BIO-X^® Accelerate

– Innovation management process

BIO-X^® is a successful innovation management process build on the BIO-X^®methodology and is an integral part of STUNS Life science´s way of working.

BIO-X Accelerate is a structured way of working with calls for proposals and sustainable business development. Through the BIO-X Accelerate call, companies are evaluated by external experts from relevant fields and selected in high competition. Granted companies receive funding, continued business development support and access to experts within the BIO-X network.

Project aim

Increase the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises so that they become attractive for new private and public financing.
Create a lasting governance and development model that must be permanent in the East Middle Sweden´s R&D environments and be available to SMEs outside these environments as well.

BIO-X Accelerate process

Through the development of the BIO-X Accelerate process, companies in the region’s Life science sector receive support to leave the early stages and accelerate to a rapid innovation- and growth phase, through funding and continuous business development.

BIO-X Accelerate in numbers

(2020)

1

Call

4

Companies Granted founding

20

Distributed funding

166

Additional investments attracted within 6 months

Companies granted

– BIO-X Accelerate call 2020

BIO-X Accelerate pilot call was launched in 2019. Focus of the program is pre-clinical and clinical evaluations, end-user and other key development validations, other supporting activities such as development of prototypes, testing efficiency and safety for new products, preparation of documentation for CE marking, development of quality systems, as well as documentation and permits in connection with clinical evaluations.

The project will run between 2020-2022 and the co-funding is in the range of 3-7 MSEK.

Celluminova AB

Press release

Celluminova specializes in the development of new tools for stem cell research, including cancer stem cells. GlioStem is a first product of its kind, designed for near-instant detection of neural stem cells and progenitors derived from glioma. It is based on polymer technology and defines a new generation of cell type markers.

“The funding from BIO-X is of significant value to Celluminova and helps us to quickly reach our goal of having the first product on the market that specifically targets stem cell-like cells in high-grade brain tumors and thus contribute to increased survival in these patients. The funding helps us expand the team, clinically verify our product and prepare for market approval. ” says Shirin Ilkhanizadeh, CEO of Celluminova

Read more about Celluminova AB
Listen to the Celluminova podcast episode

PU Sensor AB

Press release

PU Sensor develops a research-based method and product, which assesses which individuals are at risk of getting pressure ulcers in hospitals or in elderly care. It provides an opportunity to put in place preventive measures in time, to avoid pressure ulcers that cost society large sums.

“We are very happy about the collaboration with BIO-X and the grant we have been granted. PU sensor will use the funding for a comprehensive study, where our instrument is used in healthcare and elderly care to collect data from several hundred individuals. This gives us a very good basis for being able to show the benefits of the instrument” says Johannes Walfridsson, CEO of PU sensor

Ilya Pharma AB

Press Release

During the project period Ilya Pharma will complete preclinical studies for two novel chemokine-based gene therapy candidates, ILP100 and ILP101, for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). This will represent a major breakthrough since ILP100 and ILP101 are the first drugs based on genetically engineered lactobacilli.

“Even before founding Ilya Pharma we actually we had good data in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease. However, our strategy was to develop one project to clinical proof of concept as fast and as smartly as possible. We chose a topical approach to skin wounds and it has turned out well. We have had quite some traction on this project for years and it is extremely rewarding to now be given the opportunity to also accelerate development in the gastrointestinal indications. The difference now is that we have built a fantastic team and know what it takes to take the ILP-drug candidates to clinical proof of concept,” says Evelina Vågesjö, CEO Ilya Pharma

Read more about Ilya Pharma AB
Listen to the Ilya Pharma podcast episode

Gradientech AB

Press release

Gradientech is leading the field of ultra-rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing. Gradientech develops next-generation diagnostics that provide patients with the right dose of the right medicine at the right time.

“The funding received from the BIO-X Accelerate program will definitely help us towards a faster market introduction of the QuickMIC system, both by advancing the production transfer process of our antibiotic panels, and by securing our clinical performance evaluation” – says Teresa Fernandez Zafra, PhD, Product Manager at Gradientech.

Read more about Gradientech AB
Listen to the Gradientech podcast episode

Status

The initial project activity during phase 1, called Swelife ÖMS, aimed at creating new funding models. The project, evaluated and tested different formats, conducted a legal investigation and successfully proposed changes of the administration of the ERDF funding for The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket), to enable the distribution of ERDF funds directly to SMEs.

The project is now in phase 2, (2019-2021) and runs under the name of BIO-X Accelerate. During this period the BIO-X Accelerate call procedure tool has been developed, the call for proposal offering ERDF funds for verification has been announced and four (4) companies has been granted funding. The companies have been selected in accordance with the BIO-X Accelerate call procedure and are expected to finish their projects during 2022. During this period, companies are also offered business development support with a focus on finance, sustainability and organizational development.

BIO-X Accelerate utilizes an industrial approach to support early-stage, life-science related companies that could fulfill well-defined needs in healthcare and society. The first critical step towards potential commercialization – ‘proof of concept’ studies should already be performed before starting the process. After BIO-X Accelerate the companies should be ready for investment by for example industry or venture capital companies, for a future new product, method or therapy with a significantly new value for the patients, healthcare or society.

The project is developed and performed through funding from the European Regional Development Fund and Region Uppsala, with Uppsala Innovation Centre as strategic partner.

If you would like to learn more about the BIO-X Accelerate please do not hesitate to contact us.

Financing: Phase 1, Swelife ÖMS, Swelife (Project ID: 2016-04514, 2016-04951), ERDF (Project ID: 20200637)
Phase 2, BIO-X Accelerate; ERDF (Project ID: 20200637), Region Uppsala ( Project ID: 20204186)
Project duration: Swelife ÖMS 2016–2019, BIO-X Accelerate 2019-2022
STUNS Life science role: Project leadership
Contact: Dajana Ilic S