New initiative in Skåne aims to bring next-generation immunotherapies from research to patients
Lund University and Skåne University Hospital have signed a letter of intent to launch a joint immunotherapy initiative – an area advancing rapidly, particularly within cancer research. The ambition is to accelerate the development of new treatments and strengthen pathways for translating research into patient benefit.
Immunotherapy harnesses the body’s own immune system to fight disease and holds significant promise not only in oncology but also in autoimmune conditions where established treatments are insufficient.
To capitalise on this momentum, a shared hub is now being established, bringing together key stakeholders in the field at the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering at Lund University (LTH), and Skåne University Hospital. The aim is to create a long-term research and innovation environment where new immunotherapies can reach patients more quickly.
A key focus of the initiative is to strengthen the full translational pipeline – from early discovery to clinical application.
“To make new and effective immunotherapies accessible to broad patient groups, access to the entire translational chain – from discovery to the clinic – is essential. Within L2CancerBridge, our vision is to build a unique environment for the development of advanced antibody and cell therapy platforms, and this new immunotherapy initiative at Lund University connects us directly to clinical expertise at Skåne University Hospital. The strategic investment in recruiting promising international researchers in immunotherapy brings new scientific leadership at a critical moment for the field,” says Kristian Pietras, Professor at Lund University and Research Group Leader at L2CancerBridge/CREATE Health, based at Medicon Village.
“This initiative strengthens our region’s position at the forefront of life science by connecting world-class research with clinical expertise and innovation support. By bringing these capabilities together, we are creating the conditions needed to speed up the development of new immunotherapies and ensure they reach patients,” says Petter Hartman, CEO of Medicon Village Innovation.