Growth in peptide-based pharmaceuticals, vacations prolong your life and progress in our portfolio companies
Summer is finally here again! The season when the days become longer and the sun warms us late into the evening in our beautiful Nordic region. Here at Sciety, we'll soon be taking a break from our daily routines to recharge our batteries during the bright summer evenings.
However, before we go on vacation, we're working on the final preparations for the financing of a new company this fall. The company operates in the biotech sector and has developed a ground-breaking technology for the large-scale production of peptide pharmaceuticals, used to treat diseases with greater precision. The company's production instruments are already on the market, and just a couple of years after their launch they have considerable turnover and significant demand for their products. If you want to learn more about this company - sign up here to receive news and updates about upcoming investment opportunities.
Keep reading for more news about our portfolio companies and our insights, where we take a closer look at the market for peptide pharmaceuticals. We'll also explain how vacations can prolong your life.
Finally, all of us here at Sciety would like to wish you a wonderful, relaxing summer! We hope that you will take the opportunity to enjoy the summer season and be ready to meet the fall with renewed energy.
News from our portfolio companies
Capitainer awarded contract for major study and expands in the African market
MedTech company Capitainer, developing intelligent solutions for self-sampling of blood, has been awarded the contract for a major study headed by Chalmers University of Technology. The company's Capitainer?B50 blood sampling card has been selected for use in the sub-study SCAPIS2-HOME, which is part of the SCAPIS study. The study encompasses 4,400 individuals and aims to develop personalised dietary advice to prevent medical conditions such as heart attacks and stroke. Capitainer's technology enables the participants to take blood samples at home, easily and with great precision, thereby simplifying the process for both individuals and researchers.
Capitainer has also established itself in the African market through a strategic distribution agreement with Lasec?, a prominent South African supplier of solutions for research and diagnostics. This partnership is expected to increase Capitainer's presence across the African continent and includes the registration of Capitainer's products with local authorities. The logistics for distribution and registration via Lasec? will also facilitate processes for local customers and large foundations operating on the African continent. Additionally, Lasec? also has facilities for preparing kits for remote sampling and can offer comprehensive services for decentralised diagnostic interventions using Capitainer's products.
Read more about Capitainer's role in SCAPIS2-HOME and the company's expansion in the African market
Elypta recruits renowned expert to its board
Elypta, which develops methods for early detection of cancer, has appointed the experienced and renowned life science authority Eva Pisa as a member of the board. With extensive experience of research, development and commercialisation, she will support Elypta as the company is approaching the commercialisation phase. Eva Pisa, a member of several boards in the biotech sector, has held numerous key positions at successful companies within the industry.
Read more about the appointment of Eva Pisa to Elypta's board (article in Swedish)
Encare continues to expand in Sweden
Health technology company Encare, developing a SaaS solution to improve surgery outcomes, is continuing the Swedish rollout of its platform. Falu Hospital in Region Dalarna is the first hospital in the region to begin implementing the company's solution. The multidisciplinary team will use Encare's software, ERAS? Interactive Audit System (EIAS), for registration, reporting and following up within colorectal surgery.
Predicare secures agreement with Region ?sterg?tland and strengthens its international presence
Predicare, a market leader in the Nordics for decision support in emergency care prioritisation, has secured an agreement with Region ?sterg?tland. The agreement, worth just over SEK 700,000 a year, guarantees the continued use of RETTS within the region's emergency care.
The company has also initiated its expansion into Austria and plans to undertake several activities in Germany to strengthen its international presence. Predicare has, for example, been represented at DGiNA, Germany's largest conference on emergency care, and participated in several meetings with healthcare organisations in both northern Germany and Austria.
Monthly spotlight
Peptides (short chains of amino acids) have long been used in the development of pharmaceuticals, such as diabetes medicine. In recent years, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in peptide-based pharmaceuticals. In 2022, peptide pharmaceuticals accounted for 5 percent of the global pharmaceutical market, with a market value of USD 42.05 billion and an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10 percent from 2023 to 2032. Currently, there are 80 peptide drugs that are approved for treatment and more than 200 peptides are in clinical development. Regulatory approval and the growing demand for new treatments for chronic diseases have driven increased research and investments in peptide-based treatments. Peptides have many useful medicinal properties, making them attractive options in the treatment of various diseases. The unique ability of peptides to interact with specific receptors makes them particularly effective. Peptide-based pharmaceuticals also have fewer side effects compared to traditional pharmaceuticals. Take, for example, semaglutide. This is a synthetic version of the natural hormone GLP-1 – which plays a key role in blood sugar level regulation and appetite suppression – and has received extensive media attention for its effects on obesity and cardiovascular disease. Once semaglutide was approved in the USA for the treatment of obesity, demand became so great that there are now global shortages of the drug. The large pharmaceutical player Novo Nordisk has developed several ground-breaking peptide-based pharmaceuticals, including Ozempic and Rybelsus, and competitors such as Eli Lilly are trying to keep up. In addition to diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, peptides are being studied for their anti-inflammatory properties and potential within cancer treatment.
Did you know…
…that taking vacations can lead to a longer life. Taking a vacation is not only a welcomed break from the daily grind – it can also lead to a longer life. And a few weeks’ break from work and stress is enough to achieve the positive health benefits. Research shows that regular holidays and breaks are key to a long life. In fact, a healthy lifestyle during the rest of the year cannot fully compensate for the risk factor of working too hard and skipping vacations. Annual vacations over an extended period reduce the risk of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke. Studies have also shown that employees who take regular vacations are up to 40 percent more effective than colleagues who don’t. In other words, your employer also benefits from you taking a vacation. So, when you’re relaxing in a hammock this summer, give yourself a pat on the back for doing something that’s good for your health.
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Sciety is a leading investment company, committed to supporting the growth of innovative life science and health tech companies in the Nordic region. We invest alongside Sciety Venture Partners, comprising family offices, private investors and venture capital firms. Our mission is to enable the full potential of life science innovations, helping to bring breakthroughs in healthcare to people all over the world.
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