Biotop-report 2014

4

BioTOPics 47 | May 2014 

BioTOP-Report

 Biotechnology 

JANUARY 2013

Epigenomics AG hands in fourth module at FDA completes application for 

approval as planned

 +++ 

co.don

®

 AG applied for approval of  joint cartilage 

product chondrosphere

®

 in the EU

 +++ 

Shire discovered the Munich-based RNA 

specialist Ethris for itself. In cooperation the two companies want to find therapies 

for rare diseases

FEBRUARY 2013

Epigenomics receives notice about grant of  priority review status and accep-

tance of  the hand-in of  the PMA application for Epi proColon

®

 from the FDA

 +++ 

Innovation forum “Biopolymers and Bio-based Plastics” in Schwarz heide

MARCH 2013

BIOTECON Diagnostics GmbH extends its robot segment

 +++ 

Epigenomics AG 

collects 5,0 million Euros through capital increase

 +++ 

New research collective 

INNO-TRACE develops innovative contrast agents for tumour imaging

APRIL 2013

Europe's largest clinical laboratory at Campus Virchow-Klinikum: Labor Berlin 

inaugurates new site

MAY 2013

Bayer HealthCare presents new incubator model for biotech start-ups in Berlin

JUNE 2013

Alacris Theranostics GmbH announces Illumina CSPro certificate for next gen-

eration sequencing

 +++ 

Humedics co-founder Martin Stockmann receives Von-

Langenbeck Prize for development of  LiMAx test

JULY 13

Berlin-Brandenburg Healthcare Industries cluster HealthCapital launches new 

website: www.healthcapital.de

 +++ 

Caprotec expands alliance with Bayer

 +++ 

EZAG AG in participation via subsidiary OctreoPharm Sciences GmbH

 +++ 

cap-

rotec bioanalytics GmbH and Bayer CropScience enter into second research 

collaboration

 +++ 

NOXXON Pharma completes patient recruitment for phase IIa 

study in diabetic nephropathy

 +++ 

Romer Labs

®

 and the Institute for Product 

Quality (ifp) launch new AgraQuant

®

 F.A.S.T. 

AUGUST 13

Bayer HealthCare concludes partnership and license agreement with Compu-

gen Ltd. for the research, development and marketing of  antibody-based drugs 

for cancer immunotherapy.

 +++ 

caprotec bioanalytics GmbH and Syngenta Inter-

national AG announce research collaboration

 +++ 

Epigenomics AG agreement 

with YA Global Master SPV Ltd. brings funding of  up to €5 million

SEPTEMBER 13

Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG s.a. takes over prostate cancer implantation business of  

American company Biocompatibles Inc. for $5 million

 +++ 

Myelo Therapeutics 

GmbH successfully completes funding round for the development of  adjuvant 

cancer therapy

OCTOBER 13

Epigenomics and Polymedco sign commercialization agreement for Epi proCo-

lon

®

 for the North American market

 +++ 

Sugar is life: GlycoUniverse successfully 

launched in Campus Buch

 +++ 

Cell Medica, a leading company in the T-cell 

Biotechnology

The Capital Region – New Jobs and New Companies

The growth trend of  recent years continues in 2013. Employee numbers have grown by 5.6 % (last year, 6.5 %). 

Currently, 232 companies employ 4,586 people. The constant momentum is accompanied by many newly founded 

businesses.

 

k

According to the latest BioTOP survey, 232 biotechnology 

companies are active in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. This 

means the company base has expanded by a total of  10 

companies against last year.

 

k

A total of  14 companies have stopped doing business in the 

region, either shutting down completely or relocating.

 

k

The addition of  24 companies more than compensated for 

this loss. Of  the new companies, we count 6 additions due 

to inward investment and new registration and – particularly 

notable – 18 start-ups.

 

k

The current base of  232 companies has created 352 new jobs. 

This translates into a growth rate of  over 8 percent.

 

k

After subtracting the 114 jobs lost due to business shut-downs, 

the sector in the region gained a total of  273 jobs, adding up 

to regional employment growth of  5.6 % in the sector.

For many years, biotechnology region Berlin-Brandenburg has 

been on a steady growth course. One of  the sector’s leading re-

gions in Germany and Europe, it hosted 18 start-ups last year 

alone – a figure to note. This speaks volumes in favor of  the loca-

tion’s general conditions and the commitment of  the many players 

involved and their start-up-related activities. And above all, un-

derscores the courage of  the many company founders who are 

seeking their fortune in this highly sophisticated sector. 

Smaller companies dominate the region’s business landscape: 

139 companies in the sector have less than 10 employees. Only 

13% of  the total jobs are located in these companies, however. 

Over 53% of  the sector’s employees in the region work for the 19 

companies with more than 50 employees. 

The majority of  these companies (88%) focus on the areas of  new 

therapeutic agents, diagnostic products and biopharmaceuticals 

services; followed by 19% in the agriculture/food sectors and 13% 

in the industrial biotechnology sector (multiple mentions).

The start-ups still have little effect on the job market. At their 

launch, none of  these companies had more than 10 employees. 

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