DTU and Roche Ltd. have entered into a partnership agreement on collaboration in primarily research and innovation.
Under this agreement, DTU and Roche will collaborate on both medical and non-medical research projects, strengthening of startup environments in life science, and development of knowledge and understanding of the latest ideas and concepts in entrepreneurships.
Roche is a Danish subsidiary in the global pharmaceutical and chemical group F. Hoffmann-La Roche, which is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. The agreement was signed by DTU’s Provost, Rasmus Larsen, and—representing Roche—General Manager Richard Wright and General Manager Esther de Rooij.
“This year, DTU has established the new department DTU Health Tech as a significant initiative in research, education, and entrepreneurship aimed at the healthcare sector. The partnership agreement with Roche should be seen in this light. We have great expectations that DTU—together with Roche—can bring new products and services to the market to the benefit of society, business, and patients,” says Rasmus Larsen, Provost at DTU.
“With the partnership agreement, an important step has been taken towards increasing knowledge sharing between Roche and DTU. A step which I think can be of great strategic importance to our future collaboration to the benefit of both parties,” says Richard Wright, General Manager of Roche Pharmaceuticals’ Danish branch and of Roche Innovation Center of Copenhagen.
“Roche has a long tradition for entering into strategic partnerships with startups and biotech companies that develop innovative solutions. I’m therefore particularly pleased that the agreement entails that DTU will assist Roche in finding potential new partners via spinouts. Globally, Denmark currently has a leading position in the field of life science, and Roche would like to contribute to strengthening this position further.”
The parties have agreed to initiate a number of activities under the partnership. DTU and Roche will set up a startup panel, which will—among other things—give Roche a better understanding of the development of ideas and startups in areas of interest to Roche.
In the field of research, DTU and Roche will work together on projects of interest to both parties. This may—for example—be microbiome projects, cancer research, and possibly other disease areas in which Roche conducts research.
Finally, an event will be held for students at which researchers from Roche will talk about their working methods in—for example—personal medicine, health data, and digital innovation.
“I see great potential in this partnership. DTU will have an opportunity to bring its great academic outlook and scientific competences closer to the market, while we can offer focus and commercial knowledge from the industry and the healthcare sector. Together, we’ll thus create a basis for developing new, innovative solutions in the field of diagnostics to the benefit of patients,” says Esther de Rooij, General Manager of Roche Diagnostics Denmark.
The agreement runs for one year with an option for renewal.
Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostic products with focus on advanced research aimed at improving people’s lives. The combined competences with pharmaceuticals and diagnostic products under one roof have made Roche a leader in personalized treatment—a strategy designed to find the right treatment for the individual patient to achieve the best possible result.
Roche is the world’s largest biotechnology company with differentiated pharmaceuticals in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology, and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also a world leader in in vitro diagnostic products and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and is a pioneer in diabetes control.
Roche was founded in 1896 and is still looking for better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, and to provide a sustainable contribution to society. Thirty pharmaceuticals developed by Roche are included on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, including life-saving antibiotics, anti-malaria medicines, and medicines for cancer treatment. Roche has been recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the leading company in sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry for ten years in a row.
The Roche Group—which is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland—is active in more than 100 countries, and had around 94,000 employees worldwide in 2018. In 2015, Roche invested CHF 11 billion in research and development and generated revenues of CHF 56.9 billion. Genentech, USA, is wholly owned by the Roche Group. Roche is a majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. Further information is available at www.roche.com.
In Denmark, Roche is represented by four independent companies: Roche Pharmaceuticals, Roche Diagnostics, Roche Diabetes Care, and Roche Innovation Center of Copenhagen. The latter is one of Roche’s total of seven research centres worldwide.