The BioTech Bootcamp is an eight-week hybrid training program that provides up to 12 European start-up teams with the opportunity to validate and develop their business ideas in the field of therapeutics development with the help of life science experts.

This week, the BioTech Bootcamp climaxed in the on-site week held at Bio^M in Martinsried and the Munich Demo Day at the Campus Martinsried / Großhadern, where the teams presented their business ideas to the Bio^M network. Two teams that were particularly compelling with their presentations were OPSYON Therapeutics and Strominnate Therapeutics.

OPSYON from Munich is working to improve the efficacy and tolerability of cancer therapies and is developing innovative multifunctional antibodies with reduced side effects that use the full spectrum of the immune system to target and permanently eliminate cancer cells.

The team of Strominnate Therapeutics from Lund, Sweden finalized the development of a new product as a novel therapy for treating Glioblastoma multiforme – the most common and malignant brain tumor in adults. The product contains the antitumoral components and the environment modulators produced by a recently discovered human immune cell enabling modulation of the tumor environment composition to boost the effect of immunotherapy.

Both teams will be invited to visit the Merck M Lab™ Collaboration Center in Molsheim, France. The center offers biopharmaceutical manufacturers the opportunity to work closely with Merck scientists and engineers to solve the toughest challenges and accelerate the development of new therapies.

"We are overwhelmed to have been awarded this unique opportunity by Merck. This is a chance for us to accelerate our product development and overcome challenges that still need to be overcome," says Dr. Nadja Fenn of OPSYON Therapeutics. "In Molsheim, we will have the opportunity to leverage Merck’s incredible industry and expert knowledge," adds Dr. Tania Ramos-Moreno of Strominnate Therapeutics.

The audience award went to RNhale, that develops a technology to produce inhalable RNA drugs. The team can look forward to a ticket for the BIO-Europe conference 2023 in Munich, the partnering event of the German biotechnology industry.

Dr. Benjamin Winkeljann of RNhale: "We are very happy that our business idea was selected for the audience award. We have learned so much during these weeks and had the opportunity to meet other European entrepreneurs, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry and investors. The award is the perfect ending to these incredibly educational weeks."

Expert lectures, individual coaching and mentoring give participants access to entrepreneurial expertise and a unique insight into the biotech industry. This prepares them at an early stage to meet investors, pharmaceutical companies, and other industry players. The aspiring biotech entrepreneurs will gain the knowledge, skills, and contacts necessary to transform a breakthrough biotech idea into a successful, scalable company.

Upon completion of the program, participants have the opportunity to be accepted into more advanced programs at SmiLe or at Bio^M to bring their business ideas to market.

"There is excellent biotechnology research at our universities, but we need to get better at leveraging and commercializing. That is why we are very proud of the customized bootcamp program for future biotech entrepreneurs that we have developed together with Bio^M. We are particularly delighted to collaborate with Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim and European Commission who contribute important industrial expertise, an exciting prize and valuable content to the bootcamp as sponsors," says Dr. Barbara Klein, Bootcamp Manager of SmiLe.

"We are very happy to be able to run the BioTech Bootcamp together with SmiLe. Based on our complementary expertise, we have developed a unique curriculum. In addition to providing access to the networks of two European biotech hotspots, we hope to have equipped the participating teams with the necessary tools to build successful start-ups," says Dr. Petra Burgstaller, Head of inQlab, Bio^M Biotech Cluster Development GmbH.

Christina Enke-Stolle, Head of inQlab, Bio^M, adds: "These were great eight weeks and we hope that our ten Bootcamp teams were able to benefit from valuable tips from the mentors, experts, partners and the coaches of SmiLe and Bio^M. Of course, we are happy to continue supporting all teams and wish them much success and all the best for the future!"

The BioTech Bootcamp program is free for the founding teams. It currently takes place every year and is supported this year by the European Commission, Merck and Boehringer Ingelheim.

Further information at www.smileincubator.life/biotech-bootcamp/