Finding the path to the patient: Lund at the forefront of Europe’s ATMP future
At Medicon Village, a growing sense of momentum is building around one of the most transformative fields in modern medicine: advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). With the conference “Finding the path to the patient – ATMP development in Skåne and beyond”, this momentum takes a decisive step forward, bringing together the key actors from academia, clinics, and industry shaping how these therapies move from discovery to real-world impact.
Sweden is already recognised as one of the most research-intensive and quality-driven environments for ATMP development. With a high number of clinical trials per capita, strong academic foundations, and advanced capabilities in process development and GMP manufacturing. Lund, in particular, stands out. With its dense concentration of academic expertise, innovative companies, and close integration with healthcare, the region has become a key node in Europe’s ATMP pipeline. Together with the strong ecosystem across the Öresund strait, including Denmark, it forms a cross-border environment with the scale, talent, and infrastructure required to shape the future of advanced therapies.
Critically, the conversation is shifting. Scientific excellence alone is no longer sufficient to ensure that groundbreaking therapies reach those who need them. Success in the ATMP field increasingly depends on the ability to navigate intricate development pathways, scale highly specialised manufacturing, align with regulatory frameworks, and ensure sustainable patient access. The challenge, in short, is no longer only discovery – it is execution. That is precisely what this conference set out to address with a keen eye on collaboration
A programme built around real-world impact and collaboration
The day’s programme was structured to reflect the full complexity of the ATMP journey. It opened with a preview of Business Sweden’s forthcoming ATMP report, presented by Mattias Gäreskog, offering a timely strategic overview of Sweden’s position in the global market.
The keynote session set an ambitious tone. Anna Pasetto, Director of the Centre for Advanced Cell Therapy at Oslo University Hospital, delivered a Nordic perspective on what it takes to build a genuinely future-ready advanced therapies ecosystem – moving beyond discovery to the systemic infrastructure that underpins long-term impact. Her address underlined that no single institution, city, or country can succeed in isolation. Nordic cooperation, she argued, is not a nice-to-have – it is a strategic necessity.
Two Skåne-based keynotes followed, each illustrating the remarkable depth of local research. Sandra Lindstedt, Associate Professor at the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Lund University, presented work on the repair and regeneration of organs for transplantation – a field with profound implications for patients on lengthy waiting lists. Niels-Bjarne Woods, Associate Professor in Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy at Lund University, outlined pioneering work on hyper-targeting pluripotent stem cell-derived natural killer cells for adoptive cell immunotherapy – a glimpse into the next generation of cancer treatment.
Manufacturing Across the Øresund: Turning Science into Medicine
One of the day’s most practically important sessions was the panel discussion on ATMP manufacturing across the Øresund ecosystem (intended as the uniqueness of the Copenhagen and Skåne regions). Moderated by Ulrika Ringdahl of SmiLe Venture Hub, the panel brought together three voices with complementary perspectives on the challenge of scaling production.
Sarah Callens, Chief Technology Officer at Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator, offered insight from one of the region’s most significant new manufacturing investments. Fredrik Wessberg, CEO of CCRM Nordic, brought experience in building the kind of contract development and manufacturing capacity that the field urgently needs. Gisela Helenius, Director of the ATMP Centre at Skåne University Hospital, spoke from the frontline of clinical implementation – where therapies must ultimately be produced safely, reproducibly, and at scale, adjacent to the patients who receive them.
The message from the panel was clear: manufacturing is not a downstream problem. It must be built into the design of an ATMP strategy from the outset. And the Øresund region, with its combination of academic know-how, clinical infrastructure, and growing industrial base, is better placed than most to get this right.
The Next Generation Steps Forward
A distinctive and energising feature of the programme was its commitment to the researchers of tomorrow. Through a competitive pitching session moderated by Sara Nolbrant, Director of the preGMP Facility at Lund University, three PhDs and one postdoctoral researcher were selected to present their latest ATMP projects in the NABC format; a structured approach that challenges scientists to articulate the real-world need behind their research, not just its technical merit.
The pitching competition, sponsored by Miltenyi Biotec, offered more than a platform. The winner received a place at the prestigious MACS® Cell Separation Hero Days at Miltenyi’s headquarters in Germany, a tangible reward recognising both scientific excellence and the ability to communicate impact.
This investment in early-career talent is central to the region’s long-term ambitions. Skåne’s ATMP pipeline will only remain world-class if it continuously renews itself – and events like this play a meaningful role in ensuring that the most talented young researchers see a future here.
A Physician’s Perspective: What the Patient Needs
To close the event, Mats Jerkeman, a specialist in medical oncology at Lund University, was interviewed on stage by Henrik Thomsen, Clinical Manager at Miltenyi Biotec. The conversation offered a practicing clinician’s perspective on what it actually means to deliver advanced therapies to patients, the hopes, the logistical realities, and the gaps that still need to be bridged between innovation and care.
It was a timely reminder that, for all the complexity of manufacturing, regulation, and commercialisation, the measure of success in this field is ultimately a human one.
Path2Patient: building bridges across the value chain
The conference was co-funded by the EU as part of the ATMP Path2Patient project, an initiative that lies at the heart of Medicon Village’s contribution to the field. Led by Lund University Innovation and carried out in partnership with SmiLe Venture Hub, Medicon Village Innovation, LU-ATMP, and Region Skåne’s ATMP Centre, Path2Patient aims to strengthen connections across the entire ATMP value chain. From discovery and preclinical development to clinical implementation and patient access, the programme addresses one of the most critical needs in the field: cooperation.
ATMP development is inherently multidisciplinary and highly complex. No single organisation can manage the full journey alone. Success depends on well-functioning ecosystems where academia, companies, healthcare systems, and infrastructure providers work in close alignment. Initiatives like Path2Patient play a crucial role in enabling this collaboration, helping to reduce fragmentation and accelerate progress.
Collaboration across borders will be essential. By working as an integrated Nordic region, Sweden, Norway and Denmark can overcome limitations related to scale, strengthen clinical trial capacity, and increase their attractiveness for global partnerships and investment. In doing so, they can help define how ATMPs are developed, tested, and implemented in Europe and beyond.
From promise to patients
Ultimately, the significance of the conference lies in its focus on impact. ATMPs hold the potential to transform the treatment of some of the most challenging diseases, from rare genetic disorders to cancer and degenerative conditions. But their true value is only realised when they reach patients.
Events like “Finding the path to the patient – ATMP development in Lund and beyond” are therefore more than scientific gatherings. They are part of a broader effort to align systems, connect stakeholders, and accelerate the journey from innovation to care.
In Lund, that journey is already well underway.
If you want more information, please reach out to our Innovation Manager, Francesco Bez, at francesco.bez@mediconvillage.se.