, while Daiichi-Sankyo anticipates engaging with researchers and clinicians that could lead to new collaborations and projects.
More about the speakers in the article Cancer Crosslinks 2024: meet the speakers
Meet our new members
/in Members, News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Margit Bratlie SelsjordMeet the members who recently joined or re-joined our cluster.
A warm welcome to our newest members! Oslo Cancer Cluster’s diverse member base includes university hospitals, research centres, patient organizations, start-ups, biotech and technology companies, global pharma, investors, financial institutions, and service providers. Together, they cover the whole spectrum of oncology, contributing to a unique ecosystem that accelerates the development of innovative cancer treatments. Oslo Cancer Cluster works tirelessly together with our members to enhance the development of novel cancer diagnostics and therapies to improve patients’ lives worldwide.
We are proud to announce that the following companies have recently joined our cluster:
ARTBIO
Cody
Exact Sciences
Fortrea
Link Medical
Surviva
We had the opportunity to speak with the companies this week and let them introduce themselves. Read on to learn more about why they joined the cluster, and what they’re currently working on:
ARTBIO is a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company redefining cancer care by creating a new class of alpha radioligand therapies (ARTs). Alpha radioligand therapeutics are gaining attention as a promising experimental modality for delivering lethal radioactivity directly to cancer cells. The unique ARTBIO approach selects the optimal alpha-precursor isotope (Pb-212) and tumour-specific targets to create therapeutics with the potential for the highest efficacy and safety. ARTBIO is currently advancing multiple pipeline programs with lead program AB001 first in human trials. ARTBIO is shaped by a long-standing scientific legacy with nearly a century of pioneering work in radiation therapy conducted at the University of Oslo and Norway’s Radium Hospital.
Cody is a Norwegian company developing products, lab equipment and production machinery. With a core competence in mechanical engineering and advanced automation. Cody has extensive experience in developing tailor-made GMP production and packaging solutions for radiopharmaceuticals and other pharmaceuticals. Cody works closely with their customers in the various phases of the development processes to find efficient, robust, and safe production solutions for both the clinical stages and commercial production.
Exact Sciences is a provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, focusing on cancer prevention, early detection, and personalised treatment. Their invention Cologuard and Oncotype DX (ODX) tests have seen success in various markets. The tests, now available in Norway, received a favourable Single Technology Assessment (STA) from the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) in October 2023. The company awaits the final decision by the Decision Forum (Beslutningsforum) for ODX to be publicly available and reimbursed across all Norwegian Cancer Clinics. ODX predicts chemotherapy benefits, identifying a significant portion of Breast Cancer patients (HR+/HER2-neg) who can avoid unnecessary adjuvant chemotherapy, reducing side effects and improving quality of life.
Fortrea is a clinical research organization that specializes in developing treatments for cancer patients. The company has a long history in clinical development and draws on expertise from its predecessors, Covance and Labcorp Drug Development. In July 2023, Fortrea became an independent company and now has a dedicated team of over 2,400 oncology specialists, including 60 medical oncologists. They work with more than 30,000 cancer centers in 90 countries and have experience in over 40 different types of cancer. With their experiences and dedicated team, Fortrea possesses the necessary insights, experience, scale, and processes to expedite the delivery of new treatments to cancer patients.
LINK Medical is a leading clinical research organization and regulatory service provider offering a wide range of expertise, flexible services, and innovative technologies for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries across Northern Europe and beyond. LINK Medical was founded in Oslo in 1995, and has over 145 dedicated colleagues in the Nordics, UK, and Germany, with a variety of specialist backgrounds. LINK Medical wants to help Oslo Cance Cluster members with a local presence in their development of cancer treatment and diagnostics. With their long experience in conducting complex clinical trials, and over 90 oncology studies. In addition, Link Medical’s regulatory team has extensive experience with supporting all stages of medical product development.
SurViva is a consultancy firm based in Norway that specializes in providing quality assurance (QA) services and digital quality management systems (eQMS) to clients in the food, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries. They offer customized quality packages to meet the specific needs of individual companies. The company’s goal is to promote activity and value creation in Norway by helping life science companies develop and professionalize their systems and processes. SurViva shares the vision of the Oslo Cancer Cluster to accelerate cancer treatments and diagnostics that improve patients’ lives.
Cancer Crosslinks 2024: meet the speakers
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Margit Bratlie SelsjordJoin us for a day of educational talks and mingling with colleagues in the oncology community.
Cancer Crosslinks 2024 will take place on-site in Kaare Nourum Auditorium at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park on 25 January 2024, starting at 10:30. You can read more about the programme, and register here.
The event features distinguished speakers from Germany, France, the UK, and the USA, presenting the latest advancements in diagnostic and treatment options for solid and haematological cancers. With a focus on bridging innovations for improved clinical outcomes, the program includes talks by renowned experts, such as Prof. Sonja Loges on targeted therapies, Dr Lisa Derosa on microbiota-centred interventions and cancer immunotherapy, Dr Leo Rasche on tumour heterogeneity in multiple myeloma, Dr Raza Ali on highly multiplexed imaging for precision breast immuno-oncology, Dr Paolo Tarantino on antibody-drug conjugates, and Prof. Mihaela van der Schaar on AI-enabled personalized medicine.
The event also highlights Norwegian moderators, including Dr Vilde Drageset Haakensen, Dr Marte Grønlie Cameron, Dr Fredrik Schjesvold, and Dr Katrin Kleinmanns.
Prof. Sonja Loges. Photo: ESMO.
Sonja Loges
Professor, Director, Dept of Personalized Oncology, DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute & Division of Personalized Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany. Prof. Loges is at the forefront of transformative research, focusing on targeted therapies and non-invasive liquid biopsies. Her work in translational research bridges the gap between scientific discoveries and clinical applications, offering personalized and cutting-edge approaches for improved cancer outcomes.
Targeted therapies are a type of cancer treatment that specifically targets the cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
Liquid biopsies involve analyzing bodily fluids to detect cancer-associated substances like genetic mutations and proteins. Non-invasive tests can be conducted without the need for traditional tissue biopsies.
Dr Lisa Derosa
Lisa Derosa
Immuno-Oncologist, Associate Professor, Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy of Cancer unit, Zitvogel Lab, Institut Gustave Roussy, Paris, France. Her research focuses on the influence of gut microbiota on cancer development and treatment. Dr Derosa introduced how antibiotics can suppress the immune system in cancer immunotherapy and examined the impact of gut microbiota composition on antitumor immunity with immune checkpoint inhibitors. She will give a talk on Microbiota-centered interventions and cancer immunotherapy: recent learnings and clinical implications.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively by releasing T-cells. The gut microbiota’s composition seems to play a role in how well this type of treatment works.
Dr Leo Rasche, Photo: Ukw.
Leo Rasche
Senior Physician, Specialist in Internal Medicine, Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Junior Group Leader, Mildred Scheel Nachwuchszentrum (MSNZ) for Cancer Research Germany. Dr Leo Rasche focuses on researching multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting plasma cells in the bone marrow. His work includes using medical imaging to understand the disease, exploring tumour genomics for genetic insights, studying tumour evolution over time, and developing immunotherapy approaches for treatment. Rasche will give a talk on Tumor heterogeneity in multiple myeloma: clinical consequences?
Tumour evolution refers to the changes in the genetic and molecular characteristics of cancer cells as the disease progresses. Understanding this evolution is crucial for developing targeted and effective treatments.
Dr Raza Ali. Photo: privat.
Raza Ali
Group Leader, Systems Cancer Pathology Lab, Honorary Consultant Pathologist, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, UK. His research group uses imaging mass cytometry to investigate breast cancer’s spatial dynamics, analyzing cell changes during disease progression and treatment. The method identifies adaptations and biomarkers influencing relapse and treatment outcomes. Dr Ali will give a talk on Highly multiplexed imaging for precision breast immuno-oncology.
Imaging mass cytometry is an advanced imaging technique that allows researchers to simultaneously analyse multiple biomarkers and cellular characteristics within tissue samples.
Biomarkers are measurable indicators of disease severity or presence. It can be a substance indicating a particular disease state. For example, the presence of an antibody may indicate an infection.
Dr Paolo Tarantino. Photo: Sam Ogden.
Paolo Tarantino
Advanced Research Fellow at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Dr. Tarantino’s research focuses on three key areas: HER2 oncoprotein study, delving into its role in certain breast cancers; exploration of HER2-low breast tumour biology; and innovation in novel antibody-drug conjugates, refining precision in chemotherapy delivery for enhanced cancer treatment. He will give a talk called Antibody-drug conjugates: a pan-histologic revolution in the treatment of cancer.
HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2) is a protein that can promote the growth of cancer cells. Its overexpression is associated with more aggressive forms of breast cancer.
Membrane Tyrosine Kinase: HER2 is a type of protein that sits on the cell membrane (outer layer of the cell) and can activate other proteins inside the cell by adding phosphate to them.
Oncogene: An oncogene is a gene that, when mutated or overactive, can contribute to cancer development. HER2 is an oncogene.
Novel antibody-drug conjugates: (ADCs) refer to a type of targeted cancer therapy that combines the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the cytotoxic (cell-killing) properties of chemotherapy drugs. This combination is designed to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
Prof. Mihaela van der Schaar
Mihaela van der Schaar
John Humphrey Plummer Professor of Machine Learning, AI, and Medicine. Director, Cambridge Center for AI in Medicine, University of Cambridge. In addition to leading the van der Schaar Lab, Prof. Mihaela is the founder and director of the Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine (CCAIM)UK.
Prof. Mihaela van der Schaar is a pioneer in the field of machine learning for healthcare. Her research is primarily focused on improving methods to forecast individual health risks and identifying crucial factors for accurate risk prediction. Her groundbreaking research findings have led to the development of improved treatment options for patients suffering from heart failure, cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Her research has made significant contributions to personalized and targeted healthcare interventions. She will give a talk on AI-enabled personalized medicine.
Norwegian moderators
Dr Vilde Drageset Haakensen
Vilde Drageset Haakensen
Senior Consultant Oncologist and Head of Lung Cancer Research, Dept of Oncology & Project group leader, Dept of Cancer Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Norway. She leads projects studying checkpoint inhibitors, radiotherapy combinations, and the telomerase peptide vaccine UV1. Dr Haakensen is also involved in repurposing targeted therapy for lung cancer, specifically ALK-inhibitors for ALK-negative tumours. She secures research grants, collaborates with industrial partners, and contributes to patient advocacy, cancer centre standards, and European cancer initiatives.
ALK inhibitors are a type of medication that specifically targets and blocks the activity of the ALK protein. This helps to inhibit the growth of tumours that have ALK alterations. These inhibitors have been effective in treating certain types of cancer, such as non-small cell lung cancer.
Dr Marte Grønli Cameron
Marte Grønlie Cameron
Clinical Oncologist, Palliative Care Unit and Head of Research at the Center for Cancer Treatment, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand, Norway. Dr Marte Cameron is a consultant clinical oncologist at the Center for Cancer Treatment in Kristiansand, Norway. For the majority of her career, she has worked as a gastro-oncologist, and for the past three years, in the Palliative Care Unit of the cancer center. Dr Cameron’s clinical practice and research interests now converge on targeting symptoms of advanced cancer, particularly neuropathic pain.
Dr Fredrik Schjesvold
Fredrik Schjesvold
Leader of Oslo Myeloma Center, Dept of Haematology, Oslo University Hospital, Norway. Head of the Norwegian Myeloma Association, President of the Nordic Myeloma Study Group, and board member of the European Myeloma Network. Dr Schjesvold is recognized globally as an expert in myeloma and shares his insights through talks across Europe, America, and Asia. His research contributions are extensive, being a principal investigator for academic studies and a national investigator for numerous clinical trials in multiple myeloma. Additionally, he has played a crucial role in guideline development, co-authoring European (ESMO) and global (IMWG) guidelines, and leading the creation of Norwegian myeloma guidelines.
Dr Katrin Kleinmanns
Katrin Kleinmanns
Researcher, Precision Oncology Lab (PrecOS), Innovative Novel Ovarian Cancer Treatment Approaches (INOVA) group, University of Bergen, Norway. Dr Kleinmanns work within the Innovative Novel Ovarian Cancer Treatment Approaches (INOVA) group centres on developing and characterizing immunocompetent patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of ovarian carcinomas. Her primary objectives include implementing targeted fluorescence image-guided surgery to enhance surgical outcomes and phenotypically characterizing the intricate ovarian tumour microenvironment. Dr Kleinmanns aims to identify new immunological targets for innovative therapeutic interventions in ovarian cancer treatment.
Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are a preclinical research tool used in cancer research. A PDX model is a type of mouse model that carries fragments of a patient’s tumour. These models are highly valuable because they attempt to replicate the characteristics of the original tumour within a living organism.
Afternoon mingle
The educational program includes an afternoon networking session. You are welcome to join us at 4:15 pm outside the auditorium.
Read more about the event on the Cancer Crosslinks website
Data power and moonshots
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenThe Cancer Mission Hub Norway arranged its yearly high-level meeting for the fourth time.
The cancer mission is bold, concrete, and measurable, aiming to change a key challenge in society, namely how we jointly approach cancer. It is about understanding, preventing, diagnosing, treating, and following up cancer patients and their families, and it aims to improve the lives of three million people by 2030.
The goal of the Norwegian Mission Hub, one of the first cancer mission hubs established in Europe, is to work jointly on this societal challenge in effective ways.
Ketil Widerberg, the general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, opened the high-level meeting on 19 December 2023. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
EU’s holistic approach
The first keynote speaker on the programme was Cathrine Marie Lofthus, Secretary General of the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services. She underlined that Norway shares the same cancer challenges as the EU states.
“We commend the holistic approach chosen by the EU,” Lofthus said and underlined how Norway is in line with the EU in the cancer mission.
Her ministry is on the verge of presenting a new national cancer strategy next year, replacing the current strategy called Living with cancer.
Genetic testing is also one of the areas with more emphasis in the new strategy.
Cathrine Marie Lofthus, Secretary General of the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, underlined that Norway shares the same cancer challenges as the EU states. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Harnessing the power of data
The second keynote address was by Mark Lawler, Associate pro-vice-chancellor, professor of digital health, and chair in translational cancer genomics at Queen’s University Belfast. He spoke about the research project European Groundshot: Reimagining cancer research and its implementation across Europe.
The research project European Groundshot looked at the impact of Covid 19 on cancer screenings and diagnosis, investigating the impact of real-time data analysis from Hospital Trust across the UK.
“And we were shocked,” Mark Lawler said to an attentive audience.
One of the findings was that 7 out of 10 people with a suspicion of cancer were neither going to their GP nor a specialist for help.
Another was that the war in Ukraine does have an impact on cancer in Europe since Ukraine and Russia are two big contributors to clinical trials in cancer.
A third point was that health research is very important, and effective, to improve people’s health, and should be seen as an investment in our health.
“Working together does make sense,” said Mark Lawler, and added that comprehensive cancer centers do lead to better cancer care.
Profesor Mark Lawler presented the research project European Groundshot: Reimagining cancer research and its implementation across Europe. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Cancer Moonshot 3.0
The third keynote address was a perspective from the US Cancer Moonshot, by Jason Paragas, CEO DVLP Medicines, Former Director of Innovation, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory & Ex Officio member of the Blue-Ribbon Panel.
“In our government, everybody is in favor of coordination, but nobody wants to be coordinated. That is what a moonshot truly is,” Jason Paragas said, continuing with a reference to Albert Einstein’s letter to US President Franklin Roosevelt in 1939, and the outcome of this letter, the Manhattan Project.
Read the story of the letter that sparked the atomic bomb on the webpage of the American Museum of Natural History.
The outcomes from successful moonshot programs can be these, Paragas argued: The US testing weapons on supercomputers instead of in the desert. As a bonus, we have supercomputers evolving from this goal, becoming increasingly faster and more powerful. Another example is the outcome of the single goal of Operation Warp Speed: a functioning vaccine technology against Covid 19.
“And where did we fail with moonshots? I will argue that it is the Cancer Moonshot. It did not have a clear single goal.”
So, what can we do? This is the question to use to frame a moonshot. Jason Paragas lists these questions to spark our imagination:
What is the one goal?
After the keynote addresses, the high-level meeting facilitated three moderated panel discussions. The first was called Global cooperation in cancer with societal impact and was moderated by Ketil Widerberg. His first question was an encouragement to think in the moonshot way: What would be – from your angle, a bold, concrete, and measurable action we should take tomorrow to reach the cancer mission’s objective?
“We need a quick win,” Mark Lawler said, following up with a concrete quick-win goal in cancer that we can collaborate on across borders:
Toward the end of the discussion, Widerberg repeated this first question. Would he get other answers? Here are some of the answers he got:
In the first panel we met: Mari Sundli Tveit, Chief Executive, Research Council of Norway, Cathrine Lofthus, Secretary General, the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Service, Ingrid S. Ross, General Secretary, Norwegian Cancer Society, Ketil Widerberg, General Manager Oslo Cancer Cluster (Moderator), Anabela Isidro, Coordinator ECHoS, AICIB (Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation), Mark Lawler, Associate Pro-vice-chancellor, Professor of digital health, and Chair in translational cancer genomics, Queen’s University Belfast, and Jason Paragas, CEO DVLP Medicines, Former Director of Innovation, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory & Ex Officio member of the Blue-Ribbon Panel. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
The most important advice
The second panel was a conversation including the Norwegian reflections on the common effort in the cancer mission. Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, General Secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society, moderated the panel. She asked: What is the most important advice for the mission hub?
“To involve politicians and get commitment from the top is important to succeed with missions. Another advice is to monitor the projects that are set in motion and set interim goals. Also, it is to collaborate with others than the ones you apply for research funding with,” said Espen Solberg, Research Leader at the Norwegian Institute for Research and Education Studies (NIFU).
In the panel from the left: Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, General Secretary, Norwegian Cancer Society, moderated the panel with Espen Solberg, Research leader, NIFU, Kirsten Viga Skretting, Special Advisor, KS, Oddbjørn Straume, professor and senior physician, Haukeland University Hospital, Knut-Inge Klepp, director Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Sissi Leyell Espetvedt, Special Advisor, the Norwegian Directorate of Health. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Wanting the same thing
The third panel was a conversation about the engagement of the health industry in a mission-oriented innovation system, and ways of collaboration. Ole Johan Borge, Director of health and public sector at the Research Council of Norway, moderated the panel, and asked the question: What is your strategy to start new initiatives and pave the way towards so-called impossible solutions?
Taskén won the Innovation Prize of the University of Oslo earlier this year and is the coordinator of a large new EU project called PRIME ROSE.
“And everyone has to want the same thing, it cannot be about single institutions or even single countries,” Taskén added.
In the panel from the left: Ole Johan Borge, Director Health and public sector, the Research Council of Norway, was moderating the panel with Arild Kristensen, CEO at the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Leif Rune Skymoen, Managing Director the Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Norway (LMI), Giske Ursin, Director at the Cancer Registry of Norway, Ketil Taskén, Director of Institute of Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital. Photo Oslo Cancer Cluster
Read more about our EU Cancer Mission initiatives and the work of the Mission Hub in these articles from our archive:
Member companies secure NOK 92 Million
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Margit Bratlie SelsjordOslo Cancer Cluster Members secure a staggering NOK 92 Million from the Research Council of Norway.
The Research Council of Norway allocates NOK 494 million to 39 research-based innovation projects in companies across the entire country, marking a significant boost for cancer innovation. Oslo Cancer Cluster celebrates the success of several member companies, who collectively secured a remarkable NOK 92 million of the funds. Our member companies are:
Kjetil Widerberg, Oslo Cancer Cluster’s General Manager, expresses his excitement, stating
Oslo Cancer Cluster extends recognition to The Research Council of Norway for the acknowledgment of the high quality of these Norwegian cancer companies, some of which are integral to Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC) Incubator.
This funding injection serves as a powerful catalyst, propelling these innovative projects into new realms of possibility and advancing the frontier of cancer research and treatment.
Thrilled and Grateful
Oncosyne, a biotechnology start-up in the OCC Incubator, received a NOK 16 million grant for “clinical feasibility of in vitro diagnostic drug testing for pancreatic cancer.” Cofounder & CTO, Peter W. Eide, shares his gratitude for the Research Council’s support, emphasizing the opportunity to enhance their drug modeling platform and initiate vital clinical studies for pancreatic cancer patients.
Peter W. Eide, Co-founder and CTO of Oncosyne. Photo: OCC.
DoMore Diagnostics, also an OCC Incubator company, secures NOK 16 million for clinical validation and implementation of the AI-based digital biomarker Histotype Px, to personalize treatment in colorectal cancer. CEO Torbjørn Furuseth shares the excitement of competing with strong applicants and expresses the motivation to accelerate plans.
Thorbjørn Furuseth CEO of DoMore Diagnostics. Photo: DoMore.
Hemispherian receives a substantial NOK 16 million grant towards “a one-of-a-kind approach to treat Ovarian Cancer.” Hemispherian CEO, Zeno Albisser, expresses immense gratitude for the support,
Hemispherian CEO, Zeno Albisser. Photo: Hemispherian.
AdjuTec Pharma, also part of the OCC Incubator, secures NOK 16 million towards the “development of a novel broad-spectrum antibiotic-resistant inhibitor product.” CEO Bjørn Klem acknowledges the award’s significance, serving as both external validation and a catalyst for private capital raising to propel the project into the clinical phase.
AdjuTec Pharma CEO Bjørn Klem. Photo: OCC/Stig Jarnes.
Blue Wave Therapeutics also receives NOK 16 million towards their project ALPHAGLIO: Development of a novel treatment for glioblastoma.
Blue Wave Therapeutics CEO Jostein Dahle. Photo: Blue Wave.
Augere Medical is thrilled to announce the acceptance of its application for the IPN grant by the Research Council, securing close to NOK 12 million towards the project “ColoCompare: colonoscopy guidance and AI-assisted procedure comparison.”
Augere CEO and Co-founder, Pia Helén Smedsrud, expresses gratitude for the opportunity
Augere CEO and Co-founder, Pia Helén Smedsrud. Photo: Augere.
Highlights from Oslo Cancer Cluster in 2023
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenHere are seven highlights from this eventful year.
2023 has seen the crystallization of several significant developments at Oslo Cancer Cluster. We’ve immersed ourselves in the cancer mission, initiated new endeavors both nationally and across Europe, and welcomed new members into our community.
Growing the Community
Throughout the year, we’ve been delighted to witness growth in both our membership and physical space. Discover more about some of our new members through these articles:
For a sneak peek at the ongoing construction between the Innovation Park and the Institute for Cancer Research, you can visit the live building site webcam on the Innovation Park website.
Connecting Efforts
A new cluster collaboration came to life in 2023. A primary task at Oslo Cancer Cluster is to foster connections within the cancer innovation sphere. Facilitating investment opportunities for emerging companies is a vital part of this process. At the start of the year, we reinforced our collaboration with other health and life science clusters in Norway to achieve this, aiming for increased success among Norwegian companies. This initiative is led by The Life Science Cluster and supported by Viken County for two years.
Read more about the collaboration in this article from February.
The leaders of the four health and life science clusters, from the left: Ketil Widerberg, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, The Life Science Cluster, Arild Kristensen, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Lena Nymo Helli, Norway Health Tech. Foto: Jofrid Åsland, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
The non-profit company HealthCatalyst brings together Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, and the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster to enhance testing facilities for health companies. In June, the company forged a new collaboration agreement with NorTrials Medical Equipment, aiming to elevate Norway as a testing ground for health technologies.
Explore the collaboration’s details in this article on our website.
The CONNECT consortium for precision cancer medicine has had a remarkable year. Discover this year’s milestones for the consortium in a separate article on the CONNECT-website. ADD LINK
And here is the animation explainer that CONNECT made to explain personalised medicine (in Norwegian only).
Big and Small Meeting Places
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 centred around the theme “New dimensions to the hallmarks of cancer: How is the last decade of discoveries advancing our understanding of cancer biology and transforming precision medicine.” It served as a day of inspiration, insights, and interactions for professionals from across the cancer field in Norway and beyond.
Read this article about the 2023 Cancer Crosslinks.
Interested in joining Cancer Crosslinks 2024? The theme for next year is “Bridging innovations to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients.” Registration is open!
Throughout the year, we’ve organized smaller gatherings for our members and community, such as the Summer gathering and the December gathering. These meetings occur every June and December, and we hope to see you there next year!
Our incubator has also facilitated smaller meetings between start-ups and potential investors. During one such occasion in the summer, US healthcare and life science investors visited. Read about their interaction in this article.
Finally, we were present at the large venues too. One of these was the Nordic Life Science Days in Copenhagen, where Oslo Cancer Cluster coordinated the joint booth Norway for Life Science, promoting the Norwegian healthcare and life science industry. This is the article and this is part of our team in front of the Norwegian booth:
The Oslo Cancer Cluster team representing and networking in Copenhagen. From Left: Charlotte Homme, Dave Tippett, Thomas Andersson, Janne Nestvold and Bente Prestegård.
Our Take on the Cancer Mission
This year, we’ve raised the question, “How can Norway succeed with the EU’s Mission on Cancer?” loudly and clearly. Explore discussions and insights from two seminars in the meeting series “The Future of Cancer Treatments” held during 2023. The seminars are also available on our YouTube channel.
Find more about the meeting series on our project page.
Espen Solberg (NIFU), Camilla Stoltenberg (FHI), Leif Rune Skymoen (LMI) and Ole Alexander Opdalshei (Norwegian Cancer Society) discuss how to perform the Cancer Mission in Norway.
The Cancer Mission Hub Norway is another crucial arena for the same topic. Oslo Cancer Cluster proudly collaborates within this hub. In May 2023, we commenced work with 56 other organizations spanning 28 countries in the EU project called ECHoS. It received a 6-million-euro grant from The European Union. Read about our plans through this consortium in these two articles:
Health Industry Milestones in Norway
Oslo Cancer Cluster continued to act as a Changemaker in 2023. In the cluster strategy for 2023-25, this is one of our three roles, aiming to improve the framework for cancer innovations in the Norwegian health industry. This involves contributing input to relevant national policies and addressing specific challenges. Discover more on our webpage or read our input to the State budget proposal. Additionally, watch our participation in the parliamentary health committee hearing on our YouTube-channel. Note that most of the content is in Norwegian.
In late summer, the government published its roadmap for the health industry, focusing on commercializing research and developing health as a green export success. Read more in this article.
Young Talents
Ullern Upper Secondary School and Oslo Cancer Cluster have a mutually rewarding school collaboration. In 2023, numerous engaging activities took place with students, their mentors, student research projects, and student work placements.
Explore the students’ activities on the school collaboration homepage (all news in Norwegian) and contact us if you have questions about the collaboration. You can find our emails on the team page.
Bente Prestegård is project manager for the school collaboration with Ullern Upper Secondary. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
Projects Coming Together
Throughout the year, we’ve closely followed the AnteNor-project, learning extensively about polygenic risk scores (PRS) and their significance in future cancer prevention and early detection.
Discover more about the AnteNor-project in these articles:
The panel discussion about implementing PRS tests included (from left to right): Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder of Antegenes, Solveig Hofvind, Head of the Mammography Programme at the Cancer Registry of Norway, Ole Alexander Opdalshei, Deputy Secretary General at the Norwegian Cancer Society, Lovise Olaug Mæhle, senior consultant at the Department of Medical Genetics at Oslo University Hospital and Ketil Widerberg, general manager at Oslo Cancer Cluster, as moderator.
Exploring the improvement possibilities in manufacturing T-cell therapies was the focal point at a workshop organized by the CellFIT project in Trondheim in October. The seminar convened project partners and experts to address a significant challenge for cell-based cancer therapy – the need for efficient and scalable production. Discover more about their discussions in this article.
Our new communications advisor
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Oslo Cancer ClusterMeet Oslo Cancer Cluster’s new communications advisor Margit Selsjord.
Margit Selsjord will be assisting OCC in communication tasks, working on the websites, in social media, and ensuring that crucial messages are shared with members and the wider audience.
She is taking over for Sofia Linden who will be on maternity leave throughout 2024.
Aiming to inspire
Selsjord is a trained photojournalist and comes directly from a similar position at LMI (The Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry) where she had roles in communication and content production. She has many years of experience in communication within the health, pharmaceutical, and research fields, and she is also an artist and teacher.
Even in her free time, Selsjord is dedicated to health and prevention. Through interests such as vegan cooking, yoga, meditation, strength training, and climbing, she hopes to inspire others to take better care of their bodies.
You can get in touch with Margit Selsjord by email. Please find her details in our team overview.
Nordic Life Science Days 2023
/in Members, News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Margit Bratlie SelsjordThis year’s Nordic Life Science Days took place in Copenhagen on 29-30 November.
Since 2015, Oslo Cancer Cluster has coordinated the joint booth Norway for Life Science, promoting the Norwegian healthcare and life science industry. This year together with Norway Health Tech, The Life Science Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Centre for Digital Life Norway, NorTrials, Aleap, Legemiddelindustrien (LMI), Inven2, Innovation Norway, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Copenhagen and Curida.
The Oslo Cancer Cluster team representing and networking in Copenhagen. From Left: Charlotte Homme, Dave Tippett, Thomas Andersson (Business Development, OCC Incubator), Janne Nestvold (COO, OCC Incubator) and Bente Prestegård.
Our members on stage
Anette Weyergang, CEO at RAB Diagniostics, a new company that works towards making cancer treatment more effective and match the right patient with the right drug. RAB Diagniostics is a part of Oslo Cancer Clusters Incubator accelerator program which provide the project with business development.
RAB diagnostics CEO Anette Weyergang at Nordic Life Science Days 2023 in Copenhagen.
Weyergang is a pharmacist by education and has spent her career since 2004 in Professor Kristian Berg’s research group at the Institute for Cancer Research.
Find more information about RAB Diagnostics here
Adam Robertson CEO at Hemispherian, pitching at NLSDays 2023.
Adam Robertson, Chief Scientific Officer at Hemispherian, was thrilled to present at Nordic Life Science days. Hemispherian is an innovative preclinical pharmaceutical company focused on developing a novel class of small molecule drugs.
Hemispherian is at the forefront of revolutionizing cancer treatment, offering hope and potential solutions for patients facing hard-to-treat cancers, especially glioblastoma. The company will enter clinical development in 2024. Robertson shares that Hemispherian’s drug candidates have shown excellent efficacy including in orthotopic glioblastoma xenograft models, as well as excellent tolerability in several animal models.
Find more information about Hemispherian here
Torbjørn Furuseth, CEO and Co-founder of DoMore Diagnostics.
Torbjørn Furuseth, CEO and co-founder of DoMore! Diagnostics, presented the latest development and new results from tthis years research and projects.
Find more information about DoMore! Diagnostics here
Hanne Lund, Business Development Director at Curida pitching on stage at NLS Days.
Hanne Lund, Business Development Director at Curida, talked about the newest updates from the company in 2023.
Find more information about Curida here
Six-month milestone
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénA Norwegian perspective: The foundations of the ECHoS project are laid and Cancer Mission activities are speeding up in Norway.
Over the initial six months of ECHoS, Oslo Cancer Cluster and its collaborators have made significant contributions towards achieving the project’s goals by increasing awareness and mobilising the Norwegian ecosystem for the EU’s Mission on Cancer.
With its early setup of the National Cancer Mission Hub in 2021, Norway is well-positioned to implement the Cancer Mission. Partners of the national hub are taking part in the European effort to establish similar structures in all member states and associated countries, under the ECHoS project.
Political discussions
Two public meetings were organised with politicians, experts, and representatives from different sectors in April and August. The debate revolved around the importance to commit to the Mission, how to use Missions as a tool for political change and how Norway can deliver on the Mission.
At the meeting Fremtidens kreftbehandling in April, key opinion leaders discussed how Norway should commit to the EU’s Mission on Cancer. Photo: Sofia Linden
Raising awareness
During The Economist’s World Cancer Series in Brussels, Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, moderated a panel discussion on cancer prevention. Clinicians, policymakers, and patient advocates discussed: How can equal access to screening be guaranteed? And what strategies can be implemented to adopt innovative methods for cancer detection?
Panel discussion with key opinion leaders at The Economist’s World Cancer Series in Brussel. Photo: Dave Tippett
Engaging stakeholders
Oslo Cancer Cluster recently conducted a working session on multistakeholder cooperation. Discussions addressed the possible challenges in establishing complex partnerships but also the opportunities offered by the mission approach to bring concrete solutions to cancer patients. The event fostered bottom-up thinking among ECHoS partners and tapped into the experience that participants have accumulated within their own ecosystems.
A cross-border, multi-national, virtual workshop with partners from ECHoS work package 3, work task 3, delved into new forms of collaboration towards the Mission on Cancer.
About ECHoS
ECHoS is a European project, funded by Horizon Europe Programme. It aims at supporting the implementation of the Cancer Mission activities in all Member State and Associated Country (MS/AC) through the establishment and development of National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs) operating at national, regional, and local levels.
Read more on the ECHoS website.
Personalising breast cancer screening in Norway
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénAre polygenic risk scores the key to personalising cancer prevention in Norway?
Imagine that your saliva can reveal your personal risk for developing certain diseases. Think about the possibilities of detecting cancer at an early stage, preventing serious disease and saving lives. This is what polygenic risk score (PRS) tests are all about.
The AnteNOR project has investigated how such a test for breast cancer can be implemented in the Norwegian healthcare system. In a recent seminar at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, researchers and experts met to present the results and discuss the way forward.
Watch the seminar here:
Analysing Norwegian data
Eivind Hovig, Professor at the Centre for Bioinformatics at the University of Oslo, and group leader at Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, has investigated the performance of breast cancer polygenic risk score in the Norwegian population.
Eivind Hovig, Professor at the Centre for Bioinformatics at the University of Oslo, and group leader at Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Denise O’Mahony, researcher at the Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics at University of Oslo, supplemented Hovig’s presentation. Her research group has among other things analysed the distribution of polygenic risk scores in Norwegian data compared to Estonian data.
“By the age of 49 we see a total of 182 women that have a higher risk than the median absolute risk at 50, which is the age that women enter screening, therefore indicating the benefit of incorporating the PRS in clinical practice,” commented O’Mahony.
Denise O’Mahony, researcher at the Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics at University of Oslo. Photo: Wenche Gerhardsen / Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Testing in the clinic
A clinical pilot study at Vestre Viken breast centre has evaluated the impact of implementing population-based genetic testing strategy for breast cancer precision prevention. There were 80 study participants aged 40-50 who took the saliva-based PRS test at the breast centre. Some of these women were ultimately recommended earlier screening or more intensive screening.
“Half of them were recommended to participate in standard screening. Almost half of them were recommended to start screening at an earlier age than 50. One was recommended to start annual mammography screening immediately,” said Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken.
Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Is this cost-effective?
As with any innovation, the tests come at a price. Kari Kollstad, health economist at Oecona AS, has developed a cost-effectiveness analysis of a polygenic risk-tailored breast cancer screening program in Norway.
“The preliminary results show that risk-stratified screening is more costly than current mammography screening, mainly driven by: costs associated with implementing the test and consultations, as well as screening costs. Risk-stratified screening also resulted in an increase in life years and quality-adjusted life years, and a redistribution of cancer cases compared to current mammography screening,” said Kollstad.
This means that while the tests come with a cost, risk stratified screening means that breast cancer can be detected at an earlier stage and that patients live longer.
Kari Kollstad, health economist at Oecona AS. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Towards individual-based screening
The presentation was followed by a panel discussion about how to implement PRS tests in clinical practice.
“As an oncologist with 33 years of experience, I have encountered numerous cases of advanced breast cancer in women of various ages. When analyzing their risks and individual stories, I realized that we could prevent most of these unfortunate situations. Breast cancer risks vary significantly among women, but our screening approaches are the same for all. It is crucial that we enhance the current real-world practices for breast cancer prevention and screening, especially considering the availability of innovative solutions,” commented Dr. Peeter Padrik, CEO and Founder of Antegenes.
The company Antegenes has developed novel polygenic risk score-based genetic tests to estimate the risk of common cancers.
Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder of Antegenes. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
“I believe precision cancer prevention will be the right way for the future. We need to see what we can do to find more women with breast cancer that need to be treated,” commented Ole Alexander Opdalshei, deputy secretary general, the Norwegian Cancer Society.
“We have been doing mammography screening for 30 years now and using the same procedures and equipment, so it is definitely time for change. We need to go more personalised. We need more efficient tools and we need to consider if it is time to extend the age range targeted in the program. I think the Antegenes test could contribute to making BreastScreen Norway more personalized and better for women: if we could start inviting women 48 years old, test all women and plan a personalised screening for the women. It would be expensive, but perhaps cost-effective in the long run,” commented Solveig Hofvind, Head of the Mammography Programme at The Cancer Registry of Norway.
Project partners: Antegenes, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Vestre Viken.
This project is supported by the Norway Green ICT Programme.
New incubator board member
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Wenche GerhardsenThomas London has joined the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator
“It was an honour to be elected to the board,” Thomas London said.
London is a businessman who has been trying to buy property from Oslo municipality to expand Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park to make room for more businesses and laboratories within the cancer sphere. The slow process now seems to have found a solution with the new Oslo City Council.
Read about the assurances from the City Council in the newspaper Dagsavisen (in Norwegian).
This is the entire incubator board.
An active board member
London underlines the value for society in having an incubator dedicated to new companies working with cancer, often developing innovative Norwegian cancer research.
There is also a personal reason why Thomas London was eager to take on a board position in the incubator. Like so many, he has had close relations get cancer.
“I am personally invested in the fight against cancer and in developing better cancer care.”
Expanding the innovation park
As the manager of the real estate development company Oslo Science Hub AS, he oversees the final expansion of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. The final expansion is planned to be about 40,000 square metres. London is sure that cancer innovation in Norway will grow with the park.
A model of the planned expansion of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Phase 4 is being built today, between the hospital and the current park. Phase 5, to the far right in the picture, is planned to be built by 2028. The two planned building phases will add about 50,000 square metres to the park. Photo: Fartein Rudjord
You can read more about the expansion plans, and see the building site live, at the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park website.
CellFIT workshop in Trondheim
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénHow can manufacturing of T cell therapies be improved?
