New cluster takes on cancer and infectious diseases

27 May. 2009 | CzechInvest | Unique MedChemBio cluster established in Olomouc.

Development of new drugs and diagnostics is the task ahead of members of the new MedChemBio cluster recently established in Olomouc. The grouping, which is the only one of its kind in the Czech Republic, plans to support the area of medical and biological chemistry and to associate all entities with interests in these fields.

MedChemBio assists start-up firms in the successful development of active ingredients and will enable the transfer of research findings into production. Within the framework of the cluster, a laboratory will be established for testing the effectiveness and safety of newly developed substances. “Thanks to the concentration of instruments and human resources, it is possible to conduct research far more effectively than in isolated laboratories,” explains one of the cluster’s founders, Marián Hajdúch of the Faculty of Medicine at Palacký University in Olomouc.

According to Hajdúch, the cluster is the logical culmination of years of research and cooperation among a range of institutions and firms. “Top-quality results in this area are not achieved immediately, but are rather the fruit of many years’ work by individual teams and existing intellectual property, which can subsequently be put into practice and made profitable,” adds Hajdúch. The cluster also has the goal of popularising the field in the Czech Republic. It is currently preparing research in the area of drugs for treating cancer and infectious diseases.

“The field of medical and biological chemistry has enormous potential in the Czech Republic. This is evidenced by, for example, the CzechInvest-led delegation’s successful participation in the world’s biggest biotechnology trade fair, BIO 2009, which took place in the United States last week. The Czech Republic and Czech suppliers obtained more than thirty offers of cooperation from firms from around the world. The establishment of the MedChemBio cluster is another step forward on the path of development of this sector in the Czech Republic,” says Alexandra Rudyšarová, acting CEO of CzechInvest.

Medical chemistry has recently become one of the most successful scientific disciplines in the Czech Republic. Credit for this belongs especially to Professor Antonín Holý of the Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Together with his colleagues, Professor Holý developed a range of substances that have been developed into very effective drugs for treating AIDS, hepatitis and other infectious diseases. Cancer treatments are currently being tested.

Besides Palacký University, members of the MedChemBio cluster include the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague, as well as a range of new firms focused on research and development in medical sciences. “The combination of scientific facilities with specialised small enterprises in one place has proven effective elsewhere in the world. We are pleased that a similar grouping has been established here,” Xenia Svobodová CircleLine Associates, spol. s.r.o, which is a member of the cluster.

The MedChemBio cluster is headquartered at the Science and Technology Park of Palacký University (STP PU) in Olomouc. “The informal yet close relationship between the academic sphere, applied research and industry offers the possibility of rapid application of results in practice. Success requires the experience and cooperation of various types of institutions, from scientific institutes to manufacturers and trading firms. Our consultants assisted with the establishment of the cluster,” says Jiří Herinek of STP PU. The cluster associates leading academic workplaces and significant firms in the sector, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the field of medical and biological chemistry. The cluster is open to additional members, including large pharmaceutical companies.