new European Biotech Social Pact with Europe and Patients

Biotech Social Pact
7 min readSep 30, 2020

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We the undersigned leaders in the biotechnology industry and life science investors in Europe and in the US recognize that at this pivotal moment in the history of our industry, we are at the dawn of a golden age of medicine. We will soon have the ability to treat and cure diseases which have been untreatable and incurable.

Our industry is unique. We save, extend and enhance lives by alleviating the burden of disease. Our mission is to change the course of each individual’s life for the better. To achieve this, we acknowledge that we have a moral obligation to develop the best medicines and strive to ensure that every person who may benefit has access to them. And we need to ensure that we act with the highest integrity and corporate responsibility- always prioritizing the interests of patients.

So, to fulfill our obligations to patients, physicians, public authorities across Europe and to renew trust and confidence in how we deliver on our mission, each of us affirms a New European Biotech Social Pact, informed by these Core Principles and Actions:

ENSURE ACCESS:

➢ We will seek to collaborate with all key parties in the healthcare system, including all biopharmaceutical companies, payers, hospitals, pharmacies, distributors and policy makers, to achieve broad patient access to our medicines

➢ We invest in groundbreaking innovation to deliver new medicines to patients. Our medicines are priced to reflect the investment in innovation and the value they bring to patients

➢ We believe in growing our businesses with sustainable innovation, and in doing good by doing well. Our revenues should help financing further research, medical innovation and other initiatives in Europe

➢ To achieve the goal of patient access, we will collaborate with European governments, institutions, regulatory authorities, policymakers, patient organizations and healthcare professionals to contribute to sustainable healthcare systems, in particular through innovative pricing and value-based arrangements

➢ While we believe in the need for policies and regulation supporting innovation in areas of high unmet need, we commit to an ethical use of the economic and regulatory incentives for innovative medicines in Europe, and will support generic and biosimilar approvals of safe and effective medicines after our legitimate patent and regulatory protections expire

➢We will strive to be constructive and open-minded partners to European and national authorities in their efforts to develop innovative policy solutions to access, including international collaborations, at European and national levels

ACT WITH INTEGRITY & RESPONSIBILITY AND BE COMMITTED TO PATIENTS:

➢ We support only ethical business practices that drive innovation, competition and physicians’ and patients’ choice

➢ We will invest only in novel therapies that address unmet patient needs and public health priorities

➢ We commit to patient centricity and empowerment in how we build and operate our companies, and will adhere to principles of compliance, transparency, ethics with patient groups, while considering them as equal partners

➢ We will speak out about and not tolerate companies and other stakeholders who abuse this commitment to patients, and who abuse policies aimed at fairly rewarding innovation

CONTRIBUTE TO A RENEWED EUROPEAN INDUSTRY THROUGH INVESTMENT AND GROWTH:

➢We commit to contribute to Europe’s scientific excellence by conducting a significant share of our clinical research in Europe, as well as partnering with public authorities and academia on other initiatives to advance medical research and public health

➢We will use our revenues to finance our expansion in Europe as appropriate to our business stage, in particular through the creation of European-based operations, the creation of highly qualified jobs and partnering with European companies for some of our operations

➢We will engage with European policymakers to support the development and the growth of world-class biotech ecosystems, especially in those countries where biotech is identified as a strategic industrial sector

By committing to this European Biotech Social Pact, we express our conviction that we must develop medicines with patients as our primary concern. We are confident that in doing so we will best serve the interests of patients, their care givers and healthcare providers, as well as those of our shareholders and society at large.

In the coming months, we will initiate discussions with European and national leaders on the implementation of this Pact and the commitments from both parties.

Co-authors* (listed alphabetically):

John Crowley, J.D., Chairman and CEO, Amicus Therapeutics, Cranbury, NJ

Daniel A. de Boer, CEO, ProQR Therapeutics, Leiden, The Netherlands — Cambridge, MA

Paul Hastings, CEO, Nkarta Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA

Rachel King, Former CEO / Member of the Board of Directors, GlycoMimetics, Inc., Rockville, MD

Jeremy Levin, D.Phil., M.B. B.Chir., Chairman and CEO, Ovid Therapeutics, New York, NY

Ted Love, M.D., CEO, Global Blood Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA

John Maraganore, Ph.D., Former CEO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA

Hans Schikan, PharmD, Co-founder and Vice Chair Pharvaris, former CEO Prosensa, The Netherlands

