Grünenthal's Innovative Medicines Unit (IMU) Opens its First Innovation Hub to Further Strengthen the Company's Networked Research and Development Approach

AACHEN, Germany and LEIDEN, Netherlands, January 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

• The IMU - Leiden Hub will serve as Grünenthal's European center for Open Innovation 
• Integration in scientific community of Leiden Bio Science Park, the Netherlands, enables easier access and close collaboration with leading scientists and institutions 
• At Leiden Bio Science Park, about 17,000 employees in biomedical companies, research institutions and hospitals are dedicated to the development of innovative drugs and solutions to support patients 

The Grünenthal Group, an international, family-owned pharmaceutical company, announced today the opening of an Innovation Hub as an expansion of its Innovative Medicines Unit. The Hub will be located in Leiden, the Netherlands, and be embedded in the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest cluster of biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the Netherlands and one of the five most successful science parks in Europe. The IMU - Leiden Hub will enable Grünenthal to engage even more strongly in networked research and development by building strong alliances and partnerships with academia, the biotech community and innovative service providers. The parties involved strive to jointly find solutions for patients suffering from illnesses with high unmet medical need and to bring these solutions faster to the patients by improving the "bench to bedside"-approach.

Entrepreneurial and networked approach to R&D  

"We are excited to open the first hub of our Innovative Medicines Unit", says Dr. Klaus-Dieter Langner, Chief Scientific Officer of Grünenthal. "We are confident that this approach of collaboration in early Research and Development with academia and others in our industry will help develop new ideas and approaches and ultimately, help patients. We are convinced that our model of external collaboration will strongly complement our own internal pipeline and will continue to add value to Grünenthal in the future", Klaus-Dieter Langner adds.

The IMU is tasked with building Grünenthal's early clinical development portfolio by building strategic collaborations around projects from external sources and then leading them through to successful clinical proof of concept (clinical Phase IIa trials). In 2015, Grünenthal had already announced the first two major research and development networks - in June the collaboration with Proteus S.A., Chile, and Boston Children's Hospital, USA, and in October the formation of a research collaboration in fibrotic diseases with Nordic BioSciences, Denmark, and Charles River Laboratories, UK. "By establishing a hub in such a vibrant and growing biotech cluster like Leiden Bio Science Park, we will be able to interact more efficiently with partners," said Judy Ashworth, MD, Head of Grünenthal's IMU - Leiden Hub. "This hub will build networks regionally as well as internationally, connecting to Oxford and Cambridge in the UK and other European areas of relevance".

Leiden Bio Science Park 

Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP) is part of Medical Delta, a research driven life sciences, health and technology cluster linking LBSP together with the key regional universities, medical centers and companies in Delft and Rotterdam. Likewise, Medical Delta's regional innovation partners take part in EIT Health, a European consortium that consists of more than 50 core partners and 90 associate partners from leading businesses, research centers and universities from across 14 EU countries. EIT Health aims to improve the quality of life of Europe's citizens and the sustainability of healthcare systems.

Grünenthal located their first Innovation Hub with the clear objective to network, identify joint projects and also to support researchers and experts here by sharing their tremendous knowledge. This is exactly what Leiden Bio Science Park provides: a strong network of experts of different specialties who identify the mutual benefit in working together.

The set up of this office was strongly supported by InnovationQuarter, the regional economic development agency for West Holland. "We congratulate Grünenthal with the opening of their new office and are excited to welcome them to Leiden Bio Science Park in the West Holland region", says Rinke Zonneveld, Director InnovationQuarter. "We are here to support Grünenthal with making a successful start and will assist them in exploring possibilities for collaboration."

Robert Strijk, deputy mayor city of Leiden: "I am very pleased that Grünenthal has decided to open the first hub of their Innovative Medicines Unit in the Leiden Bio Science Park. Leiden Bio Science Park is the leading life sciences and health cluster in the Netherlands. It ranks among the top five most successful science parks in Europe. Therefore, Leiden offers companies great opportunities to grow their research and development networks and to build partnerships with academia, life sciences industry and investment communities in Leiden, the West Holland region and throughout the Netherlands and Europe. Grünenthal will be a valuable addition to our life sciences community".  

About Grünenthal 

The Grünenthal Group is an independent, family-owned, international research-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Aachen, Germany. We are an entrepreneurial specialist delivering true benefits to patients. By sustainably investing in research and development above the industrial average, we are committing to innovation in order to treat unmet medical needs and bring value-adding products to markets. Grünenthal is a fully integrated research & development company with a long track record of bringing innovative pain treatments and state-of-the-art technologies to patients.

Altogether, the Grünenthal Group is present in 32 countries with affiliates in Europe, Australia, Latin America and the US. Grünenthal products are sold in more than 155 countries and approx. 5,200 employees are working for the Grünenthal Group worldwide. In 2014, Grünenthal achieved revenues of € 1.154 bn. More information: http://www.grunenthal.com.

About InnovationQuarter 

InnovationQuarter is the regional development agency for West Holland. InnovationQuarter finances innovative and fast-growing companies, assists foreign companies in establishing their businesses in West Holland, and facilitates collaboration between innovative entrepreneurs, knowledge institutes and government. In this way, and in cooperation with the business community, InnovationQuarter supports the development of West Holland to become one of the most innovative regions in Europe.

InnovationQuarter is an initiative of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Province of South Holland, the Cities of Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Delft, Dordrecht, and Westland, Delft University of Technology, Leiden University, the Leiden University Medical Center and Erasmus Medical Centre.

Media Contacts:

Grünenthal GmbH
Steffen Fritzsche
Head Corporate Communications
Tel: +49-241-569-1335
steffen.fritzsche@grunenthal.com

Grünenthal GmbH
52099 Aachen
Germany
http://www.grunenthal.com

Leiden Bio Science Park Foundation
Ellen Smit
Senior Account Manager
tel. +31-6-25-180-597
esmit@lbsp.nl

Leiden Bio Science Park Foundation
J.H. Oortweg 19
2333 CH Leiden
The Netherlands
http://www.leidenbiosciencepark.nl

InnovationQuarter
Lissa Boxy
Senior Account Manager Life Sciences & Health
+31-6-247-56-651
Lissa.boxy@innovationquarter.nl

InnovationQuarter
Prinses Margrietlaan 32
2595 BR  Den Haag
The Netherlands
http://www.innovationquarter.eu