This was a key question at a workshop organised by the CellFIT project in Trondheim last week. The seminar brought together project partners and experts as they tried to address one of the biggest challenges for cell-based cancer therapy – efficient and scalable production.
“One of the key reasons why patients relapse after CAR T-cell therapy is that the therapeutic T cells do not persist in the patients after infusion. We know that patients that have cancer-reactive stem-cell like memory T cells respond better to treatment and these cells persist for a very long time, but these cells are rare. In the CellFit project we will optimize T cell manufacturing to produce more of these T cells for therapy. OUS has a central role in CAR-T cell development and manufacturing, and can test this in patient T cells,” commented Else Marit Inderberg, PhD, Senior Scientist, Group Leader, Head of Immunomonitoring, Department of Oncology, Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital.
ThermoFisher is one of the project partners and contributes with innovative reagents to ensure optimal growth factors for the cells.
“The Thermo Fisher Scientific team greatly appreciated the workshop and opportunity to meet face-to-face with the team and workshop participants. The presentations were of high quality covering important parts of cell therapy development from the development of novel CAR-T receptors, high-complex assays and initiatives to bring new cell therapies to patients via the ACT center. Already looking forward to the next workshop!” commented Tuva Holt Hereng, Senior Manager R&D Cell Therapy at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
State-of-the-art facilities
The day before the workshop, project partners were given a tour of the SINTEF Labs in Trondheim.
“It was great to welcome both the CellFit team and the workshop participants in Trondheim! Being close to the SINTEF labs a facility tour was a nice way to show some of the infrastructure used for high-throughput process development for the CellFit project. We also got great speakers that showed us the forefront of T-cell therapy development, which was both inspiring and very impressive,” commented Hanne Haslene-Hox, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, SINTEF.
Hanne Haslene-Hox, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, SINTEF gave a tour of the SINTEF labs in Trondheim. Photo: Dave Tippett
Public-private collaboration
To improve therapeutic efficacy, increased collaboration between manufacturers (industries) and patient treatment centers (hospitals) is needed.
“Supporting the scientists and stakeholders in the CellFit Project will help to assure that we reach collective goals. Oslo Cancer Cluster supports this project by providing advisory and opportunities for dissemination of knowledge to the wider oncology ecosystem,” commented Charlotte Wu Homme, Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Else Marit Inderberg, PhD, Senior Scientist, Group Leader, Head of Immunomonitoring, Department of Oncology, Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital and Charlotte Wu Homme, Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster. Photo: Dave Tippett
About CellFIT
The primary aim for the CellFit project is to define optimal growth conditions for improved manufacturing of therapeutically active T cells. Established in 2021 and funded by The Research Council of Norway, the CellFit Project is a collaboration led by Oslo University Hospital, Department of Cellular Therapy. The project includes project partners Oslo Cancer Cluster, SINTEF, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
For more information, please visit the CellFIT website.
First demonstration of universal cancer vaccine
/in External, News /by Sofia LindénNew data shows 27% improved survival for malignant mesothelioma patients in the NIPU trial.
Positive results from the NIPU trial announced last night show the combination of a universal cancer vaccine and checkpoint inhibitors in patients with malignant mesothelioma reduces the risk of death by 27%.
“For patients with malignant mesothelioma, few treatment options are available after first-line chemotherapy. The NIPU study showed that patients receiving UV1 vaccination as add-on to nivolumab and ipilimumab experienced an increased objective response rate and a clinically meaningful prolonged survival. These encouraging results provide a foundation for advancing further clinical development with UV1 vaccination in mesothelioma patients,” said Principal Investigator of the NIPU clinical trial, Professor Åslaug Helland, MD Ph.D.
Åslaug Helland, Principal Investigator of the NIPU clinical trial. Photo: Per Marius Didriksen, Oslo University Hospital
The ‘gold standard’
This is the first demonstration of the efficacy and therapeutic impact of a universal cancer vaccine in a Phase II trial. The universal cancer vaccine is the lead product of the Norwegian biotech company Ultimovacs, which is developing novel immunotherapies against cancer. The vaccine is currently being tested in five Phase II trials on different cancer indications.
“We are thrilled to announce the highly advantageous results from the first randomized UV1 Phase II trial, marking a major milestone for Ultimovacs. Overall survival is the ‘gold standard’ in cancer treatment. We believe these data support further development in mesothelioma, and we are looking forward to discussing the results with the regulatory authorities,” said Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs.
Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs. Photo: Ultimovacs
Since malignant mesothelioma is a hard-to-treat cancer, the positive results from the NIPU trial give cause for optimism in the ongoing Ultimovacs’ trials for other cancer indications too, including malignant melanoma, head and neck cancer, ovarian cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.
In October 2023, the FDA ranted Orphan Drug Designation for UV1 in the treatment of mesothelioma, but there is still a way to go before the drug reaches the market. The treatment has to be assessed in a Phase III trial and undergo regulatory approval before becoming widely available.
Improved survival and response rate
Oslo University Hospital leads the NIPU study with support from Ultimovacs and Bristol-Myers Squibb. It includes 118 patients from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Australia. The patients are in second-line treatment, which means they already received chemotherapy without beneficial results and have no other treatment options.
The patients were divided into two randomized groups: 59 patients received the universal cancer vaccine in combination with checkpoint inhibitors, and the other group received only checkpoint inhibitors. Results show that patients who received the universal cancer vaccine had a prolonged survival rate and a significantly better objective response rate. This means the patients lived longer and more patients’ tumours shrunk than in the control arm. In addition, the treatment showed no added side effects.
“We want to extend our gratitude to the patients and their families, as well as the dedicated investigators and all our supporters whose invaluable contributions made this study possible,” Helland commented.
For more information, please read the press release from Ultimovacs or follow the company’s webcast on Mon, Oct 23 2023 at 14:30 (CET).
Statsbudsjettet 2024
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenHer er de viktigste sakene i statsbudsjettet 2024 for Oslo Cancer Clusters medlemmer.
Vi har sett nærmere på statsbudsjettet for neste år, og funnet disse lyspunktene for våre medlemmer.
Ekstra til tidligfase
En gründerpakke på 220 millioner kroner ligger ligger bakt inn i statsbudsjettet. 70 millioner av disse kronene skal gå til å styrke Innovasjon Norges ordninger for etablerere og vekstselskap. I tillegg foreslår regjeringen å sette av 150 millioner kroner til investeringer i tidligfasebedrifter gjennom Investinor. Dette er gode nyheter, mener Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
En liten justering og påminnelse er likevel på sin plass.
– Samtidig, med tanke på nye bioteknologiselskap innen kreft, trengs en kraftigere innsats om vi skal lykkes med å tiltrekke og utvikle ideene. Lange utviklingsløp krever betydelig risikoavlastende kapital i tidlig fase. For eksempel hentet nylig radiofarmasiselskapet ArtBio inn 250 millioner kroner bare på en første investeringsrunde, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Les mer om ArtBios første investeringsrunde i MedWatch.
Persontilpasset medisin
Et tilskudd på 110,9 millioner kroner foreslås videreført fra 2023 til persontilpasset medisin. Tilskuddet finansierer blant annet etablering og drift av nasjonalt genomsenter, infrastruktur for presisjonsdiagnostikk (InPred) og det nasjonale kompetansenettverket innenfor persontilpasset medisin (NorPreM). Ketil Widerberg mener at det er gledelig at persontilpasset medisin blir prioritert videre til neste år.
Les mer om CONNECT på konsortiets hjemmeside.
I en helhetlig satsing på persontilpasset medisin, er diagnostikk og spesielt gentester vesentlige ingredienser.
– Gentester burde satses på i større grad.
Kartlegger helsekatapult
Tilskuddene til testfasiliteter for oppstartsbedrifter skal økes som et ledd i regjeringens politikk for en grønn omstilling av norsk næringsliv. Konkret vil det si 26 millioner kroner mer til testfasiliteter gjennom Sivas katapultordning i 2024.
Per i dag finnes fem sentre under katapultordningen. De dekker produksjonsteknologi, materialteknologi, digitalisering, hav og marin teknologi og fornybar energi. Det finnes ikke noe eget katapultsenter for helse, men helse var blant fire prioriterte områder i forprosjekter som ble gjennomført i 2019/2020 for ny utlysning av ordningen. I regjeringens veikart for helsenæringen, som ble lansert i august, ba regjeringen Siva, i samarbeid med Forskningsrådet og Innovasjon Norge, om å utrede hvordan helsenæringen i større grad kan få nytte av katapultordningen. Nå øremerkes to millioner statsbudsjettkroner til en slik kartlegging, som del av de nevnte 26 millionene til testfasiliteter. Ketil Widerberg er glad for det.
Totalt får ordningene Norsk katapult og Grønn plattform 214,3 millioner kroner i 2024.
Regjeringens pressemelding kan leses her.
Helsenæring som eksport
Regjeringen foreslår å sette 94,7 millioner kroner inn på å fremme norsk eksport i 2024. Det er en økning på 45 millioner kroner, som et ledd i eksportreformen Hele Norge eksporterer, der helsenæring er ett av årets to nye satsingsområder, som blir lansert av regjeringen i løpet av høsten.
Budsjettpengene går først og fremst til Innovasjon Norges internasjonale satsinger, stiftelsen Norwegian Energy Partners (Norwep), arbeid med eksportprogrammet og profilering. De ulike eksportsatsingene presenteres som prosjekter i denne posten, og har ikke fått øremerkede midler.
Nasjonal kreftstrategi
Til neste år vil regjeringen presentere en oppdatert kreftstrategi, som også skal tre i kraft til neste år. Det følger ingen budsjettmidler med.
I den nye strategien skal ny kunnskap på kreftområdet ivaretas, samtidig som de fem overordnede målene videreføres fra nåværende strategi:
Han understreker at ulike samarbeid må være en del av selve strategien.
– Vi har flere etablerte samarbeidsarenaer som vi må videreutvikle, som den norske mission huben, CONNECT-samarbeidet på presisjonsmedisin, og helseklyngesamarbeidet. Det er også rom for bedre samarbeid mellom norske og internasjonale institusjoner, mellom offentlige og private aktører, og på tvers av nasjonale siloer. Hvordan vi samarbeider må være en integrert del av en kreftstrategi – og en mulighet til å få til mer uten flere budsjettkroner, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Les mer om den norske mission huben på cancermission.no.
Ny helseteknologiordning
Helse- og omsorgstjenestene skal bli enklere og mer brukervennlige. Derfor foreslår regjeringen 150 millioner kroner til en ny helseteknologiordning, og 100 millioner kroner til utvikling av digital samhandling i helse- og omsorgssektoren. En helseteknologiordning skal gi kommunene drahjelp for å investere i og ta i bruk helseteknologi. Kommunene kan søke om tilskudd for å skaffe digitale løsninger og finne leverandører.
Til grunn ligger en ramme på 1,25 milliarder kroner over seks år for å gjennomføre de nasjonale tiltakene for digital samhandling. Her gjelder det å bruke pengene smart, og etablere det vi mangler innen helseteknologi.
– For å gjøre bruk av ny teknologi i helse, mangler vi etablerte prosesser, budsjetter og samarbeid om helseteknologi, slik som vi har på legemidler. Spesielt blir dette tydelig for digitale løsninger, sier Ketil Widerberg.
Andre kreftrelaterte bevilgninger
Vite mer om statsbudsjettet 2024? Du finner alle budsjettdokumentene på regjeringen.no.
SurViva joins Oslo Cancer Cluster
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénMeet the newest member of Oslo Cancer Cluster – SurViva, a Norwegian consultancy providing quality guidance for life science companies.
“Cancer research is one of SurViva’s strategic areas of focus, as this is an area where Norway clearly has the potential to develop innovative treatments and value-creating businesses. SurViva is joining Oslo Cancer Cluster to offer our comprehensive Quality package enabling businesses to more efficiently turn great science into lifesaving products,” said Astrid Hilde Myrset, CEO of SurViva.
SurViva is a small Norwegian consultancy offering services including quality assurance (QA) and customised digital quality management systems (eQMS) to health start-ups.
“Quality assurance and the establishment of a quality management system may represent a significant hurdle for small developing companies. Historically, the solution for the individual company has been to employ a QA in a 100% position. A newly hired QA is often alone, may have limited experience, and can easily end up creating resource-intensive systems that can grow out of proportion and require an unnecessary amount of time and expense for the company,” said Myrset.
Focus on quality
SurViva works to grow a pool of quality expertise available for several companies in parallel, to accelerate product development and promote industrial growth.
“In this way, the individual company can get started with its quality system at the right time and have flexible access to qualified resources at any time throughout the development process. When desirable, own QA personnel may be hired, and by having access to a competence pool, it will be easier to make smart choices based on shared experiences and expertise,” said Myrset.
Helping developing companies
SurViva became a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster in September 2023 to contribute to the organisation’s vision of accelerating cancer treatments and diagnostics that improve patients’ lives.
“We think our vision is very well aligned with Oslo Cancer Cluster’s vision. Our Quality package will save time and costs for developing companies, and thus enable accelerated development of new cancer treatments,” said Myrset.
New research on genetic risk and breast cancer
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénHow a simple saliva test can reveal the risk of breast cancer in the Norwegian population.
A study by the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital and OÜ Antegenes looking into Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) and breast cancer in Norway was recently published in the journal MDPI Cancer. PRS technology is a type of genetic test that can reveal an individual’s risk of developing cancer.
“The study was initiated to assess the possibility of using a combination of genetic markers for a given woman here in Norway to predict the risk of developing breast cancer over her life,” said Eivind Hovig, Professor at the Department of Bioinformatics at the University of Oslo, and one of the co-authors to the article.
Early detection
Every year, there are close to 4 200 new breast cancer cases and almost 600 deaths from breast cancer in Norway, according to reports from the Norwegian Cancer Registry. Early detection is crucial for survival, but almost 40 per cent of breast cancer cases are not diagnosed at an early stage.
“The results indeed indicate that it is entirely feasible to apply such a predictor meaningfully in a Norwegian context,” said Hovig.
Personalised screening
Current breast cancer screening in Norway is implemented for women at age 50-69, but approximately 20 per cent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in younger women. These tests can potentially be used to identify younger women with a higher risk and lead to a more personalised screening approach.
“As the application of such a predictor may have implications for management of patients with high risk scores, it may lead to different screening strategies and a better understanding of the risk profiles of these patients,” added Hovig.
The PRS test used in the study was developed by the Estonian company Antegenes. The study was conducted as a part of AnteNOR, a project that investigates how PRS can be implemented for prevention and early detection of breast cancer in Norway.
A roadmap for the health industry
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénHow will Norway commercialise research and turn health into a green export success?
The roadmap for the health industry was released today by Ingvild Kjerkol, Minister of Health and Care Services, and Jan Christian Vestre, Minister of Industry, Trade and Fisheries. The roadmap includes 12 focus areas and 41 actions, which the two ministries have worked together with industry to identify.
Commercialising research
One of the focus areas is testing and piloting of novel health solutions.
“We will become better at commercialising research results and create industry. We want the state to contribute considerably more so companies have access to testing facilities, so they can develop their solutions. We will develop the catapult scheme for the health industry,” said Vestre.
Today there is no health catapult in Norway. SIVA, the Research Council of Norway and Innovation Norway will now investigate how the health industry can better utilise the catapult scheme.
“The health clusters are ready to contribute! Based on work we did in 2019 and 2020, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster and Norway Health Tech have set up Health Catalyst, a national arena for developing, testing and piloting novel solutions in health. Among other things, we have signed an agreement to collaborate with Nortrials,” commented Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
A green export opportunity
In 2021, the Norwegian health industry had a total turnover of NOK 65 billion, where NOK 22 billion came from export alone, according to a Menon Economics report (2023).
“The health industry has a natural place in a low emission society. We believe we can increase the export from the health industry considerably, and this will contribute to solve global challenges and create workplaces in our own country,” commented Vestre and added there will be additional funding for this.
The Norwegian health industry is united through the clusters and is ready to contribute as the government launches this historical investment.
“When we work with pharma and biotech, we create green workplaces. We work to establish national production, local testing, and precision medicine, which will shorten value chains, as well as decrease transport and logistics,” commented Widerberg.
A supercluster is needed
The Norwegian clusters were also mentioned especially for their ability to facilitate collaboration and knowledge transfer between large and small companies, and research environments – which will strengthen the success of Norwegian export.
“We want to clarify that the three internationally renowned, National Centres of Expertise (NCE) clusters in health, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster and Norway Health Tech, wish to unite into a supercluster.
“We hope the revised cluster programme builds on an understanding that all parties must contribute to the development and financing of the clusters to make public-private collaboration a reality,” commented Widerberg.
Towards a Cancer Mission?
Kjerkol also mentioned several actions that will make a big difference for the development of cancer therapeutics and diagnostics in Norway. These include:
“Oslo Cancer Cluster is delighted that input we have made over the last two years towards public policy are taken seriously in this roadmap, but there is still work to do. Our project CONNECT shows the opportunities of public-private collaboration in implementation of precision medicine including regulatory innovation. We applaud that the government wants to build on this.”
“We believe these combined efforts represent the first steps towards Norway making its mark internationally and are a contribution to the European Mission on Cancer,” said Widerberg.
Oslo Cancer Cluster has set up a hub to pursue the EU’s Cancer Mission nationally, together with the Research Council of Norway, the Cancer Society and several other key players.
Personalised medicine to relieve the health service
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénSmaller patient groups and targeted treatments are the future of cancer care in Norway.
It is no longer a question of if but when personalised medicine will be a reality for all cancer patients in Norway. This was a key message in a recent meeting arranged by the public-private consortium CONNECT during Arendalsuka, where the resource crisis in the health service was discussed.
Forward-looking health authorities
Ulrich Spreng, Chief Medical Officer of the South-Eastern Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst), underlined how critical personalised treatments will be in the future. Spreng sits in the Decision Forum of New Methods, the national system that manages the introduction of new treatments in Norway. The Decision Forum looks at three criteria; the severity of the disease, the effect of the treatment and the resources it requires.
“If you can target treatment better according to an individual patient’s genetic profile, there will be a greater effect. This makes it easier to implement that drug since it is a different relationship between resources and effect than when you treat a large patient group where many do not have an effect. It is important for us to separate a total patient group into subgroups according to their genetic profile. This is very exciting for New Methods!” Spreng commented.
Urgent lack of resources
The Norwegian health service faces a lack of resources and personnel, according to an investigation by the Health Personnel Commission in 2022. Gro Live Fagereng, Coordinator Precision Cancer Medicine at Oslo University Hospital, agreed this is a major challenge:
“We have limited time and finances in the health service, so we must prioritise the available resources. Both personalised medicine and research in general form the basis for making the best priorities. We need to invest in research to make the most of our resources. I hope and believe we will have a more systematic and learning health service in the future; that we will learn more from patients, so we can update treatments and make better priorities.”
Åsmund Flobak, oncologist at St. Olavs Hospital, explained how personalised medicine enables us to learn from patients:
“Traditionally, we have treated patients on a group level, but we know that patients are different; some respond and some do not. The goal is to find out which biomarkers relate to which treatments. We have worked to establish publicly financed precision diagnostics through InPreD and we give patients precision treatment through IMPRESS. A third of us will at some point get cancer, so we must implement better treatments.”
Watch this video (in Norwegian) to understand personalised medicine:
Health economists also agree that this strategy can help to save resources.
“When a patient gets the right treatment, you avoid giving a treatment that doesn’t work well enough first and there are fewer side effects. The consequence is less use of resources in the health service and we can live better lives,” commented Erik Magnus Sæther, Partner at Oslo Economics.
Public-private collaboration needed
Karoline Knutsen, Manager Market Access at Legemiddelindustrien (LMI), said that the vision for the future looks grim:
“The number of people of working age will decrease, while there will be more elderly in need of health services. We will see more chronically ill people with complex diseases. We believe new technologies and treatments are part of the solution, so more of us can keep working. The success of implementation of personalised medicine relies not just on financial investments, but also on contributions from many key players and stakeholders. Everyone must sit around the same table.”
CONNECT was set up to be that table, as a public-private consortium driving the implementation of precision cancer medicine in Norway. Since 2020, CONNECT has gathered 30 partners, including industry, patient organisations, university hospitals and several governmental institutions.
“We need to nurture this collaboration, develop it and use it in more areas,” commented Thomas Axelsen, Head of Politics at the Norwegian Cancer Society. “Personalised medicine in cancer needs to happen, no matter what. It is just about how fast we want it to happen. If we do it faster, we can save patients’ lives.”
Political ambitions
The government’s ambition is also high in this area, as seen in the Strategy for Personalised Medicine launched in January 2022.
“Personalised medicine should be an integrated part of the specialist health service. We need to develop the health service in a way that maximises value creation, both for the individual and for society as a whole,” said Truls Vasvik, State Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
“Our doors are always open. We need to talk together about the development of competences, research and new price models; how we can get documentation of small patient groups and single treatments with uncertain long-term effects,” added Vasvik.
Arendalsuka: – We need to attract the big companies
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénNorway needs more big companies to deliver on the Mission on Cancer.
The European Union has launched the Mission on Cancer with the goal to improve the lives of 3 million Europeans. In the recent meeting Fremtidens kreftbehandling during Arendalsuka, key experts and politicians gathered to discuss the implications of this for Norway. See the meeting here. See the meeting here.
“With missions, we need to mobilise all resources in society towards a common goal. This is a new way to work and it challenges the established system. It is a historic investment from the EU; they are leaving no stone unturned in the fight against cancer,” said Astrid Bjerke, strategic adviser for the Norwegian Cancer Society.
A Norwegian Cancer Mission Hub has already been set up in Norway by several stakeholders, including Cancer Society, Oslo Cancer Cluster, The Research Council, The Norwegian Health Directorate, the Cancer Registry of Norway, and more.
“Norway is a part of the Mission on Cancer and this is important both for the ministry and from political leadership. EU has seen that we have to work together in the area of health. It is important that Norway is a part of this, because it also gives us possibilities.
“We have a great health service and fantastic health data, which we need to take better advantage of. We have a high degree of knowledge and fabulous research environments, as well as a population with a high degree of trust. Many positive things are happening, but we need to attract the big companies and their competence,” said Cathrine Lofthus, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
Successful industry collaborations
Idar Kreutzer, director of The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), gave several historic examples of how Norway has built industries based on public-private collaboration, such as water power and the oil industry.
“We were impressed when we saw the power of the development of vaccines during the pandemic, which was a real collaboration between authorities, researchers and industry – with impressive results! The health industry is already exporting for more than NOK 20 billion per year, but the potential is even larger and Norway has perfect conditions to grow a health industry,” said Kreutzer.
One example of a current collaboration between academia and industry is the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, which is expanding and has recently signed a lease agreement with the global company Thermo Fisher Scientific.
“We are doing many of the right things in Norway from basic research to patient treatment, but we need to look at the whole ecosystem. We built this ecosystem in miniature around the Radium Hospital, because this is where most of the cancer patients come through and most cancer research is done. It has been a difficult journey, but we have a very exciting pipeline with several up-and-coming companies and promising treatments,” said Jónas Einarsson, CEO of Radforsk Investment Fund and founder of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Is there political will?
There seemed to be broad political consensus around the Cancer Mission among the politicians at the meeting.
“Missions and the EU’s work in this area is a part of our new cancer strategy and we have to collaborate on this, as well as collaborate with the EU. The mission concept is nothing new. It is first and foremost about achieving collaboration between the health service and the industry. Our cancer strategy will lay the basis for this: to gather all resources around a common goal,” said Even Røed, the Labour Party (Norway).
“We need to replace the income from oil and gas with new industries, which need to have large potentials. All Nordic countries have managed to make their health industries grow. Now we have the opportunity in Norway. The health service, academic milieus and industry are already gathering momentum, but there is a lack of political will. Norway has joined the Mission on Cancer, but how will it be implemented in Norway? There needs to be political will to build the health industry,” said Alfred Bjørlo, the Liberal Party (Norway).
“This is a really exciting method, to involve civil society, industry and academic milieus. I am most concerned about this being politically anchored. Will we see it when the new Cancer Strategy is presented? Will we see the Minister of Health together with the Minister of Industry and a representative from the European Union? Will we be connected to the Europen Union, or will this be a Norwegian hobby project, where we don’t take advantage of the big advantages we have?” asked Kristoffer Robin Haug, Green Party (Norway).
The meeting was organised by Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Cancer Society, Legemiddelindustrien LMI, MSD Norway, Janssen Norway and AstraZeneca Norway. Thank you to our collaboration partners!
Arendalsuka 2023
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénMøt oss i Arendal! Vi skal sette kreftinnovasjon på den politiske dagsorden!
Våre arrangementer streames direkte via vår YouTube-kanal @OsloCancerCluster.
Fremtidens kreftbehandling
Tirsdag 15. august, kl. 08.00-09.00, Clarion Hotel Tyholmen Sal A
Velkommen til frokostseminar om samfunnsoppdraget kreft.
Hvert år får 3,5 millioner europeere diagnosen kreft. Om utviklingen fortsetter, vil tallet være 4,3 millioner i 2035. Kreft er i dag den vanligste dødsårsaken i Norge og i flere europeiske land. Utfordringen på kreftområdet er med andre ord formidabel – og økende. Nettopp derfor har EU definert kreft som en av fem store samfunnsutfordringer, som har fått sine tilsvarende målrettede samfunnsoppdrag, såkalte missions. Disse oppdragene skal føre til løsningsforslag på vår tids største utfordringer innen miljø, klima og kreft.
Hvordan kan vi best lykkes med et samfunnsoppdrag på kreft i Norge? Hva har helsenæring og eksport med et samfunnsoppdrag på kreft å gjøre? Og er det ønskelig fra politisk hold å bruke missions som metode? Dette er sentrale spørsmål vi vil debattere med politikere og samfunnsaktører under dette frokostseminaret i møteserien Fremtidens kreftbehandling.
Medisinsk innovasjon etter Inflation Reduction Act
Tirsdag 15. august, kl. 14.30-15.30, Clarion Hotel Tyholmen Sal A
Hvordan vil USAs enorme støttepakke til egen industri påvirke medisinsk innovasjon i Europa og Norge?
Amerikanerne har lansert en støttepakke til egen industri, kalt Inflation Reduction Act. Denne vil påvirke investeringer i forskning og innovasjon i USA, og få ringvirkninger for Europa og Norge.
Inflation Reduction Act, som ble vedtatt i amerikansk lov i fjor, skal få fart på det grønne skiftet og redusere inflasjonen i USA. Men kommentatorer peker på at det vel så mye er en gigantisk pakke for å hente industri og arbeidsplasser hjem, blant annet gjennom subsidier. I pakken kommer også en rekke tiltak som påvirker utvikling av legemidler. Blant annet har flere legemiddelselskaper uttrykt bekymring for en betydelig usikkerhet knyttet til investeringer i forskning og utvikling, og at flere fremtidige kliniske studier kan bli satt på pause.
Hvordan skal Europa og Norge svare på dette?
Historisk har Europa vært ledende på medisinsk innovasjon, men de siste tjue årene har vi falt etter USA. I 2002 var forskjellen mellom investeringer i forskning og utvikling i helseteknologi mellom USA og Europa på 2 milliarder euro, og i dag har denne forskjellen blitt 25 milliarder euro. På tross av dette er Europa i en unik situasjon til å ta over lederrollen innen medisinsk innovasjon, med et helsevesen i verdensklasse, og en lang historie innen forskning og utvikling. Når USA nå satser tungt på egen industri, er det en mulighet for Europa til å intensivere sin egen innovasjonskraft innen helse.
Medisinsk innovasjon er avhengig av et levende økosystem mellom private aktører, helsetjenester og akademia. Derfor vil vi invitere aktører fra det norske økosystemet for å diskutere hvordan Europa, inkludert Norge, skal svare på den globale utviklingen som USA nå dytter framover med sin nasjonale støttepakke.
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Abbvie, Photocure
Les mer her
Følg sendingen her
The Future of Digital Health in Norway: Leading the Way
Onsdag 16. august, kl. 13.30-14.30, Rygerelektra
Digital solutions offer significant potential to enhance healthcare delivery and innovation for Norwegian businesses. Despite a multitude of available apps, global downloads, and opportunities, many healthcare systems struggle with effective utilization due to trust issues and market complexity. This event highlights successful European cases, aiming to inspire Norway to become a pioneer in secure and impactful digital healthcare solutions.
Agenda:
13:30 – Introduction and Moderation Presented by Stephen McAdam from DNV
13:35 – Norges strategi for implementering av digitale helse teknologier Presented by Lucie Aunan, Divisjonsdirektør at Direktoratet for eHelse (Presentation in Norwegian)
13:40 – The Importance of Certification for Norwegian Municipalities Presented by Terje Wistner, Director ehealth at KS
13:45 – Sleepio: Experience from the UK and Other Countries (Video)
13:48 – A European Perspective: What’s Working and What’s Not Presented by Liz Ashall Payne, CEO and Founder of Orcha
14:00 – Challenges of Implementing Digital Solutions in Norway Presented by Solvor Øverlien Magi, CEO of Lifeness
14:07 – Round Table Discussion Participants: KS, Lifeness, Orcha, CEO of Norwegian Smart Care Cluster Arild Kristensen representing Norwegian Health clusters
14:25 – Summarizing Comments Presented by Stephen McAdam
14:30 – Closing Remarks
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, The Life Science Cluster, DNV
Les mer her
Kan persontilpasset medisin bidra til å løse ressurskrisen i helsetjenesten?
Onsdag 16. august, kl. 16.30-17.30, Clarion Hotel Tyholmen Sal A
Konsortiet CONNECT inviterer til diskusjon om persontilpasset medisin i lys av ressurskrisen i helsetjenestene.
Hva er de største ressursutfordringene helsetjenesten står overfor – og hvordan kan persontilpasset medisin bidra til å løse disse?
I løpet av denne timen tar vi på oss fremtidsbrillene. Vi ser på hva den nye strategien for persontilpasset medisin sier om utsiktene for mer presis behandling, og hvordan blant annet data fra norske kreftpasienter kan bidra til en mer effektiv bruk av helsepersonell og ressurser.
Både fagfolk og politikere deler sitt syn på hva som vil skape bedre ressursbruk i helsetjenesten i årene framover, og hvilken plass persontilpasset medisin bør få i helsetjenesten.
Arrangører: CONNECT
Les mer her
Følg sendingen her
Du finner mer informasjon om alle arrangementer i Arendal via Arendalsuka.no
AI for more precise radiation therapy
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Sofia LindénArtificial intelligence is changing the way radiation therapy is used to combat cancer.
A Norwegian technology, developed by the company Kongsberg Beam Technology to improve the precision of external beam radiation therapy, is being tested at Oslo University Hospital.
“There are almost half a million Norwegians living with cancer today. Many more cancer patients survive after radiation therapy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the patients get well. What concerns us most today is to create treatment plans with less side effects,” said Karsten Rydén-Eilertsen, Head of Proton Therapy Physics at Oslo University Hospital and responsible for the test project.
Huge developments
Karsten Rydén-Eilertsen has worked with radiation therapy at Oslo University Hospital for 33 years. He remembers when the doctors had to make radiotherapy plans for cancer patients using only 2D X-ray images and palpating the tumour site with their hands. Medical physicists and radiotherapy technicians would calculate the dose using standardised charts.
“I have experienced an explosive development in the field of radiation therapy against cancer. We now only use three- and four-dimensional images that we transfer to a sophisticated treatment planning system, where we can outline the tumour and vital organs in detail. There are advanced algorithms for calculating the exact right doses for the individual patient,” Rydén-Eilertsen explained.
These developments are thanks to major advancements in imaging technology, computer power, programming and data handling.
“The big difference today is that the level of personalisation and precision is much higher. We can deposit a high dose of radiation that can destroy the tumour while sparing healthy tissue,” Rydén-Eilertsen commented.
Still many side-effects
With radiation therapy, doctors aim to eradicate the tumour, while minimizing the damage to healthy tissue and vital organs.
“It is a difficult balancing act, because sometimes the organs are so close to the tumour that you can’t avoid affecting them with radiation. Sometimes, you need to choose between destroying the tumour and keeping a vital organ,” Rydén-Eilertsen said.
This dilemma isn’t unique for radiation therapy, but is also true for other cancer treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy.
“With radiation therapy, you will never have zero radiation dose to the surrounding tissue. There will always be some side-effects. My hope with proton therapy is that these side effects will be reduced,” added Rydén-Eilertsen.
Photons vs. protons
Traditional radiation therapy involves beaming millions of photons through the patient’s body to the tumour. The photons deposit radiation all along their way through the body before exiting. It is not possible to control the photons to only deposit radiation to cancer cells.
“Proton therapy is different. Protons are heavy particles that loose most of their energy the moment they stop. By adjusting their initial speed, you can direct them to deposit most of the radiation dose at the site of the tumour. This means that you don’t affect tissue ‘behind’ the tumour and there is minimal damage ‘in front’ of it. This opens for the possibility to greatly reduce side-effects,” explained Rydén-Eilertsen.
The challenge with protons however is that they are very sensitive to which type of tissue they pass through. The energy loss will be different in bone versus in fat.
“In proton therapy, changes in the patient’s body during treatment are critical. The anatomy of the patient may change from when we take the first CT scan for treatment planning to the day of treatment. A treatment course may take several weeks and involve 30-40 treatment sessions. The anatomy may change both between and during a session. Ideally, one may think that a new plan should be created for every session, but today we don’t have the resources for this. That is why we introduce margins to ensure that the tumour gets properly irradiated every time. Sometimes these margins need to be so large that the patient may still get side-effects,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
First of its kind
This is where the MAMA-K technology developed by Kongsberg Beam Technology comes in. It can build a digital twin of the patient representing their anatomy as accurately as possible. The twin is created by using advanced mathematical models that allow for all image data sets to be combined into a longitudinal, virtual representation of the patient’s anatomy.
“With this mathematical modelling, we can visualize and quantify how the patient’s body, tumour and vital organs change over time, as well as, make an accurate scoring of the accumulated doses to the tumour and organs at risk,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
This system will generate knowledge about how different cancer patients’ bodies, tumours and vital organs change while undergoing radiation therapy and the impact this may have on the delivered dose. This will be valuable when starting up proton therapy centres in Norway.
“The mathematical models may make it possible to even predict anatomical changes and the related consequences for the dosage. Artificial intelligence can tell us how the patient might look in 24 hours, so we can create a treatment plan accordingly. The next day, we can take a new CT image and compare if the AI’s prediction is correct. We can then introduce smaller margins, which will also reduce side-effects,” explained Rydén-Eilertsen.
There are 16 treatment machines that generate 3-dimensional data and 2 000 patient appointments every week at the Radium Hospital, generating a large volume of potential test data, which could map changes in cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.
“These data will be extremely valuable when we enter the era of proton therapy because they will tell us more about how patients’ bodies change. Then we can become better at adapting treatment plans and hitting the tumour directly,” explained Rydén-Eilertsen.
AI to identify organs
The next step will be to adjust the treatment plan while the patient is on the table by using real-time images. To accomplish this, the shape and location of the tumour and organs at risk must be extracted from the images. The use of AI will be crucial to realize the speed needed. AI models to identify different parts of the anatomy must be trained and tested – something Kongsberg Beam Technology hopes to have in place soon.
“One of the biggest workloads in radiation treatment today is that doctors must manually outline the tumour and organs at risk in the CT images. We have already tested AI methods to identify anatomic parts of the body, especially vital organs, and the models are very good at this. To find tumours is a different story. We have tested some models that can find breast tissue, and they work well. I think it is only a matter of technological development. A lot will happen in this area,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
Norwegian proton therapy centres
There are two proton therapy centres being built in Norway and Rydén-Eilertsen believes the MAMA-K technology will be very useful in these centres.
“The exciting part about the establishment of proton therapy is that the number of patients eligible for treatment is quite small, perhaps between 100-200 patients every year, while the capacity of the centres is around 800 patients a year. About 70-80 per cent of patients will be recruited via clinical studies, which have the goal to document that side effects are less with protons than with photons. In this setting, it is super important to know what the patient looks like, and MAMA-K will be a useful tool to achieve this. I don’t know about anyone else that is developing this kind of technology. It is truly unique,” said Rydén-Eilertsen.
Kongsberg Beam Technology is a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster and participating in the Accelerator Programme at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator. Read more about the company at their website https://www.kongsbergbeamtech.com/
Gilead joins Oslo Cancer Cluster
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThe newest member of Oslo Cancer Cluster is Gilead, a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases.
Pascal van Peborgh, Senior Director Medical Affairs for Gilead Nordics answered some questions on why Gilead joins Oslo Cancer Cluster, how they are involved in the cancer field and why the Nordics is an important area for the company.
What is Gilead’s motivation to join Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC)?
“Gilead’s ambition is to build strong partnerships with cancer research centers and oncology-focused organizations to accelerate research and ultimately provide Norwegian patients with novel therapeutic options. We want to work together with other OCC members on basic research topics and in finding ways to provide better access for patients who suffer from cancer. Part of this ambition was why we partnered in the CONNECT public-private partnership.”
Tell us more about Gilead’s investment in cancer and the company’s oncology pipeline.
“Gilead has a long history of bringing innovation to patients in improving patients’ outcomes and at times provided a cure for people facing specific life-threatening infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Gilead is now applying the same approach and commitment to cancer. We have purposefully built a deep and broad oncology portfolio with a focus on trying to address critical unmet needs in oncology care.
“This framework defines our portfolio, with assets that have complementary MOAs and strong scientific rationale for treatment combination opportunities. From antibody-drug conjugates and small molecules to cell therapy-based approaches, our research and development programs are providing new hope for people with overlooked, underserved, and difficult-to-treat cancers.
“This includes many of the most exciting and most promising targets in oncology today, with strong potential across tumor types, lines of treatment, and multiple opportunities for unique combination therapies. We have investigational agents in trials across varied solid tumors: breast, lung, GI, GU, including bladder, among many others. And in blood cancers: MDS, AML, LBCL, adult lymphoblastic leukemia and more. We are well positioned to establish Gilead as a leading Oncology company.”
What do you think about opportunities in Norway, and the Nordics, for the development of new cancer treatments? How do you view the milieus here for cancer research and health industry?
