UK’s leading Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) businesses visit to Germany and Switzerland for collaboration and expansion

As part of our Global Business Innovation Programme (GBIP), a delegation of 14 leading AMR businesses, that are building solutions with antimicrobial resistance at the core of their value proposition, went on an innovation visit to AMR power houses of Germany and Switzerland.

The combination of commercial expertise, creative excellence and technological innovation across the UK, Germany and Switzerland was identified to have the potential in generating significant value add for companies who operate in AMR markets and add to the global curbing of AMR.

Combating antibiotic resistance - background to AMR

Antimicrobials are becoming ineffective and infections more difficult to treat. This is putting modern medicine at risk. In addition, previously treatable illnesses such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and even minor wound infections are becoming increasingly difficult to address.

This GBIP contributes to Innovate UK’s ongoing commitment to tackle the AMR crisis by driving research, development and commercialisation of novel antimicrobials, preventives such as vaccines and AMR diagnostics in the UK’s AMR industry through joint innovation and international collaboration.

Innovation visit

Our delegation of 14 ambitious UK AMR companies used the innovation visit to Germany and Switzerland as an opportunity to engage with key stakeholders from the global AMR industry, network with other professionals and initiate forward focused collaboration.

AMR businesses

Our delegation of 14 innovative businesses collectively spans Antimicrobials, Microbial Diagnostics and Prevention, Vaccination and therapeutics at the core of their value proposition. These companies made the visit:

AMPLY Discovery - Dermot Tierney , CCO/Co-Founder

Amprologix - Mat Upton , Chief Scientific Officer

Cellexus International Ltd - Adam Ostrowski , Technical Applications Specialist

CodiKoat - Reza Saberi Moghaddam , Director

FluoretiQ - James Preece , Product Manager

Matoke Holdings Limited - Paul Thompson , Operations Director

MetalloBio Limited - Kirsty Smitten , CEO & Dr Michael Murray, RTTP , Operations Director

NewGenne Ltd - Dr Harley Farmer , Chief Executive Officer

OGI Bio - Alex McVey , CEO

OLM Diagnostics?- Ged McGonnell , Managing Director

Oppilotech - Ed Siegwart , Director of Microbiology

RapidX Bio - Shuler Xu, MD , Co-founder and CTO

Rostra Therapeutics - David Findlay ,?Co-founder & CEO

SpeeDx Warwick Need , Director of Sales.

Our delegation was led by Innovate UK Dr Phil Packer Liam Harris Maarten van Dongen, PhD and Innovate UK South East Bita Najafi, Global Delivery Lead and Rocky Moore, Innovation & Growth Specialist who have successfully delivered support to help hundreds of businesses to grow.

Organising team: Craig Gordon Graeme Owen Alison Mary Dunn Edwin K.

Innovation visit purpose

The objective of the visit for our 14 AMR focused companies was to explore collaboration, innovation and growth opportunities that are in Germany and Switzerland. Here is what some of the companies sighted as their visit objective:

AMPLY Discovery is interested in discussing partnerships related to its current internal pre-clinical development programmes and collaborations or co-development on new applications of its technology.

Amprologix - Epidermicin kills Gram positive pathogens and they’d like to discuss evaluation in relevant infection models (e.g. impetigo and acnes) and would also be interested in development of a companion diagnostic.

CodiKoat - Identifying how to tackle AMR challenge with CodiKoat technologies, growing their network and finding new commercial partners.

OLM Diagnostics - To look at product development opportunities and routes into new markets.

Why Germany and Switzerland

Germany is a key player in AMR; the German Antibiotic Resistance Strategy is developing new treatments for bacterial infections and currently hosts the secretariat for the Global AMR Research and Development Collaboration Hub. Our innovation visit went to Munich and the Stuttgart areas. The Munich area houses approximately 250 life sciences companies including 130 SMEs, two elite universities as well as institutes, hospitals and innovation centres. In Munich, the focus is on antimicrobials, whereas in the Stuttgart region it is on AMR diagnostics.

