SweDeliver is shaping the future of drug delivery
This summer, SweDeliver – Sweden's first national competence center in drug delivery – was inaugurated. With the hub at Uppsala University's Faculty of Pharmacy, academia and industry will cooperate to push the boundaries for the development of new pharmaceuticals.
(Image removed) Christel Bergström, Professor and leader of SweDeliver
“SweDeliver has the privilege of starting in a creative environment with dedicated partners and a highly effective scientific program. The fact that we also receive long-term funding from Vinnova gives us everything we need to conduct high-quality research right from the start,” states Christel Bergström, Professor of Molecular Pharmaceutics and leader of Sweden's newly established competence center in drug deliver.
SweDeliver is an extension of the Swedish Drug Delivery Forum (SDDF), the meeting place for Uppsala University's Faculty of Pharmacy and a selection of Swedish pharmaceutical companies. The forum was initiated with the aim of providing academia and industry with a common platform for consolidating Sweden's already advanced position in the supply of medicines. The arena was launched in the summer of 2017 and soon established itself as the dynamic ecosystem the authors intended.
“The forum was preceded by many vibrant discussions about the crucial role of drug delivery and formulation in the development and manufacturing of safe and effective medicines. We set out on a mission and spent years of meticulous preparation to shape the structure we needed to realize our goal: World-leading research and efficient industrial utilisation. Today, the Faculty of Pharmacy and companies collaborate on three parallel platforms. We do it with commitment, trust and are well on our way to bridge the gap between basic research and applied development,” says Göran Alderborn, Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology and for three years forum director at SDDF.
(Image removed) Göran Alderborn, Professor and former forum director
In SweDeliver's absolute core, PhD students and postdocs work to solve scientific challenges defined in dialogue between the competence centre's partners. Here they have access to technology and guidance from prominent researchers in both academia and industry. Together, they form an international constellation that conducts high-quality research, while laying the foundations for future leading positions in the Swedish life science sector.
“Access to qualified employees in drug delivery is crucial to a pharmaceutical company like AstraZeneca, and this was certainly a contributing factor to our involvement in SDDF and now SweDeliver. Today we are part of an integrated unit where promising researchers move freely between industry and academia. This is a considerable shift of gear that I am convinced will generate new competence, companies and jobs for many years to come,” says Mats Berglund, Chairman of SweDeliver's Board and Vice President of ISEL, AstraZeneca.
Within SweDeliver, the concept "we" already reaches far beyond the individual organisation. Knowledge, infrastructures and contacts that no single player can offer are shared here. At the intersection of the many competencies, new perspectives and research ideas are constantly emerging. This success has already attracted attention in the world of pharmaceutics. Companies and faculties throughout northern Europe have expressed their interest in joining, and in connection with the transition to a national competence center, the network expanded with branches in our Scandinavian neighbours as well.
“It is additions that will give us room to grow further. Across geographical borders, but also with a number of very exciting initiatives that will take us giant leaps in a very positive direction. Right now we are looking forward with inspiration, confidence and a vision that SweDeliver will shine globally. Within five years, I am convinced that we will be there,” concludes Christel Bergström.
SWEDELIVER
- SweDeliver is a national competence center with focus on drug delivery
- SweDeliver is an interactive, cross-sectoral collaboration between academia and industry.
- Uppsala University's Faculty of Pharmacy is the academic hub of SweDeliver.
- SweDeliver is part-financed by Vinnova with SEK 33,945,000 until the year 2024.
More information
Kontakt
(Image removed) Christel Bergström, Uppsala universitet
mail Christel.Bergstrom@farmaci.uu.se
tfn 018-471 4118
text: Magnus Alsne, foto: Mikael Wallerstedt