“We see Norway as a pioneer in Precision Medicine, e.g., the CONNECT and IMPRESS initiatives. It has also a strong history of registry data utilization, e.g., and building further new additions to cancer registry like INSPIRE BC and LC. Norway is also highly ranked for cancer research in Europe, with a government and policies supporting the development of precision medicines and clinical trials, with Inven2 and NorTrial being established as examples.
“In addition, the systematization of care in Norway and especially around Oslo University Hospital provides a central node with adequate infrastructure, expertise, and innovation in the cancer research eco-system and more specifically for translational research and clinical trials. Finally, the Oslo University Hospital being an accredited Comprehensive Cancer Center with an extensive international network provides us with further confidence to invest in cancer research in Norway.“
Do you have an ambition to launch cancer clinical trials in the Nordics?
“Our ambition is to continue to initiate new clinical trials within oncology in the Nordics in greater scope, and more specifically in Norway. We at Gilead, view the Nordic countries as having high-quality infrastructure that supports clinical research and studies. The countries have national support functions that provides information and services to researchers that are interested in clinical research – both for observational studies and for clinical interventional studies.
“Gilead, with its own R&D portfolio or through opt-in agreements has currently more than 70 ongoing oncology R&D programs focusing on three therapeutic strategies: triggering tumor intrinsic cell death, promoting immune-mediated tumor killing, and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. To be able to fully deliver on this pipeline we will need close collaboration with clinical and academic research.”
Learn more about the members of Oslo Cancer Cluster by visiting our Member Overview page.
Polygenic risk scores: a European cancer priority
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThe EU is looking to polygenic risk scores to improve prevention and early detection of cancer
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have become one of the focus areas for prevention and early detection of cancer in the European Union’s Mission on Cancer.
“PRS tests can provide a measure of your personal risk of developing a specific disease due to your genes,” explained Krista Kruuv-Käo, project manager of AnteNOR, a project that investigates how PRS can be implemented for prevention and early detection of breast cancer in Norway.
Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan outlines 10 flagship initiatives and number 7 focuses on how cancers develop:
“Alongside the ‘Genomic for Public Health’ project, the European Initiative to Understand Cancer (UNCAN.eu), planned to be launched under the foreseen Mission on Cancer to increase the understanding of how cancers develop, will also help identify individuals at high risk from common cancers using the polygenic risk scores technique. This should facilitate personalised approaches to cancer prevention and care, allowing for actions to be taken to decrease risk or to detect cancer as early as possible.”
What about Norway?
There are about 4 200 new cases and almost 600 deaths due to breast cancer in Norway each year, according to reports from the Norwegian Cancer Registry.
“Early detection of breast cancer can save lives, but approximately 40 per cent of breast cancer cases in Norway are not detected at an early stage. For breast cancer, 31 per cent of all diagnoses are due to genetic predisposition and many women develop cancer before they reach the screening age of 50,” Kruuv-Käo commented.
There are already genetic tests in the Norwegian specialist healthcare service for monogenic pathogenic variants, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, but not on a population-wide basis. PRS tests have not been implemented yet, although they are both cheaper and can identify more women with a moderate to high risk of developing breast cancer.
Improving cancer screening
The results of the AnteNOR project were recently presented at a meeting organized by the Norwegian Cancer Mission Hub.
“The project shows that PRS tests can be used for effective risk stratification for population-wide breast screening. By introducing genetic risk testing with PRS tests and monogenic testing, the women with moderate to high risk of developing breast cancer can be identified before the screening age of 50 years. With a personalised screening programme, some women may need to screen earlier and more often, while others can go to screenings less frequently in the future,” Kruuv-Käo explained.
Estonia is already preparing for the introduction of a personalized breast cancer screening program, and the plan is to launch it this year. Will Norway follow?
New targeted therapy against osteosarcoma
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Sofia LindénA new cancer treatment against osteosarcoma has been developed in the labs of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
A new target for CAR therapy against osteosarcoma has been discovered in the Translational Research Unit at the Department of Cellular Therapy (Olso University Hospital). The results of their research, which was completed in the laboratories of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, were recently published in an article in Nature Communications.
“CAR is a new type of molecule. It stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor. It is part of a bigger family of cancer treatments called immunotherapy, in which you use the immune system of the patient to fight cancer,” explained Sébastien Wälchli, who has co-led this research project with Else Marit Inderberg.
A unique molecule
Chimeric antigen receptor therapy (CAR T) is a cancer treatment in which a patient’s T cells (a type of immune cell often referred to as the “foot soldiers” of the immune system) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells.
“In the case of the CAR, we help the immune system to recognize cancer cells by putting in a completely artificial receptor. The key part of the receptor is the recognition site, so it will guide the immune cell to the tumour. Normally, we need a molecule that can recognize a cancer marker. The molecule of choice is an antibody,” said Wälchli.
The antibody that Wälchli’s group used was first isolated by clinical researcher and sarcoma expert Prof. Øyvind Bruland in 1986.
”We designed the CAR based on this antibody by using its coding sequence. This antibody is quite unique because it recognizes the marker on the surface of lung metastasis of osteosarcoma. We created a Osteosarcoma CAR (OSCAR) molecule to see if we could use the power of this antibody in immunotherapy and the results published in Nature Communications prove that we can,” explained Wälchli.
A full preclinical validation
The preclinical development of the treatment took place in the laboratories of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator which are fully equipped for such a process.
“We did a full preclinical validation of OSCAR using devices installed at the incubators for the in vitro and further tested it in vivo using different animal models where we mimicked what would happen in human. Our colleagues in Barcelona tested the injection of tumour cells directly into the bone of mice and observed a lower progression of cancer in the mice treated with OSCAR T cells, than we,” said Wälchli.
Furthermore, the group did experiments to check the toxicity of OSCAR T cells.
“We tried to predict using different healthy tissues if this CAR would only recognize tumour cells and spare healthy tissues. We concluded that it was safe, but before you inject it in human, you will never know for sure,” said Wälchli.
What is osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer and affects many children and older people. It is quite well-treated with chemotherapy, but when it metastasizes to the lungs, it becomes more difficult to treat. Surgery can slow down the progression, but the cancer can reappear.
“This is where our hearts brought us. We are not choosing cancer by patient. We always talk with the clinicians. When we first discussed with Bruland, we did not know much about osteosarcoma. He told us about patients who have absolutely no alternative,” Wälchli explained.
There are other CARs in development against osteosarcoma globally, and some have already reached clinical phase, but none cover all patients.
“In the seminal paper of Bruland in 1986, they checked the biobank and estimated that 90 per cent of all osteosarcoma patients were positive to this antigen. This was confirmed by our collaborators in Spain. According to the first estimate, it looks like this marker is the most important that has been described so far,” said Wälchli.
Oncology innovators presented in Boston
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThree Nordic start-ups pitched at the International Cancer Cluster Showcase 2023.
This year’s International Cancer Cluster Showcase (ICCS) featured 20 emerging oncology companies that presented their recent innovations, partnering and investment opportunities on 5 June 2023 in Boston, as a satellite event to BIO International Convention.
The companies were selected by innovation hubs in the United States (Massachusetts & Philadelphia), Quebec, Norway, the UK Golden Triangle, Switzerland, France, and Taiwan.
“BIO International Convention is one of the largest gatherings of biotechnology and life sciences professionals from around the world. It provides an excellent platform for companies to network with potential partners, investors, customers, and collaborators. Via being part of the ICCS program emerging oncology companies get special visibility and exposure at the start of BIO. For those searching for collaboration, partnering and investment opportunities ICCS is an efficient format to meet 20 companies from international hubs and learn about their latest science, technologies, and (mostly preclinical) assets,” commented Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs, Oslo Cancer Cluster and coordinator of the ICCS programme.
Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs at Oslo Cancer Cluster, welcomed the audience to the 12th International Cancer Cluster Showcase.
Promising Norwegian companies
NaDeNo, Hemispherian and One-Carbon Therapeutics represented the Nordic region during the event, which included four-minute pitches from each company.
“Attending the BIO International conference for the first time as a small Norwegian start-up we highly appreciated the opportunity to share our story to a larger audience! Being visible in this way accelerates new relationships and valuable networking, and it really kick-started the conference for us. Many thanks to OCC for giving us this opportunity,” commented Annbjørg Falck, CEO and co-founder of NaDeNo.
Adam Robertson, CSO of Hemispherian, presented one of the Nordic companies.
“The International Cancer Cluster Showcase presents a tremendous opportunity for Hemispherian to showcase our pharmaceutical development program on a global stage. This international exposure serves to highlight the exceptional nature of our technology and the expertise of our team. We are thrilled to have the privilege of presenting alongside other outstanding companies, which also provides us with a platform to showcase the rapidly growing Norwegian biotechnology sector. The event allows us to further establish Hemispherian’s reputation, attract attention to our innovative approach, and foster collaborations in the fight against cancer,” commented Adam Robertson, CSO of Hemispherian.
Returning to Boston
This was the 12th edition of the International Cancer Cluster Showcase. Since 2012, the event has presented about 200 oncology start-ups and biotech companies as a satellite event to BIO International Convention and now returned to Boston where this format was started. The event connects emerging oncology companies from different innovation hubs with potential partners from the global oncology community gathering at BIO.
The International Cancer Cluster Showcase 2023 was organized by Cambridge Innovation Partners, Montréal InVivo, The Wistar Institute, Oslo Cancer Cluster, OBN, Biopôle and Matwin.
The event was kindly sponsored by Precision for Medicine, BIO and The Wistar Institute.
Cancer start-ups met investors
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Sofia LindénUS healthcare and life science investors wanted to learn about Norwegian cancer companies.
Cancer entrepreneurs caught the attention of investors from the USA when they introduced their innovative ideas at a meeting in the Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator last week.
“I was impressed by the Norwegian healthcare infrastructure and local entrepreneurial talent, which together serve as a catalyst for start-up innovation in the cancer field and wanted to learn more about how others can collaborate with this unique and world-class ecosystem,” commented Sandeep Vardhan, Managing Director at Kalpesh Ventures, one of the investors at the meeting.
The speakers were put to the test to present their companies in under five minutes. Topics ranged from novel drug targets in cancer immunotherapy and clinical decision support tools to machine-learning on colonoscopies and real-world evidence to accelerate drug development.
Taking ideas to market
“Competent investors is often key to success. That knowledgeable US investors invest time and energy in Norwegian cancer innovation and want to learn about the companies in the Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is a good sign. It is our job to connect start-ups with global investors and life science networks – so that they can succeed with taking their ideas to market,” commented Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Maria C. Lundstad Aulie was also at the meeting in her new role as Investment Manager Health and Life Sciences Oslo, Invest in Norway, Innovation Norway.
“I am excited about the interest shown in the Norwegian life science industry. An Alumina group from Colombia University, consisting of nine investors and entrepreneurs with competence and interest in health and life science, recently came to Norway to learn more about our health landscape. I am happy to work together Oslo Cancer Cluster to help follow up on every potential lead that can strengthen our health ecosystem. This visit was also a great start as I just started a new position working with the US market as well as with international investments into the health and life science industry in the bigger Oslo region,” commented Aulie.
See the presenters below:
Andreas Petlund, CEO of Augere Medical.
Christian Jonasson, Research Director of NordicRWE.
Bjarte Håvik, Project Leader at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Ernest Aw, Research Manager and Business Developer of Thelper.
Mark Tyrell, Chief Medical & Executive Officer at Vitae Evidence.
Forenkler testing av helseteknologi sammen
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Eirik WaulaThe following article is in Norwegian. It is about a new collaboration agreement between NorTrials Medical Equipment and HealthCatalyst with the aim to develop Norway as a test nation for health technologies. Please visit the Health Catalyst website if you want more information about the initiative.
NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr har inngått en samarbeidsavtale med HealthCatalyst AS for å utvikle Norge som testnasjon for helseteknologi.
Akselererer innovasjon i helsesektoren
HealthCatalyst AS er et samarbeid mellom de tre norske helseklyngene Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Oslo Cancer Cluster og Norway Health Tech. Selskapet har som mål å bygge et ledende globalt test- og innovasjonssenter som utvikler Norges posisjon som en unik testside for fremtidens helse- og teknologitjenester.
HealthCatalyst AS er et non-profit selskap som eies med like deler av de tre klyngene. Selskapet vil bidra til økt konkurransekraft og økt verdi for den norske helseindustrien. Selskapet vil også bidra til å akselerere innovasjonsprosessen fra ide til marked for å skape robuste selskaper innen digital helse, medisinsk robotikk, og innenfor kunstig intelligens (AI). Dette vil bidra til å tiltrekke store utenlandske aktører til å legge test/utviklingsoppdrag i Norge.
NorTrials er et samarbeid mellom regionale helsemyndigheter og organisasjonene for legemiddel- og medisinteknisk industri, etablert på oppdrag fra Helse- og omsorgsdepartementet i 2021. Målet med NorTrials er å styrke og effektivisere kliniske studier i Norge gjennom å tilby et samarbeidsnettverk mellom ulike aktører i helse- og forskningssektoren.
Medisinsk utstyr er helt sentralt i det meste av diagnostikk og behandling av pasienter i sykehusene. Kliniske studier i forskning, utvikling og utprøving av medisinsk utstyr (teknologi) er noe de fleste sykehus driver med i større eller mindre grad, enten i egen forskning, samarbeidsprosjekter med universiteter og forskningsinstitutter, eller i samarbeid med industri. NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr er lagt til St. Olavs hospital HF.
Testkonsept for digitale løsninger
Samarbeidet mellom HealthCatalyst AS og NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr vil blant annet omfatte et felles kontaktpunkt for brukere der bedrifter, helsepersonell og forskere kan ta kontakt og få hjelp til det videre løp. Det vil også innebære utvikling av testkonseptet for digitale løsninger, inkludert forretningsmodeller, post market evaluering og tjenestemodeller. Internasjonal markedsføring vil også være en del av samarbeidet.
For å sikre at samarbeidet utvikler seg som begge parter ønsker, vil det etableres en styringsgruppe og en arbeidsgruppe. Arbeidsgruppen vil ha ansvaret for å definere konkrete oppgaver og aktiviteter for samarbeidet og legge til rette for at samarbeidet utvikler seg positivt. Det vil utvikles en strategi med handlingsplan for samarbeidet.
Milepæl for norsk helseteknologi
Dette samarbeidet vil være en milepæl for norsk helseteknologi og vil bidra til å øke Norges posisjon som en testnasjon for helseteknologi. Det vil også være et viktig bidrag til å utvikle norsk helseindustri og skape nye arbeidsplasser.
Foto: Thor Nielsen
Thomas Langø, faglig leder NorTrials Medisinsk utstyr. Foto: Nortrails
Jan Gunnar Skogås, senterleder NorTrials Medisinsk Utstyr. Foto: Nortrials
Oslo Cancer Cluster strengthens the board
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénPatient and industry perspectives are key as new board members join Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, CEO of the Norweigan Cancer Society, and Leif Rune Skymoen, general manager of the Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Norway (Legemiddelindustrien – LMI) were voted into the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster at the General Assembly in May 2023.
Both newcomers bring a strong focus on the development of Norwegian health industry and collaboration between public and private partners – to improve patient’s lives.
Helping cancer companies
“I am grateful for this trust and look forward to starting the work in the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster. The most important issue for me is to contribute to the development of Norwegian health industry that creates new solutions and treatments for future patients.
“We need to work so the incredibly important cancer companies in the cluster get the best circumstances going forward. This means a special focus on the development of the Radiumhospital Campus and to secure that Norwegian companies in cancer get maximal opportunities through the EU Mission on Cancer, as well as, to use my experience in communication and political advocacy to influence the framework for the Norwegian health industry,” commented Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross.
Stenstadvold Ross has worked in the field of cancer for almost 10 years and has almost 20 years of experience in political advocacy, organisational development, and leadership within different NGO’s. Ross is also deputy chairman of the board of Abelia, and chair of the board of the European Fair Pricing Network.
Putting Norway on the map
“Oslo Cancer Cluster has through many years been an important driver for collaboration between different actors in the cancer field and an energic ambassador for Norway internationally. I am thankful for this opportunity to contribute to that research and development in the Norwegian cancer milieu benefits even more patients. And to build a new industry in a field where Norway has an extraordinary opportunity to succeed,” Skymoen commented.
Leif Rune Skymoen, general manager of LMI.
Skymoen has held several leadership roles in the Norwegian health industry, including Country Director for Eli Lilly Norway, CEO of Nansen Neuroscience, and co-founder and CEO of Curida.
Exploring lung cancer: screening and early detection
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénCould a screening programme reduce lung cancer mortality in Norway?
Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer and the fourth most frequently occurring cancer in Europe. Yet, there are still no established lung cancer screening programmes in the world. Why is that and how can the challenges in screening and early detection be overcome?
These were some of the questions discussed in depth at the Lung Cancer Symposium: Early Diagnostics and Screening, Benchmarking the Nordics+ on 24 May 2023 at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
“Screening for lung cancer has been in the pipeline for years. Now it seems right to start in the Nordic countries. With this first Nordic meeting for lung cancer screening, we had the pleasure to share our pilot projects, the very important selection methods of high-risk populations and our experiences so far. We all met in a very friendly atmosphere and look forward to collaborating in the future,” commented Oluf Dimitri Røe, MD, PhD, Professor, NTNU, the co-chair and moderator of the symposium.
Collective efforts
Attendees from academia, industry, patient organisations, the cancer registry and governmental agencies took part in the symposium.
“Cooperation is key in the fight against cancer. The Lung Cancer Symposium: Early Diagnosis & Screening, Benchmarking the Nordics+ highlighted this as experts in the Nordics and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO) shared benchmarking with an engaged audience. It was motivating to witness this and to be a part of the collective efforts for cooperation amongst this oncology ecosystem,” confirmed Charlotte Wu Homme, symposium co-chair, who serves as Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Nordic speakers
The programme included expert speakers from the Nordic countries Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. They framed the challenges of lung cancer and addressed clinical models for risk prediction, early diagnosis, and screening in the Nordics.
There was also an introduction by the Norwegian Cancer Society and a digital presentation giving the World Health Organisation’s perspective. Finally, a panel discussion covered implementation models for screening and selection.
About
Lung Cancer Symposium: Early Diagnostics & Screening, Benchmarking the Nordics+ was sponsored by Astra Zeneca and Daiichi Sankyo and received support from Innovation Norway. The first symposium was presented on May 24, 2023. Based on feedback, a follow-up symposium is planned for 2024.
The symposium was organised by Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Organizing committee: Oluf Dimitri Røe, NTNU, and from OCC: Charlotte Homme, Dave Tippett, Marine Jeanmougin.
List of speakers (full titles):
Did you find this interesting? Join our upcoming events via our event calendar or get recommendations in your inbox via our monthly newsletter.
Guidance on polygenic risk scores
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThe Estonian provider of PRS tests Antegenes supports the recent guidance from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have recently been the subject of statements by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). These scores are used in the clinical assessment of an individual’s genetic risk for certain diseases. In simple terms, PRS tests provide a statistical prediction of an individual’s increased clinical risk for a specific condition, such as cancer.
Antegenes, an Estonian provider of PRS tests, welcomes ACMG’s initiative and considers it a crucial step towards establishing best practices and guidelines for the widespread use of PRS technology.
Dr Peeter Padrik, CEO of Antegenes, explains: “The considerations by ACMG align with our guiding principles at Antegenes for the development and use of our polygenic risk score tests. Our clinical grade genetic tests are in use in several European countries, and we have already applied these principles in their development and in providing cancer prevention services.”
Understanding polygenic risk scores
ACMG’s statements emphasize several important points related to PRS testing. First, it is crucial to understand that PRS test results do not provide a definitive diagnosis of a disease, such as cancer. Instead, they offer a statistical prediction of an increased clinical risk. Antegenes ensures clarity on this matter by providing explicit information in their test materials.
Furthermore, a low PRS does not exclude the possibility of significant risk for the disease in question. PRS represents only one aspect of an individual’s hereditary risk, and there are other factors that can influence the development of tumors. Antegenes emphasizes the importance of considering PRS results within the context of other relevant clinical data.
Considerations for effective implementation
Another factor to consider is that PRS predictions may vary based on the population used as reference. Ethnic background plays a role in this variation. Antegenes addresses this by analyzing PRS performance using data from different ethnic groups and making necessary adjustments to the test results. They always include information about an individual’s ethnic group in their genetic testing process.
ACMG also highlights the importance of complementing PRS testing with monogenic testing in certain clinical scenarios where the underlying genetic cause is known or suspected. Antegenes fully supports this approach and recommends considering both PRS testing and monogenic pathogenic variant testing, aligning with established clinical guidelines.
Promoting evidence-based medical management
Antegenes agrees with ACMG’s stance that patients and healthcare providers should have informed discussions about the indications for PRS testing and how the results will be used in guiding medical management. They emphasize the importance of evidence-based PRS-based medical management and have developed clinical recommendations based on PRS risk levels and existing professional guidelines.
In summary, Antegenes fully supports ACMG’s statements and has taken into account the described limitations of PRS testing. They have implemented solutions, provided relevant information, and developed clinical recommendations based on available evidence for the prevention and screening of specific tumor types.
About
Antegenes is a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster. The Antenor implementational research project, focused on preventing breast cancer based on genetic risks, is currently underway in collaboration with Norwegian scientific and clinical partners and is scheduled to conclude by the end of 2023. The project partners are Oslo University Hospital, the University of Oslo, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Oslo Cancer Cluster and Antegenes.
Suggested a Nordic Health Data Space
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénHow can the Nordics use health data to accelerate the development of cancer precision medicine?
”We have a foundation for health data that is among the best in the world.”
State Secretary Ellen Rønning-Arnesen from the Ministry of Health and Care Services presented the government’s work with health data at an EHiN meeting earlier this month.
“Our main task now is to make Norwegian health data even more available for research. We have a good starting point for this with good systems and high trust from the population that the data will be used safely and securely,” commented Rønning-Arnesen.
More targeted treatments
Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, presented an idea to the government’s vision, inspired by the EU initiative European Health Data Space:
“The Nordics can become a test bed for precision medicine, we can create a Nordic Health Data Space and do regulatory innovation. The old way of documenting the effect of treatments doesn’t work, especially in cancer. The patient groups are so small that we can’t use control arms the same way as before.”
Widerberg mentioned the national clinical study IMPRESS-Norway as an example. By using advanced molecular diagnostics, they have identified targeted treatments for cancer patients with no other options left.
“Health data should be used as documentation for faster approval of new medicines. Norway and the Nordics can lead the way here in regulatory innovation. Let’s create a Nordic Health Data Space to solve this challenge now!” Widerberg suggested.
Potential of genome data
Denmark is already using health data for clinical research and patient treatment. The Danish National Genome Center work with the implementation of whole genome sequencing in patient treatment, collecting and storing Danish genome data, making genome data accessible for clinicians, researchers and patients, and promoting the development of personalised medicine in Denmark.
“Genetic data are important and should be used when sensible, especially for research, development of new medicine and patient treatment. We are still operating too much from a one-size-fits-all. When it comes to cancer, the Nordic countries cooperate well together,” commented Bettina Lundgren, director at Danish National Genome Center.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health also has excellent experience with making use of health data.
“Through the pandemic, we demonstrated that we could get quick access to data. We got data in almost real-time and at quite a low cost. We also need to lift the Norwegian population-based cohorts as a valuable source. We can use them to analyse the side effects of vaccines and the genetic risk of developing disease. We can hope for a future personalized vaccine strategy,” said Gun Peggy Strømstad Knudsen, deputy director general of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Want to learn more?
EHiN (E-Health in Norway) has been an annual conference for almost a decade and arranges meetings throughout the year. Here are some of the upcoming events:
Europe united against cancer
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénEurope has its own moonshot against cancer!
The European Union has awarded 6 million euros to a consortium of 57 organizations spanning across 28 countries. They have joined forces to fight cancer at all levels of society, by supporting cancer research and innovation, policy development and citizen engagement.
“The ambitious approach taken by the European Commission to reduce the cancer burden for patients requires a coordinated response from relevant actors across Europe,” commented Marine Jeanmougin, responsible for EU affairs and digitalisation at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The project is called ECHoS and is coordinated by the Portugese Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (AICIB). Oslo Cancer Cluster together with partners of Cancer Mission Hub Norway have contributed from the Norwegian side.
“The strong collaboration between Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Research Council, the Cancer Society and their partners, has brought Norway to take a central role in ECHoS. The Cancer Mission Hub Norway has the potential to shape best practices, in a joint effort with our European collaborators,” Jeanmougin commented.
Read the press release (in English)
Read the press release (in Norwegian)
Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. Grant Agreement Nº: 101104587. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Åslaug Helland receives cancer award
/in External, News /by Sofia LindénNorwegian cancer researcher dedicated to clinical trials receives prestigious prize.
Professor Åslaug Helland is the recipient of the King Olav Vs Cancer Research Award 2023. Helland is an oncologist and Research Director at Oslo University Hospital (Comprehensive Cancer Centre).
“This is a great honour, and I am very happy about this recognition of the research environment involved. I have been very fortunate working with lots of very talented people over the years!” Helland commented.
The cancer prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian Cancer Society, and it is the highest honour for Norwegian cancer researchers.
The international experts that evaluated the nominated for the prize, emphasized how Helland through her clinical studies has contributed to developing a more personalised treatment for cancer patients.
Innovation for patients
When asked what the biggest challenge right now for the development of cancer diagnostics and treatments in Norway is, Helland responded:
“The developments in cancer diagnostics and treatment over the past few years have been very good, and we need to continue securing the competence and development in all health regions. It is in many ways a new field, and building competence takes time.
“In addition, we need to find ways to offer new and innovative treatments to our patients, and to encourage more clinical trials in Norwegian hospitals. This is an obvious goal from both the public health care system and from the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry, and by working together we achieve more!”
Leading the way for change
Helland is the Principal Investigator for IMPRESS-Norway, a national clinical study in cancer precision medicine, and Director of MATRIX, the Norwegian Centre for Clinical Cancer Research, as well as Leader for Nortrials. Helland’s key roles in these trailblazing initiatives show her commitment to continually improving cancer care.
“In the future, we have more options in diagnostics and treatment. The field is developing very rapidly, and the public healthcare system will develop to offer new and innovative treatments and diagnostics in a sustainable way. We also have improved decision support systems and improved follow-up programs for our patients,” said Helland.
Helland received the prize in the University Aula from His Majesty King Harald of Norway and in the presence of family, friends, colleagues and the general cancer research community.
Missions: a new way of doing politics
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénHow can Norway succeed with the EU’s Mission on Cancer?
“This challenges the Norwegian way of doing politics,” commented Espen Solberg, Head of Research at NIFU – Nordic institute for studies in Innovation, Research and Education, at the recent breakfast meeting Fremtidens kreftbehandling about the Mission on Cancer.
“Politicians need to be bold, set goals and create a plan. They need to ask: where are we in three, four or five years? We don’t do this very much in politics. Politicians usually work in different fields. A mission requires all fields to work together,” continued Solberg.
The state as entrepreneur
The European Commission has set the ambitious goal of improving the lives of 3 million Europeans affected by cancer by 2023. This is the Mission on Cancer, one of five missions the European Commission has identified. Missions are a new way to bring concrete solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time.
“This is a methodology that models a way to do public innovation, to solve problems that do not have a solution, and where you need to mobilise knowledge from different fields. All successful missions are characterised by concrete challenges to solve, for example technological, in a specific area. Cancer can obviously be one such mission,” commented Lars Peder Nordbakken, economist, Civita.
Both Nordbakken and Solberg agreed that the state needs to be the main driver and act as an active entrepreneur for a mission to be successful. All key players need to be involved and it is important to find the best competency in the area.
Should Norway find its niche?
Camilla Stoltenberg has led the Norwegian Institute of Public Health through the corona pandemic, a kind of mission in its own right.
“In my opinion, cancer treatment is too narrow. I think that if we are to succeed in Norway, prevention and promoting health are the most important things to do. We have better preconditions to assert ourselves internationally in these two areas and I believe we can do a fantastic job if we focus on them,” commented Stoltenberg.
Leif Rune Skymoen, CEO of the Norwegian Pharmaceutical Association, emphasised the value of focussing on cancer treatments and diagnostics.
“The industry will be an important contributor of competency, investments and tools in diagnostics and treatments to fight cancer. Cancer is a field where Norway has very good research environment and strong companies developing future cancer treatments and diagnostics. The Cancer Mission presents opportunities such as funding and new partnerships, which will be positive also for Norway,” commented Skymoen.
Where is the political vision?
With a new national cancer strategy underway, the question on everyone’s minds is: are the politicians indeed bold, with set goals and a clear plan? The politicians themselves think there is still a way to go.
“We are not good enough at connecting to these opportunities. The most important thing we do is to take advantage of what is happening on an EU level, both for research and industry. This challenges the way we do politics,” said Truls Vasvik, Arbeiderpartiet (Norwegian Labour Party).
“We need to discuss how Norway in the best way can get a strong connection to EU’s Mission on Cancer. The point of missions is to connect to the process, not just sit and wait for the results. It is not just about funding schemes, but a comprehensive investment. We need a more thorough discussion about how we as a society connect to this,” said Alfred Bjørlo, Venstre (Norwegian Liberal Party).
A national hub
Norway is already involved in the EU Mission on Cancer through different funding programmes, for example Horizon Europe and EU4Health, as well as through a national mission hub.
“The Missions methodology breaks down the sectorial approach and forces us to collaborate across health, research, education, and industry. It also contributes to faster implementation of research. It can also create public engagement and enthusiasm among the public,” said Ole Alexander Opdalshei, deputy secretary general, Norwegian Cancer Society.
“Together with Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Research Council and other key players, we have put together a national hub so the developments on a European level also will benefit Norwegian cancer patients. We connect different milieus and create new constellations for collaboration,” continued Opdalshei.
Read more about the Norwegian Cancer Mission Hub
Fremtidens kreftbehandling is a political meeting series organised by Oslo Cancer Cluster, LMI – Legemiddelindustrien and Kreftforeningen, with support from AstraZeneca Norway, MSD Norway and Janssen Norway. Please save the date for our next meeting in Arendal on Tuesday, 15 August 2023, 08:00-09:00, at Clarion Hotel Tyholmen.
Meet our new members
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénSay hello to the four new members that have joined our cluster organisation this year.
Oslo Cancer Cluster works to accelerate the development of novel cancer diagnostics and treatments, to improve patients lives.
Our member base comprises university hospitals, research centres, patient organisations, start-ups and biotech companies, global pharma and technology companies, investors, financial institutions as well as service providers – all working in the cancer field. Jointly, they cover the entire oncology value chain, from exploratory research to delivering novel therapeutics and diagnostics to patients worldwide.
This week, we talked to the four newest members about what they do and why they joined our cancer eco-system.
Nadeno – improving cancer treatments
Yrr Mørch, CTO and Co-founder, and Annbjørg Falck, CEO and Co-founder, Nadeno.
“NaDeNo is developing a vehicle for delivery of ‘hard to deliver’ drugs with great potential for improved cancer treatment. We are focused on developing new treatment solutions for patients with ‘hard to treat cancers’ and we aim to deliver effective drugs of low water solubility safely to the cancer cells by using our nanoparticle technology.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster offers a highly valuable international network for Norwegian biotech companies within the oncology space, and we see the OCC as a trusted partner that can help us progress our development.”
Annbjørg Falck, CEO and Co-founder, Nadeno
Hjernesvulstforeningen – advocating for patients
Rolf J. Ledal, Secretary general, The Norwegian Brain Tumour Association
“Hjernesvulstforeningen, The Norwegian Brain Tumour Association, is a patient advocacy organisation covering all the different diagnosis of brain tumours. We are involved in research as well as peer to peer support, learning patients and their families cognitive strategies for living well with such an disease and political lobbying for longer and better lives.
“Our motivation for being a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster is to connect with a broader variety of companies and research facilities who together will be able to make new discoveries within treatment options. We have the patient experts that the research community need to cooperate with to solve the many puzzles that still is unsolved. Brain cancer is on the top of diagnosis with poor outcome, together we are going to change that.”
Rolf J. Ledal, Secretary general, The Norwegian Brain Tumour Association
Node Pharma – developing radiopharmaceuticals
Tor Espen Stav-Noraas, CEO and founder of Node Pharma.
“Node Pharma is developing radiopharmaceuticals for metastatic cancer patients with limited treatment options. Our targeted drug compound is designed to eradicate tumors without damaging healthy tissue. This will save patients and improve quality of life after treatment.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster will bring important expertise, connections and enable us to accelerate our drug development.”
Tor Espen Stav-Noraas, CEO and founder, Node Pharma
Marigold Innovation – founding life science companies
Peter Horn, founder and CEO, Marigold Innovation
“One way Marigold Innovation can contribute is through our new approach to founding life science companies. We are co-founders, not advisors or consultants. We engage with researchers and innovators as early as possible to ensure everything is in place before company formation – and then co-found the companies together with them.
“We’re originally from Denmark, but we think Nordic. We have founded companies in Sweden and our many connections here made Norway the obvious next step. The OCC community looks like a perfect match for a home in Norway.”
Nicholas Hawtin, Partner, Marigold Innovation
Baked goods bringing people together
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Sofia LindénA special sweet pastry is the weekly highlight in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Buns with a creamy vanilla centre, sugar coating and coconut sprinkles … These are the traditional Norwegian skoleboller served to the tenants of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator every Friday.
The buns are handmade by a group called Tilrettelagt, consisting of students with special needs who attend Ullern Upper Secondary School. Tilrettelagt arranges important training for the students to prepare them for working life.
“This is an activity that the students can enjoy and have use for in their daily lives. It also brings us out of our little bubble so we can meet with the other people in the building,” said school assistant Lisbeth Fjellstad.
Young bakers
Since the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park opened in 2015, Tilrettelagt has been baking the buns to sell to students, teachers, and companies in the building.
The students bake the buns themselves and many of the students know the recipe by heart.
“It is fantastic. My plan is to get a job at a bakery that makes gluten-free goods,” said Halvard, one of the students.
The students learn practical skills in the bakery that prepares them for worklife. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Learning practical skills
The students deliver the buns to the tenants in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator and sell the buns in the school hallways to other students and teachers.
“It is good for the students to learn practical skills and do meaningful work. This activity develops their skills in mathematics, Norwegian, communication, collaboration, sales, service, and hygiene. We continually work with these subjects in the bakery,” said teacher Susann Steinsvik.
In Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, the buns are a bonus for the hard-working cancer researchers. During the coffee breaks, they can have meaningful conversations with other tenants and develop their ideas.
Promising early data from Exact Therapeutics’ study
/in External, News /by Sofia LindénThe company is investigating a new ultrasound technology for improved drug delivery.
Exact Therapeutics shared early data from two patients treated in the clinical study ACTIVATE at a Science and Technology event in Oslo this week.
The patients have colorectal cancer with liver metastases, a patient group with a high unmet medical need. They receive chemotherapy in combination with the company’s technology called ACT (short for Acoustic Cluster Therapy). The early results show that the patients had better responses to chemotherapy when their tumours were exposed to ACT.
“Results of the Phase I study have given us several insights, most importantly that the treatment did not reveal any unexpected side effects either on its own or worsen the side effects of chemotherapy in the treated patients. The results also suggest a positive tumour response associated with the ACT treatment. This trial will set the stage for diversifying the use of this technology platform to a wide range of systemic therapies across multiple tumour types,” commented Prof. Dr. Udai Banerji, the principal investigator of the ACTIVATE study.
Seven patients have been recruited to the study, currently active at The Royal Marsden Hospital and Newcastle Hospital. The company is also collaborating with radiologists at Oslo University Hospital to open another study site for Norwegian patients.
What is ACT?
Acoustic cluster therapy is a method for improved drug delivery, by using ultrasound technology and the company’s proprietary product consisting of microbubbles and microdroplets. The microbubbles and microdroplets have opposite charges and therefore form small clusters, which are injected into the patient’s blood.
When these clusters are exposed to ultrasound vibrations, the droplets evaporate into the bubbles and turn into larger “ACT bubbles”. These are temporarily trapped in the patients’ capillaries, the smallest blood vessels in the body. The ACT bubbles can then be manipulated with a different ultrasound wavelength that makes them oscillate. This stretches the wall of the blood vessel and creates shear forces and streaming in the tissue, so that the cancer drug can be delivered effectively to the tumour.
“Targeted ultrasound is an emerging treatment modality with a lot of interest. You need better methods for efficient delivery of drugs to the disease areas. Targeted ultrasound with ACT is non-invasive and can potentially be done for a number of treatments and indications,” commented Per Walday, CEO of Exact Therapeutics.
The Norwegian ultrasound story
There is a solid Norwegian research tradition within ultrasound, both in medical technology and pharmaceutical diagnostics.
For example, the company Vingmed Ultrasound was built on Norwegian science and technology, and established as a start-up in 1986 developing medical ultrasound diagnostic equipment. The company was later acquired by GE Healthcare and this segment today generates 3 billion dollars in revenue.
Another success story is the company Nycomed, which was also founded on deep science in Norway, and created contrast agents in a variety of forms for diagnostic purposes. Nycomed ended up achieving market leadership and was acquired by GE Healthcare. Today, this is a 2-billion-dollar revenue business.
“Norway is a true global leader in this field, not only in technology and science, but also in business. The medtech and pharmaceutical components are key to us. Exact Therapeutics was spun-off from the pharma business in GE Healthcare. We have agreements with GE Healthcare on development and manufacturing. These are the two building blocks and the foundation for Exact,” commented Anders Wold, Chairman of the Board, Exact Therapeutics.
Potential with immunotherapy
The potential of the technology to enhance the effect of a range of cancer immunotherapies will now also be explored, thanks to a grant of NOK 16 million from the Norwegian Research Council.
“The tumour microenvironment plays a key role in the response to cancer therapies, especially immunotherapy. The majority of cancer patients still do not respond to immunotherapy. The holy grail in this field is to make cold tumours hot and the key is to modify the tumour microenvironment. We hope to achieve this with the ACT treatment,” commented Walday.
Per Walday, CEO, at Exact Therapeutics’ Science and Technology event. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The research project will be performed in collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Institute of Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London and the Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, in Phoenix.