The Life Sciences industry in the Basel region of Switzerland is a world leader and the driving force of the Swiss economy, housing some 800 Life Sciences companies. The 7th AMR Conference was held in Basel, Switzerland focusing on Novel Antimicrobials & AMR Diagnostics. This innovation visit provided opportunities to hear from world-leading AMR experts and 1-to-1 matchmaking meetings for our 14 companies.

Collaboration, growth and innovation opportunities

Why a GBIP?

A GBIP is a unique opportunity that provides detailed market knowledge, introductions, and cultural insight that SMEs would otherwise find difficult to obtain themselves. This GBIP visit gave our client companies:

• an opportunity to find potential innovation collaborators and partners, while developing their wider network globally.
• visiting German and Swiss AMR tech clusters and attending international AMR Conference gave them a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities of doing business in these markets.

The Global Business Innovation Programme is structured around three main phases and each of our client has a designated Innovate UK EDGE Innovation and Growth Specialist to support them for the duration of the programme, jointly developing an action plan to capitalise on the opportunities identified in the innovation visit.

The businesses are participating in three main phases of the Global Business Innovation Programme:

1. Getting ready for the market

Our clients participated in a one-day pre-activity briefing workshop to build knowledge and understanding of the market and potential opportunities, including how to do business, cultural aspects, IP protection and training on how to improve their pitch and present a value proposition.

"The aim of this workshop was to get to know our delegation but also to prepare them for the in-market visit. We share tips on how to utilise the opportunity, get the right support from their Innovate UK advisers but also how to best present their company and their service offerings bearing in mind the cultural differences and business etiquettes." Bita Najafi, Global Delivery Lead.

2. Visiting the market

On the 5-day visit, our delegates got to visit and explore a Research institute, Biotechnology and life science hubs and attend the AMR conference in Basel. Throughout the visit the companies met large organisations and key stakeholders for collaborations and partnership opportunities.

We had the pleasure of working with 14 high calibre UK based companies who quickly bonded well together and fully embraced the opportunities presented to them. This trip involved large amount of travelling and long days, however our delegates appreciated the fast pace and the packed agenda. They also maximised on the networking opportunity at the 7th AMR conference in Basel. Bita Najafi (MSc, BSc) , Global Delivery Lead.

Our delegates had an impactful visit, this is what they said about the visit;

"Thank you all for making the GBIP to Germany and Switzerland such a success.?It was a tremendous week during which I met so many useful contacts, expanding my network and knowledge.

It was very useful to get an understanding of the different business opportunities and incentives in each region, as well as meeting with key businesses.?The AMR conference was fantastically useful as well, enabling me to catch up with many of my existing network contacts, as well as meet new contacts and update on key areas from the presentations. I am busy following up.

And, of course, it was a great experience to meet with all the GBIP team and delegates - what a laugh." David Findlay , CEO Rostra Therapeutics

"This was a fantastic innovation visit with a high calibre of UK businesses, who are at the fore front of tackling the AMR challenge the medical field is faced with. They were looking to meet their peers and make connections with a view to exploring innovation opportunities. The feedback during and after the visit has been that the companies found it very beneficial and would recommend others to pursue similar Innovate UK EDGE support. Rocky Moore , Innovation & Growth Specialist."

3. Exploiting the opportunity

An exploitation one day workshop and one-to-one support from their Innovation and Growth Specialist for a 12-month period.

Our client companies that participated in the innovation visit will be looking pursue the opportunities identified and to develop innovation projects with partners they have made contact with in Germany and Switzerland.

A post visit workshop to follow on and catch up with the companies is planned in the coming months.

Could your business benefit from exploring and exploiting the collaboration, growth and innovation opportunities that exist in a specific business market?

Find out how our sector specific GBIP innovation visit can help your business grow.

AMR Innovation visit, Germany & Switzerland | Client Accolades.