Austrian Life Science Day | INVEST in AUSTRIA

The first Austrian Life Science Day took place in Vienna on 9 May 2023. The focus was on lectures, discussions and networking with peers and key opinion leaders. The life sciences sector ranks among the key sectors of the Austrian economy and stands out due to its extensive research and development activities.

New products and services are constantly being created, from vaccines to in-vitro diagnostics, from gene and cell therapies in the field of oncology as well as rare diseases to AI-based software solutions for radiology. In addition to the technology-open support measures and the research premium, thematic funding programmes generate clear-cut advantages for international companies operating in Austria such as the Japanese life sciences company Takeda. As the largest pharmaceutical employer in the country, Takeda has a workforce of more than 4,500 people in Austria. The research and production priorities encompass plasma-based medicines, biologics as well as gene and cell therapy. The company plans to build a “Laboratory of the Future” in Seestadt Aspern, Vienna’s Urban Lakeside district, by the year 2025, investing a three-digit million-euro amount. In the future about 250 highly qualified researchers will work at the new facility.

The event assessed the status quo and the future of precision medicine from an academic, clinical and social perspective, presented companies from Austria and focused on the challenges relating to the clinical development of personalised therapies from different perspectives. Furthermore, the most important funding programmes were introduced i.e., those with which Austria Wirtschaftsservice and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG support the life sciences sector. Within the context of the Life Science Call 2023, Austria is investing up to € 40 million this year in the sector, promoting projects with a high level of innovation and commercial prospects. The focus is on the fields of digitalisation, innovative drugs and medical products along with Phase 1 and Phase II interventional clinical studies.

aws, the funding bank of the Austrian federal government, is currently strengthening the life sciences sector with an additional budget for digital health companies. The KHAN fund endowed to the amount of € 70 million is available for early phase projects in the field of drug development.

The Austrian Life Science Day 2023 was hosted by aws (priority program by LISA) and FFG in cooperation with the Austrian Platform for Personalised Medicine and organised by LISAvienna. Furthermore, partners included ecoplus, Human.Technology Styria, the Medical Technology Cluster (MTC) as well as the Life Sciences Tirol cluster.

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