Kantar: Few Norwegians know about clinical trials
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénAlmost 7 of 10 Norwegians don’t know about the opportunity to participate in clinical trials.
The annual report Helsepolitisk barometer (Health Political Barometer in English) from Kantar reveals what Norwegians currently think about health politics.
A main finding shows Norwegians do not know what clinical trials are or how to participate in them.
The report is based on a survey conducted with over 2 000 respondents, who are representative of Norwegian population over 18 years old.
Lack of awareness about clinical trials
The population has little knowledge of what clinical studies are, how they are accessed, and if it is a relevant treatment option when diagnosed with cancer.
More than a third of the respondents – 37 per cent – answered they do not know about the routines for clinical trials. In addition, 15 per cent answered, “I am not sure what a clinical trial means” and 16 per cent chose the option “I wouldn’t have known to ask about a clinical trial as a treatment option”.
“If patients don’t know about clinical trials, they won’t know to ask about it either. Clinical studies give access to new treatments. Today, many people don’t have access to clinical trials or don’t know about it. In practice, this creates a class divide,” commented Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The Norwegian population has little knowledge of what clinical studies are, how they are used and if this is an opportunity they have access to in case of a cancer diagnosis. Source: Extract from Helsepolitisk barometer 2023
Want more modern treatments
The government should prioritize the use of more modern cancer treatments with less side effects, according to 49 per cent of the respondents.
“Today, most cancer patients need to go through two or three standard-of-care treatments before they are evaluated for precision treatment. Can we as a society move the modern treatments, that precision medicine represent, further into first line of treatment? We need public-private collaboration to develop new cancer treatments to achieve this,” commented Widerberg.
In addition, 38 per cent think giving as good cancer treatment as our neighbouring countries should be the priority. The third most popular option was to prioritize offering more experimental treatment as part of standard care, chosen by 24 per cent of the respondents.
Treatments with less side effects and the same treatment options as our neighbouring countries, are the things voters think the government should prioritize. Source: Extract from Helsepolitisk barometer 2023
Calling for a Mission on Cancer
An overwhelming majority – 74 per cent – think a Mission on cancer would contribute to improving the lives of people affected by cancer.
“The European Union has launched a Mission on Cancer and set aside a significant amount of money for this. An important part of the Cancer Mission is prevention. Norway can spearhead how to work on cancer prevention and prevention of other diseases,” Widerberg commented.
74 per cent think a mission on cancer will contribute to improving the lives of those affected by a cancer diagnosis. Source: Extract from Helsepolitisk barometer 2023
Taking the leap for cancer research
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Sofia LindénAnette Weyergang wants to make cancer treatment more effective and match the right patient with the right drug.
“I am motivated by the thought that I can make a difference for someone. It is risky to leave a long career in research and start a company, but if that’s what it takes, I am ready to do it. I believe our research findings can be of value to patients, and I feel obligated to do what I can to transform this into something that can be used.”
Anette Weyergang, Senior Scientist and Project Group Leader at Oslo University Hospital is on the verge of creating a company to bring her cancer research into the world. Her discovery could make a real difference in how novel cancer treatments are used in patients.
“As an academic researcher when you make a discovery, you almost expect there is a team ready to commercialise your innovation. This isn’t the case. You can’t just call up a pharmaceutical company and say ‘Look what I found!’. There is a lot you need to do and document before a big company wants to take your innovation further.”
From researcher to entrepreneur
Many times, it is up to the researchers to take charge of the development of their innovation into a product themselves.
Weyergang is a pharmacist by education and has spent her career since 2004 in Professor Kristian Berg’s research group at the Institute for Cancer Research.
“I feel lucky to work in such a group, where excellent research is performed by highly skilled people, with collaborations at the institute and internationally. This has created a drive in me.”
Berg is a well-known name in Norwegian cancer research, especially in methods for improving drug delivery. He has several patents, which have led to the establishment of the two companies Photocure and PCI Biotech. As such, it makes sense that Weyergang also wants to take her research further.
Solving problems for patients
Weyergang’s projects are in the field of translational research. This means that the researchers are constantly drawing parallels between what they discover in the laboratory and what is happening with patients in the clinic.
“I talk a lot with clinicians at Oslo University Hospital, so that I can position my research to make it as relevant as possible for what is happening in the clinic. I ask: What is the current treatment? What problems do the patients have? Why can’t we cure them? How can we solve this? I boil these big questions down into a few concrete hypotheses, perform research and aim to bring my results into the clinic.”
The last 20-30 years, there has been a revolution in cancer treatments. This has led to a wave of new medicines that are much more targeted towards specific cancers.
The biomarker may tell if the patient will benefit from treatment with the antibody conjugates, which is a very popular cancer treatment right now used to deliver chemotherapy to cancer tumours.
Read more about the biomarker here.
How to commercialize an innovation
Initially, Weyergang received coaching from Jónas Einarsson and Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen at Radforsk Investment Fund, who took an interest in the research project.
“They helped us to figure out how to communicate around the project and how it can be possible to make money from it. We realized that this project can make a profit, but that we have a long road ahead of us.”
The project was also selected for the innovation programme SPARK Norway at UiO Life Science two years ago.
“It has been a steep learning curve. We learnt about commercialization through educational seminars and connected with a network with the right competencies. Also, the funding we received has prepared the project for commercialization.”
As of September 2022, the project has been taken up in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, where Weyergang receives business development advice from Thomas Andersson to attract seed funding.
“Attracting investments is difficult right now. The most important thing for us is financing: how to get it, understanding what kind of funding to look for, and identifying who might be interested. We are setting up a company to sell a product and the development of that product will cost a lot of money.”
Calling for more basic research
Norway has a world-class cancer research environment, built upon many decades of excellent research.
“The biggest problem with being a cancer researcher today is financing and long term security. There are permanent positions for scientists, but employees need to acquire the funds for their projects themselves. This insecurity weighs heavily and is the reason many brilliant minds disappear.”
Finally, Weyergang highlights the importance of basic research which is fundamental for all translational research and innovation.
“To develop cancer treatment we need new ideas both within basic and translational research.”
EU wants more Comprehensive Cancer Centres
/in External, News /by Sofia LindénOslo University Hospital will help in the preparation and creation of more Comprehensive Cancer Centres.
There are significant inequalities across Europe in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, and access to clinical trials. In addition, patients that are diagnosed and treated in research-active hospitals have better outcomes than patients treated in general hospitals.
This is why the European Union has an ambition that 90% of eligible patients have access to Comprehensive Cancer Centres by 2030. This is one of the goals in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which was launched by the European Commission last year and has 4 billion euros earmarked for cancer.
As part of a Joint Action programme for the preparation and creation of more Comprehensive Cancer Centres, Oslo University Hospital has been selected, together with Institut National du Cancer in France, for a central work package, that will look at the framework for building Comprehensive Cancer Centres.
Oslo University Hospital is currently the only Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Norway.
Click here to read more about the Joint Action
About EU Cancer Mission
The Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan & the Mission on Cancer have the ambitious goal to improve the lives of three million Europeans by 2030. This will be achieved through better understanding of cancer, prevention, early diagnosis, personalised treatment, and improved quality of life during and after treatment.
Learning from the Americans
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénOle Dahlberg, CEO of Curida Diatec, reveals where he thinks the health industry is headed, why Norway needs to own its medical manufacturing, and how we might learn from the Americans.
“I wish that we can make things happen faster here in Norway. We can learn from the Americans that you don’t need to have all details in place to get going. If we commit to invest in the health industry, it will not go wrong.”
Ole Dahlberg is the new CEO of Curida Diatec. He has more than 25 years’ experience from the life sciences. He was Managing Director for Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway for eight years, and later Vice President for Thermo Fisher working out of California, USA. He has also co-founded three start-up companies, and sits on several boards, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, Nadeno, DoMore Diagnostics, and Caedo Oncology.
Why does this accomplished international business leader wish to invest his time in Norway?
“There is a lot of great research being done here, but it needs to translate to value creation for companies, and we need more commercial partners to help put products on the market.”
Is Norway prepared?
This is where Curida comes into the picture. Curida is a Norwegian company that helps biotech companies that want to scale up manufacturing, or that want to transfer their manufacturing and need help with quality improvement.
“Curida is at an inflection point right now and will need to make significant investments to upgrade. There is interest to invest in the company, especially from international investors. At the same time, Norway is at a crossroads when it comes to national preparedness. The government needs to make a strategic choice about which manufacturing processes they want to control. I hear many stakeholders calling for a clear direction from the government,” said Dahlberg.
A missed opportunity
Dahlberg has been in a similar situation before. When he was Managing Director for Thermo Fisher Scientific, the company together with Novartis wanted to invest in production facilities for cell therapies in Norway. There were already advanced laboratories in use at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
“This demonstrated we could do it. But we were not able to reach an agreement with the government on how to transfer technology and scale the business on reasonable terms.”
Instead, Thermo Fisher Scientific set up production facilities in Vilnius, Lithuania, where they received better support from the government. Today, the Vilnius site is scaling fast with 1 900 employees that are manufacturing world-class products and building sought after competence.
“Back then it was less important to me as an international industry leader; I had to make the right decision for Thermo Fisher Scientific. As a Norwegian however, this was clearly a missed opportunity. The pandemic demonstrated the importance of manufacturing control and building key competence.”
Time to take a risk!
The health industry in Norway has grown rapidly the last decade. A new generation of up-and-coming researchers are eager to take a chance and create companies. More start-ups are spun out from research than before. There have already been successful examples of companies on the stock market.
“The problem is that many of the companies don’t scale. We need politicians to work closely with the industry and innovators. Politicians also need to enable cross-ministry collaborations and initiatives, and finally agree to a common purpose and a few goals. We have a good foundation in Norway with much experience in process industry, and tradition and reputation for our ability to work internationally.”
Dahlberg also thinks the politicians should start promoting Norway as a place for international collaboration and technological innovation, as well as a country that attracts life science talents.
“Companies have difficulties finding the right talents. I think politicians should make sure students want to come here and that the networks attract more high-skilled people. We need both young and old, different nationalities and of all competencies. We must help talent immigrants manage the complex tax situation when they move to Norway.”
A Norwegian success story
Curida is one of the recent success stories from the Norwegian health industry. The company has had an incredible development over the last eight years, increasing its annual turnover from NOK 50 million in 2015 to NOK 200 million today. The company has already lined up agreements with international companies to increase that number significantly in the next 18 months.
“Curida is a fully owned Norwegian company, and it is no longer a start-up, but is scaling fast. We have signed new contracts and have more customers coming in. We will invest in new technologies, upgrade our production processes, build competence and organisation, and initiate great collaborations. It is crucial for the Norwegian government to support the industry now if they want to have influence and necessary control on key manufacturing in Norway,” said Dahlberg.
As difficult as landing a plane …
When it comes to manufacturing medicines, the tech transfer process is extremely time-consuming, complicated, and unpredictable. Projects can run out of time, costs can increase, and the customer might lose its window to the market or have to take existing products off the market.
At the Curida site in Elverum, there are over 130 employees spanning 20 nationalities, who all hold unique competencies in this field. Some of them have been with the company since its establishment almost 30 years ago.
“The highly skilled employees make Curida great at tech transfer. It is a bit like landing an airplane. There are a lot of moving parts, and many things can go wrong. Curida has done an impressive number of tech transfers and shown every single time that we can deliver on quality, time, and price.”
It is often in the tech transfer processes that small companies struggle.
“If the companies manage to do the right job and surround themselves with the right partners, they can quickly enter clinical phase. This is where Norway needs to expand the value chain. We do not have a traditional pharma industry, like in Sweden, and that is why we need to scale fast,” said Dahlberg,
A growing innovation milieu
Dahlberg has been on the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster for the last seven years and followed how the clusters have made an impact on Norwegian innovation.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster has been a pioneer in this field, with a clear oncology focus. They have started their own incubator and with their close connection to Radforsk Investment Fund, we see many exciting companies coming through the organisation. Oslo Cancer Cluster is an extremely important facilitator, represents diverse members and has become a well-recognized international brand.
“The challenge going forward will be to understand the value proposition to our members and listen closely to what they need. It is an exciting road we have ahead of us, and I look forward to contributing to the organisation’s future direction.”
More personalised breast cancer screening
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénA new clinical pilot offers personalised breast cancer screening to Norwegian women.
A new clinical pilot will investigate how women can receive more personalised breast cancer screening. Currently, women in the age group 50-69 are invited to mammogram screenings every second year in Norway, but 20 percent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed among younger women.
“This ‘one size fits all’ approach does not take into account the different breast cancer risks of individual women. A more personalised screening program might be beneficial for both women and society, both in terms of increased surveillance of persons at higher risk for breast cancer, as well as more targeted use of resources. My motivation as a breast radiologist is to work for a high-quality, evidence-based screening program for breast cancer, and this study is an exciting contribution in that respect,” said Tone Hovda, senior radiologist at Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, where the study is running.
Tone Hovda, senior radiologist, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust
Using innovative DNA analysis
Participants of the study will submit a saliva sample, which is sent to Estonia for a genetic data analysis done by the Estonian medical technology company and healthcare service provider Antegenes that has developed the genetic test AnteBC. The AnteBC test is a CE-certified medical device.
The test is used to map a range of gene variants that individually don’t give increased risk for breast cancer, but where the combination of several genes can result in an increased risk. This is called polygenic risk score (PRS) and has never been used in screening programmes in Norway before.
Saliva shows risk of breast cancer
The results from the test will show if the participant has an elevated genetic risk for breast cancer. If it doesn’t, the participant will be recommended to follow the ordinary screening programme for breast cancer in Norway.
If the test shows an elevated risk for breast cancer, the participant will be offered a control scheme, which may include a recommendation of starting regular mammography before they turn 50 years old and/or go to mammography more often than every two years.
“The study analyses a woman’s genetic predisposition to the development of breast cancer, and based on that, provides personalized clinical recommendations for the prevention and early detection of disease. In the pilot study, both a woman’s polygenic risk and, if necessary, the presence of rare single genes that increase the risk of breast cancer will be evaluated,” commented Peeter Padrik, CEO, Antegenes.
Participants will also answer a questionnaire to give background information, such as family history. If there is suspicion of elevated risk of hereditary familial disease, the participant may be offered genetic counselling and extended genetic testing according to current clinical practice.
Towards personalised screening
This initiative is part of the implementation research project AnteNOR, which aims to investigate how it will be possible to implement a more personalised screening programme for breast cancer in Norway, based on the individual’s genetic risk for disease.
The project partners are Oslo University Hospital, the University of Oslo, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Oslo Cancer Cluster and Antegenes. It has received funding from The Norway Grants Green ICT programme and runs between 2021-2024.
The clinical trial has received approval from the regional ethics committee and is registered in the database clinicaltrial.gov.
Project partners:
Funded by:
Meet our newest members
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénGet to know the latest additions to our cancer cluster a bit better!
Oslo Cancer Cluster is a member organization with a vision to accelerate the development of novel cancer diagnostics and therapies to improve patients’ lives.
We have about 100 members, spanning the whole oncology value chain. These include university hospitals, research institutions, patient organisations, companies in pharmaceutical development, biotech, technology, human resources, recruitment, legal services and more.
We are proud to announce the following companies have recently joined our cluster: Augere Medical, Culture Intelligence, Diffia, Expert Analytics, Miphic and PharmaRelations.
We asked them to introduce themselves further and below you can read what they said.
Developing AI-based decision support systems
“Augere Medical develops AI-based decision support systems for medical video examinations. Our first product is real-time support to highlight polyps during colonoscopy examinations. Such polyps have the potential to develop into cancer, and it is therefore important to uncover as many as possible during the examination.
“Augere Medical looks forward to benefit from the extensive knowledge present in the Oslo Cancer Cluster network. We also look forward to share our knowledge and experiences from developing a medical deep tech product.”
Andreas Petlund, Chief Executive Officer, Augere Medical
Optimizing the work culture with value-driven actions
“Our purpose is to radically improve how people work together. In uncertain times, working together have never been more important. We help organizations to measure, identify and optimize their culture trough values driven actions.
“Our contributions to the group (cluster) will be to use our competency around people, collaboration, and culture-capital, to drive high performance and business growth.”
Tone S. Ringstad, Founder and CEO, Cultural Intelligence
Improving the care and quality of life for cancer patients
“Diffia is a digital health company working to improve the care and quality of life for cancer patients, by helping hospitals and municipalities provide more care at home. We also provide clinicians with a seamlessly integrated experience to coordinate care better and more efficiently.
“We view Oslo Cancer Cluster as a unique organization that brings together the oncology value chain, both public and private, to drive innovation through collaboration and knowledge sharing. As a member, we aim to learn from and contribute to the cluster’s efforts in enhancing the lives of people with cancer.”
Dr. Petter Risøe, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, Diffia
Solving problems in technology development
“Expert Analytics is a private research company advertised as a haven for academics passionate about problem-solving. At Expert Analytics, we offer consultancy services to assist the development of technologies in the biomedical sector through data analytics, pipeline automation, and fundamental research.
“Our scientists have diverse scientific backgrounds covering molecular biology, neuroscience, and nuclear physics and are ready to apply their knowledge to novel solutions for complex problems.”
Sebastian Franco Ulloa, Ph.D. Principal Data Analyst, Biotechnology Division, Expert Analytics
Delivering mitochondrial testing for cancer patients
“Mitochondria produce essentially all the energy that our bodies need to live. Despite that we still don’t have the technology to test mitochondrial function in clinics. Miphic is a solution for that. Mitochondria in cancer cells are very different in comparison to healthy cells. Miphic has the first-ever proof-of-concept that mitochondria of a cancer patient can be easily tested, and that this information can be used for personalized anti-cancer therapy.
“Miphic has a revolutionary technology that will allow to test mitochondria in clinics. Working together with the many partners from Oslo Cancer Cluster, we will tune and diversify our platform for the exact clinical needs of various cancer treatments. Miphic wants to learn the requirements of pharma partners and clinical personnel to deliver a streamlined and cost-effective mitochondrial screening for real world cancer patients.”
Gennady Nikitin, PhD, founder and CEO, Miphic
Delivering the best candidates in Nordic life science
“PharmaRelations is a full service partner for the Life Science industry. We support Nordic Life Science through all phases of development. We deliver the best candidates within recruitment and interim solutions. We have more than 70 years experience from different Life Science companies from all sectors commercial, medical, regulatory, QA, PV. Call me for an non-binding conversation.”
Sverre Slaastad, Country Manager Norway, PharmaRelations
Please visit the Membership Overview to see all members of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Klynger samarbeider om å styrke investor-arbeidet
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénScroll down for an English version of this article.
Klyngene har en unik rolle i å øke private investeringer til norsk næringsliv. Nå går fem norske klynger innen helse og livsvitenskap sammen om investorarbeid og internasjonalisering slik at enda flere norske bedrifter skal lykkes. Prosjektet ledes av The Life Science Cluster.
Sammen med Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster og Biotech North skal The Life Science Cluster sørge for en samlet innsats for å presentere norske bedrifter til nye og eksisterende investorer klyngene har kontakt med. Prosjektet er støttet av Viken fylkeskommune over to år.
– Klyngene har allerede et godt samarbeid på flere områder. Nå styrker vi dette ytterligere, og systematiserer og samordner arbeidet med investorer og internasjonalisering. Prosjektet vil lage en metodikk for å presentere norske selskaper for nordiske og internasjonale investorer. Målet er at enda flere bedrifter skal lykkes når vi samarbeider, sier Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
Urolige markeder og lavere investeringsvilje
Livsvitenskap og helseteknologi er motsykliske næringer og skaper løsninger verden trenger i omstilling og utfordrende tider, men til og med denne typen selskaper opplever at investorene har færre midler tilgjengelig enn tidligere.
– Prosjektet har vært planlagt en god stund, men timingen er dessverre svært god nå. Vi ser at urolige finansmarkeder gjør det vanskeligere for selskaper å hente nok investeringer til å følge planlagte utviklingsløp. Det er alvorlig. Løsninger som møter mange av de store helseutfordringene som kommer i årene framover, risikerer å ikke blir realisert fordi bedriftene mangler midler, sier Lena Nymo Helli, CEO, Norway Health Tech.
Lange og kompliserte utviklingsløp
Bedrifter som utvikler løsninger innen helse og livsvitenskap må gjennom lange, kompliserte og kapitalintensive utviklingsløp med høy risiko. Det betyr at selskapene har behov for ulike investorer til ulik tid i utviklingsløpet – helt fra forskning til produktlansering.
Selskapene trenger derfor investorer med ulik kompetanse, med ulik markedsforståelse og ulike nettverk i ulike markeder. Selskapene finner noen slike investorer i Norge, men langt fra nok til å bringe produktene sine helt frem til markedet. Klyngene med sine solide internasjonale nettverk er svært viktige for at selskapene skal finne riktig kompetanse til riktig tid i utviklingsløpet.
– Vi vet at selskapene ikke bare trenger penger, men kompetent kapital, spesielt i begynnelsen av utviklingsløpet. Da er det svært viktig å finne riktig investor. Alle klyngene legger til rette for dette og har gjort det i flere år. Gjennom dette samarbeidet øker vi både tilgangene til antall investorer og profesjonaliserer måten vi presenterer selskapene våre til dem, sier Ketil Widerberg, General Manager, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
– Helseteknologiselskaper utvikler nye løsninger, men det tar ofte lang tid å få dem tatt i bruk i helsetjenesten. Kompetente investorer kan bringe kapital og erfaring om hva som har fungert i andre land, og bidra til at selskapene både står ut løpet, og får nye løsninger fortere til pasienter, helsevesen og samfunnet, sier Arild Kristensen, CEO, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
Banebrytende klyngesamarbeid
Klynger er døråpnere for privat kapital. De fem klyngene samarbeider i dette prosjektet om å utvikle eksisterende investornettverk, samt å kartlegge og mobilisere investorer som har interesser innen og på tvers av teknologiområder. På denne måten ønsker de samarbeidende klyngene å øke interessen nasjonalt og internasjonalt for norske teknologier og selskaper.
– Våre medlemsselskap konkurrerer i et internasjonalt marked. Når investorer søker etter gode investeringsprosjekter, er de i utgangspunktet ikke opptatt av hvilket land prosjektet har opprinnelse i. De er i alle fall ikke opptatt av hvilke deler av et norsk økosystem det tilhører. Vi er svært bevisste på at vi med dette samler oss som en norsk kraftfull satsing for livsvitenskap og helseteknologi – som har mange interessante løsninger for de rette investorene, både norske og internasjonale. Det sier Line Kjelstrup, Cluster Manager, Biotech North.
Viktig eksportområde med stort vekstpotensial
Norge står overfor en stor omstilling, og har behov for nye eksportområder. Helseteknologi og livsvitenskap er allerede et betydelig eksportområde i Norge, men har potensial for å bli mye større. I 2021 eksporterte helseindustrien for 27 mrd. i 2021. Det viser en rapport fra Menon om verdien av norsk helseindustri fra 2022. Klyngene var derfor sentrale i arbeidet med felles innspill fra bransjen som på slutten av 2022 ble sendt til Nasjonalt eksportråd.
– Vi må tiltrekke flere investeringer til Norge, slik at mer av verdiskapingen av norske innovasjoner forblir i Norge. Slik kan de bedriftene vi nå jobber med nå bidra til at Norge når målet om doblet fastlandseksport innen 2030, sier Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
Inven2 som er teknologioverføringskontor for Helse Sør-Øst, Universitetet i Oslo og Oslo Universitetssykehus, SPARK Norway som er del av UiO Livsvitenskap, og Veksthuset for verdiskapning ved UiO er også partnere i prosjektet.
Inkubatorene Aleap, Sharelab, OCC Incubator og Aggrator er klyngenes faste samarbeidspartnere og støtter prosjektet.
Metodikk for samordnet investorarbeid for livsvitenskap og helseteknologi
Et felles prosjekt fra helse- og livsvitenskapsklyngene i Norge.
Ledet av The life Science Cluster
Partnere: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster og Biotech North
Tilskudd fra Viken fylkeskommune over to år
Klyngene skal samarbeide om å presentere norske selskaper for nordiske og internasjonale investorer.
Clusters collaborate to strengthen work with investors
The clusters have a unique role to increase private investments in Norwegian industry. Now five Norwegian clusters in health and life science are teaming up to work with investors and internationalization, so that even more Norwegian companies will succeed. The project is led by The Life Science Cluster.
Together with Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster and Biotech North, The Life Science Cluster will ensure a coordinated effort to present Norwegian companies to new and existing investors that the clusters are in contact with. The project is supported by Viken County for the duration of two years.
“The clusters already collaborate well in several areas. Now we are strengthening this further, and systematizing and coordinating the work with investors and internationalization. The project will create a methodology for presenting Norwegian companies to Nordic and international investors. The goal is that even more companies will succeed when we collaborate,” said Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
Volatile markets and lower interest to invest
Life science and health technology are countercyclical industries and create solutions that the world needs during transitional and challenging times, but even these types of companies experience that investors have less funds available than before.
“The project has been planned for a while, but the timing is unfortunately very good now. We see that volatile financial markets make it more difficult for companies to raise enough funds to follow their planned course of development. This is serious. Solutions that answer many of the big health challenges in the years to come, run the risk of not being realized because companies lack funds,” said Lena Nymo Helli, CEO, Norway Health Tech.
Long and complicated courses of development
Companies that develop solutions in health and life science need to go through long, complicated and capital intensive courses of development with high risk. This means that the companies need different investors at different times during the course of development – all the way from research to product launch.
The companies therefore need investors with different competencies, different market understandings and contact networks in different markets. The companies find such investors in Norway, but far from enough to bring their products all the way to market. The clusters with their solid international networks are very important for the companies to find the right competency at the right time in their courses of development.
“We know that companies not only need funds, but also competent capital, especially in the beginning of the course of development. Then it is extremely important to find the right investor. All the clusters facilitate this and have been doing so for years. Through this collaboration, we are increasing both the access to the number of investors and professionalizing the way we present companies to them,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager, Oslo Cancer Cluster.
“Health technology companies develop new solutions, but it often takes a long time to implement them in the health service. Competent investors can bring capital and experience about what has worked in other countries, and contribute to the companies getting through the course of development, and get new solutions faster to the patients, health sector and society,” said Arild Kristensen, CEO, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
Groundbreaking cluster collaboration
Clusters open the doors to private capital. The five clusters collaborate in this project on developing the existing investor networks, as well as mapping and mobilizing investors that have an interest in and across technology sectors. In this way the collaborating clusters wish to increase the interest nationally and internationally for Norwegian technologies and companies.
“Our member companies compete in an international market. When investors look for good investment projects, they are not too concerned with which country the project originates from. They are in any case not concerned with which parts of the Norwegian ecosystem it belongs to. We are very aware that we are gathering ourselves as one Norwegian strong initiative for life science and health technology – that has many interesting solutions for the right investors, both Norwegian and international,” said Line Kjelstrup, Cluster Manager, Biotech North.
Important area for export with big growth potential
Norway faces a huge transition, and needs new areas of export. Health technology and life science are already two important export industries in Norway, but have the potential of becoming even larger. The health industry exported for NOK 27 bn in 2021, according to a 2022 report from Menon Economics about the value of the health industry. The clusters were central in the creation of a coordinated response from the industry in the end of 2022, which was sent to the National Council for Export.
“We need to attract more investments to Norway, so that more of the value creation from Norwegian innovations stay in Norway. In that way, the companies we work with now, can contribute to Norway reaching the goal of doubled mainland exports before 2030,” said Hanne Mette Dyrlie Kristensen, CEO, The Life Science Cluster.
A leading Norwegian oncology arena
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénCancer Crosslinks 2023 was a day of inspiration, insights, and interactions for professionals from across the cancer field in Norway and beyond.
The 15th Cancer Crosslinks was held in Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park on 26 January 2023, gathering the oncology community for a day of engaging talks from renowned international and Norwegian experts.
The event was attended by more than 300 people on-site, including oncologists, hematologists, researchers, industry representatives, health authority officials, and more. More than 250 people followed digitally from across Norway.
Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Cancer Crosslinks 2023, Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The common theme throughout the conference was The Hallmarks of Cancer, referring to Douglas Hanahan’s and Robert Weinberg’s seminal publications from 2000, 2011 and 2022.
“We were honoured that Douglas Hanahan gave the opening keynote and perfectly set the scene for this year’s programme. The Hallmarks of Cancer have been an inspiration for Cancer Crosslinks since the first meeting in 2009. Since then, the understanding of cancer biology has tremendously increased and novel, effective treatments have been developed. Despite the impressive progress there are still unmet needs in many cancer types and for countless patients. We hope that Cancer Crosslinks again stimulates new ideas, debates, translational research and collaboration,” said Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs at the Oslo Cancer Cluster and Program Lead for Cancer Crosslinks.
Inspiring insights
The programme included presentations from a group of passionate clinicians and scientists, who shared their recent research and shed light on different “hallmarks”. They also discussed how to translate these into novel treatment concepts for solid and haematological tumours.
One of the speakers at the conference, Jakob Kather, Professor of Clinical Artificial Intelligence, Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden; Germany, said:
”I find it really striking that you [the organizers] manage to identify the topics of tomorrow early on. I think the history of Cancer Crosslinks shows you have anticipated the future trends a couple of years before others.”
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 covered a variety of themes spanning from lung cancer evolution, epigenetics, and tumor metabolism to cell therapy, precision medicine and artificial intelligence biomarkers.
Tom Erkers, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Another speaker, Tom Erkers, Assistant Professor, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, commented:
“This conference is great because it has a broad scope and it includes the whole life science community, including students, researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies. It presents a great opportunity to share research, speak with collaborators, and develop new ideas.”
Discussing ideas and concepts
For Norwegian researchers, Cancer Crosslinks has become an arena where they gain first-hand knowledge of developments in the cancer field globally, talk with international experts face-to-face and advance their own research in collaboration with colleagues.
One of the moderators Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog, Consultant Oncologist, Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway said:
“This is an exciting opportunity to hear from people who are at the frontlines of their fields about the latest research developments. The conference is also a great arena for networking and potential collaboration.”
Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog and Katarina Puco, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Her co-moderator Katarina Puco, Senior Consultant Oncologist at Oslo University Hospital, Institute of Cancer research & Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, added:
“Cancer Crosslinks offers a unique chance to hear still (or yet) unpublished data and talk directly to the speakers. This gives one new perspectives on what to do in one’s own research and a possibility to establish new collaborations.”
The milieu in Trondheim was also represented by May-Britt Tessem, Associate Professor/Research Scientist, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, who contributed as moderator:
“It is fantastic that Cancer Crosslinks gathers so many researchers and clinicians from across Norway and within various cancer fields. I think it is smart to meet in this way and have an arena to meet, but also experience excellent international speakers.”
Stimulating new collaborations
An important feature of Cancer Crosslinks is the lively networking, which aims to promote new collaborations and knowledge exchange between all participants.
Networking break at Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Aslan Tasdogan, Associate Professor, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Institute for Tumor Metabolism, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Germany, commented:
“Cancer Crosslinks was one of the best conferences in recent years. I have made a lot of new connections with excellent scientists. I look forward to continuing to exchange ideas with my Norwegian colleagues.”
Alpaslan (Aslan) Tasdogan, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Another speaker, Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Group Leader, Cancer Metastasis Lab, CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, UCL Cancer Institute; Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Translational Lung Oncology, UCL Hospital, London, UK, said:
“It has been wonderful to meet Norwegian oncologists and clinicians with great interest in academic research and basic biology. I have already established ideas with new collaborators, so I feel very positive about what we take away from this meeting. It is not only our ability to share data between scientists and clinicians, and our ability to think about concepts in oncology and how that might impact how we treat our patients, but also the ability to do good research across countries.”
A special addition to Cancer Crosslinks 2023 was the afternoon networking session, which included a musical performance, an unveiling of building plans for Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park and mingling into the evening.
Jakob Nikolas Kather, Cancer Crosslinks 2023. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Prof. Kather further commented:
“I am very impressed by the conference, the active participation of the community, the line-up of speakers and the lively discussions between the speakers and the audience. My impression is that the Norwegian cancer research environment is very innovative and that it is successful at integrating the scientific methods with new technological approaches. It is a great place to think about the cancer diagnostics and treatments of the future – and to make them a reality.”
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 was kindly supported by Bristol Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly and Company.
The event was also covered by HealthTalk (in Norwegian). Read the article and watch the interview here.
GU Ventures visited Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Sofia LindénNew connections were made between the incubators in Gothenburg and Oslo.
GU ventures, an incubator that supports projects and companies spawned by the University of Gothenburg, visited Oslo Cancer Cluster on 25-26 January 2023. Anders Waas, Business Development Advisor for GU Ventures, was accompanied by several cancer companies from the Gothenburg milieu, including Sortina Pharma (Sara Rhost and Göran Landberg, Iscaff Pharma (Per Setterberg), Simsen diagnostics (Gustav Johansson) and Oncorena (Börje Haraldsson and Pål Falck).
The OCC Incubator team, consisting of Ketil Widerberg, CEO, Janne Nestvold, COO, and Thomas Andersson, Business Development Advisor, facilitated meetings with several companies from Oslo Cancer Cluster.
GU Ventures also participated at Cancer Crosslinks, an annual educational meeting which gathers prominent experts in oncology, providing a forum for networking and interaction.
Anders Waas commented: “We were very impressed by the research, the start-up companies and the activities at Oslo Cancer Cluster and strive to build a closer collaboration, which can benefit the development of cancer research and growth of cancer companies in the Oslo – Gothenburg region.”
Thomas Andersson commented: “This was a great experience for Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator. We were very impressed by the quality of the companies from GU Ventures and look forward to collaborating more closely.”
Meet the speakers of Cancer Crosslinks 2023
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénJoin us for a day of educational talks and mingling with colleagues in the oncology community.
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 will take place on 26 January 2023 (starting at 10:30) in Kaare Norum Auditorium at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park.
International experts
The programme includes international experts sharing the latest advances in cancer precision medicine and immune-oncology.
The title of Cancer Crosslinks 2023 is New dimensions to the hallmarks of cancer: How is the last decade of discoveries advancing our understanding of cancer biology and transforming precision medicine. It is therefore appropriate that the day begins with a talk from the co-author of The Hallmarks of Cancer.
Douglas Hanahan
Douglas Hanahan, Distinguished Scholar of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (Zurich/New York), Professor of Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland will give a digital talk on The Hallmarks of Cancer: New Dimensions – Integrating Pre-Clinical and Clinical Cancer Trials of Mechanism-Targeted Therapies.
The three seminal publications are freely available via the following links:
Mariam Jamal-Hanjani
Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Group Leader, Cancer Metastasis Lab, CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, UCL Cancer Institute; Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Translational Lung Oncology, UCL Hospital, London, UK will give a talk on The natural history of non-small cell lung cancer evolution in TRACERx.
Nilofer Azad
Nilofer Azad, Co-Director of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, USA will give a digital talk on Epigenetic (Combination) Therapy – exploiting complex biology to offer novel treatment options for patients with GI cancers.
Alpaslan (Aslan) Tasdogan
Alpaslan (Aslan) Tasdogan Associate Professor, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Institute for Tumor Metabolism, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Germany will give a talk on The metabolic regulation of cancer progression.
Thomas Nerreter
Thomas Nerreter, Junior Group Leader, Chair of Cellular Immunotherapy, Translational CAR-T Research Program, University Hospital and CCC Würzburg, Germany will give a talk on Cellular Therapy for solid and hematological tumors: novel targets and technologies.
Tom Erkers
Tom Erkers, Assistant Professor, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden will give a talk on Data-driven hallmarks of acute myeloid leukemia: biological, prognostic & therapeutic implications.
Jakob Nikolas Kather
Jakob Nikolas Kather, Professor of Clinical Artificial Intelligence, Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden; Germany will give a talk on AI biomarkers in cancer: recent progress and the way to clinical implementation.
Norwegian moderators
Four Norwegian cancer researchers, representing the milieus at Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, will guide the audience through the programme.
Katarina Puco
Katarina Puco, Senior Consultant Oncologist at Oslo University Hospital, Institute of Cancer research & Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo
Anna Pasetto
Anna Pasetto, Associate Professor, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Oslo; Director of the Center for Advanced Cell Therapy (ACT) Cancer Clinic, Oslo University Hospital
May-Britt Tessem
May-Britt Tessem, Associate Professor/Research Scientist, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU
Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog
Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog, Consultant Oncologist, Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Mingling with colleagues
The educational programme is complemented by an afternoon networking session starting at 16:15 outside the auditorium. Don’t miss this opportunity to make new connections in the oncology community, revisit old acquaintances and engage in stimulating discussions with other health professionals.
One of the hallmarks of Cancer Crosslinks is the lively networking before, in-between and after the talks. Photo: Cameo UB
Register here
View and download the programme here
Visit the Cancer Crosslinks website here
Cancer Crosslinks 2023 is kindly sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly and Company.
Gold Label awarded to Oslo Cancer Cluster
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénOslo Cancer Cluster has received the Gold Label certificate from the European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI) with an overall score of 94%.
The Gold Label certificate is granted by the European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI) to cluster organisations that receive at least 80% on their cluster management excellence score. It is the highest recognition a European cluster organisation can achieve.
In October 2022, two independent cluster experts performed an assessment of all 31 quality indicators and awarded Oslo Cancer Cluster a score of 94%.
The indicators concern the quality of:
The assessment was performed through interviews with two members of staff. The interviews were also substantiated with relevant documentation.
This was the second time Oslo Cancer Cluster was assessed by the ECEI. The cluster received its first gold label with an overall score of 91% in December 2019.
The Gold Label certificate is valid for two years (until the end of 2024).
Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThe European project ECHoS (Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies) was recommended for funding by the European Commission.
ECHoS (Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies) aims to support the implementation of the Cancer Mission activities in all member states and associated countries through the establishment and development of Cancer Mission Hubs operating at national, regional and local levels.
In Norway, a national Cancer Mission Hub has already been set up in a collaborative effort from various actors of the oncology ecosystem. Several members of the hub are active partners in ECHoS, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Cancer Society, Oslo University Hospital and SINTEF.
Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. Grant Agreement Nº: 101104587. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Health companies gained investors’ attention
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénStrong Norwegian oncology presence at DNB Nordic Healthcare Conference 2022.
The DNB Nordic Healthcare Conference was back with in-person attendance last week, connecting some of the best Nordic health companies with eager investors at the DNB main office in Oslo.
“Health is key in Norway’s transition to a green economy. DNB shows great social responsibility by bringing together key players in business, investment, and health. It is encouraging to see the high-quality of the companies at this conference,” commented Ketil Widerberg, general manager at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The conference included four different sessions with company presentations. A total of 14 members from Oslo Cancer Cluster were there, demonstrating the first-class cancer innovation emerging from Norwegian research environments.
The podcast Radium, produced by the investment fund Radforsk, also recorded an episode with perspectives on where the Nordic healthcare sectors.
Up-and-coming companies competed
Eleven health start-ups competed for the Health Prize of NOK 1 million during the Venture Session. Six members of Oslo Cancer Cluster were selected for this competition, and two were fast-tracked for the final. Here are snapshots from their pitches:
Bjørn Klem presented Adjutec Pharma, a company fighting against the global crisis of anti-microbial resistance.
Kerstin Jakobsson presented Kongsberg Beam Technology, a medtech start-up developing the next generation’s proton radiation therapy, by personalising the treatment for each patient.
Katja Vetvik presented Thelper, a Norwegian company that is developing targeted immunotherapies against cancer.
Peter W. Eide presented Oncosyne, a company that will provide game-changing functional diagnostic tools that give cancer patients significantly better and longer lives.
Torbjørn Furuseth presented DoMore Diagnostics, a company that is transforming cancer diagnostics with artificial intelligence.
Adam Robertson presented Hemispherian, a company developing a pipeline of first-in-class epigenetic therapeutics against aggressive cancers.
The companies ArxxTherapeutics, Bulbitech, Clexbio, Helseboka and Nadenod also pitched in this session. After a nerve-racking final, with heated discussions in the investor panel and a packed auditorium voting for their favorite start-up, Clexbio won the prestigious prize.
Oncology companies drew a crowd
There were two sessions with listed companies and one session with private companies, including 9 members from Oslo Cancer Cluster in total. The rooms filled up quickly, and the companies received many questions from curious investors. Here are some messages from their presentations.
Dan Schneider, CEO of Photocure, described how the company is improving the lives of bladder cancer patients with unique photodynamic technology for diagnosis and treatment. Visit the Photocure website to learn more.
Jan Alfheim, CEO of Oncoinvent, presented how the company uses alpha-emitting radiotherapeutics to kill all cancer cells in body cavities, including micro-metastatic disease. Visit the Oncoinvent website to learn more.
Martin Olin, CEO of BerGenBio, introduced how the company uses targeting AXL inhibitors to prevent the progression of cancer.
Visit the BerGenBio website to learn more.
Namir Hassan, CEO of Zelluna Immunotherapy, talked about how the company wants to save lives through innovative cancer-targeted cell therapies, using the unique TCR-NK technology.
Visit the Zelluna Immunotherapy website to learn more.
Per Walday, CEO of Exact Therapeutics, informed about how the company improves drug delivery with an ultrasound technology platform, using specifically designed microbubbles.
Visit the Exact Therapeutics website to learn more.
Mikael Engsig, CEO of Nykode Therapeutics, addressed how the company’s unique vaccine technology platform has the potential to be applicable to several disease areas.
Visit the Nykode Therapeutics website to learn more.
Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs, focused on the company’s next-generation universal cancer vaccine, that can educate the immune system to recognize telomerase, an enzyme that is expressed in 85% of all cancer types.
Visit the Ultimovacs website to learn more.
Erik Wiklund, CEO of Targovax, spoke about how the company wants to make PD1 checkpoint inhibitors work for all patients, with the company’s oncolytic therapy.
Visit the Targovax website to learn more.
The conference was organised by DNB with support from Oslo Cancer Cluster and Norway Health Tech. The event also collaborates with the following Norwegian clusters and networks in healthcare: The Life Science Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, The Life Science Cluster, Norwegian Inflammation Network, Nansen Neuroscience Network and Aleap.
10 highlights from Oslo Cancer Cluster 2022
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénScroll down to see our 10 highlights of the year.
2022 has been a year of post-pandemic growth for us, where we have revitalised the team, made new collaborations across borders and raised our voice on political issues. We have also started new initiatives, created more meeting places and welcomed new members to our community. Find out how you can engage with us in the snippets below.
Growing our community
We are nothing without our members. This year, we welcomed 10 new members to our cluster, strengthening our position as one of Norway’s leading health clusters.
The membership base spans different sectors of society, including: academia, drug development, technology, human resources and recruitment, legal firms, clinical service providers, investment funds, and more. The size of our members ranges from one-person companies to multi-national corporations. The one thing all members have in common is the motivation to work together to accelerate the development of cancer treatments and diagnostics.
Make some new connections! Please visit our Member Overview to see who else is part of our cluster.
New members of Oslo Cancer Cluster in 2022.
Arranging popular meeting places
Meeting places are the heart and soul of our organisation. This is where people meet to discuss how to accelerate the development of cancer treatments and diagnostics. Whether your interest lies in educational forums, political debate, partnering opportunities, networking with colleagues or meetings with investors, we have a tailored event for you. Here are a few from the year gone-by:
Did these teasers spark your interest? Please visit our Event Calendar to register for events.
Our events offer educational forums, networking opportunities and new arenas for cooperation. This photo was taken at a satellite meeting in connection with Onkologisk forum 2022. Photo: Fartein Rudjord / CONNECT
Building successful companies
Similar to how an incubator provides a warm, nurturing growth environment for babies, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator helps early-stage cancer start-ups develop into successful businesses.
This year, five companies from our Incubator (DoMore Diagnostics, Thelper, Adjutec Pharma, Kongsberg Beam Technology and OncoSyne) were selected for the DNB Nordic Healthcare Conference’s Venture Session. Several companies pitched at NLSInvest, at BioStock Life Science Summit and were also featured in the International Cancer Cluster Showcase digital brochure.
As a recognition of the Incubator’s accomplishments, SIVA extended their financing for another year with NOK 3,5 million. This means we can continue to help cancer start-ups grow and develop life-saving treatments.
Interested in the services and facilities at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator? Visit their website or contact Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, to schedule a visit.
Janne Nestvold, COO of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, takes an active and hands-on approach when developing the cancer start-ups. This photo was taken at the Biostock Life Science Summit 2022. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen
Connecting public with private
There is a wave of promising cancer treatments coming in the field of precision medicine. Still, questions remain about how to quickly get these implemented in the Norwegian healthcare system.
The public-private consortium CONNECT was set up in 2021 by 22 founding partners to drive the implementation of precision cancer medicine in Norway, with Oslo Cancer Cluster as project manager.
During 2022, CONNECT has held a long line of educational seminars, grown to include 30 partners, created a positive climate for public-private collaborations in cancer, and put Norway on the map for precision cancer medicine internationally, most notably in a Letter to the Editor in Nature Medicine.
Get engaged in CONNECT! Please visit the CONNECT website or contact Jutta Heix, Project Lead in CONNECT and Head of International Affairs in Oslo Cancer Cluster.
In CONNECT, stakeholders from both the public and private sector work together to drive the implementation of precision cancer medicine. This photo was taken at one of the Steering Committee meetings in 2022. Foto: Fartein Rudjord
Making our voice heard
We fight for political change, so cancer innovation in Norway can thrive. One way of doing this is by affecting the framework conditions, such as national policies, governmental strategies and state budgets.
That is why we had an active presence at Arendalsuka 2022, where we held meetings together with our partners, talked to politicians and promoted topics that are important for our members.
We also had a record number of on-site visits by curious politicians that want to learn more about our cancer eco-system.
Help us affect political change! Read all our input or get in touch with Wenche Gerhardsen, Head of Communications at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Jan Christian Vestre, Minister of Industry, received a tour of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, by Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, general secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society, and Ketil Widerberg, general manager in Oslo Cancer Cluster, in August 2022. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Inspiring homegrown talent
We want to raise the next generation of cancer researchers. That is why we have a collaboration with Ullern Upper Secondary School, where we take students out of the traditional classroom setting and give them a taste of what life as a researcher or health professional is like.
During 2022, we arranged work placements for the students and a thematic day together with clinicians from the Radium Hospital. We also had good news from several Ullern alumni, including Simone Mester becoming CEO of start-up Authera and Ullern students winning EU Science Competition.
We know these students can become the entrepreneurs, inventors, researchers and talents that the Norwegian life science environment needs. We are proud to help inspire them.
How can you help inspire the young? Read more on the website or get in touch with Bente Prestegård, Project Manager in Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Joining the European efforts
The European Union has launched a Cancer Mission with the goal to improve the lives of 3 million people living with cancer by 2030. We want to position Norway to help this ambitious endeavour.
In 2022, we launched a national Cancer Mission Hub together with key players in the Norwegian cancer field. The hub will inform about EU opportunities, mobilise the Norwegian stakeholders and foster collaboration between all participants.
Get engaged with the hub! Read more on the Cancer Mission Hub website or get in touch with Marine Jeanmougin, EU Advisor in Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Strengthening the team
We employed two new team members to meet the demands of all ongoing activities.
Marine Jeanmougin, our new EU advisor, brings aboard scientific expertise and has unique perspectives into European affairs. You can contact Marine for help with applications to EU funding and for information on upcoming EU calls.
Marine Jeanmougin, EU Advisor, Oslo Cancer Cluster
Dave Tippett, our new Membership advisor, is an administration wizard that helps the team, our members and everyone in the office become more efficient. Dave splits his time between Oslo Cancer Cluster and the Incubator to ensure that things are running smoothly, so the researchers have time to focus on what they do best.
Dave Tippett, Membership advisor, Oslo Cancer Cluster
For general queries, please visit our Team page to find out who to contact.
Click here to read selected milestones from our biotech members in 2022
10 milestones from our biotech members in 2022
/in External, News /by Sofia LindénWhat a year it has been for the development of Norwegian biotech companies!
We want to recognise the accomplishments of our members this year. Many of them have reached impressive milestones and unfortunately we can’t include all. So we have selected 10 outstanding news stories. These represent both big and small companies, covering various sectors and focusing on different types of cancer therapies and diagnostics. We hope this list serves as inspiration for you and that you get to know our members a bit better.
Strategic collaboration on optimizing TCRs
Nextera set up a strategic collaboration with Zelluna Immunotherapy in March. Together they will optimize T cell receptors (TCRs), which are crucial in the development of a special type of cancer treatment called TCR-based natural killer cell therapies. Nextera is a research-based target and drug discovery company with a unique protein engineering and discovery platform – NextCore.
Read the press release
Faster development of cancer vaccines
NEC Oncoimmunity acquired VAXIMM’s neoantigen vaccine development assets in March. These assets will be used to faster develop personalized T cell cancer vaccines. NEC OncoImmunity AS is a biotechnology company that has developed a machine-learning software to enable development of personalized cancer immunotherapy, in addition to infectious disease vaccines.
Read the press release
Richard Stratford and Trevor Clancy, founders of NEC OncoImmunity AS, an AI driven biotechnology company. They grew the company in the Oslo Cancer Cluster ecosystem, making use of the cluster’s advice and support, and networking and partnering opportunities. The photo was taken in December 2018 outside Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster
Artificial intelligence improves cancer prognosis
In May, DoMore Diagnostics became the first company ever to get a CE-mark for a product that utilises artificial intelligence to improve patient outcomes. The company has developed a deep learning algorithm that can give more accurate prognosis for colorectal cancer patients by analysing standard histology images.
Read the press release
The deep learning algorithm that DoMore Diagnostics is commercialising was first invented by Professor Håvard Danielsen at the Institute of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, also situated in Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Danielsen received the King Olav V’s Cancer Research Award in 2022 for his research into artificial intelligence and cancer. Photo: ICGI
Alpha emitter therapy against colorectal cancer
Oncoinvent initiated a phase 2 trial for colorectal patients to be treated with their drug candidate Radspherin in August. The study will be conducted at two sites (the Radium Hospital in Norway and at Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden) and the first patient was included in August. Oncoinvent is a clinical stage company advancing alpha emitter therapy across a variety of cancers.
Read the press release
Takeda Ventures invests in TCR-NK therapies
Zelluna Immunotherapy received an investment from Takeda Ventures Inc. during the company’s financing round in August. The funds will help advance the company’s lead product. Zelluna Immunotherapy is a company pioneering the development of a new type of treatment against solid cancers called “allogeneic T cell receptor guided natural killer cell immunotherapies”.
Read the press release
Zelluna Immunotherapy have enterred several strategic collaborations this year, including with Takeda Ventures and Nextera. This photo was taken of the Zelluna Immunotherapy team at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Photo: Zelluna Immunotherapy
Digital platform for research collaboration
Ledidi revealed the company’s software technology will be used in UK hospitals to improve the treatment, prognosis and care of patients with breast cancer in September. It is the pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s UK branch that is offering subscription access to NHS hospitals for the cloud-based research and registry platform Ledidi Core. Ledidi is a Norwegian technology company with an end-to-end solution for health registers and research.
Read the press release
Einar Martin Aandahl, founder and CEO of Ledidi, developed the research platform because as a clinician he saw a need for simpler collaboration on data between doctors, institutions and countries. Photo: Ledidi
Promising results for universal cancer vaccine
Ultimovacs announced positive three-year results with 71% survival rate for patients in the first cohort of a study into metastatic malignant melanoma in October. The patients had been treated with the company’s product UV1 (a universal cancer vaccine) in combination with pembrolizumab (a checkpoint inhibitor anticancer drug). Ultimovacs is an immunotherapy company developing immune-stimulatory vaccines to treat a broad range of cancers.
Read the press release
Oncolytic peptide against melanoma
Lytix Biopharma expanded the ATLAS study to three European countries in November. ATLAS is a phase 2 combination study, treating patients with advanced melanoma with the company’s product LTX-315 (a first-in-class oncolytic molecule) and pembrolizumab (a checkpoint inhibitor anticancer drug). Lytix Biopharma is a clinical stage biotech company developing novel cancer immunotherapies.
Read the press release
Light cytoscopy against bladder cancer
Photocure’s partner Asieris enrolled the first patient in a phase 3 trial exploring the use of Hexvix and blue versus white light cystoscopy in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in November. Hexvix is a drug that preferentially accumulates in cancer cells in the bladder, making them glow bright pink during blue light cystoscopy. This makes it easier to detect and diagnose tumours.
Read the press release
Immunotherapy against cervical cancer
Nykode Therapeutics continues to show positive results from the company’s phase 2 clinical study against cervical cancer in November. The patients in the study have received Nykode Therapeutic’s VB.10.16 (a therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of human papilloma virus-16 induced malignancies) and atezolizumab (a checkpoint inhibitor anti-cancer drug from Roche). Nykode Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel immunotherapies.
Read the press release
Would you like to have your company’s news story featured on our website? Please get in touch with Sofia Linden, Communications adviser at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Cancer incubator secures further financing
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Sofia LindénSIVA continues backing our Incubator so we can help cancer start-ups succeed
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator has been awarded NOK 3,5 million to continue supporting cancer innovators during 2023. The funds come from SIVA, a governmental enterprise facilitating a national infrastructure for innovation.
Why are these funds important? Well, the road is long from a promising innovation is born until it becomes a solution that improves patients’ lives. An innovator often needs support to make their idea into a commercial product.
Precision therapy against cancer
This was the case with Kongsberg Beam Technology, founded by Per Håvard Kleven who had invented a digital solution to improve proton therapy, based on expertise from the Kongsberg defence industry.
The company was admitted into the Accelerator programme at Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator in 2019. The incubator team worked closely with the company and helped with everything from setting up a business plan, developing a company strategy and recruiting management, to attracting the company’s first investors.
Kerstin Johansson, CEO of Kongsberg Beam Technology, one of the companies in the Incubator that has received help from SIVA.
“If it wasn’t for Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, Kongsberg Beam Technology wouldn’t be where we are today.”
“If it wasn’t for Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, Kongsberg Beam Technology wouldn’t be where we are today. From being a one-man company, we have grown to a semi-virtual company with a mix of employees and CRO/service companies with key competences for the road to commercialise our product MaMa-K. To date we have attracted NOK 50,4 million in private investments and public funding. We strongly believe that with our solution, MaMa-K software intended for radiation therapy the clinical benefits will be significantly better and cancer patients will have a much better life with less side effects after the treatment,” said Kerstin Jakobsson, CEO of Kongsberg Beam Technology.
A melting pot for innovation
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is the only cancer incubator among the total 35 companies accepted into the SIVA’s new ten-year Incubator programme starting 2023. The Incubator offers business development services, state-of-the-art laboratories, and access to a global cancer community.
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator have state-of-the-art labs that are shared between academics and private companies. Photo: Christopher Olssøn
A multitude of languages can be heard between the international researchers as you walk down the hallways. When peering into the labs, you see academics working side-by-side with private companies. This is a true melting pot for health innovation.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is uniquely situated next to Oslo University Hospital and can provide the network in oncology that early-stage companies in cancer need. We are now expanding the Innovation Park to make room for more companies, who are in dire need of our facilities and expertise. This is good for the companies, it benefits the patients and adds value to Norwegian society,” said Ketil Widerberg, CEO and Chairman of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
The Incubator is situated in Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, right next to the Cancer Research Institute and a stone’s throw away from the Oslo University Hospital (a Comprehensive Cancer Centre). Photo: Christian Tandberg
Presenterte på svensk investorkonferanse
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Elisabeth Kirkeng AndersenPlease note. This article is only in Norwegian. A longer article in English will be published shortly.
Tre av Oslo Cancer Cluster Inkubator sine selskaper, Kongsberg Beam Technology, AdjuTec Pharma og Thelper, presenterte i går og i dag seg på den svenske investorkonferansen «Biostock Life Science Fall Summit 2022».
I tillegg presenterte Oslo Cancer Cluster-medlem Ultimovacs seg.
Konferansen gikk av stabelen i Lund og var fullbooket. Gjennom to dager har selskaper og investorer satt hverandre i stevne, der en majoritet av svenske selskaper har vist seg fram for investorer fra både Sverige og Danmark.
Inkubator-selskapene har fått tilgang til å delta her gjennom et nylig etablert samarbeid mellom inkubatoren og BioStock, som er et svensk, digitalt nyhets- og analyseselskap fokusert på selskaper innen livsvitenskapssektoren.
Fra Oslo Cancer Cluster Inkubator har COO Janne Nestvold og Senior Advisor Business Development Thomas Andersson deltatt.
Kongsberg Beam Technology ble presentert av CEO Kerstin Jakobsson. Selskapet utvikler neste-generasjons protonterapi ved å persontilpasse behandlingen til hver enkelt pasient. Foto: Thomas Andersson
Besøk nettsidene til Kongsberg Beam Technology
AdjuTec Pharma ble presentert av CEO Bjørn Klem. Selskapet utvikler antibiotika-produkter mot multiresistente infeksjoner. Foto: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen
Besøk nettsidene til AdjuTec Pharma
Thelper ble presentert av CEO Katja Vetvik. Selskapet utvikler anti-viral immunterapibehandling av solide svulster. Foto: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen
Besøk nettsidene til Thelper
Ultimovacs ble presentert av CEO Carlos De Sousa. Selskapet utvikler en universell kreftvaksine, UV1.
Joining forces to help life science start-ups
/in International, News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenAstraZeneca, the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo and Oslo Cancer Cluster enter a new mentoring collaboration for life science start-ups.
A new collaboration between the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the SPARK Programme at Norway’s largest life science university and Norway’s only cancer cluster is set in motion to grow the life science sector in the Nordics. At the core of the collaboration is AstraZeneca’s business and science mentoring programme, called AstraZeneca Exchange Nordics.
How does it work?
Mentors from AstraZeneca support Nordic entrepreneurs and start-ups to speed up innovations that benefit patients. By sharing expertise, the mentors help move start-ups towards sustainable and successful growth.
The mentors cover a wide range of expertise for all phases of drug development but also help to address critical issues such as health economics, payer and market access and business development. Furthermore, the programme offers mentoring opportunities in Data Science, AI and Digital Health.
Air view of the AstraZeneca site in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo: AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca has established relationships with several Nordic incubators, connecting entrepreneurs with AstraZeneca mentors. The mentors arrange non-confidential, single advisory sessions on strategic questions in the early start-up journey to help entrepreneurial ideas grow.
Oslo Cancer Cluster and the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo will both identify and select projects or companies in their networks that may benefit from mentoring.
Access to industry specialists
The mentoring programme and the public-private collaboration fits right into Oslo Cancer Cluster’s goal to support the development of promising start-ups in the cancer field.
“Via AstraZeneca’s business & science mentoring programme Oslo Cancer Cluster’s start-ups and biotechs get access to industry specialists for discussing strategic questions early in their R&D journey. It will be truly helpful for a variety of start-ups in our cluster”, said Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs at Oslo Cancer Cluster.
“Mentoring from AstraZeneca’s experts will be highly valuable for the SPARK Norway projects in their endeavour to build new start-ups based on their innovative academic ideas. Getting the industry perspective and feedback will help the projects progress in the right direction and shape their understanding of how they can develop their idea into a new product”, stated Morten Egeberg, Administrative Leader UiO:Life Science and Leader SPARK Norway at the University of Oslo.
A positive contribution
Inven2 is a Tech Transfer Office, owned by the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, that was established to administer the commercial potential of inventions and work from these two institutions and all the health trusts in the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. They welcome the initiative for projects and start-ups in the SPARK and Oslo Cancer Cluster networks.
“We welcome these new opportunities for academic innovators and start-up companies emerging from the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital. When establishing new start-ups, competence and previous experience is of critical importance. The AstraZeneca mentoring programme will indeed be a positive contribution to support new entrepreneurs for faster onboarding on their innovation journey”, said Jens Halvard Grønlien, Vice President Innovation in Inven2.
Oslo Cancer Cluster and the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo both signed a memorandum of understanding with AstraZeneca in October 2022.
More information about AstraZeneca’s business & science mentoring program can be found on their website via the following links:
Are you an Oslo Cancer Cluster member, interested in this mentoring programme? Please contact Jutta Heix.
Positioning Norway towards the EU Cancer Mission
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénArtificial intelligence is one of the central themes as Norway responds to the EU Cancer Mission.
The European Union has launched the Mission on Cancer and the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan that aim to jointly improve the lives of 3 million people by 2030.
Norwegian organisations working in cancer, including Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Cancer Society and others, have joined forces to make the most of these opportunities. Together, they have formed the Cancer Mission Hub Norway.
“With a long tradition of patient involvement, a strong national health service and many emerging companies in the health sector, Norway is uniquely positioned to respond to the EU’s Cancer Mission,” said Ole Aleksander Opdalshei, Deputy General Secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society, as he opened the meeting Artificial Intelligence in Cancer – Implementation and EU opportunities.
One of the hub’s initiatives is to position Norway in the AI field, by gathering relevant actors and exploring the AI & cancer theme.
View the meeting here:
The promises of AI
Vibeke Binz Vallevik, moderator for the meeting held at Kreftforeningens Vitensenter on 13 October 2022 introduced the subject:
“We have been talking about AI in healthcare for a few years now – its hype and potential. How it can accelerate research, help drug discovery, handle large datasets, improve manual processes and be a tool for clinical decision support.”
The possible applications of AI in oncology are plentiful. An example of how artificial intelligence can be used to improve cancer prognosis is the DoMore Project, from the Institute of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital.
“AI and deep learning represent a new era for prognosis and the field is growing exponentially,” said Professor Håvard Danielsen, leader of the DoMore Project and recipient of the King Olav V’s Cancer Research Award, during a keynote speech at the meeting.
Danielsen presented how they have developed an AI-based prognostic tool for prostate, colorectal and lung cancer.
Read more about DoMore here: https://oslocancercluster.no/2022/05/09/ai-researcher-gets-cancer-award/
A challenging path
Vallevik mentioned the barriers to clinical implementation, including technological issues, legal access, culture, competence, procurement and economic factors, organizational, infrastructure, data quality, quality assurance and trust. This all begs the question: is AI in health just a hype?
A scientific panel talked about the opportunities and challenges in artifical intelligence and health. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
A scientific panel brought their perspectives on these opportunities and challenges.
“AI is really key to empower and enable precision medicine, so matching patients to drugs and stratifying patients in a more intelligent way. It is absolutely key to fully personalize the cancer therapies in the future. We are working for instance on developing personalized cancer vaccines, that is completely dependent on AI,” commented Richard Stratford, CEO, NEC OncoImmunity AS.
Inga Strümke, Researcher at the Dept. of Computer Science, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at NTNU, raised an ethical dilemma:
“You cannot guarantee that a neural network that has learned to solve a problem will always work and function the way you expect and intended it to. So, what should we do instead? I think medicine is well-equipped to answer this question, because it has a strong tradition for testing systematically.”
As both Hauke Bartsch, Assoc. Prof. (University of Bergen/Dept. of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital) and Ishita Barua, MD & Manager at Deloitte, also pointed out during the discussions, another challenge is ensuring that AI-based tools are adapted for their users, namely the health personnel and the patients.
How can Norway contribute?
The second part of the meeting included a keynote speech from Evangelia Markidou, Head of Sector – Artificial Intelligence Technology, Deployment and Impact at European Commission, and a policy panel. The panel discussed how national multidisciplinary initiatives can pave the way for European collaborations.
“How can a country like Norway contribute? Our public health system is one of the best in the world and the Cancer Registry has collected data from patients for the last 70 years. This enables us to see what is happening on a population scale that other countries cannot. We can document what works and doesn’t work,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The number of successful Norwegian research applications for EU funding also shows great promise.
“If you look at applications within cancer and artificial intelligence during the last two years, Norwegian researchers have received 10 million euros in total,” said Ole Johan Borge, Department Director Health, Research Council of Norway.
Cancer Mission Hub Norway will continue to work towards informing, fostering, and mobilising the Norwegian research environments towards the EU Cancer Mission.
Stay updated to upcoming news and events via the Cancer Mission Hub website
Preventing breast cancer in Norway
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénA new research project is exploring how polygenic risk score tests can be used for early detection and prevention of breast cancer in Norway.
Your genes can reveal more about your future than you might realise. New testing technology called polygenic risk scores provide a measure of your personal risk to develop a disease due to your genes.
The research project AnteNOR is exploring how these tests can be implemented in Norway to prevent and detect breast cancer earlier.
Breast cancer screening in Norway is done through the mammography programme, coordinated by the Norwegian Cancer Registry, and usually starts when a woman turns 50. However, 20 per cent of all breast cancer cases happen to women who are younger than 50 years old. Some of these women could benefit from taking the polygenic risk score test.
The project is a public-private collaboration between Antegenes, Oslo Cancer Cluster and some of Norway’s top cancer research and hospital environments at the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital and Vestre Viken Hospital Trust.
The AnteNOR partners will together investigate how to create models for new screening programmes, where genetics-based screening can be used. The project also investigates how to implement these new approaches in the clinic and national health service.
The project has been funded by the Norway Grants Green ICT Programme and will be carried out in 2022-2023.
15 years of Cancer Crosslinks
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénTake a peek behind the scenes in the making of the 15th edition of Cancer Crosslinks.
Cancer Crosslinks, a unique educational forum for the Norwegian oncology community, will take place on 26 January 2023 at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park.
Activating the community
It has truly “taken a village” to build the annual meeting place Cancer Crosslinks, in the sense that it has been supported by a whole community in oncology.
Cancer Crosslinks was established in 2009, when Oslo Cancer Cluster in collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb organized the first meeting of its kind. Since then, the meeting has been supported by 15 sponsors in addition to BMS – all members of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The lively networking is one of the signatures of Cancer Crosslinks, where clinicians, researchers, industry representatives, health officials, and more, meet and make new connections. Photo: Cameo UB
The goal of Cancer Crosslinks is to promote interactions between researchers and clinicians, as well as to encourage translational and clinical research, and new collaborations to advance the development of innovative cancer treatments.
Charlotte Wu Homme, Head of Membership and Events, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Project Lead, Cancer Crosslinks, commented:
“Oslo Cancer Cluster is committed to supporting the tradition of scientific inquiry by providing relevant and successfully facilitated symposiums for the oncology community. This support, made possible by our members and sponsors, helps us to make a positive impact on society.”
Homme collaborates with the Oslo Cancer Cluster team and student companies from Ullern Upper Secondary School, to ensure the event is delivered successfully.
Latest research developments
The hallmark of Cancer Crosslinks is the full-day educational programme featuring distinguished international and national experts presenting recent advances in oncology.
Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Scientific Lead and Co-Founder, Cancer Crosslinks, commented:
“When developing the programme, we start by identifying emerging concepts and recent progress in precision treatment and immuno-oncology, which are close to clinical implementation and of relevance beyond one specific cancer indication. We then reach out to leading experts from the US and Europe who can discuss these topics. Inviting these clinicians and researchers to Norway offers a unique opportunity to stimulate discussions and potential collaborations with their colleagues here.”
Cancer Crosslinks has attracted renowned speakers from across the world. In 2020, Michel Sadelain, Director, Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, gave a talk.
The title of Cancer Crosslinks 2023 is “New dimensions to the hallmarks of cancer: How is the last decade of discoveries advancing our understanding of cancer biology and transforming precision medicine?”. The idea of The Hallmarks of Cancer was originally coined by Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg in a 2000 paper published in CELL. It has inspired the Cancer Crosslinks programmes since 2009.
“We are honoured that Prof. Hanahan accepted our invitation to give the opening keynote,” Heix added.
Across sectors and borders
Cancer Crosslinks is open to everyone and free to attend, and usually attracts more than 350 representatives from all over Norway. The lively networking is one of the main reasons people participate on-site. The program is also live-streamed, which opens for even broader and more international participation.
Cancer Crosslinks attracts participants from across Norway and different sectors of society. Photo: Cameo UB
Marine Jeanmougin, EU Advisor, Oslo Cancer Cluster, commented:
“The rise of digital technologies presents an opportunity to support oncology care and address some of the unmet needs in the clinic. We are thrilled to welcome two outstanding young researchers to talk us through their latest work in computational biology and clinical artificial intelligence!”
Cancer Crosslinks has become one of the leading national meeting places gathering oncologists, hematologists, translational researchers, healthcare providers, regulatory experts, and industry representatives.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Cancer Crosslinks 2023: Find out more
This meeting series is marking 15 years of excellence based on the continued support of members of Oslo Cancer Cluster, the team behind Oslo Cancer Cluster and the wider oncology ecosystem. Thank you also to Innovation Norway for supporting Cancer Crosslinks through the mature cluster programme.
Norwegian technology to help UK oncologists
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénBritish hospitals can now improve care of breast cancer patients by using a new health data platform from Norway.
The pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s UK branch has announced grants to provide NHS hospitals with subscription access to a research and registry platform from the Norwegian company Ledidi. The platform will be used for clinical audit of breast cancer patients.
Ledidi, a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster, was formed by two academic surgeons, who saw the need for better tools for collecting, structuring, analyzing and visualizing health data.
Improving patient treatment
Knowledge about the effect of cancer treatments and diagnostics is often limited to what is known from clinical studies, but little is known about the effect once they are implemented in standard clinical practice.
“For cancer clinics, the possibilities of monitoring patient outcomes combined with other data from their patients daily, gives new possibilities of understanding the effect of their efforts and identifying areas in patient care and treatment that could be improved,” commented Einar Martin Aandahl, CEO and co-founder of Ledidi.
The problem is that data gathered from patients is often fragmented in different systems, unstructured and contains a lot of free text. To be able to monitor patients’ outcomes, the data needs to be structured in a way that makes them available for analysis.
Collaboration between clinics
The two clinicians teamed up with engineers and developed a cloud-based service to help clinicians and researchers collaborate on data across hospitals and faster reach novel discoveries.
“Ledidi Core allows the clinicians to create structured databases and forms for data capture, so that data can be collected in the same format from several collaborating colleagues or clinics. The solution is designed for multiple participants to collaborate on a shared database,” Aandahl explained.
According to Aandahl, the database can be shared between health personnel, but they cannot access each other’s data directly, and it is done in compliance with security and privacy regulations. Still, everyone can run analysis on the whole dataset and get instant results from the data. Aandahl also informs us the database can be used both for research studies and patient registries.
“By collaborating with other clinics, one also gets the possibility to compare practice from clinic to clinic and find a benchmark for how your own clinic is performing. By this, we aim to break down the barriers between research and clinical practice,” Aandahl added.
Towards data-driven healthcare
Almost every sector of society is becoming increasingly digitalized, but the health care sector has been lagging behind, both because of strict regulations on health data and the complexities in providing healthcare.
“By finding safe and easy ways to structure and collaborate on health data for secondary purposes, we can generate new knowledge and insights that can improve patient care and the health of many people. We believe health care needs to be more data driven and we work to lift the barriers standing in the way,” Aandahl said.
Nordic Life Science Days 2022
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénOlso Cancer Cluster joined NLSDays 2022 to strengthen Nordic ties in life science, healthcare and oncology.
Nordic Life Science Days 2022 were held on 28-29 September in Malmö, gathering the Nordic life science community for partnering opportunities, educational sessions and mingling in the exhibition area.
Advancing Norwegian life science
Since 2015, Oslo Cancer Cluster has coordinated the joint booth Norway for Life Science, promoting the Norwegian healthcare and life science industry. This year, the ten Norwegian life science partners came together once again in the exhibition area to make new contacts and reinforce bonds across borders.
The Norwegian booth included Oslo Cancer Cluster, UiO Life Science, Aleap, Norway Health Tech, Nansen Neuroscience Network, The Life Science Cluster, Innovation Norway, Legemiddelindustrien (LMI), Norwegian Research Council, the Centre for Digital Life and Inven2.
Vaccine insights
Oslo Cancer Cluster co-hosted one of the super sessions in the NLSDays programme, together with the Life Science Cluster. The topic was Vaccine Crosslinks: From cancer to COVID and included presentations from key experts in vaccine development from the Nordics. Mikael Engsig, CEO of Nykode Therapeutics, commented:
“Nykode Therapeutics was founded on the basis of our unique immunotherapy technology platform and its properties to up or downregulate specific immune responses. Today, we strive hard to put the platform to its full use across several therapeutics areas with unmet medical needs such as oncology, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases.”
Immune links between cancer and infectious diseases were discussed by the panelists during super session 3. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The speakers included: Ms. Eleanor Malone (Editor in Chief, Citeline), Dr. Heinz Lubenau (Chief Drug Development Officer, NEC OncoImmunity), Mr. Michael Engsig (CEO, Nykode Therapeutics), Dr. Holger Kissel (Vice President Business Alliances, BioNTech), Dr. Carl Kilander (Partner, HealthCap), Mr. Mike Ryan (Executive Vice President Europe, Eversana) and Dr. Gunnveig Grødeland (Senior Scientist and Research Group Leader, University of Oslo).
Eversana and Citeline kindly sponsored this session.
Our members on the stage
OncoSyne and DoMore Diagnostics, two companies from the Accelerator programme in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, were selected as “Rising Stars” at this year’s NLSInvest. The two companies pitched to an audience of global investors, along with start-up companies from across the Nordics.
Peter W. Eide, CTO in Oncosyne, pitched at NLSInvest. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
“We saw NLSDays as an excellent opportunity to meet new collaborators and promote the company. As such, the conference was very useful. We have a host of promising follow-up meetings, and being selected for pitching with other NLSDays Rising Stars was a nice recognition of our achievements and ambitious growth targets,” said Peter W. Eide, CTO in OncoSyne.
Torbjørn Furuseth, CEO and co-founder of DoMore Diagnostics, presented the company to the NLSDays audience. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
“It is great to see that NLSDays has become such a large and important event, gathering so many early-stage companies, investors and others. We were happy for being selected as one of the Rising Stars and got the opportunity to pitch our company. This event is a great place to network and we had several good meetings,” said Torbjørn Furuseth, CEO and co-founder of DoMore Diagnostics.
Read more about the Rising Stars here.
In addition to our “Rising Stars”, several members of Oslo Cancer Cluster held company presentations during the NLSDays programme.
Gjest Breistein, CFO of Lytix Biopharma, presented the company’s vaccination technology platform for treatment of cancer. Kerstin Jakobsson, CEO of Kongsberg Beam Technology, presented the company’s proton radiation therapy devices for cancer treatment. Bjørn Klem, CEO of Adjutec Pharma, presented the company’s novel solutions against antibiotic resistance.
Sparking innovation
The NLSDays Fireside Chat with SPARK took a deep dive into how the SPARK programme has been set up at universities in the Nordics.
“There is a great untapped potential in research being done at the universities to be transformed into innovative solutions that create value for society. This isn’t unique for Oslo, or even for Norway, but also a challenge for universities across Europe. When Jutta Heix from Oslo Cancer Cluster introduced us to the SPARK concept, we saw it was a good match for UiO Life Science and decided to sponsor it. It has had great success at Stanford University and there have been over 60 programmes established globally,” said Morten Egeberg, Leader of SPARK Norway at the University of Oslo.
Morten Egeberg, Leader of SPARK Norway, moderated the SPARK Fireside Chat at NLSDays 2022. Photo: Dave Tippett / Oslo Cancer Cluster
The so-called “Sparkees”, academic innovators who have undergone the SPARK programme, had the opportunity to meet with investors at NLSDays. They were prepared beforehand about what to expect from these partnering meetings and how to build international networks.
“The focus at this year’s NLSDays was to build a closer collaboration between the SPARK programmes in the Nordics. The programmes in Norway and Finland are already well-established, and Denmark is currently setting up their programme. Our mentors all have relevant backgrounds and industry experience. The aim now is to share mentors across borders, so the ‘Sparkees’ can gain access to a wider network of expertise,” Egeberg added.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to visit our booth, schedule partnering meetings with us and join our sessions. The next Nordic Life Science Days will take place in Copenhagen on 29-30 September 2023. We look forward to seeing you there!
Statsbudsjettet 2023
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenHer er de viktigste postene for Oslo Cancer Clusters medlemmer i statsbudsjett for 2023.
