German biotechnology companies are playing a key role in combating the corona pandemic
German biotechnology companies are playing a key role in combating the corona pandemic
(Berlin – 6 April 2020) Biotechnology companies are at the forefront of the fight against the spread of the coronavirus and the lung disease Covid-19. They are producing diagnostic tests at full tilt while also developing new tests, and they are conducting research on therapeutics and vaccine candidates. In a recent survey, some 50 members of the biotechnology industry association BIO Deutschland said that they are engaged in combating the corona pandemic through their work in the fields of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, as well as through the production of disinfectants.
Oliver Schacht, Chairman of the Board of BIO Deutschland and Managing Director of the diagnostics company Curetis, commented: “German biotech companies are well positioned in the fight against the corona pandemic. In light of the crisis, many of our members have focused their activities on the research, development and production of diagnostics, drugs and vaccines that target the coronavirus. We are aware of how important our work is to society. This is always the case, but now more so than ever.”
Roland Sackers, BIO Deutschland board member and CFO of the molecular diagnostics company QIAGEN, added: “Since the first days of the novel coronavirus outbreak, biotech companies have been working tirelessly to increase the availability of existing testing solutions and to develop special new tests for SARS-CoV-2 in order to address the growing need for testing in Germany and around the world. At QIAGEN we have already ramped up production by about 70 percent. Over the course of the year, we’re going to increase the production of test components by tenfold. This is the only way we can help ensure sufficient testing.”
A list of BIO Deutschland members who are helping to contain the corona pandemic can be found here: www.biodeutschland.org/en/corona-special.html
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About BIO Deutschland:
As Germany’s national biotechnology industry association, BIO Deutschland aims to support and promote the development of an innovative economic sector based on modern biosciences. The Berlin-based association currently has some 340 members, ranging from companies and bioregions to industry services providers. Oliver Schacht, Ph.D., is Chairman of the Board of BIO Deutschland.
For further information, visit www.biodeutschland.org
BIO Deutschland’s supporting members and industry partners are:
AGC Biologics, Avia, Baker Tilly, Bayer, BioSpring, Boehringer Ingelheim, Centogene, Clariant, CMS Hasche Sigle, Deutsche Bank, EBD Group, Ernst & Young, Evotec, Exyte Central Europe, Isenbruck, Bösl, Hörschler, Janssen-Cilag, KPMG, Merck, Miltenyi Biotec, MorphoSys, Novartis, Pfizer, Phenex Pharmaceuticals, PricewaterhouseCoopers, QIAGEN, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi Aventis Deutschland, SAP, Thermo Fisher Scientific, TVM Capital and Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Contact:
BIO Deutschland e. V.
Dr Viola Bronsema
Schützenstrasse 6a
10117 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)30 2332 164-00, Fax: -38
Email: bronsema@biodeutschland.org
Publication free of charge – specimen copy requested.
