Chapter 7
Internationalisation
The vital importance of
international collaboration
international collaboration
FOREWORD
By Len de Jong
The life sciences & health (LSH) sector is an innovative and technologically intensive sector, focused on human well-being and health, and it needs an international approach to make it sustainable. The international healthcare market is growing rapidly and offers a wealth of opportunities for innovative companies and entrepreneurs. However, it is a complex market with many legal and regulatory considerations in healthcare innovations and developments.
Economic and social challenge
The health of an increasingly longer living and ageing population is perhaps the biggest economic and social challenge we face. And that is why the Netherlands has chosen a mission-related approach to improve healthcare, make it more accessible for citizens and more sustainable for the future: the so-called quadruple helix approach. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the vulnerability of the international chain of healthcare activities, at the same time, it has demonstrated the unprecedented need for a better organised and integral international approach.
International collaboration is vital for successful research and development programmes. We as the Netherlands can offer a lot in realising these goals. We have a strong innovative, well-organised and connected ecosystem, all within a 120-mile radius. This makes us a favourable country to invest in. We have also clearly defined our strong thematic value chains, and this has given rise to various Memorandum of Understandings that we have signed throughout the world to expand our knowledge and economic strength.
Through our focussed international approach, we will become an even stronger player in the worldwide life sciences & health field. The internationalisation of the Dutch LSH sector creates not only export and risk spreading for Dutch companies but also a natural self-sustainability for innovation and a sustainable competitive position.
The ROM's support Dutch businesses with expanding to foreign markets and we support foreign businesses with settling in the regions. We are responsible for attracting international companies to the regions and for retaining them. This means that we strengthen the economic ecosystem and ensure a robust supply chain. Moreover, we also support companies in the regions to access foreign markets.
- Sasja Heijman, Senior Account Manager Life Sciences & Health, InnovationQuarter
Henri Termeer: the legacy of an inspiring icon of the biotech industry
INTERVIEW
With Belinda Termeer
Belinda Termeer talks about her late husband, with much warmth in her voice. ‘Henri was an amazing father to our son Nicholas and our daughter Adriana and an amazing husband to me.’ Professionally, Henri Termeer was an icon of the biotech industry and a visionary CEO of Genzyme for close to 30 years. ‘His commitment to patients truly transformed the biotech community. Henri was instrumental in creating the global orphan disease business model and inspired countless others to develop treatments for rare diseases. His work led to a recognition of the >7,000 rare diseases that need cures, and he brought hope to millions of patients and their loved ones.’
Continuing the legacy
To honour Henri and to celebrate his many contributions to the biotech industry, a number of Henri’s colleagues approached Belinda to find a way to build on his work of mentoring and supporting industry leaders. As a result, in 2019 Belinda Termeer and Alan Walts founded The Termeer Foundation. ‘Many CEOs in the global biotech community were mentored by Henri which inspired the main goal of the foundation: to continue Henri’s legacy by providing a platform where aspiring biotech entrepreneurs can connect with mentors.’
Always doing what is best for patients was the most important goal for Henri. He believed that every patient should be treated regardless of their location or ability to pay. ‘Henri believed that all efforts and programmes should be patient-centric. In fact, he’s been credited as the first person to use the phrase patient-centric.’ One example that shows how far Henri would go for patients is when he took on the challenge of collecting millions of placentae from all over the world to provide an enzyme therapy from placenta for patients with Gaucher Disease. Even his own scientific advisory board said he was crazy as it was such a huge logistical hurdle, but he managed to do it!’
Pioneer in patient-centric approach
Always doing what is best for patients was the most important goal for Henri. He believed that every patient should be treated regardless of their location or ability to pay. ‘Henri believed that all efforts and programmes should be patient-centric. In fact, he’s been credited as the first person to use the phrase patient-centric.’ One example that shows how far Henri would go for patients is when he took on the challenge of collecting millions of placentae from all over the world to provide an enzyme therapy from placenta for patients with Gaucher Disease. Even his own scientific advisory board said he was crazy as it was such a huge logistical hurdle, but he managed to do it!’
Fostering transatlantic relations
‘Henri was proud to be Dutch and he was one of the first US biotech CEOs to open an office in the Netherlands.’ Today, The Termeer Foundation is continuing Henri’s passion for strengthening the transatlantic relations between the Netherlands and Massachusetts. This work began in 2019 when the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy signed a Memorandum of Understanding that laid out the basis for the Massachusetts and Netherlands Transatlantic Life Science partnership.
The signatories included MassBIO, HollandBIO, the Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee and Health~Holland. ‘I was one of the signatories, and so we all agreed to provide support and organise activities to promote transatlantic collaboration between the two biotech ecosystems.’
The Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award
A key element of fostering transatlantic collaboration is the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award that was created by The Termeer Foundation. Each year two life science entrepreneurs are selected from the Netherlands and from Massachusetts to receive the award. The recipients are selected based on the potential of their work to strengthen the transatlantic relationships between the two life science regions. This year’s winners will be announced on 21 April at Innovation for Health.
Success of last year’s winners
‘Eline van Beest (the Netherlands) and Josh Cohen and Justin Klee (The United States) were the recipients of the 2021 Transatlantic Connections Award, and they already have had tremendous success with their respective biotech companies. Eline's company Hybridize is advancing their programmes and recently announced a significant development partnership of up to €100M with Aicuris. Moreover, Joshua and Justin have expanded internationally to an office in the Netherlands and their company Amylyx recently became public via a US IPO.’ Belinda’s advice for life science entrepreneurs from Massachusetts and the Netherlands is ‘If you’re interested in building connections and expanding to become a global company, then this is an amazing programme for you to participate in!’
Termeer Square dedication
Finally, Belinda is thrilled to highlight that Termeer Square was dedicated in 2020. Termeer Square is a park that is named after Henri and his statue is located there. ‘It is in the heart of Cambridge, which is where the Kendall Square biotech life sciences hub is located. It is a great honour to see pictures of various biotech leaders and former colleagues of Henri that go and sit next to him in the park. Occasionally, they will send me a picture of them talking, just sitting next to Henri having a conversation. That is really special.’ Henri’s legacy truly lives on.
Henri’s legacy truly lives on
Newly launched international page and MOIN Casebook!
Our new internationalisation page has been launched! This page contains much valuable information. Learn more about the Dutch Life Sciences & Health Ecosystem and about the target markets/countries of the Dutch LSH sector to stimulate innovation, knowledge and trade and attract investment. Or make use of the tools to start your journey in the field of internationalisation. One of the highlights is the country-specific information. Here you can find an inventory of the available information about the opportunities for the Dutch LSH sector in the priority countries/regions and the thematic interests.
Launch of MOIN Casebook
We are very happy to announce the launch of the MOIN Casebook!🚀 We're excited to share that we are one of eight members who have contributed to a global effort to demonstrate mission-oriented policies (MOIP) and practices in action! Read more about our work and our fellow members here.
Memorandum of Understandings
The Netherlands has clearly defined their strong thematic value chains, and this has given rise to various Memorandum of Understandings that have been signed throughout the world to expand knowledge and economic strength. At this moment, we have three Memorandum's of Understanding with respectively Massachusetts, Switzerland and Flanders.