Forskning og utvikling
Regjeringen foreslår å bevilge 43,6 milliarder kroner til forskning og utvikling (FoU). Det tilsvarer en realnedgang på 1,1 prosent. Totalt 78,1 millioner kroner skal gå til arbeidet med å gjøre helsedata enklere og mer tilgjengelig for forskning. Formålet er å sikre mer og bedre helseforskning, som skal bidra til bedre helsetjenester, mer innovasjon og bedre utnyttelse av de norske registrene vi i dag har.
– Norge er, med personnummer, registre og et nasjonalt helsevesen, ett av få land i verden som har muligheten til å redusere tiden for klinisk utvikling signifikant, og gi bedre pasientbehandling. Med et begrenset budsjett i forhold til våre naboland, og kutt i Folkehelseinstituttet, vil økt samarbeid med private aktører bli stadig viktigere på dette feltet, sier Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Samunnsoppdrag og forskning
Regjeringen foreslår å bevilge 3,7 milliarder kroner til deltakelse i EUs rammeprogram for forskning og innovasjon, Horisont Europa, og til de forpliktelsene som henger igjen fra forrige rammeprogram, Horisont 2020.
Oslo Cancer Cluster mener at regjeringen bør se disse bevilgningene i sammenheng med en videre satsing på samfunnsoppdrag, missions, slik at den norske innsatsen bedre skal stemme overens med det vi kan hente tilbake fra EU. EU-kommisjonen har som kjent identifisert fem samfunnsutfordringer som de ønsker konkrete og ambisiøse løsninger på innen 2030.
Kreft er en av de fem utfordringene.
– Kreft er en av de virkelig vanskelige utfordringene i EU, der de største firmaene og de beste statlige instituttene ikke klarer å finne løsningen på egen hånd. EU putter 4 milliarder Euro inn i EU’s Beating Cancer Plan. De store europeiske landene posisjonerer seg ved å styrke organisasjoner og starte spissede initiativer, for å sikre relevans, sier Ketil Widerberg.
6. oktober, samme dag som regjeringen la fram forslaget til statsbudsjett, la de også ut den reviderte Langtidsplanen for forskning og høyere utdanning 2023-2032.
Planen tar opp samfunnsoppdrag som metode, og lanserer en nasjonal satsing på to samfunnsoppdrag: bærekraftig fôr, og å inkludere flere unge i utdanning, arbeids- og samfunnsliv.
– Det er bra at regjeringen støtter EUs samfunnsoppdrag i den nye langtidsplanen. Vi håper at de legger innsats på koordinering, mobilisering og oppbygging av sterke forsknings-, utviklings- og innovasjonsmiljøer, sier Widerberg.
Viktige kreftscreeninger
28,5 millioner kroner skal gå til å få hjemmetest som en del av livmorhalsprogrammet. Regjeringen foreslår også å bruke 10 millioner kroner for å gjøre leseprosessene i screeningprogrammene i mammografiprogrammet mer effektive ved å bruke kunstig intelligens. Til det nye, nasjonale screeningprogrammet for tarmkreft, foreslås en samlet bevilgning på 203 millioner kroner i 2023. Tilbudet gis til kvinner og menn det året de fyller 55 år, og skal gjøres landsdekkende innen 2024.
Oslo Cancer Cluster understreker at det er viktig å prioritere screening og hjemmetester, fordi dette er virkemidler som fungerer for å oppdage kreft i tidlige stadier, og forhindre alvorlige sykdomsforløp og død.
– Ny teknologi, som kunstig intelligens, vil på flere områder effektivisere screening, samt gi muligheter for utvikling av ny teknologi og innovasjon. Her vil samarbeid med internasjonale miljøer bli sentralt, sier Widerberg.
Mer til metodevurdering
Systemet for Nye metoder vurderer nye behandlingsmetoder for innføring i spesialisthelsetjenesten. Regjeringen skriver i sitt forslag til statsbudsjett at de vil sørge for at systemet for Nye metoder videreutvikles i takt med den medisinskteknologiske utviklingen, og foreslår derfor 28 millioner kroner til “styrking av metodevurderingskapasitet og veiledning i Folkehelseinstituttet og Legemiddelverket i 2023”.
Statens legemiddelverk får også 8 millioner kroner i økt bevilging til å styrke regulatorisk og vitenskapelig veiledning og saksbehandling ved kliniske studier.
De regionale helseforetakene får 104,7 millioner kroner i tilskudd til tiltak innenfor persontilpasset medisin. Tilskuddet skal benyttes til å finansiere sekvenseringsutstyr i helseforetakene, det nasjonale kompetansenettverket for persontilpasset medisin, infrastruktur for presisjonsdiagnostikk og etablering av nasjonalt genomsenter.
Styrker eiendom i Siva
Eiendomsvirksomheten i det statlige foretaket Siva foreslås styrket med 100 millioner kroner i 2023. 35 millioner blir tilført som risikokapital, mens de resterende 65 millionene blir tilført som egenkapital.
– Dette er viktig for kreftinnovasjon, fordi eiendomsvirksomheten til Siva har vært, og er, sentral for utviklingen av Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovasjonspark og innovasjonsmiljøet ved Radiumhospitalet, sier Widerberg.
Siva er en av eierne i Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark og inkubator. Innovasjonsparken planlegger å utvide, etter ønske fra forskningsmiljøer og industri. En utvidelse av parken vil innebære flere laboratorier, og mer nødvendig plass til bedrifter innen helsenæringen.
Grønn helsenæring
Regjeringen vil ha mer grønn nærings- og eksportomstilling, og foreslår derfor å omprioritere deler av midlene i det næringsrettede virkemiddelapparatet. Foreslåtte tiltak er blant annet ny utlysning under Grønn plattform med en ramme på 600 millioner kroner, å øke rammen for Innovasjon Norges Grønne vekstlån, å tilførse kapital til Siva, og å styrke Innovasjon Norges arbeid med strategiske eksportfremmesatsinger.
– Det er viktig for oss å understreke at helsenæringen er en grønn næring, der eksport trenger en strategisk satsing. Helsenæringen hører naturlig hjemme i en norsk satsing på grønn eksport, sier Widerberg.
Mer om statsbudsjettet
Se våre innspill i høringene
New centre for precision immunotherapy
/in External, News /by Sofia LindénImmunotherapy has the potential to cure advanced cancer – now a new Centre of Excellence will look at how to tailor precise and effective treatments for patients.
Nine new Centers of Excellence have been awarded NOK 1,4 billion by the Norwegian Research Council. One of the centers will focus on precision immunotherapy and has received NOK 155 million.
Develop effective treatments
The centre is called Precision Immunotherapy Alliance (PRIMA) and is led by Johanna Olweus, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Head of Department of Cancer Immunology, Oslo University Hospital and Karl-Johan Malmberg, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, University of Oslo. The alliance consists of in total seven research group leaders from Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo.
“Our center aims to identify targets and immune receptors that enable precise and effective treatment of cancer with manageable side effects, but the goal is that the therapies that will be developed can be used for many patients. The tools and technologies that we will develop based on our in-house concepts provide unique opportunities for this, in particular because of the complementary expertise of the various center partners,” commented Olweus.
A great acknowledgment
Malmberg and Olweus said the designation of the Centre of Excellence represents a great acknowledgement of the cancer research milieu in Oslo, and that it puts them in the position to make an even greater impact internationally.
“The timing to form a Centre of Excellence in precision immunotherapy is perfect. The possibilities to make breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy research have never been bigger. The research group leaders that have joined forces in Precision Immunotherapy Alliance possess complementary expertise needed to address outstanding challenges in the field,” commented Malmberg.
Access to new therapies
Malmberg and Olweus stressed that the success of the centre relies upon collaboration with different institutions. They hope Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo will support them and that they can have a good dialogue with medical authorities, such as the Norwegian Medicines Agency.
“The aim is that Norwegian patients will get access to new therapies in clinical trials very early, rather than having to wait for new therapies to come from abroad. Innovation can also spur a generation of new start-ups and collaboration with existing industry, resulting in more clinical trials being attracted to Norway. We also believe that this will allow for us to attract talented researchers and clinicians who want to work with cancer immunotherapy, from Norway and abroad,” said Olweus.
Norwegian symposium highlights molecular testing
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénAttendants from across Norway, the Nordics and the world discussed how molecular tests can realise precision cancer medicine in the clinic, through a prostate cancer perspective.
The Norwegian Cancer Symposium was held on 14-15 September in Oslo and titled “Sustainable Cancer Care Using Molecular Tests – From a Prostate Cancer Perspective”. The two-day event brought together top-ranking researchers, clinicians, industry and policymakers.
“The intention of the symposium is to strengthen collaborations between clinicians, researchers, health authorities and representatives from the patient organization and the industry to bring biomarkers needed to realize precision medicine into the clinic,” said Kristin Austlid Taskén, Senior Scientist and Professor at the Institute of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, and Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 8th Norwegian Cancer Symposium.
Exploring the research forefront
The programme included presentations from high-profile speakers that had travelled to Norway from different parts of the world, including USA, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden.
Austlid Taskén commented on what she thought were the highlights from the talks:
“How do we identify patients who will benefit from PARPi treatment? What is needed to include use of biomarkers in the guidelines for treatment and into the clinic? What is the role of the tumour microenvironment in biomarker discovery and precision medicine? What are the bottle necks in implementation of precision medicine? How can we coordinate efforts to build and finance powerful cohorts for biomarker discovery and validation?”
Industry met academia
The audience included participants from across Norway and the Nordic countries, both from academic institutions and from pharmaceutical companies.
Marte Jonsson, Medical Advisor, Oncology in Bayer, was eager to learn about the latest findings in the field of prostate cancer and form new relationships:
“It is possible to get to know other people in the field, to form new relationships, strengthen existing ones or find new collaboration partners. Over a coffee or lunch, you may meet someone who is interested in starting a new investigator-initiated clinical trial for instance. To advance in the field, it is important for all stakeholders to communicate with each other, and national conferences are a great place for researchers, clinicians and the industry to engage with each other.”
Arton Baftiu, Medical Advisor, Solid Tumor at Janssen, was one of the industry representatives attending the Norwegian Cancer Symposium 2022. Photo: Janssen
Arton Baftiu, Medical Advisor, Solid Tumor at Janssen, was impressed by the research updates presented:
“My highlight from this symposium is the impressive work that is being done in the field of cancer – starting from the discovery of new biomarkers, new genetic tests and the cutting-edge clinical trials that are now being rolled out to Norwegian cancer patients. As a pharmacist, to witness the medical advancements in the era of personalized cancer treatment within prostate- and lung cancer, giving patients better survival outcomes and quality of life, brings additional responsibility but also a huge motivation to my role as a medical advisor in Janssen.”
Important insights for patients
Several interviewees mentioned the patient story during the panel discussion as their most memorable moment from the symposium.
“The panel discussion, particularly with the patient who presented his case, not only based on emotions, but on facts, really impressed me. Listening to all the parts in the discussion made me realize that we have to work even harder to ensure that the gap we observe time after time between drugs that are approved and the needed diagnostic test needs to be closed much faster than it is today. Access to testing should not be the limiting factor, when we know every day counts,” said Reza Shirzadi, Oncology Diagnostic Liaison at AstraZeneca.
The Norwegian Cancer Symposium 2022 was presented by the Institute of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, with sponsorship from Norsk Hydro’s Fund for Cancer Research, University of Oslo: Life Science, and with support from Oslo Cancer Cluster. A special acknowledgement to Oslo Cancer Cluster’s membership and project team, together with Innovation Norway Mature Clusters funding.
For more information, please visit the Norwegian Cancer Symposium website.
The future of precision cancer medicine
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThe first national initiatives for precision cancer medicine have successfully taken shape in Norway, but what has been achieved and what does it mean for cancer patients?
Jan Frich, Deputy CEO and Chief Medical Officer at the South-Eastern Regional Health Authority opened the meeting at Arendalsuka 2022, where the key topics were cancer, precision medicine and cooperation.
The meeting gave an overview of the success of the national initiatives in precision cancer medicine in Norway over the last two years and was organised by the public-private consortium CONNECT.
Watch the meeting here:
Understanding cancer
So, what is cancer and precision medicine all about?
“It is about more precis diagnostics and more precise treatment, which consider the characteristics of the individual patient and their disease. The cancer is not classified in terms of where it is found, but in terms of its molecular traits,” Frich commented.
Sigbjørn Smeland, Head of the Cancer Clinic at Oslo University Hospital, agreed that the evolving understanding of cancer is now changing how cancer is diagnosed:
“Cancer is about specific changes in the genetic material, which lead to uncontrolled growth. There has been an extreme development in the technology for testing. Now you can get the results from a gene panel test in a matter of days. This changes oncology and it is the way we must go forward.”
Advantages of genetic testing
The national infrastructure for precision cancer diagnostics – also known as InPreD – is being set up at all university hospitals. Three hospitals have already begun testing.
Hege Russnes, Professor, Senior Consultant in Pathology and Research Group Leader at Oslo University Hospital, gave an update on their progress:
“We are well underway with broad gene panel testing of cancer patients that do not have other treatment options. Twice a week, the results are discussed in a tumour board that decides if the available treatments in clinical studies will be beneficial or not.”
Hege Russnes (Oslo University Hospital), Grethe Foss (Norwegian Directorate of Health) and Birgitte Lygren (Roche Diagnostics) discussed the importance of precision diagnostics for cancer patients. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Grethe Foss, Senior Adviser at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, explained:
“The Norwegian Directorate of Health have helped to facilitate the refunds of the large gene panel tests. It is important to make this a part of the established health service. It makes it easier to recruit patients to clinical studies.”
The pharmaceutical industry also sees advantages in testing more cancer patients.
“Broad genetic testing is the basis for implementation of precision medicine, so we quickly can map out which patients can benefit from other treatments. To have this testing in place, enables us to open more clinical studies in Norway,” said Birgitte Lygren, Medical Affairs Manager at Roche Diagnostics.
From diagnosis to treatment
Patients that have received testing can be recruited into clinical trials. IMPRESS-Norway was established in 2020 as a national clinical study that aims to evaluate the efficacy of cancer drugs on new indications. Pharmaceutical companies contribute drugs into the study, which are reimbursed by the regional health authorities if the patient has responded to treatment after 16 weeks.
The study is available at all hospitals that treat cancer patients in Norway and coordinated by Åslaug Helland, Research Director at Oslo University Hospital and Professor at the University of Oslo.
“We have teamed up with four pharmaceutical companies and we know there are more coming onboard this autumn. That means we will be able to include more patients for treatment,” Helland said.
Ole Alexander Opdalshei (Norwegian Cancer Society), Eli Bergli (Novartis) and Åslaug Helland (Oslo University Hospital) talked about the importance of industry collaboration in clinical studies. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Eli Bergli, Medical Head Oncology at Novartis Norway, complemented:
“We gain more knowledge about medicines in new diagnostic areas, where they are not approved today. Our neighbouring countries are now looking to Norway and getting inspired of what we have achieved.”
Ole Alexander Opdalshei, Assistant General Secretary at the Norwegian Cancer Society, was impressed by the collaboration across sectors:
“As a patient, you are completely dependent on the good collaboration and trust between public and private. This is important to secure the patients access to new drugs.”
Where are we headed?
Approximately 100 patients have been included in IMPRESS so far and about 70 patients have reached the first end point. The results are promising, as about 40 per cent have responded to the off-label treatment so far.
Kjetil Taskén, Head of the Cancer Research Institute at Oslo University Hospital, said:
“Precision medicine is about using the knowledge we have and try to find the right treatment for each patient. With precision diagnostics, we can find out which treatments don’t work and, in principal, get better Return On Investment when paying for new treatments.”
Terje Svabø moderated the meeting. In this photo Steinar Thoresen (Merck) and Sigbjørn Smeland (Oslo University Hospital) explain the difference precision cancer medicine can make. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster
Steinar Thoresen, Senior Medical Consultant in Merck Oncology and Medical Director in NordicRWE, is eager to build on these initiatives:
“This has been built with enthusiasm and passion. We have become recognized internationally. Now, it is time to set new goals. What could they be? More drugs into IMPRESS, quicker access to novel treatments, new financing models and better use of health data.”
The fantastic era of precision medicine, that Frich referred to at the start, is no longer a distant dream. Norway is paving the way to make precision medicine available to all cancer patients.
Besøkte innovasjonsparken
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenNæringsminister Jan Christian Vestre besøkte Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark, og fikk samtidig en omvisning i den norske næringen som er viktigst for kreftpasienter.
/ the Norwegian Minister of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Jan Christian Vestre, visited Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park and received a tour of the most important Norwegian industry for cancer patients.
Han pekte på det nye bygget i Radiumhospitalet, som reiser seg etter planen tvers overfor Institutt for kreftforskning og Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark, blant annet med Ullern videregående skole og flere selskaper som jobber med kreft. Fire av dem skulle straks få næringsministeren på besøk.
– Campus Radiumhospitalet er kopibar, og vi forsøker å få til noe slikt også ved Rikshospitalet, med det nye Livsvitenskapsbygget, sa Bjørn Atle Bjørnbeth, administrerende direktør ved Oslo Universitetssykehus.
Nysgjerrig på kreftinnovasjoner
Første stopp på rundturen i parken var hos Oslo Cancer Cluster inkubator. Der sto oppstartsselskapet Oncosyne klar på laben for å vise fram sin arbeidsflyt. De dyrker en pasientprøve fra sykehuset og tester ut alle tilgjengelige legemidler på pasientens egne celler. Dataanalysen blir så til en diagnostisk rapport, som legene kan bruke til å gi akkurat denne pasienten riktig legemiddel til riktig tid. Det er presisjonsmedisinens prinsipp.
– Du piloterer på en måte kreftbehandlingen på celler i laboratoriet i stedet for på pasienten, sa næringsminister Jan Christian Vestre.
– Ja, akkurat, på pasientens egne celler, fordi det blir mer korrekt fordi kreft er en så heterogen sykdom, sier Jarle Bruun, CEO i Oncosyne.
Videoen viser en av cellelabene i Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, og en demonstrasjon av hvordan Oncosyne jobber.
Fra liten til stor næring
Etter besøket hos oppstartsselskapet, gikk turen videre til Ultimovacs, et selskap som ble etablert i 2011, og som nå er på børs, og har sitt hovedprodukt, en universale kreftvaksine, i flere kliniske studier. Kreftvaksinen er basert på forskning opprinnelig fra Radiumhospitalet.
I likhet med Ultimovacs, konkurrerer helseselskaper som får testet sine behandlinger i kliniske studier i et globalt marked helt fra start.
Etter en kort tur bortover gangen møtte statsråden Zelluna Immunotherapy, et selskap som lager en ny form for celleterapi, også med opprinnelse fra forskning fra Radiumhospitalet. De startet i 2016, og har i dag ansatte med hele tolv ulike nasjonaliteter. Folk flytter rett og slett til Norge for å jobbe i Zelluna Immunotherapy.
Et tema begynte å vise seg på rundturen. Hva har disse selskapene til felles? De er alle del av den norske helsenæringen, og de jobber med å lage bedre kreftbehandlinger for pasientene.
– Vi trenger selskaper for å få bedre behandlinger som kommer pasientene til gode. Det er dette som gjør nettopp helsenæringen spesiell. Den har et grunnleggende mål om å hjelpe pasienter, med diagnostikk, behandling eller oppfølging, sa Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, generalsekretær i Kreftforeningen, som var vertskap for besøket sammen med Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Ønsker å investere
Neste stopp på rundturen var et stort, internasjonalt selskap, som nå ønsker å investere i en utvidelse av innovasjonsparken og miljøet rundt Radiumhostpitalet. Dette selskapet er Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Næringsbygg er en viktig del av grunnlaget for å drive næring, også helsenæring. I denne videoen forteller de fire lederne av de norske helseklyngene hva de mener er viktig at politikerne bidrar med. Videoen ble spilt inn i Arendal i august 2022, under Arendalsuka.
Thermo Fisher Scientific er et internasjonalt selskap med 400 milliarder kroner i omsetning og 100 000 ansatte. I Norge er omsetningen drøye 1,7 milliarder kroner, og her har de 300 ansatte, med kontorer i innovasjonsparken og produksjonslokaler i Lillestrøm. De lager viktige bestanddeler i celleterapi, diagnostikk og andre bioteknologiske prosesser.
– Helsenæring begynner i det små, med gode ideer, forskning og oppstartsbedrifter. Derfor er inkubatorer og støttemiljøer viktige, men det er også av betydning å ha investorer og internasjonale samarbeidspartnere i de samme lokalene som laboratorier og forskere. Nærhet gjør framgangen for små selskaper lettere, sa Ketil Widerberg.
Næringsminister Jan Christian Vestre (til høyre) avsluttet besøket hos Oslo Cancer Cluster inkubator og innovasjonspark med et stopp ved tomten som er prosjektert til å bygge ut parken. Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen, kommunikasjonsansvarlig i Radforsk, forteller om utbyggingsplanene som blant annet Thermo Fisher Scientific ønsker å investere i. Med på bildet er blant andre også Gaute Moldestad (direktør industri SIVA SF), Sigbjørn Smeland (leder Kreftklinikken OUS) og Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross.
Thermo Fisher trenger umiddelbart 5000 kvadratmeter til nye laboratorier, kontorer, og visningssenter for celleterapi, og er villig til å investere på den gamle tomten sin ved siden av dagens innovasjonspark, der det i dag står gamle bygg og forfaller.
Investorene er klare for å bære kostnadene for en utbyggelse av Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark alene, men i likhet med kreftpasienter har de ikke tid til å vente.
Under Arendalsuka arrangerte Radforsk et møte om utbyggingen av Oslo Cancer Cluster innovasjonspark, som har stagnert i møte med Oslo kommune. I forkant av møtet lagde vi denne videoen av Jónas Einarsson, CEO i Radforsk. Møtet kan sees i opptak, følg denne lenken til Facebook.
Making every day count
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénCancer patient Silje Morild Helland spends all her time searching for better treatments.
“I want to spend my time doing this. It is not just my life, but many people’s lives. We all want to be here for our loved ones. I have made friends who have the same diagnosis and several of them are not here anymore. People are dying while waiting for important medicines.”
Silje was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant in 2015. Since then, she has tried all the treatments that are available to her in Norway. Now, her current treatment is losing effect and Silje feels she has a responsibility to search for more options, since many other cancer patients cannot.
“I think it is problematic that breast cancer patients are assessed according to the average age of the entire patient group. It is said we are too old for the new treatment to be cost effective. It is too expensive in relation to how old we are on the group level, but I am not too old,” Silje said.
Silje told her story at the meeting Fremtidens Kreftbehandling – Hver Dag Teller, Eller? during the Norwegian political festival Arendalsuka. The meeting was organised jointly by Oslo Cancer Cluster, LMI, the Norwegian Cancer Society, Astra Zeneca Norway, Janssen Norway and MSD Norway.
Watch the meeting here:
Is this even legal?
The lawyer Geir Lippestad explained at the meeting that the system called Nye Metoder has been given the legal mandate by publicly appointed officials to decide which medicines will be approved in Norway.
“We do not have any case law or Supreme Court decisions concerning Nye Metoder. This is because it is not possible for patients to appeal decisions that have been made. This is not completely unproblematic. In an open society, the right to appeal is a guarantee for legal safety. This is something we need to debate politically. It is very unusual that there is not a bigger legal framework to appeal.”
Calling for a mission on cancer
Sigrid Bratlie, special advisor in the Norwegian Cancer Society, told the audience about recent advances in the cancer field.
“We are at a breaking point in the development of knowledge and technology. Two areas that are moving especially fast are personalised medicine and immunotherapy.”
Bratlie explained that future cancer treatments will be defined by four characteristics. The treatments will be more personalized and more influenced by advanced technologies. They will be given more in combination with one another, and clinical studies will be an integrated part of standard treatment.
“To realise the potential we have in Norway, we need to invest and set ambitious goals. The European Union has launched a Cancer Mission with the goal to improve the lives of 3 million people by 2030. The USA has the Cancer Moonshot to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years.”
Steinar Thoresen (Merck), Sigrid Bratlie (Kreftforeningen) and Truls Vasvik (Labour Party) discussed access to new cancer treatments. Photo: Sofia Lindén / Oslo Cancer Cluster
What is Norway doing?
Sigbjørn Smeland, Head of the Cancer Clinic at Oslo University Hospital, and Steinar Thoresen, Senior Medical Consultant Merck Oncology and Medical Director NordicRWE, introduced the new initiatives for precision cancer medicine in Norway.
One of them is IMPRESS, a national study where patients with metastatic cancer who have exhausted all treatment options get a chance to try another treatment based on the cancer’s genetic mutation.
Another initiative is CONNECT, a public-private consortium driving the implementation of precision medicine in Norway. Several companies in CONNECT have agreed to contribute pharmaceuticals to the IMPRESS study.
“Precision medicine is one of the pillars of the cancer treatments of the future. We must organise ourselves differently. It requires a closer collaboration between industry and academia. We are looking at the individual patient, instead of groups of patients, which gives us a different type of knowledge base,” Smeland explained.
Steinar Thoresen complemented:
“The industry has gone from being a part, to becoming a partner. For the first time we have a shared risk between private and public. This can be a framework for future payment structures. People have started to say ‘Look to Norway’ and we have no time to lose. We need to collaborate to get more clinical studies, to get more drugs into IMPRESS and to make use of Norwegian health data.”
The politician Truls Vasvik from the Norwegian Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) was also at the meeting.
“We need to work together with industry to succeed. We need to establish a system that can handle the extremely rapid changes in cancer treatment. We also need to think new about price models. We have a focus on cancer right now, because many are getting ill, and the development is going extremely fast.”
Silje Morild Helland does not think the system is good enough. If she can’t get new treatment in Norway, she plans on travelling abroad, like many other Norwegian cancer patients already have.
Møt oss på Arendalsuka
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénArendalsuka er Norges største politiske festival, og neste uke tar mange viktige temaer over gatene i sørlandsbyen. Vi er selvsagt der også i år, for å gå i dialoger om temaet kreftbehandling og utvikling av nye, innovative behandlingsmetoder. Du kan møte oss over flere dager, på flere arenaer. Mange av møtene blir også strømmet, slik at du strengt tatt ikke må reise til Arendal for å delta på seminarene. Klikk på lenkene for å få en oversikt over hvilke møter som strømmes.
Vi anbefaler appen til Arendalsuka. Der kan du markere hvilke arrangementer du ikke vil gå glipp av. Påmelding er ikke nødvendig, alt under Arendalsuka er gratis og åpent for alle. Vi gleder oss til å møte deg der!
Nøkkelen til bedre kreftbehandling er samarbeid
Tirsdag 16.8, 10.00-11.30, Clarion Tyholmen
CONNECT er et offentlig-privat konsortium som jobber for å innføre presisjonsmedisin innen kreftbehandling raskere. 30 partnere samler alle norske universitetssykehus, flere legemiddel- og teknologiselskaper, Kreftforeningen, Folkehelseinstituttet, Direktoratet for e-helse, og Helsedirektoratet. Konsortiet er koordinert av Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Under dette seminaret vil du få vite mer om hva CONNECT har jobbet med – og fått til – siden det ble opprettet i desember 2020. Noen av temaene er genetisk testing, norske kliniske studier som et tilbud til kreftpasientene, hvordan helsevesenet og legemiddelselskapene samarbeider for å utvikle bedre behandlinger, og hvordan spesialisthelsetjenesten og Helsedirektoratet samarbeider. Programmet rundes av med en politisk debatt om muligheter og utfordringer for presisjonsmedisin for kreftpasienter i Norge.
Program: https://program.arendalsuka.no/event/user-view/17541
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, CONNECT
Fremtidens helsevesen med kunstig intelligens
Onsdag 17.8, 10.30-11.30, UiA-teltet
For mer enn to år siden lanserte digitaliseringsministeren Norges strategi innen kunstig intelligens. Norge skulle lede an i kunstig intelligens-kappløpet, og norske helsevesen skulle bli best på kunstig intelligens, og norsk helsedata ble referert til som et norsk konkurransefortrinn. Men, hvordan har det egentlig gått, og har norsk helsevesen virkelig blitt pioneren innen intelligent helseteknologi, og hvordan kan vi norske aktører samarbeide internasjonalt?
Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) og eHelsesenteret fra UiA, Visual intelligence fra UiT, Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consorium (NORA), Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC), og Norwegian Smart Care Cluster (NSCC) inviterer til debatt om kunstig intelliges i helse.
Vi setter fokus på mulighetene med bruk av kunstig i helsesektoren, og diskuterer hvordan vi best kan bruke norske AI-kompetanse innen helse, hvordan norske helsedata kan brukes til å fremme befolkningshelse, og om det er for langt fra helseforskning til praktisk bruk av AI innen helse.
Vi inviterer sentrale aktører til faglige innlegg og debatt omkring den nasjonale strategien av kunstig intelligens
Program: https://program.arendalsuka.no/event/user-view/18498
Arrangører: Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) og eHelsesenteret fra UiA, Visual intelligence fra UiT, Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consorium (NORA), Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC), og Norwegian Smart Care Cluster (NSCC)
Hvordan legge til rette for at de små blir store i norsk helseindustri?
Onsdag 17.8, 12.30-13.30, båten til Næringslivsforeningen
Helsenæringen kan skape flere arbeidsplasser og eksportinntekter enn i dag – men det krever en real satsing! For å styrke Norges posisjon innen helseindustrien kreves mer offentlig-privat samarbeid. Vi tar diskusjonen om både muligheter og fallgruver.
Våger vi å la dette toget gå fra oss? Tiden er overmoden for å sikre en god posisjon i eksport av norsk helseindustri. Dagens blide viser en skog av oppstartsbedrifter innen helse. For at denne skogen skal vokse seg stor og frodig kan vi ikke fortsette som før.
Vekst krever gode vekstforhold. Her finnes store muligheter for inntekter både til næringsliv og stat. Men, det krever at vi bygger et godt hjemmemarked. Våre fyrtårn som skal ut i verden vil ha et helt annet utgangspunkt med solide røtter i Norge. Får vi til dette, kan vi sikre muligheten til å skape en viktig og bærekraftig næring for landet, samtidig som vi utvikler gode helseløsninger for innbyggerne og helsetjenesten.
HelseINN belyser hvorfor det er så vanskelig å etablere seg på hjemmemarkedet, og hvordan det offentlige ofte opplever manglende dialog med markedet.
Lederne av de fire helseklyngene i Norge jobber hver dag for å sikre norske bedrifter fotfeste og utvikling i en ung industri. De forteller hvilke utfordringer de møter, og hva de gjør for å håndtere disse.
Politiske rammer er avgjørende for å sikre fotfeste. Næringspolitikere forteller hvordan de vil legge til rette for norsk helseindustri.
Ikke minst skal vi høre fra en bedrift som kjenner hvor skoen trykker.
Program: https://program.arendalsuka.no/event/user-view/17743
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, The Life Science Cluster, HelseINN
Har vi en innovasjonspolitikk som mobiliserer akademia til å skape mer innovasjon?
Onsdag 17.8, 15.00-16.30, Thon hotell
I dette seminaret skal vi diskutere om vi har en god nok innovasjonspolitikk for å fremme innovasjon spunnet ut av forskning. Vi skal ha med en rekke innledere som belyser dette temaet fra undervisning og studenter til teknologioverføingskontorenes rolle og økosystemets rolle. Ikke minst skal vi se på om kulturendringen innen akademia mot mer innovasjon går raskt nok.
Program: https://program.arendalsuka.no/event/user-view/17696
Arrangører: Inven2, The Life Science Cluster, Sharelab, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Aleap
Fremtidens kreftbehandling: Hver dag teller – eller?
Torsdag 18.8, 08.00-09.30, Clarion Tyholmen
Velkommen til frokostseminar i møteserien Fremtidens kreftbehandling, der vi serverer frokost, innsikt og debatt.
Fremtidens kreftbehandling er en møteserie som siden 2015 har stilt spørsmål om hvordan norske kreftpasienter kan sikres den beste behandlingen både i dag og i fremtiden. Under seminarene møter publikum fagpersoner, politikere, helsemyndigheter, bedrifter og organisasjoner fra kreftmiljøet i Norge. Møtene er gratis og åpne for alle.
I Arendal spør vi: Hvordan kan vi få hver dag til å telle for kreftpasienter som venter på behandlingene de trenger for å leve?
Det handler om tid. En rapport fra EFPIA for 2021, utgitt i april, viser at Norge bruker mer tid enn Sverige, Danmark og England på å ta i bruk nye medisiner. Probas evaluering av Nye metoder viser også tendensen til at Norge bruker lenger tid enn disse landene på innføring av nye legemidler. Hva kan vi gjøre med dette?
Vi har med oss en liste med behov og løsninger til Arendal!
Program: https://program.arendalsuka.no/event/user-view/17639
Arrangører: Oslo Cancer Cluster, LMI, Kreftforeningen, Janssen, MSD, Astra Zeneca
Introducing our new members
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénHave you heard about our most recent members? Find out more about our growing cancer community below.
A wonderful mix of new members presented at our annual Summer Gathering last week, including companies in cancer prognostics and diagnostics, HR and recruitment, and financial and biopharma services. Here is a short overview from the presenters.
Antegenes
Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder of Antegenes, presented the Estonian company that offers innovative genetic tests for cancer prevention.
“If we detect disease as early as possible, we can also eliminate disease efficiently,” Padrik said.
Padrik explained that breast cancer screening in Norway begins from 50 years, but that 20 per cent of breast cancer cases happen to women younger than 50 years old. It is not reasonable to screen all younger women, but those who have elevated risk for breast cancer can be screened earlier.
Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder, Antegenes.
“We need tools for more precise screening. Many cancer risks come from our genetic dispositions and we can identify individual risk levels for common cancers with personalized screening,” Padrik said.
New technology called polygenic risk scores can summarise risks from many gene variants for cancers, but this has not yet been implemented in the public healthcare systems. The company Antegenes has developed tests using polygenic risk scores for breast, prostate, colorectal and melanoma cancers. They are now creating models for new screening programmes, where genetics-based screening can be used, and how to implement these new approaches.
Glycanostics
Ján Tkáč, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Glycanostics, presented the start-up company that develops tests for cancer diagnostics.
The company uses a glycan-based liquid biopsy approach. Glycans are complex carbohydrates attached to proteins. Glycanostics have developed a diagnostic cancer test by identifying glycan changes associated with cancer in the blood. The company has so far focused on prostate cancer diagnostics.
“This is an ideal cancer diagnostic test that can provide high accuracy. It can be done by analysis of blood and be cost-effective. We can avoid unnecessary biopsies, monitor disease progression and treatment, and it is applicable for 11 cancer types,” Tkáč said.
Ján Tkáč, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Glycanostics
Glycanostics have already filed five patent applications and are ready to scale up the technology for breast cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.
“We look forward to participating in Oslo Cancer Cluster’s projects to shape the diagnostics future for oncological patients. Collaboration with cluster members and international cluster partners can drive our mission faster and share Glycanostics’ vision,” Tkáč said.
Randstad Care – Norway
Jon Bjørbekk, Head of Recruitment, Life Sciences at Randstad, presented the recruitment company that is a global market leader in HR services.
“Randstad is quite new in Norway. We have been here for about 14 years and originate from the Netherlands. We are present in 39 countries and have 35 000 employees,” Bjørbekk said.
The company’s area of expertise is executive search, search and selection, and temporary hiring.
Jon Bjørbekk, Head of Recruitment, Life Sciences at Randstad.
“People in the life science industry are quite hard to find or relocate. Most of you are quite loyal to your employers, so it is our job to make you curious about a career move. Things are growing in Norway and there is a huge focus on healthcare and startups for the last 5-10 years,” Bjørbekk said.
Bjørbekk underlines the importance of having local knowledge, keeping close feedback with job applicants and building employer branding in all steps of the recruitment process.
TheVIT
Jo Helge Grepstad, Head of Sales, presented TheVIT, a service provider that has a vision to be the best support apparatus for businesses.
“We are a service provider, so we are not in the field of health or curing cancer, but we want to help you find the cure to cancer by supporting your business in the fields where we are specialists,” Grepstad said.
Jo Helge Grepstad, Head of Sales, TheVIT.
TheVIT works in the areas of advisory and services, and supports companies with finances, human resources and business intelligence. They are located at Rebel where Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator also has some office space.
“Our values are value, innovation and team. We seek good solutions for our clients through putting together the right team with the right competence to solve the challenges the clients are facing. Complemented by utilizing new technologies, we can support growth. Our resources include financial and business controllers, financial managers, CFOs, HR managers and business intelligence resources, and we are open for dialogue with other members of Oslo Cancer Cluster,” Grepstad said.
Veracyte
Sandy Mercurio, Senior Manager of Business Development at Veracyte, presented the US-based global diagnostics company, which provides a range of services to biopharma partners. Last year, Veracyte acquired the French company HalioDx, which specialized in immuno-oncology and was a member of the Oslo Cancer Cluster community.
“Veracyte offers a unique portfolio of multi-omic testing services to our biopharma partners to help them in their biomarker strategy and support their drug development programs by leveraging the best insights from clinical samples through our innovative technologies. Our expertise in immuno-oncology and biostatistics, combined with our robust quality and compliance systems enable us to help our biopharma partners discover clinically relevant biomarkers, identify patients for clinical trials and develop companion diagnostics.”
Sandy Mercurio, Senior Manager of Business Development, Veracyte
The company recently introduced the Veracyte Biopharma Atlas, which is a comprehensive database to help guide clinical trials. The company has been involved in clinical trials for CAR T therapies and vaccines, and has dozens of biopharma partners.
Comunin AS has also joined Oslo Cancer Cluster recently and they will be presented at a later date.
Strengthened Swedish-Norwegian cancer cooperation
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénA new agreement reinforces the collaboration on cancer between Sweden and Norway.
“Norway and Sweden must work together towards making precision medicine a standard for all cancer patients,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the University of Oslo and the Karolinska Institute during a visit by the Norwegian Crown Prince Couple and a Norwegian industry delegation in Stockholm on 2 May.
Use comparative advantages
“This is a Memorandum of Understanding about the development of further collaboration between the University of Oslo and the Karolinska Institute. It deals with general activities, including exchanges of students and researchers, the organisation of mutual academic and scientific activities, and collaboration on educational programmes,” said Per Morten Sandset, Professor and Vice-Rector of the University of Oslo.
