Germany launches initiative to boost pharmaceutical research
Germany has launched an initiative to boost pharmaceutical research and development in the country. The new 'Pharma-Initiative' has a budget of €800 million and will run until 2011. 'We want to strengthen pharma research in Germany and ensure that patients benefit from new, innovative medication more quickly,' said German Education and Research Minister Annette Schavan, presenting the initiative in Berlin on 25 July. Germany's pharmaceutical sector was once so strong that the country was known as the 'Apotheke der Welt' (pharmacy of the world). However, recent studies have shown that only a small percentage of approved pharmaceuticals are produced by German companies, and the 'innovation drivers' in the sector are found mainly in countries such as the US, the UK and Switzerland. The central goal of the new initiative is to boost the innovation capacity of the German pharmaceutical sector. The initiative will promote in particular pharmaceutical production concepts which unite the whole value chain, from the research laboratory right through to the production stage. The Ministry for Research and Education also hopes to build up a dialogue between all the actors in the different stages of the process, while at the same time encouraging competition to turn the best ideas into therapies and active substances. The flagship of the initiative is the funding measure called 'BioPharma - the strategy competition for the medicine of the future', which Dr Schavan also launched on 25 July. Under the €100 million instrument, business-led consortia are invited to suggest strategic concepts which will see biopharmaceutical innovations through from research to application. The Government is particularly interested in consortia which aim to establish long-lasting links between the different stages of the process. A majority of the process should be carried out in Germany. 'Innovations in the development of medication will benefit everyone, as they raise the quality of life for patients and contribute to improved healthcare,' commented Dr Schavan.
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