Invited by Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands and Innovation Quarter, led by Dr. Song Ruilin, Executive President of China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association (PhIRDA),PhIRDA Delegation of 11 representatives, arrived in the Netherlands on June 19 for a two-day friendly visit.

PhIRDA Delegation paid a visit to innovative institutions and industrial parks in the Netherlands with widely-recognized reputation locally even worldly, including Utrecht Science Park, Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), VU University Medical Center, CMS law firm etc.

On the morning of June, 20th, PhIRDA Delegation visited Utrecht Science Park in the Netherlands. Ms.Anna Elferink, Asia Affairs Director of Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) in Utrecht Province, Dr. Friso Smit, New Business Development Manager at Utrecht Science Park in Utrecht Province, and Dr. Freek. L. Van Msiswinket, Managing Director of Utrecht Life Sciences (USL) warmly welcomed PhIRDA Delegation. Dr. Friso Smit presented the development of Utrecht Science Park. Since its establishment in 2016, Utrecht Science Park has built itself as a bio-tech innovative park integrated with education, research, healthcare, business, manufacture and entrepreneurship. Dr. Friso Smit made a brief introduction on the representative projects and research fields in the park, among which “organoid technology” developed by Hubrecht institution had low-cost but high-profit advantages. The organoid technology is highly efficient in assisting human clinical trials, accurate and direct in present pharmaceutical effect, with a huge potential market.

Meeting with Utrecht Science Park 

Dr. Song appreciated the warm reception and considerate arrangements by relevant organizations and institutions in the Netherlands, and expressed a promising view for the development of Utrecht Science Park, looking forward an increasingly frequent communication and close cooperation on medical innovation and investment. Dr. Song also invited Utrecht Science Park to participate in the 2019 China BioMed Innovation and Investment Conference (2019 CBIIC) held on September 21-23 in Suzhou, China, and to introduce high-quality pharmaceutical innovative projects to make roadshows, so as to promote communication and cooperation on bio-pharmaceutical innovation and investment between the Netherlands and China.

PhIRDA Delegation and Netherlands Representatives 

In the afternoon, PhIRDA Delegation visited worldly renowned cancer research and treatment center - Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI). Dr. Rene Medema, Director of Research in NKI gave a warm reception to PhIRDA Delegation. Dr. Rene Medema firstly introduced NKI’s status and development of cancer researches. Under the principle of creating an institute “where patients suffering from malignant growths could be treated adequately and where cancer and related diseases could be studied”, NKI has become the most representative cancer research center with the R&D ability in the Netherlands over the development more than one hundred years. NKI effectively integrates early drug R&D with clinical research and establishes laboratories for drug research. During the meeting, Dr. Rene Medema and Dr. Koen Verhoef made full introductions to NKI’s mechanism of clinical trial and technology transfer. The representatives of both sides had an insightful talk on the potential cooperation opportunities in clinical trial and technology transfer.

Dr. Song said that NKI’s successful mode and advanced experience could make an example for promoting China’s clinical trials, also hoped PhIRDA could established a close cooperation with NKI, sharing mature experience in clinical research, achievement transformation, technology transfer in the early stage of pharmaceutical innovation project, so as to jointly promote the development and cooperation on pharmaceutical R&D in early stage between China and the Netherlands.

Meeting with Netherlands Cancer Institute

After the meeting, PhIRDA Delegation visited NKI drug R&D laboratory.

PhIRDA Delegation Visited NKI laboratory 

After the meeting, PhIRDA Delegation visited Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA) and VU University Medical Imaging Center. According to Mr. Geert Kazemier, Surgical Oncology Professor of CCA, as one of the largest cancer research center, CCA covers fundamental research, clinical R&D and diagnosis & treatment for patients. CCA focuses on three main research fields - tumor oncology and immunology, imaging and bio-makers, patient diagnosis & treatment and life quality, and eight sub-categories study projects including tumor biology, cancer immunology, target discovery and pre-clinical therapy imaging, bio-markers, clinical therapy exploring, assessment for tumor diagnosis and treatment, and life quality. Then Mr. Guus Kazemier, Professor of VU University, introduced basic information about the Imaging Center. The new site of Imaging Center will be completed in September this year, equipped with individual areas especially for clonal antibodies, nuclear medicine and radiology. The Amsterdam laser lab and target tracking center will also be established. With all researches basing on medical imaging technology, it will be both safe and efficient in radiological labeling for biological and small-molecule drug, tumor screening, drug efficacy tracking and drug selection. During the meeting, representatives shared views on the application of medical imaging technology in the clinical stage, technology introduction and potential cooperation opportunities.

Dr. Song expressed that relevant domestic institutions could learn and draw experience about using medical imaging technology to diagnose diseases from the Imaging Center. If the technology could be applied to clinical trial successfully, the efficiency and accuracy of clinical trial will be greatly improved. Dr. Song also expressed his vision to cooperate with CCA and Imaging Center on clinical trials and application of medical imaging technology.

Meeting with Cancer Center Amsterdam 

In the afternoon, by arrangement of Ms.Chen Chuqing, Director of United Nations Office for Project Services, PhIRDA Delegation paid a visit to CMS law firm, one of the top ten law firms in the world, having a deep discussion with well-known lawyers on the legal issues in life science.

Meeting with CMS Lawyer Firms

The Netherlands is one of the most active areas in life science and healthcare in the world. The number of Dutch companies focusing on life science has doubled over the past decade. Pharmaceutical industry has become a pillar industry in its economic system. In march of this year, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) relocated from London to the Netherlands, having a profound influence on the supervision, innovation and scientific R&D. As a member of the European Union and the host country, the Netherlands has played an important role in establishing global standards for drug regulatory, and dedicated to building the most attractive and innovative bio-pharmaceutical climate in Europe.

Joseph Tam, Chairman of Pangenia Holdings Limited, Piotr Igor Blaszczyk, CEO of Fosun Pharmaceutical AG, Chen Xue, Executive Director Assistant of Fosun Pharmaceutical AG, Jiang Xiangren, Managing Partner of TF Capital, Jin Yu, Deputy-General Manager of Gem Flower Healthcare Investment Holding Co., Ltd., Gu Hongmei, President Assistant of Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Zheng Qiang, Executive Deputy President of New Drug Research Institute of Chengdu Kanghong Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Samuel Struijker Boudier, Business Analyst Foreign Investments of Innovations Quarter, Martijn de Boer, Senior Manager Foreign Investments at Amsterdam inbusiness, Wang Minqin, Foreign Investment Manager China at Amsterdam inbusiness, Lu Xiaoti, Deputy Secretary-General of PhIRDA, and Li Gen, Project Assistant of International Affairs attended the above meetings.