The European Commission has recently approved the first Important Project of Common European Interest (Ipcei) to support research and innovation in manufacturing medicines and healthcare products. In particular, the project called “Ipcei Med4Cure” was jointly notified by six Member States: Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Spain. The Member States will provide up to €1 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock additional €5.9 billion in private investments. According to the participating Member States, around 6,000 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created and the project will contribute to achieving objectives of a greener and increasingly accessible healthcare. Considering timelines varying in function of the individual projects and the companies involved, the completion of the project is planned in 2036.
As part of Ipcei, 13 companies with activities in one or more Member States, including nine small- and medium-sized enterprises, will undertake 14 highly innovative projects aimed at developing technologies that go beyond what the market currently offers. Moreover, this will allow major improvements, notably in the areas of diagnostic solutions and management of rare diseases, antimicrobial resistance and cancers. “Ipcei Med4Cure” concerns research and development projects covering all key steps of the pharmaceutical value chain from collection and study of cells, tissues and other samples, to sustainable production technologies of breakthrough therapies, including personalized treatments, and to application of advanced digital technologies. These projects will give rise to more than 70 planned collaborations.
The Italian partners involved are: Fagoterapia, Holostem, Nurex, Takis, Sanofi Italy.
