News

April 2025

Pedersen & Partners and CMS Netherlands hosted the second annual Life Sciences Breakfast Seminar in Amsterdam, convening industry leaders and investors to discuss the future of biotech, biopharmaceuticals, complex generics, medtech and healthtech. Under the theme "Accelerating Growth in Life Sciences," the event provided a platform for discussion on innovation funding, regulatory frameworks, executive leadership, and regional competitiveness.

The panel was jointly moderated by Pieter van Duijvenvoorde (Partner, Corporate / M&A Practice, CMS), Ellen Gielen (Partner, Head of Life Sciences & Healthcare, CMS), and Lydia van der Meulen (Client Partner, Country Manager Netherlands, Pedersen & Partners), with the keynote delivered by Hans Schikan.

The panelists included:

• Arthur Franken – General Partner, Gilde Healthcare
• Ineke Cazander – Head of Life Sciences & Health, InvestNL
• Martine van Vugt – Executive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer, Genmab
• Albertien Geijdanus – Sr. Investment Manager Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM)
• Anish Mehta – Chief Executive Officer, Synthon
• Marc Robillard – CSO & Founder, Tagworks Pharmaceuticals
• André van Gils – Executive Officer, Senior General Manager Global Sales & Marketing, OMRON Healthcare Corporation Ltd. - Japan

Keynote: Hans Schikan Calls for Structured Ambition

The seminar opened with a keynote by Hans Schikan, former special envoy for vaccines, who underscored the urgency of coordinated innovation in Europe. Using historical analogies and forward-looking frameworks, he called for structured, mission-driven policies akin to large-scale industrial strategies seen in other regions.
Schikan referenced programs such as the Dutch government’s FAST initiative (Future Affordable and Sustainable Therapies), and proposed new models like ASAP (Affordable Sustainable Access for Patients) and SWIFT (Speedy Workable Introduction of Future Therapies). He emphasized the need for policy frameworks that align with the pace of technological advancements, citing the rapid scale-up of biotech R&D investment in China.
He concluded by stressing the importance of cross-border collaboration and public-private partnerships, and called for leadership that integrates scientific capability with long-term strategic thinking.

Scaling Innovation and Bridging Capital Gaps
Arthur Franken (Gilde Healthcare) noted that early-stage funding remains limited, despite increasing Series A round sizes. Ineke Cazander (InvestNL) highlighted the disconnect between seed funding and growth capital, particularly the dependence on non-EU funding sources. Albertien Geijdanus (BOM) discussed the importance of bridging the funding gap before scale-up.
Martine van Vugt (Genmab) described evolving M&A strategies focused on acquiring platforms with long-term potential, not just revenue. Marc Robillard (Tagworks) reflected on the startup experience, highlighting the challenges of early-stage financing. Anish Mehta (Synthon) addressed operational challenges in scaling advanced therapies. André van Gils (Omron Healthcare/Luscii) pointed to a shift in digital health from standalone tools to interconnected prevention-based platforms.

Benelux: Regional Strengths and Structural Gaps
Speakers acknowledged the strength of the Benelux Life Sciences ecosystem, with firms such as Genmab, ArgenX, and Galapagos. However, the region still faces systemic challenges, particularly in early-stage funding and company formation. Panelists emphasized the need for earlier alignment between innovation, validation, and capital access to support growth.

Conclusion: Advancing Europe’s Strategic Position
Across the keynote and panel, a consistent message emerged: Europe has the scientific capacity, capital, and regulatory foundation to lead in life sciences. The challenge lies in converting those assets into scalable outcomes through coordinated investment, supportive regulation, and cross-sector collaboration.

The seminar reinforced the role of platforms like this as catalysts for actionable dialogue. The CMS and Pedersen & Partners Life Sciences Seminar is set to return next year. But if its speakers are right, the real question isn’t whether the conversation will continue—it’s how much faster the action will be.

Pedersen & Partners CMS Netherlands thanks the speakers and attendees for the engaging discussion and valuable insights.