Onno van de Stolpe, Former CEO, Galapagos, Mechelen, Belgium

Cosigners* (listed alphabetically)

Karen Aiach, Founder and CEO, Lysogene, Neuilly sur Seine, France

Joern Aldag, CEO, Hookipa Pharma Inc., Vienna, Austria, New York, NY

Rui Amandi de Sousa, CEO, Stemmatters, Guimarães, Portugal**

Patrick Amstutz, CEO, Molecular Partners, Schlieren, Switzerland

Filipe Assoreira, Co-Founder and ex-CEO, Nano4 Global, Sintra, Portugal**

Paulo Barradas, CEO, Bluepharma, Coimbra, Portugal**

Els Beirnaert, Ph.D, CEO, Aelin Therapeutics, Leuven, Belgium

Pierre Belichard, CEO, Enterome, Paris, France

Yngvar P. Berg d.y., CEO, Algipharma, Sandvika, Norway

Julia Berretta, Ph.D., CEO, Genespire, Milan, Italy**

Gil Beyen, CEO, Erytech, Lyon, France, Cambridge, MA

Jasper Bos, Former Senior Vice President and Managing Director, M Ventures, Amsterdam, The Netherlands / General Partner, Forbion, Naarden, The Netherlands, and Board Member, Anaveon, Basel, Switzerland

Marc Le Bozec, Fund Manager, Financière Arbevel, Paris, France

David Braga Malta, Venture Partner, Pictet Private Equity, Geneva, Switzerland**

Olivier Brandicourt, Former CEO, Sanofi, Paris, France / Board Member, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, Fund Manager

Michel Briejer, Ph.D., Managing Partner, Thuja Capital, Utrecht, The Netherlands**

Ronald Brus, CEO, My Tomorrows, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Roel Bulthuis, Managing Partner, Inkef Capital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Pedro Castanheira, Head of Protein Sciences, Immunethep, Cantanhede, Portugal**

Giacomo Chiesi, Head of Global Rare Diseases, Chiesi Group, Parma, Italy**

André Choulika, Ph.D, Chairman & CEO, Cellectis, Paris, France; New York, NY, Raleigh, NC

Ron Cohen, M.D., CEO, Acorda, Ardsley, NY**

Daniela Couto, Ph.D, Partner, BioGeneration Ventures, Naarden, the Netherlands**

David Cristina, Executive Director, Fosun, Lisbon, Portugal**

Don DeBethizy, President, White City Consulting and Chairman, Albumedix, Lyngby, Denmark**

Inez de Greef, CEO, Treeway, Tilburg, The Netherlands

Rosamond Deegan, CEO, OMass Therapeutics, Oxford, U.K.**

Stephane Degove, CEO, Atamyo Therapeutics, Evry-Courcouronnes, France**

Patrik de Haes, CEO, Chairman, Oxurion N.V. & Oncurious N.V., Leuven, Belgium

John de Koning, General Partner, LSP, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Francesco De Rubertis, Co-founder and Partner, Medicxi, London, U.K.

Luc Dochez, Managing Partner, DROIA Genetic Diseases Fund, Brussels, Belgium

Emmanuel Dulac, President and CEO, Zealand Pharma, Glostrup, Denmark

Xavier Duportet, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO, Eligo Bioscience, Paris, France**

Dario Eklund, CEO, Santhera Pharmaceuticals, Pratteln, Switzerland

Harry Flore, Former CEO, Hal Allergy and Halix, Leiden, The Netherlands

Alexandria Forbes, CEO, MeiraGTx, London, U.K.

Raquel Fortunato, CEO, GenIbet, Oeiras, Portugal**

Matthew Gantz, Former CEO, OxThera Stockholm, Sweden / CEO at Castle Creek Biosciences, Exton, U.K.

Justin Gover, Former CEO, GW Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, U.K.

Yvonne Greenstreet, Dr., CEO, Alnylam Pharmaceutical, Cambridge, MA**

Tim Haines, Chairman & Managing Partner, Abingworth LLP, London, U.K.

