And again this year we had the pleasure to present the dynamic location of the Innovation and Start-up Center Biotechnology (IZB) to some of the most dedicated students in Europe. 23 young scientists studying in Pisa, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Cambridge, Dublin or Barcelona, for example, had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the start-up world.

Susanne Simon, Head of Press and Public Relations IZB, explained the history of the IZB, presented successful IZB start-ups that have been acquired by pharmaceutical companies over the last 27 years and presented the research fields of the resident companies. Covering more than 26,000 square meters, the IZB is currently home to nearly 50 startups and biotech companies working to develop drugs for the most serious diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and various autoimmune diseases. A key criterion for the success of the IZB is its close proximity to top-level research at the Martinsried/Großhadern campus or the Weihenstephan campus.

Many thanks at this point that Dr. Jonas Helma-Smets, Managing Director of Tubulis GmbH, and Dr. Garwin Pichler, Managing Director of PreOmics GmbH, took the time to present their companies.

PreOmics is a spin-off of the Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, founded in 2016 by Dr. Garwin Pichler and Dr. Nils Kulak, current CEOs, with the mission of developing, producing and selling innovative solutions to revolutionize and standardize Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based protein analysis. Recently, the company launched the first robotic device PreON, that enables the automation of sample processing based on our marketed iST technology. The current products’ portfolio is already appreciated by more than 300 customers worldwide.

Tubulis was founded by Dr. Jona Helma-Smets (CSO) and Dr. Dominik Schumacher (CEO) and is a spin-off company that emerged in 2019 from the Leibniz Research Institute Berlin (FMP) and Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) Munich to realize the therapeutic potential of ADCs for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

The start-up generates uniquely matched protein-drug conjugates through the combination of novel proprietary technologies and disease-specific biologic insight. goal is to expand the therapeutic potential of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) by increasing design flexibility while overcoming constraints of toxicity, efficacy and indication. Tubulis will build new conjugates to fill its growing pipeline and will continue to collaborate with industry partners to usher in a new ADC era and deliver better outcomes for patients. In April 2023, Tubulis enters strategic partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb to develop next generation ADCs in oncology. The deal includes an upfront payment of USD 22.75 million to Tubulis and development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments of up to over USD 1 billion.

The interested students had many questions afterwards: When did you decide to found a start-up? Who can I talk to about starting a company? Did your professor support you on the way to self-employment? How can I patent a piece of research and when? How important is it to build a network? Where can I find funding for my scientific idea?

Through the Amgen Scholars Program, hundreds of students visit some of the world’s leading universities. Together with top faculty, they conduct hands-on research in the lab and have the opportunity to participate in seminars, networking events and symposia with their fellow students and leading scientists.

More info on the AMGEN Scholar Program can be found here: https://amgenscholars.com/