Merck's Advance Biotech Grant | "We aim to support biotechnological startups that are developing new advanced therapies"

BIOSPAIN stands as one of the benchmark events in the biotechnology sector at the international level. This 2023, coinciding with its twentieth anniversary, it will analyze current issues such as personalized medicine and advanced diagnostics, antibiotic resistance, advanced therapies, and the capabilities of the Spanish bio-industry in the discovery of new drugs, among others.

BIOSPAIN 2023 has set its goal to become a meeting point for all stakeholders to drive the transition towards a more sustainable model. Global challenges like climate change, land degradation, and population growth demand the implementation of new production and consumption methods that respect the planet's limits.

Within the framework of BIOSPAIN, this year, the Merck's Advance Biotech Grant is celebrated. Organized by the science and technology company Merck, Platinum sponsor of BIOSPAIN, this grant program recognizes the most outstanding emerging biotech companies with the aim of helping them progress towards commercialization. To learn more about the program, we spoke with Enrique Berlanas, Managing Director of Merck Life Science in Spain.

AseBio. What is the Merck's Advance Biotech Grant?

Enrique Berlanas. Firstly, Merck, through its Life Science division, aims to accelerate scientific discovery in the laboratory. To achieve this, we simplify the work of the scientific community through digitalization, data management, result analysis, and by providing efficiency through our tools, products, services, and digital platforms, ensuring that advancements happen sooner.

The Merck's Advance Biotech Grant is a result of this objective. We have been offering this program for 9 years, both in the United States and in Europe and Asia. With this grant, we aim to support biotech start-ups that are developing new advanced therapies to expedite the process and ultimately increase the chances of turning that innovation into a reality. The focus is on promoting and strengthening entrepreneurship, investing in talent, raising awareness of local biotechnology, and supporting the development and manufacturing of new therapies.

Since 2022, it was decided to regionalize the project within Europe, and what better partner to accompany us in the Spanish edition than Asebio.

AseBio. What requirements must companies meet to apply for this grant?

Enrique Berlanas. Candidates should ideally be biotechnological startups currently developing advanced therapies of biological origin, in the R&D phase, preclinical or phase I or II clinical trials, and interested in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) development. Additionally, all applications will be individually evaluated, taking into account their specific characteristics.

AseBio. What do you expect to find this year?

Enrique Berlanas. The biotechnological ecosystem is growing at a rapid pace, with increasingly innovative projects. We aim to support the sector and provide expertise from Merck to those companies that are developing the technologies of the future, and therefore, facing many challenges for the first time, which they will inevitably encounter along the way.

AseBio. Emerging biotech companies play a fundamental role, but the development of their innovations is not without obstacles. What solutions does the Advance Biotech Grant program offer?

Enrique Berlanas. The lack of resources (technical, financial, human) is often one of the main challenges these companies face. Additionally, they are always under time pressure to be "first in class/first to market," which can significantly impact the success of an innovative therapy. 

With this program, we not only provide these companies access to our technologies but also offer close mentoring and advisory support, both technically and in terms of consulting, to expedite the path from molecules to their future clinical development.

AseBio. You organize this program in other countries, which allows you to compare the situation of biotech companies across regions. In this regard, what is the current situation in Spain?

Enrique Berlanas. Spain starts from a less advantageous position compared to other Central European countries, but efforts are being made to reverse this situation by generating high-quality science and tapping into certain trends that do not go unnoticed in Europe, especially in the R&D hub, which is Barcelona, and the new CDMOs (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations) in the Basque Country. However, more funding, an entrepreneurial culture, and manufacturing infrastructure are still lacking. Nevertheless, there is gradual progress being made in these areas.

AseBio. Why have you decided to organize the Merck's Advance Biotech Grant at BIOSPAIN?

Enrique Berlanas. First and foremost, the collaboration with AseBio is and has been crucial for MERCK, both in this and many other aspects. Additionally, BIOSPAIN serves as the largest showcase for Spanish biotechnology, and since the Biotech market is international, we believe there could not be a better setting to announce the winning project and for the finalist companies to showcase their full potential to potential investors and future collaborators.

Here you can find all the information about the Merck's Advance Biotech Grant.