EIT Health, the Medical University of Gdańsk and Polpharma focus on cooperation for innovation

11.12.2020

The Medical University of Gdańsk, one of the leading medical universities and Polpharma, the largest drug manufacturer in Poland, are joining EIT Health – a European public-private partnership working on developing innovation in medicine and healthcare.

• The partnership opens the way to wide cooperation of both organizations with EIT Health and 150 most important institutions, companies and universities in Europe.
• EIT Health partners include Sorbonne University, GE Healthcare, Karolinska Institutet, Astra Zeneca, Roche, Sanofi, Siemens, Delft University of Technology, Comarch, Celon Pharma, Philips, the Medical University of Lodz or the Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development

Poland is one of the strategic markets for EIT Health, an organization that is part of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). It cooperates with key entities in the country, supporting the development of innovations in the field of medicine and healthcare. Examples of projects implemented in Poland as part of the network are: a telemedicine platform monitoring the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes, the Silver Starters program activating people 50+ to set up startups and running businesses responding to the real needs of seniors, or HelloAIRIS, a unique training program about the use of artificial intelligence in medicine.

Mikołaj Gurdała, EIT Health

The health care system is facing great challenges. That is why finding and building partnerships that can strengthen it is so crucial. EIT Health is the largest network in this part of the world that provides comprehensive support in the field of education, acceleration and the creation of consortia developing innovative medical and public health projects. Joining of the Medical University of Gdańsk – one of the best medical universities in the country and Polpharma – one of the leaders in the pharma and digital health segment in terms of investments in new technologies, is a very important step for the development of innovation in Poland – emphasized Mikołaj Gurdała, innovation manager at EIT Health in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe.

The Medical University of Gdańsk, the first medical research university in Poland, has so far played a supporting role for the EIT Health network, acting as an external hub. Now it becomes a full partner. It is also the second medical University, which joined the EIT Health network in Poland.

Joining EIT Health as a Partner opens up additional opportunities for development in the field of applying for innovative research projects carried out in international teams. Projects with a scientific and economic dimension have an impact on strengthening academic and entrepreneurial cooperation, as well as influencing the development in the field of healthcare. The current activities of the university as the EIT Health Hub has allowed for greater involvement of MUG’s students and doctoral students in the area of entrepreneurship. Activities based on training and workshops focused on the needs of the academic community, with particular emphasis on developing competences in the area of commercialization of research results.

Katarzyna Waligóra-Borek Ph.D., Medical University of Gdańsk, photo: Paweł Paszko

- The Medical University of Gdańsk successfully implements a policy stimulating the growth of innovation based on the results of scientific research and development works carried out at the University through the transfer of knowledge to industry and strengthening cooperation with the socio-economic environment at national and international level – says Katarzyna Waligóra-Borek, Ph.D., Acting Director of Technology Transfer Office of the MUG – Intensification of the commercialization of research results is one of the goals of our University’s development strategy until 2025, as well as the tasks that we will implement as part of the program “Initiative of Excellence – Research University”. The well-established partnership will allow us to use our mutual potential more effectively.- adds.

One of Polpharma’s priorities is cooperation with the scientific and business community, focused both on the development of advanced technologies, enabling patients to access innovative solutions, and on mutual exchange of knowledge. Joining EIT Health creates additional space for the implementation of innovative projects under the European partnership, as well as for expanding the competences of research teams and building a health care system based on innovative solutions.

Bożenna Kozakiewicz, Polpharma

As the leader of the Polish pharmaceutical market, Polpharma guide the directions for the transformation of the industry. It wants to provide not only high-quality drugs, but also comprehensive health solutions based on innovations and digital technologies. Partnership and international cooperation of the scientific community and business is the key to creating a modern patient-oriented healthcare system in Europe – says Bożenna Kozakiewicz, Business Development Director of Polpharma Group. Using the potential that we have, we want, together with EIT Health Partners, to seek answers to the changing needs of the patient and new challenges facing the health care system.

EIT Health cooperates with six partners in Poland. Apart from the Medical University of Gdańsk and Polpharma, there are: the Medical University of Łódź, Celon Pharma, Łukasiewicz Research Network, Comarch and the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine in Łódź. In fact, new partnerships expand the fields of cooperation between EIT Health partners in Poland and open the door to the creation of new innovative projects in the field of medicine and health protection, which will also be available for Polish patients. The activities of EIT Health offer great opportunities for Polish universities, institutes and companies resulting from direct cooperation, increasing the chances of participation in European acceleration and educational programs, including the Horizon Europe programme (2021-2027).

- More information -

EIT Health is a non-for-profit organization operating on behalf of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), created by the European Union in 2008 to strengthen Europe’s innovation capacity. EIT Health is Europe’s largest public-private partnership active in the field of innovative medicine and healthcare. Over 150 leading companies, universities and research and development centers from all over Europe develop joint innovative projects which are tested and implemented within healthcare systems. So far, EIT Health has trained 11,000 students, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, implemented over 55 specific solutions on the market, supported over 600 of the best European startups and helped to obtain investor financing of over EUR 100 million for the most promising projects.

The Medical University of Gdańsk (MUG) is a modern academic center widely acclaimed both nationally and internationally. University is characterized by high scientific and development potential, which consists of experience, reputable research teams, increasing number of prestigious international publications and grants, as well as a wide range and quality of conducted research confirmed by high categorization of units. The MUG is the only medical university in the country – that has been selected to the elite group of the top 10 best Polish universities awarded in the prestigious Excellence Initiative – Research University competition. Moreover, it is the best medical university in Poland according to the latest edition ot the Perspektywy educational foundation ranking. The MUG educates more than 6000 students, doctoral students and postgraduate students. Among them, there are 935 foreign students, which is over 15 percent of all students. The University educates in all medical professions, based on a modern teaching and clinical infrastructure.

Polpharma is a leader of the Polish pharmaceutical market and one of the leading drug manufacturers in the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Thanks to dynamic development, foreign expansion and capital investments, Polpharma is a strong, international pharmaceutical group, employing over 7,500 employees and offering high quality drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and innovative solutions for patients and business partners from around the world. With a wide portfolio of around 750 products, the company supports patients in the treatment and prevention of the most common diseases. About 400 million packages of drugs which help people in 35 countries leave Polpharma Group factories every year. In turn, APIs go to over 60 countries, including the advanced markets of the United States, Japan and Korea. Polpharma’s priority is quality, safety and innovation in all areas of its operation. Partnership with science and constant investments in new products and advanced technologies allow the company to provide patients with a broad access to innovative healthcare solutions.