Per Morten Sandset, Vice-Rector, University of Oslo. Photo: Jarli & Jordan / UiO
Among other things, the agreement includes collaboration on precision medicine, clinical studies and the European Union’s Cancer Mission. The thought is to use the comparative advantages of Sweden and Norway to mutually strengthen the countries’ research environments and advance cancer research.
We need to team up
“Nordic countries have a lot to contribute: excellent research, very good public healthcare systems and national registries. We need to team up and position the Nordics as a strong player contributing to the global value chain from bench to bedside. The Nordics should unite and act as a one-stop shop for clinical trials within oncology and work with the global companies to set up Nordic collaborations,” said Widerberg.
Ketil Widerberg, general manager, Oslo Cancer Cluster. Photo: Stig Jarlnes / OCC
The agreement was signed during a session on health industry, which the Norwegian health clusters had organised collectively. This was led by Widerberg, who has also recently enterred the board of Karolinska Innovation, a role that ties the Norwegian and Swedish innovation environments even closer together.
“Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are way too small to get attention alone. We are not seen as interesting markets due to small population sizes. But if we team up, it is different. With EU’s cancer mission this gets even more important,” said Widerberg.
Jon Kirknes (Kreftforeningen) joins our board
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThe latest addition to the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster is Jon Kirknes from the Norwegian Cancer Society.
Jon Kirknes, Head of Department for Analysis and Politics at the Norwegian Cancer Society, has joined the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster in 2022.
“I am very glad that I have been given this opportunity and I think that Oslo Cancer Cluster’s vision is very good. I am looking forward to working together with very competent board members and partners in helping patients – by accelerating the development of innovative cancer treatments,” Kirknes said.
Jon Kirknes has previously worked in the Department for Cancer Research, Prevention and Cancer Care in the Norwegian Cancer Society. Before that, he worked at the Norwegian Defence University College with Higher Education and Research. He brings wide experience in political advocacy, organizational development, and leadership.
Fighting cancer together
It is fitting that the board includes a representative from the Norwegian Cancer Society. Besides being a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Norwegian Cancer Society shares similar goals for cancer in Norway.
“We work continuously to improve society’s attitude to the prevention and treatment of cancer. We fight cancer locally, nationally, and globally through research and preventive measures, information, support, advice and lobbying. Consideration for cancer patients and their needs will be central in my efforts to achieve Oslo Cancer Cluster’s goals and I see many areas of collaboration,” Kirknes said.
Some of the central issues Kirknes is working for are:
Partnership perspectives
Kirknes hopes he can help Oslo Cancer Cluster identify novel collaboration opportunities.
“The Norwegian Cancer Society reaches a broader audience through cooperation with others. I hope to bring in our ‘partnership-perspective’ and experience in working with other patient associations and other cancer organizations, public institutions, researchers, healthcare organizations, foundations and businesses – to give Oslo Cancer Cluster new learning opportunities, so we can achieve greater visibility, raise Oslo Cancer Cluster’s profile, promote learning and development, and bring forward synergies that such collaboration can facilitate.”
About Jon Kirknes
Jon Kirknes is Head of Department for Analysis and Politics at the Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS) – one of the largest organizations in Norway representing the voices of those affected by cancer. Previously he headed the department for Cancer Research, Prevention and Cancer care. Before Kirknes joined NCS he worked at The Norwegian Defence University College with higher education and research. He has wide experience in political advocacy, organizational development and leadership.
Today, Kirknes is also board member at Gemini Centre for Sepsis Research, member of The Union for International Cancer Control’s (UICC) Taskforce group on Antimicrobial resistance and member of the Norwegian Directorate of Health’s User Council, who promotes the user perspective in strategically important matters and processes in the Directorate.
“The Value of the Health Industry 2022” is here
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénThere is a Norwegian version of this text further down.
The health industry is – and has always been – a part of the solution to many of the challenges in the healthcare sector. The industry contributes to preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease, as well as rehabilitating people. This increases the population’s quality of life, while reducing the burden on the health service, lowering sick leave, and increasing work life participation.
The Menon Economics report “The Value of the Health Industry 2022” was released on Friday 10 June 2022. The report is an annual publication, which was first published in 2016, when several key actors decided to join forces and create a report that describes the entire Norwegian health industry in numbers.
This year’s report is the seventh in line and based on three central contributions from the health industry to Norwegian economy:
These are the most important findings in the report:
1. The value creation by the health industry
2. The importance of the health industry for the public healthcare service
3. The importance of the health industry for public health
Read previous reports here (in Norwegian)
The consortium partners: Aleap, The Norwegian Directorate for e-health, Inven2, LO Norway, Melanor, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Oslo Cancer Cluster, SIVA, The Life Science Cluster, The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprize (NHO) and NHO Geneo.
Read the press release in Norwegian below:
Dette er de viktigste funnene i «Helsenæringens verdi 2022»
Helsenæringen er – og har alltid vært – en del av løsningen på mange av våre helse- og omsorgsutfordringer. Næringen bidrar til å forebygge, diagnostisere, behandle og rehabilitere mennesker, noe som øker befolkningens livskvalitet, samt bidrar til å redusere belastningen på helsevesenet, redusere sykefraværet og til økt deltakelse i arbeidslivet.
Fredag 10. juni offentliggjøres Menon Economics-rapporten «Helsenæringens verdi 2022». Rapporten er en årlig utgivelse, som for første gang ble publisert i 2016 da de toneangivende aktørene innen helsenæringen i Norge for første gang gikk sammen om å utarbeide en rapport hvor målet var å beskrive hele den norske helsenæringen i tall.
Årets rapport, som er den sjette i rekken, tar utgangspunkt i tre sentrale bidrag fra helsenæringen til norsk økonomi: Helsenæringens verdiskaping – bidrag til BNP og arbeidsplasser, helsenæringens betydning for en effektiv offentlig helsetjeneste og helsenæringens betydning for folkehelsen – redusert sykdomsbyrde, økt sysselsetting og reduserte helsetjenestekostnader.
Her er hovedfunnene:
1. Helsenæringens verdiskaping
2. Helsenæringens betydning for den offentlige helsetjenesten
3. Helsenæringens betydning for folkehelsen
Les hele rapporten her.
Deltakerne i konsortiet er: Aleap, Direktoratet for e-helse, Inven2, Landsorganisasjonen i Norge (LO), Melanor, Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Oslo Cancer Cluster, SIVA, The Life Science Cluster, Næringslivets Hovedorganisasjon (NHO) og NHO Geneo.
2,4 million euros for digital health innovations
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénOslo Cancer Cluster has awarded EU funding of 2,4 million euro to companies that want to digitalise the medical sector.
What if the medical and technological sectors could join forces so that patients could receive more precise diagnosis and treatment? Imagine the products that could be created, the costs that could be saved and the lives that could be improved. This was the idea behind the EU-funded project DIGI-B-CUBE, which was coordinated by Oslo Cancer Cluster for the last three years.
“We need to create collaborations between people working in medicine and people working in tech, so they can develop innovative solutions to handle health data or analyse medical images. This can lead to faster, more precise diagnosis, and ultimately advance precision medicine in cancer,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Better diagnostics with tech
Simply explained, DIGI is short for digitalisation and B-CUBE is short for bio-imaging, bio-sensing and bio-banking. All three Bs are important tools in medical research and diagnosis, especially in personalised medicine.
The goal of DIGI-B-CUBE was to raise the level of digitalisation in these B-industries. The project’s approach was to match companies in health with relevant tech companies and provide funding so innovations could be developed.
“We see the medical sector, one of the most innovative sectors, is lingering behind in digitalisation. When applying artificial intelligence to analysis of x-ray images, you can do much better diagnostics, statistical evaluations, and forecasts about who is disposed to get, for example, breast cancer. This is not just about making the processes more effective, but about the impact, which is better health, longer lives and saving lives,” said Tamara Högler, DIGI-B-CUBE coordinator on behalf of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Made idea into prototype
In total, DIGI-B-CUBE provided 2,4 million euros in funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme to 32 projects from 75 companies across Europe.
Cathrine Ro Heuch, CEO of Nordic Brain Tech, was one of the recipients. Heuch has suffered from headaches her entire life but received limited help from the healthcare system. When she met a group of neuroscientists with a novel solution while working for NTNU technology transfer, she decided to do something about it.
“The doctors from St Olav’s Hospital had invented a digital treatment for migraines in children. Using biofeedback, you can train the nervous system to be more relaxed. The principal of biofeedback is very old and recommended in the national guidelines for migraine treatments, but it is not available in the public healthcare system in Norway,” said Heuch.
Heuch founded the company Nordic Brain Tech with the goal to transform the solution into a product that is cost-effective and easy-to-use for patients at home. However, it is not easy to find private capital, because investors see a high risk in early-stage projects. Heuch needed public funding to make her idea into a prototype.
Högler also knows how difficult it is for early-stage companies to access public funding on an international level.
“Funding applications for European projects is not something you complete in one or two hours. It is a long process. The chance of receiving funding is low and the administrative process is complicated. In comparison, the application for DIGI-B-CUBE was quite lean and the project duration was short,” Högler explained.
Nordic Brain Tech applied for DIGI-B-CUBE funding, together with their partner i3tex in Sweden and their partner Thorgate in Estonia, and they were granted 150 000 euros.
“It was important to have partners in other countries because these skill sets are not widely available in Norway. There are many great medtech development companies in Sweden, so we found a partner there that could create the device. Estonia has many great software developers, so it was natural to ask someone there to help us create the app,” Heuch explained.
Using funding from DIGI-B-CUBE, they created a prototype that monitors body temperature, heart rate, and muscle tension, while connected to an app on your phone.
“The point of the treatment is to train the body to have better blood flow, increase the body temperature and relax the muscles in the neck. The idea is to follow a 12-week programme, using the product 10 minutes every day, to increase the patient’s awareness of how these body functions are connected to migraines,” Heuch explained.
Nordic Brain Tech are now on the way to launch a clinical study in Trondheim. If successful, this product may help the one in seven Norwegians who suffer from migraines today.
The DIGI-B-CUBE consortium met at Oslo Cancer Cluster in November 2021. From the left: Nikolaos Matskanis (Infopole), Panagiotis Markovits (Motivian), Gerry Renders (EISMEA), Miltiadis Anastasiadis (Motivan), Gawel Walczak (Secpho), Astrid Green (OCC), Milena Stoyanova (EISMEA), Ketil Widerberg (OCC) and Bente Prestegård (OCC).
Clusters connected companies
DIGI-B-CUBE was implemented by a consortium of eight partners in different European countries and co-ordinated by Oslo Cancer Cluster. The point of involving clusters was to ease the identification of the needs of the companies in each region and to simplify matchmaking between them.
“Small companies need incentives in order to work together across countries and sectors. It is great the European Union gives out these funds and that Oslo Cancer Cluster can take a role in connecting companies across Europe,” said Widerberg.
Carina Schachinger, Project Manager at Business Upper Austria, stresses that the success of the project went beyond the funding.
“This was a great success because we were able to connect these companies with research and business partners across borders. Companies could extend their network on an international level, which is normally quite difficult,” said Schachinger.
Although the corona pandemic made it challenging for the consortium and companies to meet, the interest in medical diagnostics suddenly increased. The fact that DIGI-B-CUBE went virtual enabled more companies from different countries to participate in the digital sessions. Ultimately, 980 SMEs applied for in total 426 innovation projects.
“What makes DIGI-B-CUBE great is that if you support these companies in their innovation, then it has an immediate benefit in the companies, but it is also about medical diagnostics and health in general. It has this big benefit for society. When we look at the 32 projects that received funding, it is great to have this precise approach to medicine and this can improve the lives for you and me,” said Schachinger.
Stay connected to our website and social media channels to learn more about our initiatives and funding calls on a European level.
Exclusive interview with Jutta Heix
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénOur Head of International Affairs is featured in Nordic Life Science Magazine.
Read about how we are accelerating the development of new cancer treatments and diagnostics, while connecting and helping innovators, and putting Norwegian oncology on the global map. In an exclusive interview, Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs in Oslo Cancer Cluster, talks about her efforts to advance an oncology innovation ecosystem.
In collaboration with Nordic Life Science Magazine, we are pleased to offer this issue to our readers for free.
Read here: https://www.e-magin.se/paper/sptrqx7k/paper/30
AI researcher gets cancer award
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénProfessor Håvard Danielsen has received a cancer research award for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve cancer prognosis.
King Olav Vs Cancer Research Award of 2022 has been granted to Professor Håvard Danielsen at the Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics (ICGI) at Oslo University Hospital.
“This is a huge recognition and an inspiration. I am proud to join the 29 cancer researchers that have received the prize before me,” Danielsen commented.
The prestigious prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian Cancer Society, and it is the highest honour for Norwegian cancer researchers.
The description states: “Danielsen is a pioneer and a world-leading expert in digital pathology and the development of new methods for the application of artificial intelligence”.
Ground-breaking AI research
Simply explained, Danielsen and his research team at ICGI have trained computers to recognise cancer tumours, their characteristics and the patient’s prognosis, by feeding the computer with millions of images of samples from tumours of cancer patients.
There are three reasons for this.
Artifical intelligence may drastically change the field of cancer pathology by offering new and objective methods that can easily be distributed as a supplement to the current practise.
This is a heatmap showing the result of the computer analysis in each part of the cancer sample. Photo: ICGI.
The research has mainly focused on colorectal cancer. However, the exact same technology and design can be applied to other cancer types too. The research group has already had positive results for prostate cancer and are now working on lung cancer.
“Instead of spending many years training a pathologist, you can simply copy the algorithm from one computer to another. A computer can work 24 hours a day, doesn’t make mistakes and doesn’t get tired. This is not a replacement of the pathologist, but a tool to help the pathologist,” said Danielsen.
From research to commercial product
The research is part of the DoMore project, a five-year project that was awarded NOK 60 million by the Norwegian Research Council as a trailblazer for connecting IT technologies in health.
The partners in the DoMore project were Oslo Cancer Cluster, the Vestfold Hospital Trust, the University of Oxford, the University College London, DIPS, the Department of Informatics at Oslo University Hospital, and the Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics at Oslo University Hospital. Around 50 people have worked with DoMore so far.
“This is truly a team effort across Norwegian and international institutions, and with many people involved. I feel privileged to have led this project,” Danielsen commented.
After five years of intense research, DoMore published their results in the academic journal The Lancet two years ago. At the same time, the company DoMore Diagnostics was established, and they are now a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The video below was produced by ICGI when the company was set up.
“Ketil Widerberg, general manager of OCC, has been one of the leaders of DoMore. His responsibility has been to ensure that we develop solutions that can be commercialised. He has participated in all discussions and nudged us in the right direction. The company DoMore Diagnostics is a direct result of OCC’s involvement in the project,” Danielsen continued.
Danielsen also believes having Oslo Cancer Cluster as a partner from the start helped convince the Norwegian Research Council to back the project, which made everything possible.
Danielsen and his research group are still working hard to invent new solutions for better, more accurate cancer prognosis, which the company DoMore Diagnostics aim to take to market.
Norwegian cancer initiatives receive international attention
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénNorway is pioneering precision medicine in cancer with three nation-wide initiatives.
Norway is breaking new ground for precision cancer medicine implementation with three national initiatives that are highlighted in the latest issue of the academic journal Nature Medicine. The article shows the broad stakeholder involvement in the initiatives with 116 contributors with 80 different affiliations.
Kjetil Taskén, Head and Director of Institute of Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital (OUS). Photo: OUS
“These initiatives represent a triple-win effect,” said Kjetil Taskén, Head and Director of Institute of Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital and Professor at University of Oslo. “The patients gain access to modern treatments; the researchers can investigate the effect of different medicines on new indications; and the industry can expand the application of their drugs.”
The three initiatives
Precision diagnostics for patients
Recent developments in precision medicine offer new medical opportunities for cancer patients, which has ignited a debate in Norway about access to more modern treatments. Though equal access is ensured through Norway’s universal health coverage, the medical possibilities challenge public budgets and has led to delayed access for some patient groups.
“There is a growing, worrying split in the health service, where some patients feel compelled to buy diagnostics and treatments at private clinics, when the opportunity does not exist in the public sector,” said Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, General Secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society. “These initiatives are spearheading new solutions for seriously ill cancer patients, wherever they live in Norway, and demonstrate what is possible to accomplish with public-private collaboration.”
Norway is one of the first countries in Europe to have a reimbursement scheme, with additional financial support from the regional health authorities to hospitals, for the gene panel test via InPreD. The infrastructure is being set up at all university hospitals in Norway and patients from all Norwegian hospitals can be referred to InPreD. It is currently only available to patients with no other treatment options. The results from the test are discussed in a weekly molecular tumour board that refers patients to clinical follow-up, IMPRESS or other clinical trials.
Åslaug Helland from Oslo University Hospital presented IMPRESS-Norway at Nordic Precision Medicine Forum 2022 in Stockholm. Photo: Åsmund Flobak
InPreD has screened more than 359 patients, of which 67 patients have been included into treatment cohorts in IMPRESS, as of April 2022. An additional 10-15 per cent of screened patients have been assigned to another clinical trial or drugs through compassionate use programmes. This means about 40 per cent of screened patients have received a new treatment option.
“This is about leaving no stone unturned, about finding drugs for patients who wouldn’t have gotten it otherwise. We want to serve the needs that the patients have in terms of modern treatments in the public healthcare system,” said Taskén.
Clinical trial offers new hope
There are currently 16 drugs available in IMPRESS and the goal is to include 23 drugs by the end of 2022. The first pharmaceutical company to join was Roche, providing eight drugs in January 2021. Novartis entered IMPRESS as second partner in 2021, now contributing four cancer medicines.
“These initiatives offer patients who have exhausted available treatments, a chance for new treatment options and hope,” said Eli Bergli, Medical Head Oncology, Novartis Norway. “Novartis is proud to be part of the implementation of precision diagnostics, so patients can receive a tailor-made treatment for their disease. These innovative partnerships, where public sector, academia and private industry collaborate in finding the best solutions for the future of healthcare, are ground-breaking and offer patients early access to new innovative treatments.”
“InPreD, IMPRESS and CONNECT are core initiatives for the implementation of precision medicine in Norway, and Roche is a proud partner,” agreed Kristin Krogsrud, Healthcare System Partner, in Roche Norway. “In addition to the important goals of establishing genetic testing in clinical practice and generation of scientific data, we see the work around development and piloting novel reimbursement methods as key to be able to improve patient’s access to personalized treatment.”
The four Norwegian regional health authorities recently decided to reimburse drugs in Stage 3 cohorts in the IMPRESS trial. The pharmaceutical industry pays for the first 16 weeks and, if the patient achieves a response after 16 weeks in the trial, the treatments can be reimbursed permanently from the public healthcare system. This is the first mechanism for a pay-for-performance model in precision cancer medicine in Norway ever.
Jan Frich, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority.
“We have had a great and close collaboration with the hospitals in the establishment of a national infrastructure in the Specialist Health Service for precision diagnostics in the cancer field (InPreD),” said Jan Frich, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. “The high inclusion numbers in the IMPRESS-study after referral from InPreD confirm that we are on the way to succeeding in establishing the necessary ecosystem for advanced diagnostics and clinical studies in the Specialist Health Service. This is something we are very proud of.”
Connecting public with private
The third initiative is CONNECT, a public-private consortium consisting of 28 partners, with Oslo Cancer Cluster being the project coordinator. The common goal is to drive the implementation of precision cancer medicine in Norway.
“Oslo Cancer Cluster is a neutral facilitator and an intermediator between public and private. They have been with us since we started working on these national initiatives. Among other things, Oslo Cancer Cluster has been a great supporter in bringing in the pharmaceutical companies in IMPRESS,” said Taskén.
The Norwegian Health Directorate is one of the observers in CONNECT and a coordinator for the National Strategy for Precision Medicine.
“We follow the work in CONNECT with great interest as it investigates new ways of implementing precision medicine,” said Grethe Foss, Project Leader for Precision Medicine at the Norwegian Health Directorate.
Taskén stresses one reason for the success of these initiatives is that they are not about profiling individual institutions or people but about coming together with shared objectives.
“There has been trust and we have been able to act together. The fact that these initiatives now receive international attention can hopefully lead to an expansion of our efforts, that more companies and institutions join, so that more cancer patients gain access to the cancer treatments of the future.”
Learn more
Challenged politicians about cancer
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénWhere are the Norwegian political ambitions for cancer treatment? We need more public-private collaboration on cancer.
Breakfast and political conversations on cancer are the hallmark for our meeting series Fremtidens kreftbehandling. On 21 April 2022, health officials, politicians, patient spokespeople and industry representatives met to discuss the future of cancer treatments. They all agreed: we need more public-private collaboration on cancer.
As introduction, Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, presented the results from a recent survey by Kantar of the Norwegian population’s views on health policy. The survey showed a majority want more modern cancer treatments with less side effects at public hospitals. They want the same treatment options as in other Nordic countries. They also think the public health service should pay for cancer treatments that work.
“We believe cancer can go from being a deadly disease to a disease people live well with, but we can’t get new treatments to the patients if the public and private sector don’t work together,” Widerberg said. “When we build roads, we assess the economy on a broader scale than when we assess new treatments. Is this really the kind of politics we want?”
A cancer revolution underway
The people’s wishes are clear, but how can doctors offer more modern treatments to their patients? In the first panel discussion, Anne Karin Rime, president of the Norwegian Medical Association, Jan Frich, deputy CEO of the South-Eastern Regional Health Authority, and Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, general secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society discussed how patients can gain access to precision medicine, which means the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.
“We are living in a kind of cancer revolution. There are many extremely promising treatments on the way, especially in precision medicine,” Stenstadvold Ross said. “The current system assesses the cost and effect of a treatment by looking at an average patient group. For lung cancer, it will typically be 60-plus men with a history of smoking, but if I developed lung cancer, my characteristics wouldn’t fit this description.”
Rime argued that these new, revolutionary medicines have made the doctor’s job more complicated.
“The role of the doctor has changed from deciding the best treatment for the patient. Now the doctor also needs to think about society as a whole: what can we afford to treat? It is extremely difficult for a doctor to know there are treatments or diagnostics that may help the patient, which they can’t offer,” said Rime. “Diagnostics become more important now and offering genetic tests to all patients to identify which treatment will work.”
Frich agreed that more precise diagnostics is the solution.
“The key to personalised treatment is good diagnostics,” Frich commented. “The last two-three years, much has happened in personalised medicine. We have created a national plan for advanced diagnostics and set aside resources for this. An infrastructure for precision diagnostics is being built. The CONNECT collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry work on a large clinical study called IMPRESS, which is supported with NOK 60 million from the regional health authorities.”
Make your voice heard
The system needs to change so that patients can take part in the cancer revolution. Gloria Traina is a PhD and advisor at the Specialist Health Section in the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services. They are working on a Strategy for Personalised Medicine to be launched before 2023.
“There has been some success getting precision medicine to Norway and there are many new initiatives, including InPred, IMPRESS and CONNECT. We now see there is a need for a revised strategy,” Traina explained.
More public-private collaboration
While the new strategy materialises, patients are still waiting for access to better treatments. In the debate, politicians were challenged to declare their ambitions for Norway.
”I want to see more political vision. The European Union has launched a Cancer Mission, the goal is to improve the lives of 3 million people by 2030. What are Norway’s ambitions?” Stenstadvold Ross asked.
“We need to look at how we rig the decision-making systems, for example by involving clinicians and patients, how we attract clinical studies and how we implement personalised medicine,” Karl Kristian Bekeng from the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) said. “When it comes to collaboration on new technologies and new medicines, there should be a lot more public-private collaboration. This should not be a replacement of the public health service, but an improvement of the public health service.”
Sylvi Listhaug from the Progress Party Association (Fremskrittspartiet) criticised the decision-making system.
“I think many patients – and the population as a whole – question why Norway is so late in implementing new medicines that can save lives and give better quality of life. I also think there are many desperate doctors, who see there are medicines that can give their patients a better life, which they can’t offer. The way we do this in Norway is completely out-dated. It doesn’t work. We are putting forward a new bill to Parliament now to change the whole system,” Listhaug announced.
Hege Edvardsen, senior adviser in LMI, represented the pharmaceutical industry in the debate and challenged the politicians to become more hands-on.
“We see that political decisions do not agree with what is actually delivered in the health service,” said Edvardsen, “It is important to strengthen the public-private collaboration. We have done a lot in oncology, but we are still struggling to get access to new treatments and we are lagging behind other Nordic countries. We need to consider the entire ecosystem when we talk about these things. If we wish to increase the number of clinical studies and attract research investments to Norway, we must also become better at solving the access part.”
The meeting also included mingling between the participants and the audience, which sparked further conversations and reflections. The debate will continue in our communication channels and at our next meeting during Arendalsuka at Clarion Hotel Tyholmen on 18 August 2022 (08:00-09:30). We hope to see you there!
Watch the meeting here (in Norwegian):
This meeting was a collaboration between Oslo Cancer Cluster, Norwegian Cancer Society, LMI, AstraZeneca, Janssen and MSD.
A heart for administration
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénMeet Dave Tippett, our newest team member supporting researchers to work better together.
“It is almost like a dating service at times,” Tippett jokingly explains. “Members come to us and explain their needs. Then we go through our database and try to find partners for them.”
Tippett is the new Membership and Events Coordinator for Oslo Cancer Cluster. This means he performs all-round administrative support, including on-boarding new members, arranging activities for members or involving members in the cluster’s projects.
Catering for researchers
Tippett is familiar with providing services for others. When Tippett moved to Norway from England, he worked in home care and learnt Norwegian on the job. Together with his partner, he then ran the successful catering business Kaffehagen. They were involved with several high-profile events for Oslo Cancer Cluster, including Cancer Crosslinks, Northern Future Forum, and more – until the corona pandemic forced Kaffehagen to close.
Luckily, Tippett’s unique skill set was still needed and, by the end of 2021, he was splitting his time 60/40 between Oslo Cancer Cluster and the Incubator. Tippett assists the Incubator tenants and provides technical support. In some ways, it is not too different from his previous work.
“The point of being a good administrator is to look at the problem and find a good administrative structure for it. Arranging a good party with delicious food or helping people do research and collaborate with their team is similar,” Tippett explains. “I figure out good ways to work together and deliver what people need.”
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator is a vibrant professional environment that, among other things, provides laboratories and office spaces to cancer researchers from private companies and Oslo University Hospital.
“The work is very eclectic – you never know what the Incubator will ask of you,” Tippett says.
Committed to the cause
The job has an added meaning for Tippett since he has experienced cancer personally. Tippett recently lost both his mother and his best friend to cancer in a matter of weeks. Shortly thereafter, he found out he had carcinoma, but has now made a full recovery.
“The researchers in the Incubator that I chat with on a day-to-day basis are genuinely nice people,” Tippett says. “I am motivated everyday by all of them working so hard to help people that they have never even met before.”
Happy Easter! / God Påske!
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Sofia LindénWe would like to thank our members, supporters and partners for a productive first quarter 2022. We wish you all a Happy Easter! God påske!
We will be back next Tuesday. In the meantime, you can register to our upcoming events:
Please visit our event calendar for more: https://oslocancercluster.no/events/
Ny undersøkelse: Folk vil ha mer moderne kreftbehandlinger
/in News, Opinion, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenI årets helsepolitiske barometer svarte mer enn 2000 spurte på spørsmål om kreft. Folk flest ønsker moderne kreftbehandling med færre bivirkninger på offentlige sykehus.
Torsdag 7. april presenterte Kantar funnene fra den årlige undersøkelsen Kantar helsepolitisk barometer 2022. Den er gjennomført blant mer enn 2000 respondenter, og kartlegger befolkningens holdninger i helsepolitiske spørsmål.
I år var Oslo Cancer Cluster med som partner i undersøkelsen, sammen med medlemmene Janssen og MSD. Det resulterte i fem spørsmål om kreftbehandling som del av helsepolitikken.
De viktigste funnene om befolkningens holdninger til kreftrelaterte politiske spørsmål, vises i grafene nedenfor.
Du kan enkelt se hele opptaket av sendingen, og laste ned den fulle presentasjonen, fra Kantars nettside.
Samarbeid er det viktigste
Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster, holdt et innlegg under presentasjonen av undersøkelsen, som du kan se, høre og lese her:
Pandemien har tydelig vist hvor avhengige vi er av at myndighetene satser for å utvikle et bedre helsetilbud til befolkningen. For vår del, betyr et bedre helsetilbud for kreftpasienter mye. Vi jobber for at kreftpasienter skal få bedre behandling raskere. Det er viktig fordi det gjøres mye revolusjonerende forskning på kreftområdet, og flere overlever takket være nye behandlingsalternativer, kommer tilbake i jobb og deltar i samfunnet igjen.
I Oslo Cancer Cluster mener vi at kreft vil bli en kronisk sykdom vi kan leve med, og ikke en sykdom vi dør av.
Samarbeid er viktig for oss. Spesielt mellom offentlige og private aktører innen helse, som sammen utvikler nye og bedre kreftbehandlinger.
Det blir ikke ny presisjonsmedisin til kreftsyke nordmenn hvis offentlige og private jobber på hver sin side av et kunstig juv.
Oppfinnsomheten og viljen til å skape nye løsninger er stor hos offentlige forskere og hos bedrifter, og nettopp denne viljen til innovasjon er det vi oppfordrer regjeringen og helsemyndighetene om å både legge til rette for – og å gå i direkte dialog med.
I år mener de spurte i Kantar helsepolitisk barometer at Høyre har den beste helse- og omsorgspolitikken, mens Arbeiderpartiet kommer tett etter. Fra 2018 og til 2021 utpekte derimot Arbeiderpartiet seg som partiet med den beste helsepolitikken. Det er gledelig at ett av våre to regjeringspartier setter avtrykk i folks bevissthet om nettopp helsespørsmål. I undersøkelsen spurte vi om hva som er viktigst for folk når regjeringen nå skal jobbe med en ny kreftstrategi.
Svaret var ikke til å ta feil av. Nesten halvparten (47%) vil ha bedre kreftmedisiner som gir færre bivirkninger.
37% vil ha like gode behandlinger som i våre naboland. Disse svarene er en pekepinn for myndighetene, når de nå legger planer og strategier for et helseområde som berører så mange av oss i løpet av livet.
Vår oppfordring til myndighetene, er mer samarbeid.
Samarbeid om å utvikle de beste behandlingene, som gir færre bivirkninger og virker bedre enn de vi bruker i dag. Samarbeid om å få disse nye behandlingene innført på sykehusene – slik at pasienter faktisk får nytte av dem.
Temaet offentlig-privat er et skille som går tvers gjennom denne undersøkelsen, og som har fått mye oppmerksomhet i mediene.
Vi mener at det er et skille som ofte er kunstig, og som kan krympes gjennom samarbeid. Men skillet har reelle konsekvenser for den enkelte pasient i dag.
Når en pasient får prøve et kreftlegemiddel for egen regning på et privat sykehus, og det fungerer, mener 40% at det offentlige helsevesenet bør betale for videre behandling. Like mange mener pasienten i tillegg bør få tilbakebetalt sine utgifter.
Vi trenger klare rammer for slike tilfeller i helsepolitikken. Det koker ofte ned til et ønske om å begrense offentlige kostnader, som jo er en del av politikernes jobb. Men det hjelper lite å begrense kostnadene til en dyr behandling om alternativet er enda større statlige kostnader med uførhet resten av pasientens liv.
Når vi bygger veier, vurderer vi samfunnsøkonomien på en bredere måte enn når vi vurderer tiltak innen helse. Er det egentlig en ønsket politikk?
Norsk offentlig helsevesen ble for noen måneder siden kåret til et av verdens beste. Det er noe som gjenspeiles i undersøkelsen. Majoriteten (54%) av befolkningen foretrekker å bli behandlet på et offentlig sykehus dersom de skulle få kreft. Det er med andre ord en høy grad av tillit til det offentlige helsetilbudet for kreftpasienter. Samtidig ønsket jo nesten halvparten av de spurte seg bedre kreftbehandlinger.
Ved å samarbeide, kan vi gi befolkningen det de ønsker seg, nemlig bedre kreftbehandlinger ved de offentlige sykehusene, som et tilbud til alle kreftpasienter i Norge.
Et eksempel som viser dette, er et offentlig-privat samarbeid for nye behandlinger med presisjonsmedisin, som heter CONNECT. Der samarbeider for øyeblikket 29 partnere om å innføre presisjonsmedisin innen kreft i norske sykehus, basert på kreftpasienters genetiske forandringer. Samarbeidet i CONNECT får internasjonal oppmerksomhet, og er et godt eksempel på hvordan internasjonale farmasiselskaper, norske oppstartselskaper, og offentlige myndigheter og sykehus kan jobbe sammen om å utvikle norsk helsenæring og hjelpe norske pasienter.
Tilbake til dagens helsepolitiske undersøkelse, og hva folk mener politikerne bør sette høyt:
Helse og omsorg er hva flest mener regjeringen bør prioritere i statsbudsjettet.
La oss trekke prioriteringen til kreft: Dersom samfunnets fellesmidler skulle omdisponeres for å gi bedre kreftbehandling gjennom det offentlige helsevesenet, mener 16% at midlene burde hentes fra innvandring og integrering, 12% mener overføringen burde gå fra klima og miljø, men flest (17%) mener innsatsen burde være som i dag.
Og nettopp det er interessant, at folk vil ha bedre kreftbehandling, men med offentlig prioritering på linje med i dag.
Hvordan kan politikerne få til dette kunststykket? Jo, politisk kan de legget til rette for mer presis medisin som reduserer kostnadene ved behandling som ikke virker godt nok, samtidig som de kan øke inntektene med å satse på de norske konkurransefortrinnene i helsenæringen.
Helsenæring kan bli lukrativt for Norge, slik det allerede lenge har vært i Danmark. Danske Novo Nordisk er det største firmaet i Norden uavhengig av bransje. Med dette tankesettet, bør Norge bli et foregangsland innen helsenæring, på bakgrunn av fremragende forskning, et verdensledende helsevesen og våre unike helsedata.
Vi jobber for at kreftpasienter skal få bedre behandling raskere.
Revolusjonerende forskning gjør at flere overlever kreftsykdommer, og flere deltar i samfunnet igjen. Men for at kreft skal bli en kronisk sykdom, må det mer til enn forskning, vi må også samarbeide bedre om å få de nye løsningene ut i verden. Vi kan ikke jobbe i siloer og tenke at vi som samfunn gjør så godt vi kan.
Kantars helsepolitiske barometer viser at helse er den viktigste saken for de fleste av oss, og at bedre medisiner med færre bivirkninger er viktigst dersom vi skulle få kreft.
Politikernes satsing på nettopp samarbeid er essensielt for å utvikle presisjonsmedisin som gir bedre behandling for pasientene og en norsk helsenæring i myndighetenes interesse.
New collaboration with Rebel
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Wenche GerhardsenRebel and Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator start a collaboration to tighten the ties between cancer research and information technology.
The world of cancer treatments and the world of information technology sometimes seem far apart. A new collaboration between Rebel and Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator sets out to be beneficial to companies that inhabit both worlds – and to our society in general.
Rebel connects information technology- and software developers in the centre of Oslo. Since the hub opened last autumn, they have experienced that the need for technological competencies in Oslo is massive, also in the health sector and in companies that are traditionally considered biotech.
Peter Jetzel, Chief Rebel, on the hood of the DeLorian in one of the common areas in Rebel.
Wonderful spaces
The emerging health industry in Norway is booming, and more space is needed as the main Oslo Cancer Cluster hub at Campus Radiumhospitalet develops. While the construction of a second part of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park is under way, companies in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator can find space and new partners at Rebel.
Rebel has offices, conference rooms, project rooms, studios, makers spaces and a software lab in the area of Tullin, in the middle of Oslo. These will be made available to companies in Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator.
Some of the meeting rooms in the Rebel building come with a view.
A dynamic collaboration
The collaboration is dynamic and full of opportunities. There is room for projects, exchange of expert competencies, new establishments, and common arenas. The ambition is that the initiatives will grow from the grass, so to speak, on arenas that are made for knowledge sharing.
“To give the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, artificial intelligence will be central. To accelerate development of new cancer treatments, health data will be collected and analyzed in entirely new ways. In short, we need to think differently,» said Ketil Widerberg.
«Collaboration in clusters and collaborations between clusters are two sides of the same coin. Our two knowledge environments have different professional anchorages, but we are heading towards the same goal. We are starting this collaboration to find synergies and energy for mutual benefits,” said Peter Jetzel.
A truly European advisor
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenMarine Jeanmougin is the new EU advisor in Oslo Cancer Cluster. She defines herself as truly European.
“People outside Europe think of Europe as one destination. When they take a trip to a European country, they say they are travelling to Europe, and not to France, Germany, or Norway. This has influenced the way I see the continent as well,” said Jeanmougin.
The new EU advisor defines herself as European, and even beyond, as a citizen of the world. She has lived in Norway, Canada, and France, and has family and extended family around the globe.
Building bridges
With a PhD in Applied Mathematics, she knows the academic slopes from various institutions and countries. She has worked as a researcher at the Curie Institute in Paris, and at the Institute for Cancer Research in Oslo. In 2019, she secured a career grant from Helse Sør-Øst and established her own research team at the Department of Molecular Oncology, Oslo University Hospital. Her team is mainly exploring epigenetics heterogeneity in gastrointestinal cancers.
While working as the EU advisor in Oslo Cancer Cluster, she will keep conducting her research activities part-time.
Jeanmougin has a strong interest in building bridges between research and industry, and the EU advisor missions resonate strongly with her professional and personal motivations.
The advantages of the EU
Part of what Marine Jeanmougin will do in Oslo Cancer Cluster, is related to these advantages that the EU grants researchers and businesses across its internal- and external borders. She will largely help connect the various actors of cancer research and innovation partners to support them in the development of project proposals under Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation.
If you have EU-related questions, please contact Marine Jeanmougin by email.
A PhD on antibiotic resistance
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Wenche GerhardsenRebekka Rolfsnes is doing her PhD with the start-up AdjuTec Pharma AS and the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Oslo (UiO). Together, they will look for solutions to antibiotic resistance.
