Biotech in the new EU member states:

Download: Biotech in the new EU member states:

Description:

This report is the first of its kind to try and understand the state of the biotechnology industry in the new Member States and candidate countries. As with any bottom-up work, it took a lot of effort and persistence to gather data on current and prospective developments in this area. Our goal was to strengthen the understanding of the European biotechnology scene and we believe that with the knowledge accumulated we have reached this goal. This report should enable policy makers and investors to make informed decisions about biotechnology support and development. The databases developed dutiny this project will also provide better international visibility to the companies, which could lead to new cooperation or investment. 

Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each country facilitates the implementation of appropriate measures to help countries face thein particular challenges, cultivate their core competencies and take advantage of their opportunities. Following this report and its presentation at different events, general and country specific recommendations have been formulated. These recommendations can facilitate the development of a positive policy environment for this promising industry.

The biotechnology sector in the new Member States and candidate countries is still young and immature and the status of development in the region is very uneven with four countries standing out by the size of their biotechnology sector. Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Estonia have mostly been the early movers in the biotechnology sector, or the ones with a coherent framework for biotechnology and innovation. 

Outsourcing research or manufacturing in the new Members States and candidate countries is a growing market for the biotechnology sector and an opportunity for those countries to develop stable know-how and wealth in the healthcare sector before moving into more advanced R&D and drug development. Outsourcing can be used as a stepping stone but is unlikely to be a sustainable growth sector due to the fierce competition with China and India.

There is a need for a critical mass of innovation, support, resources in terms of manpower and financial means to allow companies to flourish. Thus the countries that are successful and will be successful in the long-term are the ones putting in place a coherent (taking into account the multiple aspects of innovation support) and consistent (long-term) framework with support dedicated to the biotechnology and healthcare sector.