Eric Halioua, CEO, PDC*line Pharma, Liège, Belgium

Julian Hanak, CEO, Purespring Therapeutics, London, U.K.**

Theresa Heggie, Former CEO, Freeline, Stevenage, U.K. /CCO, ProQR, The Netherlands

Adi Hoess, CEO, Affimed, Heidelberg, Germany

Chris Hollowood, Chief Investment Officer, Syncona, London, U.K.**

Sébastien Iva, CEO, Fab’entech, Lyon, France**

Jos Joore, CEO, Mimetas, Leiden, The Netherlands

Troels Jordansen, CEO, Glycostem, Oss, The Netherlands

Emil D. Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D. CEO and President, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc., Novato, CA

Allard Kaptein, Managing Director, Covalution BioSciences, Oss, The Netherlands

Matthew Kapusta, CEO, Uniqure, Lexington, KY, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Andreas Katopodis, Dr., CEO and Co-Founder, Anaveon, Basel, Switzerland**

Ronald Kempers, CEO, Mymetics Corporation, Leiden, The Netherlands

Tim Knotnerus, CEO, AgomAb Therapeutics, Ghent, Belgium

Mark Kotter, M.D. M.Phil. Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Bit Bio, Cambridge, U.K.

Jean-Paul Kress, M.D., CEO, MorphoSys, Planegg, Germany

Mark Krul, Director, Aglaia Oncology Funds, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

Samarth Kulkarni, CEO, CRISPR Therapeutics, Zug, Switzerland

Gerben Moolhuizen, CEO, ISA Pharmaceuticals B.V., Oegstgeest, Netherlands**

Edwin Moses, Former CEO Ablynx, Gent, Belgium / Chairman Of The Board LabGenius, Avantium and Achilles Therapeutics

Martin Murphy, CEO, Syncona, London, U.K.**

Nawal Ouzren, CEO, Sensorion, Montpellier, France

Antoine Papiernik, Managing Partner and Chairman, Sofinnova Partners, Paris, France

José Pereira-Leal, Founder and CEO, Ophiomics, Lisbon, Portugal**

António Portela, CEO, BIAL, Coronado, Portugal**

Georges Rawadi, Ph.D., Former CEO, YSOPIA Therapeutics, Bordeaux, France / Member of the Board of Directors, Alia Therapeutics and Non-Executive Board Member, Apmonia Therapeutics **

Bruno Santos, Co-Founder and CEO, Immunethep, Cantanhede, Portugal**

Roel Schaapveld, CEO, InteRNA Technologies B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands

Liang Schweizer, Co-founder and CEO, HiFiBiO Therapeutics, Paris, France

Sérgio Simões, CEO, Luzitin, Coimbra, Portugal**

Sander Slootweg, Managing Partner, Forbion, Naarden, The Netherlands

Jan Smeitink, CEO, Khondrion, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Simão Soares, Co-Founder and CEO, SilicoLife, Braga, Portugal**

Kim Stratton, Former CEO, Orphazyme, Copenhagen, Denmark / Independent Director, Vifor Pharma and Member of the Board of Directors, Novozymes, Bagsværd, Denmark**

Rein Strijker, CEO, Vitalnext, Leiden, The Netherlands

Marco Timmers, Ph.D., CEO, Byondis, Nijmegen, The Netherlands**

Marina Udier, Ph.D., CEO, Nouscom, Basel, Switzerland

Mark Vaeck, CEO, Complix VN, Zwijnaarde, Belgium

Dinko Valerio, Ph.D., Chairman, ProQR Therapeutics, Leiden, The Netherlands

Erik van den Berg, CEO, AM-Pharma, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Pieter van der Meer, Managing Partner, Gilde healthcare, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Tim Van Hauwermeiren, CEO, argenx, Breda, The Netherlands — Ghent, Belgium

Ypke van Oosterhout, CEO, Xenikos, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Stéphane van Rooijen, CEO, Dynacure, Strasbourg, France

Han van ‘t Klooster, CEO, PharmaCytics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Edward van Wezel, Managing Partner and Founder, BioGeneration Ventures, Naarden, The Netherlands

Henrique Veiga Fernandes, Founder and CSO, LiMM Therapeutics, Paris, France**

Cedric Ververken, CEO, Confo Therapeutics, Ghent, Belgium**

René Vleugels, Managing Director, CyTuVax, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Alexander Vos, Former CEO, VarmX BV, Leiden, The Netherlands / CEO, VectorY Tx, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Eline Vrijland-Van Beest, CEO, Hybridize Pharma B.V., Leiden, The Netherlands

Thomas Ybert, PH.D., CEO, DNA Script, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France, South San Francisco, CA**

Yvette Zimmerman, CEO, Pantarhei Bioscience & Pantarhei Oncology, Zeist, The Netherlands

*The signatures above do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of the agencies, organizations, employers, or companies with which the signers are affiliated.

**Signatories who signed since 2020

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