Rebekka Rolfsnes has a Master’s in molecular biology and will be starting her PhD next month. The subject is antibiotic resistance, and more accurately she will study the mechanism of action of one of AdjuTec Pharma’s new compounds, called APC247, on resistant enzymes, bacteria, and off-target effects in human cells. The PhD project is a result of a collaboration between the industry and the university.
Read more about the industry PhD scheme at UiO’s web pages.
A hope to save the world
When asked why she wanted to work with AdjuTec, Rebekka Rolfsnes said:
“Besides, the combination of pharmacy and microbiology is the most intriguing I know,” she added.
Rolfsnes will be writing three articles that will cast new light on the global health problem of antibiotic resistance.
“This is the subject that is closest to my heart because it is a global challenge and there is a hope to save the world. Although it is also a very scary issue,” Rolfsnes admitted.
Win-win relationship
Professor Hanne Cecilie Winther-Larsen at the Department of Pharmacy, UiO, is Rolfsnes’ main PhD supervisor.
“This PhD project will meet one of the largest challenges our society is currently facing, antimicrobial resistance, and we are happy to be a part of it. In the early phase of this project, there are many questions to answer and experiments to perform, which we find scientifically interesting,” said Winther-Larsen.
Professor Hanne Cecilie Winther-Larsen, in the lab at the Department of Pharmacy, UiO.
The Department of Pharmacy offers both competence and the infrastructure to support a successful outcome for the project. Professor Winther-Larsen had no doubt:
The slow pandemic
Antibiotics are important for treating infections but also for prophylactic use during major surgery, cancer therapy, and for patients vulnerable to infections, such as patients on immunosuppressive drugs and catheterized patients. But after many years of successful treatment of bacterial infections, there has been an alarming increase of infections that are resistant to even last-resort antibiotics.
Pål Rongved, founder, project leader, and CSO in AdjuTec, and professor at UiO, put it this way:
Antibiotic resistance, or antimicrobial multidrug resistance, is due to decades of overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and human medicine, and with few antibiotic innovations. This creates all kinds of problems in hospitals, where the presence of bacteria is high.
The entire Adjutec Pharma team in front of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. From the left: Pål Rongved, Bjørg Bolstad, Ragnar Hovland, Rebekka Rolfsnes and Bjørn Klem.
AdjuTec’s story
AdjuTec’s story started in 2009, when professor Pål Rongved and one of his PhD students at UiO, Alexander Åstrand, found a remarkable effect in their PhD project (which was a collaboration with The University Hospital of Northern Norway and the University of Tromsø).
The effect was this: A chemical compound that could inactivate bacterial resistance enzymes, thus preserving the effect of common antibiotics.
In 2019, Rongved established AdjuTec Pharma to commercialize his invention, which he called the ZinChel technology. The first drug candidate was called APC148 and targets one of two main resistance enzyme families, the metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs). APC148 is the lead product of AdjuTec in preclinical development, planning for clinical trials in healthy volunteers next year.
AdjuTec has been heavily supported by the Norwegian Research Council (NRC) from the start, and with private investors also on board, the company can now develop its pharmaceutical projects and hire the right people. The company was recently awarded financial support from the City of Oslo, an industry innovation project (IPN) from NRC as well as Eurostars to kick-start the new APC247 preclinical program.
A new drug candidate
During the summer of 2021, AdjuTec designed a new substance that works on a broader spectrum of bacteria compared to APC148. This next-generation compound is called APC247. It is based on a different technology that shows promise in inhibiting both the main resistance families, the prior mentioned MBLs and the serine-beta-lactamases (SBLs).
Both AdjuTec products will be administered intravenously to patients in combination with antibiotics. If successful, and with various regulatory fast tracks, AdjuTec expects that the new drug candidate can be ready for market in five years.
Read more about AdjuTec and their progress on their homepage.
Our new competence broker
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Åse Solberg and Wenche GerhardsenThe Life Science Cluster and Oslo Cancer Cluster are collaborating on the competence broker-service for Oslo-based companies.
Meet our new research and industry facilitator aka competence broker for Oslo-based companies. Bjarte Håvik is the dedicated competence broker for digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. He is also responsible for innovation and collaboration in The Life Science Cluster.
International from day one
Before he joined The Life Science Cluster, Bjarte Håvik served as Norway´s Counselor for Research, Technology, and Higher Education in North America – integrating education, research, and innovation in comprehensive transatlantic collaborations. Emerging technologies and cross-sector partnerships have been key topics driving new collaborations. He also has a background from the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills with a focus on lifelong learning, transferable skills, broader impact, and non-academic jobs.
“Today, research-based innovation is key for a competitive and sustainable business. Being an early startup or an established business, a well-adapted research, development, and innovation strategy is needed as early as possible. The competitive stage is international from day one. As a competence broker the aim is to give new ideas from Oslo-based businesses the best start possible,” said Håvik.
Bjarte has a PhD-degree in molecular biology. Through a 15-year research career, he studied the neuronal system with a perspective from several life science disciplines, including molecular embryology, oncology, cognition, and biological psychiatry using a variety of technologies and model systems.
What a competence broker can do
A competence broker (from the Norwegian word kompetansemegler) is an agent for connecting research and industry, as well as a conveyor of expertise. The goal is to strengthen the research-based business development in Oslo and to mobilise more research-based innovation in the innovation districts of Oslo.
“The competence broker assists applicants in qualifying for the Oslo Regional Research Fund RRF (Oslo) – a funding program aimed to strengthen the region’s capability for innovation and the international competitiveness. In addition, the competence brokers provide valuable advice on internationalisation and guidance to additional public funding mechanisms from Innovation Norway, The Research Council of Norway, and Horizon Europe,” said Bjarte Håvik.
The service is funded by the City of Oslo and is free of charge. Companies in Oslo with research-based ideas are welcome to reach out to Bjarte Håvik or one of his competence broker colleagues in Oslo.
Read more
Life Science Growth House is open
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenTailored counseling, funding assistance, and innovation hangouts are part of the innovation package offered by the new Life Science Growth House at the University of Oslo.
“The Life Science Growth House is about utilizing the research. We are good at research, but we can become even better at transferring that knowledge to innovation and making use of it in society,” said Svein Stølen, Rector of the University of Oslo (UiO), when the Life Science Growth House was officially opened 17 Febryary 2022, according to an article in Titan.uio.no.
The new Growth House is going to have an open door with low-threshold services for researchers and students. They will have tailored counseling, including e.g. an assessment of the maturity and relevance of an idea, possible seed funding or external funding, possible collaborations with others in the UiOs innovation ecosystem, including mentoring and business partnerships, and ultimately possible meeting places, seminars, and competence courses.
Just another collaboration platform?
Ketil Widerberg, General Manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, welcomed the Life Science Growth House into the innovation ecosystem around UiO with these words from the stage at the opening event:
He stressed the importance of start-up companies as a natural sequel to good academic ideas.
“Too often ideas are hidden and forgotten in academia. Companies are only invited to “whitewash” and secure money from the Norwegian Research Council for research that is already planned in detail. Good ideas are out-licensed early on to secure next year’s budget instead of invested in Norwegian start-ups. Academics have to fight the system daily to be able to contribute to development,” he continued in his speech.
Ketil Widerberg speaking at the opening. Photo: UiO/Fartein Rudjord
Innovation hangouts
The Life Science Growth House will arrange innovation hangouts four times per year. This is an informal meeting place where students and researchers from the university may interact with actors from the public sector, hospitals, companies, mentors, business clusters, and incubators in their innovation ecosystem – like Oslo Cancer Cluster and our incubator! The hangouts include inspirational talks, matchmaking, food and beverage, and mingling.
The first innovation hangout is with Oslo Cancer Cluster. It will take place in the afternoon of 21 April. Save the date!
Read more about the first innovation hangout.
Read more
Meet the new members from 2021
/in Members, News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenLast year, we had the pleasure of welcoming 14 new members to Oslo Cancer Cluster.
In this brief overview, we are proud to introduce the new ensemble of cutting-edge cancer and science-related businesses – and a university.
Bio-Me AS has created a platform for precision microbiome profiling, which takes the vast knowledge of the microbiome to something that can be used in a clinical setting.
Daiichi-Sankyo is a global pharmaceutical company originating from Japan and with European headquarters in Germany. Daiichi-Sankyo has recently also set up a Nordic headquarter in Copenhagen with more than 20 employees.
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) is working on an exciting initiative to bring artificial intelligence (AI) and product design services together with healthcare and nursing, so that new projects can be launched in the research world.
You can read more about our members Bio-Me AS, Daiichi-Sankyo and OsloMet in this news article from June 2021.
Alv B is developing new immune therapy for solid cancers in cats and dogs. The new therapy will be available both as a supplement to standard treatments as well as a replacement for chemotherapy with strong side effects.
Comunin is a Norwegian start-up that provides a digital platform for smart patient monitoring and support.
Canica is a large, privately-owned investment company operating out of Norway and Switzerland, with core expertise within the fields of business development, retail, brand development and finance. It is focused on creating long-term value and employment.
Do More Diagnostics is a Norwegian start-up on a mission to transform cancer diagnostics with artificial intelligence. The goal is to improve patient care and make drug development more effective by utilizing artificial intelligence to increase the prognostic value of cancer tissue biopsies.
Glycanostics is a start-up company established in 2017 to bring its cancer diagnostics products to the EU and US markets. The company aims for early and more accurate cancer detection to prevent unnecessary biopsies and increase patient survival rate, and their product portfolio includes prostate and breast cancer non-invasive diagnostic kits and technology for glycan biomarker detection.
Hemispherian is an innovative preclinical pharmaceutical company focused on developing a novel class of small molecule drugs. These drugs target the TET2 enzyme as an epigenetic therapy for particularly aggressive cancers.
NordicRWE is a Norwegian Real-world Evidence (RWE) start-up company that has the ambition to be at the forefront of the data-driven drug development process. By tapping into the Nordic health data with its long follow-ups, incomparable completeness, and extensive linking possibilities, NordicRWE is uniquely positioned to be a key player in the forthcoming evolution of the RWE supported drug R&D.
You can read more about NordicRWE in this news article from September.
Norimun is a start-up and part of the OCC Incubator Accelerator programme. The company develops antibodies from the eggs of immunized hens. These IgY antibodies are currently used for passive immunization in aquaculture and livestock, as an alternative and supplement to the body’s own immune system.
Oncosyne is a start-up and part of the OCC Incubator Accelerator programme. The company will develop tests for the patient’s cancer cells and provide information about which treatments the patient will benefit from and which will not be of benefit.
OÜ Antegenes is an Estonian medical technology company founded in 2018. As a registered healthcare service provider of medical genetics, oncology and laboratory services in Estonia, the company uses high-tech polygenic risk score technology to assess a person’s genetic risk of developing cancer.
Randstad Care is dedicated to elevating the quality of talent available to meet the changing resource demands across life sciences organizations. Randstad’s recruiters combine their scientific, pharma and outsourcing expertise with an understanding of individual business needs to deliver the right talent, right away.
You can read more about our members by visiting the Membership Overview and learn about our upcoming events in the Event Calendar.
Our highlights from 2021
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenWhat happened in and with our cluster in 2021? Here is a “pick and mix” of our many news from this year.
As the year is coming to an end, we would like to round it up with highlights from our news section. Like 2020, this year was influenced by the pandemic and the restrictions it put on our activities and meeting places – but this year, we were used to the new normal. As a result, we started the year with our main event, Cancer Crosslinks, as a completely digital experience.
Cancer Crosslinks 2021
On 21 January 2021, the Norwegian Cancer Crosslinks presented its 13th edition, focusing on Driving the translation of Scientific Insights Into Clinical Practice: From “Nice to Know” to “Need to Implement”. For more information about Cancer Crosslinks, have a look at the event’s website.
The goal of the Cancer Crosslinks meetings is to promote interactions between researchers and clinicians, as well as to encourage translational and clinical research, and new collaborations to advance the development of innovative cancer treatments. Cancer Crosslinks Norway has become one of the leading national meeting places gathering oncologists, hematologists, translational researchers, healthcare providers, regulatory experts, and industry representatives.
Next year, Cancer Crosslinks 2022 will be both a digital and on-site event, if Covid guidelines permit, on Thursday 27 January. Hope you will join us! Sign up here.
Three key people behind Cancer Crosslinks 2021, Jutta Heix, Siri Børø and Ali Areffard, were interviewed by Health Talk. Screenshot: Health Talk
A year of changes for the incubator
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator had a newsworthy year. They launched a new Accelerator programme for incubator start-ups – identifying, selecting, and developing promising innovations that will improve the lives of cancer patients. The aim is to make the projects attractive for private and public investments. You can read about the OCCI Accelerator in this news article from March.
In May, the incubator changed leadership, as Bjørn Klem resigned and Janne Nestvold and Ketil Widerberg took over as the new leadership duo of the incubator. You can read about that change in this article.
Finally, we wish to show off the drive and efficiency of the incubator team in another year of the pandemic, turning office spaces into needed laboratories! Have a look at this article to find out how they did it.
A new leadership duo from the right: Ketil Widerberg as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Janne Nestvold as new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Former General Manager Bjørn Klem (to the left) went on to new adventures in the start-up scene in OCC Innovation Park, as the new CEO of AdjuTec Pharma.
School Collaboration 2021
The collaboration with Ullern Upper Secondary School was kept in shape during another fragmented school year, with new mentors for the older students in the programme. One of several articles written about this dynamic collaboration, is this one, about Pål Kristian Selbo, the new mentor from the Institute for Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital. All the school collaboration articles are in Norwegian.
You can read all the articles on the school collaboration home page.
Being a Changemaker
Being a changemaker means that Oslo Cancer Cluster works towards improving the framework conditions for cancer innovations in the Norwegian health industry. During 2021, Oslo Cancer Cluster contributed to a total of eight public hearings about issues such as the outlook on Norway’s economy for the next forty years (Perspektivmeldingen), financial options for employees in start-ups and scale-ups, more available health data, the new plan for research and higher education, and the State Budget.
Read our political input and find out more about the role as a changemaker on this project webpage.
CONNECT up and running
While more than 30 000 Norwegians are diagnosed with cancer every year and the incidence is still increasing, more precise treatments can save lives. CONNECT is an initiative that was launched in December 2020, aiming to ensure that precision medicine reaches more cancer patients.
CONNECT, which stands for Norwegian Precision Cancer Medicine Implementation Consortium, is one of four interconnected initiatives that will ensure infrastructure and collaboration on diagnostics, clinical trials, implementation of advanced precision medicine, and use of health data e.g. for health economics analysis. In July 2021, five new partners joined the consortium, expanding the public-private space for discussions towards new solutions.
Read about the new partners in July in this article, and have a look at the CONNECT website, where all the partners are listed and the latest CONNECT news are released!
Meeting the members digitally
One of Oslo Cancer Cluster’s core activities is to set up meeting places for the members – and fill them with relevant topics and discussions. In 2021, our members joined us digitally for events that we typically have at the Innovation Park with food and mingling. One of these was the yearly Summer Gathering. Even though it was digital, we had a great group gathered, and we even got a visit from the Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education. Three new members were introduced at this meeting in June: Bio-Me, Daiichi-Sankyo, and OsloMet.
Read more about the members and the meeting here.
In December, we had even more new members to meet in our December Gathering, also a digital event. We are happy to announce that the following companies have joined us and been introduced to the rest of the cluster in 2021: OncoSyne AS, Do More Diagnostics, Comunin AS, Daiichi-Sankyo, OsloMet, Alv B AS, OÜ Antegenes, Norimun AS, Bio-Me AS, Nanostring Technologies Europe Limited.
Henrik Asheim, the Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education in June 2021. Screenshot from our member meeting in June.
A year of good member news
It has been a good year for several of our members, and we wish to refer to some of their good news and highlights during 2021.
In October, Ultimovacs announced a new clinical study for lung cancer patients in Norway. This is the company’s fifth phase II combination study in lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC). During the same month, the company also announced that they had had a successful private placement, raising NOK 270 Million in a significantly oversubscribed round, and had reached a significant milestone by receiving a dual Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Read more about the Ultimovacs good news here.
Another of our member companies also had a round of good news this autumn. Vaccibody became Nykode Therapeutics, and entered into a collaboration with Regeneron, to develop innovative vaccines against cancer and infectious diseases. The deal is potentially worth over USD 900 Million. Read more about Nykode’s good news here (external link).
Last, but not least, researchers at Oslo University Hospital have received NOK 50 Million to form a Centre for Advanced Cell and Gene therapy (ACT-Centre) located in cleanroom facilities at the hospital. Among the investors were Radforsk and The Norwegian Cancer Society. The investment is dedicated to actions that strengthen the competence in cell differentiation, manipulation, and genomic editing under full-scale good manufacturing practices (GMP). Read more about this new centre here (external link).
Oslo Science City feasibility study
Oslo Cancer Cluster is a member of the innovation district Oslo Science City. At the very end of November, it released the new feasibility study for the innovation district. The ambition is to develop a world-leading innovation district in the Norwegian capital.
Oslo Science City is the first innovation district in Norway. It mobilises 7 500 researchers, 30 000 students, and 300 start-ups in developing ecosystems for innovation and green transformation, bringing together educational institutions, researchers, the business community, and the public sector.
You can read more, and find a link to download the study, in this article from the launch.
Group picture of the prominent guests and partners behind the study at Oslo City Hall. Photo: Oslo Science City
We became Mature
A shiny highlight for us, was when Oslo Cancer Cluster received the status “Mature Cluster” in the Norwegian Innovation Clusters programme. This happened in the middle of November. The mature cluster status is given to take advantage of the competencies and infrastructure that the clusters have developed over time. The goal is to allow for greater “industrial lifts” that contribute to the conversion and development of Norwegian industry.
We cannot wait to get started on our plans for 2022 as a Mature Cluster!
You can read more about the Mature Cluster Programme here.
Ketil Widerberg, CEO of Oslo Cancer Cluster, and Lena Nymo Helli, CEO of Norway Health Tech, receives the new Mature Cluster status from Håkon Haugli, CEO of Innovation Norway. Photo: Tom Hansen
Felles veikart gjør veien til USA lettere
/in International, News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Jofrid Åsland, Åse Solberg, Wenche Gerhardsen og Anita Moe LarsenDe fire helseklyngene i Norge skal fra neste år samarbeide om et veikart for bedrifter som ser mot det amerikanske markedet.
Scroll down for an English version of this article.
Med over 700 000 selskaper innen helse har USA den største helseindustrien globalt. Viken Fylkeskommune støtter og muliggjør prosjektet til helseklyngene.
Prosjektet bærer navnet “USA neste! Veikart til internasjonalisering for helsebedrifter”, og starter opp i januar 2022. De fire helseklyngene som går sammen om prosjektet er Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster og The Life Science Cluster.
Et puff ut i verden
– Målet med prosjektet er å hjelpe bedrifter med internasjonal satsing. Med utgangspunkt i den samlede kunnskapen og erfaringen klyngene har opparbeidet over tid, vil vi utvikle et bedre veikart ved å samarbeide, enn hver for oss. Synergiene vil bidra til å akselerere bedriftenes internasjonaliserings- og eksportaktiviteter ytterligere slik at vekst i omsetning, arbeidsplasser og verdiskaping vil skje raskere enn hvis dette samarbeidet ikke finner sted, sier Therese Oppegaard, prosjektleder i Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
USA er et viktig internasjonalt marked med stort potensiale. Bedrifter som lykkes der, har høy sannsynlighet for å lykkes i andre markeder. Når klyngene nå setter i gang et felles krafttak for internasjonalisering, blir det naturlig å søke samarbeid med Innovasjon Norge for å optimalisere arbeidet.
– Prosjektet USA neste! skal gi gründere og oppskaleringsbedrifter tilgang på ekspertise og nettverk de ellers normalt ikke har tilgang til, opplyser Oppegaard.
Therese Oppegaard, prosjektleder i Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
Et steg videre
Det internasjonale aspektet ved utvikling av bedre kreftlegemidler og diagnostikk har alltid vært viktig for Oslo Cancer Cluster, som nå ønsker å bygge videre på internasjonale initiativer med dette nye samarbeidet.
– Vi ønsker å skape ny innsikt, nye fora og muligheter for nytt samarbeid for våre medlemmer, og for det nasjonale økosystemet vi har for helseinnovasjon, sier Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs og prosjektleder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
– Ved å styrke nettverkene for klynger og helsenæring mellom Norge og USA, kan vi også gi bedre støtte til oppstarts- og biotechbedrifter på deres vei til nye forretningsmuligheter, sier Heix.
Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs i Oslo Cancer Cluster
Samarbeid forenkler veien
Chelsea Ranger, forretningsutvikler og investor-rådgiver, deltar i samarbeidsprosjektet fra The Life Science Cluster.
– Vi skal gjøre veien til det amerikanske markedet enklere og raskere for våre medlemmer. Når alle helseklyngene samarbeider, øker effekten av arbeidet, uavhengig av hvilken klynge selskapene er en del av. Vi representerer fire ulike industrisegmenter, men mulighetene for å jobbe smart sammen for å øke eksporten av norsk helseindustri, er store, sier Ranger.
– Det er mange gode norske oppstartsbedrifter med stort potensial for å lykkes i USA. Gjennom dette samarbeidet får de verdifulle kontakter mot industriledende eksperter, viktige fagmiljøer og ikke minst til investorer. Disse selskapene står i kapitalintensive utviklingsløp med høy risiko, og mange er avhengig av investorer i utlandet for å lykkes, avslutter Ranger.
Chelsea Ranger, prosjektleder i The Life Science Cluster.
En felles innsats
USA er blant de tre høyest prioriterte markedene for internasjonalisering og eksport hos de fire klyngene. Dette prosjektet legger til rette for å utnytte kontaktflater, kompetanse, medlemsmasse og allerede etablerte nettverk i ulike deler av USA.
Prosjektet er en felles innsats, og ledes av Trine Radmann fra Norway Health Tech.
– Vi tror fantastiske ting vil skje når de fire helseklyngene i Norge jobber sammen mot det amerikanske markedet. Forventningene er skyhøye til hva vi kan gjøre for å lette veien inn til verdens største helsemarked for norske helseselskap. Vi skal lytte, bygge kunnskap og hjelpe bedriftene. Veikartet til USA som nå skal utvikles gjennom dette programmet, kan brukes for fremtidige generasjoner av unge selskap som ser mot USA, sier Radmann.
Trine Radmann, prosjektansvarlig for USA Neste! og prosjektleder i Norway Health Tech.
Om USA Neste!
FINANSIERING: Viken Fylkeskommune
HVEM: Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster og The Life Science Cluster
HVA: Aktivitetene i prosjektet deles overordnet inn i fire områder:
OPPSTART: Prosjektet starter i januar 2022
KONTAKT: Ta kontakt med en av de fire prosjektlederne om du er interessert i mer informasjon:
Prosjektet er muliggjort av Viken Fylkeskommune.
A common road map secures the path to the American health market
From next year, the four health clusters in Norway will collaborate on a roadmap for companies looking at the American market.
This is a translated text from the Norwegian article above.
With over 700,000 health companies, the United States has the largest health industry globally. Viken County Municipality supports and enables the project for the health clusters.
The project is called «USA next! Roadmap to internationalization for health companies », starting in January 2022. The four health clusters that join forces on the project are the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and The Life Science Cluster.
“The goal of the project is to help companies with international investment. Based on the overall knowledge and experience the clusters have gained over time, we will develop a better roadmap by collaborating, than each for us. The synergies will help to accelerate the companies’ internationalization and export activities further so that growth in turnover, jobs, and value creation will take place faster than if this collaboration didn’t happen,” says Therese Oppegaard from Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.
The United States is an important international market with great potential. Companies that succeed there have a high probability of success in other markets. When the clusters now join forces for internationalization, a logical step is to seek cooperation with Innovation Norway to optimize the work.
“The project USA next! will give entrepreneurs and scaling companies access to expertise and networks they otherwise don’t have access to,” Oppegaard states.
One step further
The international aspect of developing better cancer drugs and diagnostics has always been important for Oslo Cancer Cluster, who will build on previous international initiatives with this new collaboration. – We want to create new insights, new forums, and opportunities for new collaboration for our members, and for the national ecosystem we have for health innovation, says Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs in the Oslo Cancer Cluster, and project manager from the cluster.
“By strengthening the networks for clusters and health industries between Norway and the US, we can also provide better support to start-up and biotech companies on their way to new business opportunities,” says Heix.
Chelsea Ranger, business developer and investor advisor, contributing in the collaborative project from The Life Science Cluster, adds:
“We will make the road to the American market easier and faster for our members. When all the health clusters work together, the effect of the work increases, regardless of which cluster the companies are part of. The clusters represent four different industry segments, but the opportunities for working smart together to increase exports of the Norwegian health industry are great.”
“There are many good Norwegian start-up companies with great potential for success in the US. Through this collaboration, they gain valuable contacts with industry-leading experts, important professional environments and not least investors. These companies are in capital-intensive development races with high risk, and many depend on international investors to succeed,” Ranger concludes.
The United States is among the three most prioritized markets for internationalization and exports for the four clusters. This project facilitates the utilization of contact surfaces, expertise, membership and already established networks in various parts of the USA.
The project is a joint effort, and is led by Trine Radmann from Norway Health Tech.
“We think fantastic things will happen when the four health clusters in Norway work together towards the American market. Expectations are sky high for what we can do to facilitate the way into the world’s largest health market for Norwegian health companies. We will listen, build knowledge, and help companies. The road map to the USA, which will now be developed through this program, can be used for future generations of young companies looking towards the USA,” says Radmann.
The project starts in January 2022, contact one of the four contact persons below if you are interested in more information:
The project is made possible by Viken Fylkeskommune
New feasibility study
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenThe innovation district Oslo Science City released a new feasibility study. The ambition is to develop a world-leading innovation district in the Norwegian capital.
Oslo Science City is the first innovation district in Norway. The members are the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst RHF), Sintef, NGI, Ferd, Studentsamskipnaden i Oslo, Oslo Pensjonsforsikring, the City of Oslo, and Oslo Cancer Cluster.
The district mobilises 7 500 researchers, 30 000 students, and 300 start-ups in developing ecosystems for innovation and green transformation, bringing together educational institutions, researchers, the business community, and the public sector.
Launched at City Hall
On Tuesday 30 November, the innovation district published its new feasibility study during a reception in the Oslo City Hall, with H.R.H. the Crown Prince of Norway, the Minister of Climate and Environment, the City Council Leader, and 600 guests present.
“The study presents the possibilities we have in front of us. We must grasp them! If we do so in a good way, it will strengthen Oslo’s international position as a knowledge capital. There is a big potential in developing new knowledge, new solutions, and sustainable jobs,” said City Council Leader Raymond Johansen in a press release by Oslo Science City.
Oslo Cancer Cluster is a member of Oslo Science City, with the area surrounding our Innovation Park and the Radium Hospital as one of six geographical focus areas in the innovation district.
Group picture of the prominent guests and partners behind the study at Oslo City Hall. Photo: Oslo Science City
About the feasibility study
Oslo Science City’s members are to develop the area from Majorstuen via Marienlyst and Blindern to Gaustad and Ullevål stadion, and also the Radium Hospital, to become a world leading innovation district contributing to a sustainable and modern Norway.
The study is made by A-LAB, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Civitas, Comte Bureau and Menon Economics. For the time being, it is available in Norwegian only.
You can download the feasibility study from the Oslo Science City webpage.
This is how the feasibility study pictures part of the new innovation district (Blindern/Majorstuen) in the future. Illustration: Oslo Science City
DIGI-B-CUBE consortium meets in Oslo
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster, Other /by Astrid GreenDIGI-B-CUBE aims to unlock the cross-sectoral collaborative potential of small and medium-sized companies.
As a project funded under the European Union´s Horizon 2020 Programme, it aims to unlock this potential by combining novel digital technologies with bioimaging, biosensing, and biobanking.
DIGI-B-CUBE was established with Oslo Cancer Cluster as the project coordinator in 2019. The project supports the development and delivery of new market-sensitive disruptive technologies and key digital innovations to reconfigure patient-centered diagnostics towards a Health Economy 4.0.
Read more on the DIGI-B-CUBE webpage.
Meeting in Oslo
Last week, a consortium consisting of eight partners met at the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, both in person and virtually. Milena Stoyanova and Gerry Renders were present from the Executive Agency (EISMEA) established by the European Commission. They highlighted the importance of supporting and empowering small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in their innovation activities.
DIGI-B-CUBE has funded a total of 55 projects, resulting in 2,5 MEUR provided directly to companies to boost the development of disruptive tech solutions and health tech innovations across Europe. One of these projects is CEREBRI.
Treating migraines
“We develop easy-to-use and scientifically proven technology to help people predict and prevent brain disorders,” said Cathrine Heuch, CEO of Nordic Brain Tech.
She explained that 14.7% of the population is affected by migraine, the most common neurological disorder costing the European economy €50 billion annually. Migraine results in reduced quality of life and limited daily performance in work and social life.
According to Heuch, there is a pressing need for treatments without side effects, that are affordable and more accessible than today’s alternatives, which mainly consist of medications associated with limited efficacy and negative side effects.
CEREBRI digital treatment
Nordic Brain Tech has in joint cooperation with i3tex and Thorgate developed a project called CEREBRI to optimize treatment software and a finger biosensor. CEREBRI is a digital treatment for preventing migraine, solving the demand for treatment without negative side effects.
With two wireless sensors and a smartphone app, patients can perform regular biofeedback training that has the potential to reduce migraine frequency by 50%. This enables treatment from the comfort of your own home, and virtual care from a physician, with potential cost savings of ~60% compared to biofeedback given in clinics.
CEREBRI can significantly increase a migraine patient’s quality of life and reduce costs to sick leave for businesses and health care providers, according to the project.
The companies in DIGI-B-CUBE receive funding and mentoring/coaching in the project. This week, Cathrine Heuch met Milena Stoyanova from EISMEA and her mentor in DIGI-B-CUBE, Astrid Green, at Oslo Cancer Clusters offices.
From the left: Astrid Green, Milena Stoyanova, Cathrine Heuch.
Read more about the CEREBRI project on the DIGI-B-CUBE webpage
Meet our new NOME coordinator
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator /by Wenche GerhardsenHege Eiklid is the new coordinator of the Nordic Mentor Network for Entrepreneurship (NOME) in Norway.
“As a startup company, one is incapable of immediately building a team of world-class experts. To become a successful company, mentorship is necessary,” said Hege Eiklid.
The new coordinator of NOME in Norway has no doubts about the importance of world-class mentors for promising life science projects.
The essence of NOME
Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator has coordinated NOME activities in Norway since 2016 and is actively seeking both start-ups and mentors to join this programme, offering free mentoring to promising start-ups in the life science sector.
NOME is a not-for-profit mentoring network in the life sciences, managed by Accelerace AS. The goal of NOME is to increase the success rate of Nordic life science start-ups by giving access to experienced mentors. Participation is free of charge and funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The mentors also work for free.
She sincerely believes in connecting people in order to advance health technology.
“This passion is the essence of NOME,” she said.
A coordinator with experience
Hege Eiklid is a seasoned business development strategist with ample experience both leading and promoting startup companies within the field of health technology. As for the foundation of her expertise, she holds two master’s degrees: one in Economic Development from Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main and another in Business Development and Innovation from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Eiklid has a proven track record in the management of strategic partnerships, and her expertise is cemented in comprehensive, hands-on experience. She has managed an incubator for start-ups within the field of health tech, and she has experience from investing in and working as a mentor for other start-ups.
Oslo Cancer Cluster is a Mature Cluster
/in News, Oslo Cancer Cluster /by Wenche GerhardsenOslo Cancer Cluster is happy to receive the status as a Mature Cluster in the Norwegian Innovation Clusters programme.
The news about the new status came during an event hosted by Innovation Norway on Monday 15 November 2021.
“This is an important part of the government’s politics to create profitable and attractive jobs around the entire country. The clusters have great importance for the companies that are part of them and for the local communities. When companies collaborate in this way, it is easier for them to join forces in research and development, share knowledge and competence. The clusters are tools to strengthen the adaptability of Norwegian businesses,” said the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre, according to a press release from Innovation Norway.
Read the press release here (in Norwegian).
The programme Norwegian Innovation Clusters is financed by The Ministry of Local Governance and Modernisation with 192 Million NOK in 2021. It is run by Innovation Norway, Siva and The Research Council of Norway. There are 44 clusters today.
Mature Cluster programme
The new mature clusters are already part of the programme Norwegian Innovation Clusters, and the mature cluster status is given to take advantage of the competencies and infrastructure that the clusters have developed over time. The goal is to allow for greater “industrial lifts” that contribute to the conversion and development of Norwegian industry.
In addition to Oslo Cancer Cluster, the clusters entering this arrangement today are Eyde Cluster in Agder, NCE Media in Bergen, and Norway Health Tech in Oslo. We wish to congratulate all the mature clusters and look forward to fruitful collaborations!
New Arena and Arena Pro Clusters
There were also new clusters added to the programme in this round. We wish to welcome Circular Wave and Energi i Nord as Arena Clusters, and Norwegian Offshore Wind Cluster, Ocean Hyway Cluster, Stiim Aqua Cluster and Norwegian Energy Solutions as Arena Pro Clusters.
Read more about the programme and the Arena and Arena Pro clusters at Innovation Norway’s webpage.
Collaborating on patient self-monitoring
/in Members, News /by Wenche GerhardsenPatients report their own symptoms in a new project at Ahus, in which the university hospital collaborates with Roche and Kaiku Health.
A new project with 15 lung cancer patients has started this fall at Akershus University Hospital (Ahus), one of Norway’s largest hospitals, just outside of Oslo. Both the patients and the hospital staff are testing a new digital patient monitoring and management solution from the Finnish health technology company Kaiku Health, where the patients themselves are to report their symptoms and health conditions.
The project is a successful collaboration between patients and hospital staff at Ahus, the company Roche, and Kaiku Health. They are all members of Oslo Cancer Cluster.
Satisfied patients
“So far we have received almost only positive user experiences. Patients are only asked to log symptoms they have had and do not have to consider all kinds of possible symptoms they might have. That helps them and our impression is that the patients are satisfied with the self-logging tool we are testing,” said Anne Edvardsen, Project Leader and Department Leader at the Lung Department at Ahus.
Anne Edvardsen. Photo: Ahus
Kaiku Health is a digital health interventions platform that provides patient-reported outcomes, monitoring, and intelligent symptom tracking. Currently, it is used in more than 75 clinics in Europe and America, helping clinicians provide optimized care with early interventions and personalized patient support.
Digital symptom management
“Digital symptom management is shown to improve patients’ overall survival and quality of life. While cancer immunotherapy has been shown to advance treatment outcomes of for example lung cancer patients, it has also introduced a new kind of safety profile. Companion digital health solutions can optimize symptom management and timely education for patients. In addition, clinics benefit from the use of the service, as digital therapy support can optimize the use of healthcare resources as well as processes in the daily clinic routine,” said Ann-Sofie Andersson-Ward, Global Strategic Sales Manager in Kaiku Health.
Ann-Sofie Andersson-Ward. Photo: Kaiku Health/ Kajsas foto
In Nordlandssykehuset, a smaller hospital in the north of Norway, a similar digital patient monitoring, also from Kaiku, is already a part of the regular patient treatment.
“By providing digital symptom management along with the capture and analysis of real-world data, Kaiku Health paves way for more personalised and value-based healthcare,” said Ann-Sofie Andersson-Ward.
Testing in several stages
Roche aims to deliver their digital patient monitoring and management solutions in an open ecosystem approach in collaboration with various industry partners and solution providers, such as Kaiku Health, and has done a prior pilot project with Kaiku Health in Germany, Finland, and Switzerland.
The results from this first pilot were published in Journal of Medical Internet Research in December last year and show a high user satisfaction and improved clinical care besides other benefits and a few challenges. You can read the article here. https://www.jmir.org/2020/12/e18655/
“With our current collaboration with Ahus, Roche aims to deliver industry-leading Digital Patient Monitoring and Management solutions that improve outcomes that matter to patients, such as quality of life and overall survival, for individuals receiving therapy for advanced or metastasized cancers. This can be achieved by empowering patients to continuously report symptoms from any location using mobile solutions and enabling healthcare professionals to intervene early before symptoms worsen, tailor care plans, and make effective treatment decisions. By using solutions that are seamlessly integrated into clinical care, it would also optimise healthcare resource utilization. In addition, we’re also exploring user experience of the solution alongside understanding how we can support broad adoption and adherence to the solutions,” said Fabienne O. Villars, Country Medical Manager for Lung in Roche Norway, and adds that it is also an important project to explore local requirements and regulatory needs.
Fabienne O. Villars. Photo: Roche
The current project is named KAISER and will run until March 2022.
Better equipped to master symptoms
“An advantage is that we can monitor the patients during the entire treatment and systemize our experiences. This kind of monitoring of symptoms through digital platforms is important to increase the understanding the patients have of their own health. When they participate in monitoring their own symptoms and changes in symptoms, they are better equipped to master their symptoms, with assistance by healthcare professionals,” said Anne Edvardsen.
The patients can use the tool as a type of diary for symptoms from cancer treatment, like for example fatigue, and the care team can look for patterns to check if treatments are working well. The hospital staff is learning how to react to the reports and whether they should follow up with the patients more closely based on the reported symptoms.
Useful in the future
“It has been a good collaboration where everyone has contributed to solving this puzzle, which takes a lot of effort ensuring privacy and data security in a large hospital like Ahus,” said Anne Edvardsen.
“The work Ahus has done in collaboration with us will become useful in the future for sure –for other hospitals, companies, and for the patients themselves,” said Villars.
Read more
Inven2 has contributed to initiating the project in Norway and has written about it in Norwegian. Read the Norwegian article here: https://www.inven2.com/prover-ut-digitalt-verktoy-for-pasientoppfolging-i-kliniske-studier/
Cluster Collaborations
In this article series, called Cluster Collaborations, we want to highlight the fruitful collaborations in the cluster, underlining the very essence of what Oslo Cancer Cluster is all about, from cancer research to cure.