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IOCB Tech Group Successfully Represents the Czech Republic at the Prestigious Biotech Conference BIO-Europe 2023 Over 5,000 participants from more than 50 countries and a total of over 30,000 official meetings – that was the outcome of this year's edition of the international BIO-Europe conference in Munich. The Czech Republic was represented by the companies IOCB Tech, i&i Prague, and i&i Biotech Fund (i&i Bio), which are entities associated with the IOCB Tech Group under the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The Czech stand at the event was also supported by representatives of the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Munich. “IOCB Tech Group regularly participates in BIO-Europe. It is a useful opportunity for us to meet with leading representatives of the biotech, medtech, and life sciences world, as well as investors and scientific research clusters. Thanks also go to the organizers, the EBD Group,” said Martin Fusek, director of IOCB Tech. “BIO-Europe represents a great opportunity for us to meet startups at the forefront of Biotech. Specially, in the CEE region we have found great founders who are shaking the field with their innovative technologies. The event also gives us a chance to reach out to startups which might not have been ready for investment when we originally talked to them, but after some time it is fascinating to see their progress,” adds Roberto Fernandez Alvarez, who represented the incubator i&i Prague with other colleagues. “This year's BIO-Europe was also unique due to the inclusion of a new section of panel discussions on so-called translational funds. These are investors who provide fund financing for the translational phase of research and the technology transfer process. Besides our i&i Bio, four other funds from Germany, Austria, and Belgium were presented, which were also established at significant scientific institutions,” says Jaromír Zahrádka, director of i&i Biotech Fund, adding: “It is evident that such funds have their place in the European venture capital market and often become the initial investor in new projects and biotechnological spin-off companies, which then get the chance to appeal to a broader group of less specialized investors.” The IOCB Tech team conducted more than a hundred meetings and negotiations over three days. “We are particularly grateful for the discussion with the EBD Group regarding the potential hosting of the BIO-Europe conference in Prague, and we are pleased that this vision is also supported by significant clusters such as LISAvienna – Life Science Austria Vienna, BioM Biotech Cluster, Biosaxony association, and many others,” added Martin Opatrný, spokesperson for IOCB Tech. “BIO-Europe represents a great opportunity for us to meet startups at the forefront of Biotech. Specially, in the CEE region we have found great founders who are shaking the field with their innovative technologies. The event also gives us a chance to reach out to startups which might not have been ready for investment when we originally talked to them, but after some time it is fascinating to see their progress,” Roberto Fernandez Alvarez i&i Prague Discussions on cooperation also took place, for example, with the company Symeres, a leading research organization focused on the discovery and development of new drugs. Representatives of the Consulate General in Munich also expressed their support for the IOCB Tech Group, whose visit was a significant recognition of the activities of the IOCB Tech Group. “We are glad to be part of this significant event and present, thanks to IOCB Tech, Czech excellence in the field of life sciences and pharmacy, and thus show the world the innovations and potential of Czech science and technology transfer,” said consul Lukáš Opatrný from the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Munich. BIO-Europe is an annual meeting of visionaries, innovators, and experts in the field of biotechnology and pharmaceutical research from around the world. Over the past 29 years, BIO-Europe has grown not only in size but especially in becoming the flagship of European biotech. Its international reach is a symbolic gateway to the global life science community. About IOCB Tech The Technology Transfer Office IOCB Tech, s.r.o. is a fully owned subsidiary of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (IOCB). The main responsibilities of IOCB Tech include the identification of commercially interesting projects at IOCB, analysis of their market potential and patentability, protection of intellectual property, support for the development of the projects in the form of project management, search for commercial partners and negotiation of contractual terms for signing license agreements. IOCB Tech has been involved in the process of negotiating and concluding more than a dozen key license agreements with major pharmaceutical partners such as Gilead Sciences, Merck, Novo Nordisk and SHINE Medical Technologies. In 2017, the company established a subsidiary, i&i Prague, which focuses on funding promising early-stage projects at the Institute and other research and academic institutions. For more information visit www.iocbtech.cz . About i&i Prague The i&i Prague Bio-Innovation Center focuses on the transfer of new technologies into practice. The company was established at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS and is mainly dedicated to innovations in the field of drug development, diagnostics and medical devices originating from academic institutions. It supports the creation of spin-off companies and the sale of licenses. So far, the company has participated in the creation of or otherwise supported 15 spin-off companies from five countries, has an equity stake in nine of them and has invested over 70 million crowns. In total, the spin-offs in i&i Prague's portfolio have raised more than CZK 1.8 billion from other investors. In addition to direct financial investments, i&i Prague also assists more than 15 research institutions and universities in the Czech Republic and abroad in the commercialization of innovative technologies. In 2021, i&i Prague started up the i&i Bio investment fund. About i&i Biotech Fund (i&i Bio) i&i Bio is a Luxembourg-based venture capital firm that invests in innovative European Life Sciences companies focused on drug discoveries, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. The Fund was created thanks to the cooperation of the biotech incubator i&i Prague and the European Investment Fund (see below). With over €47M under management, i&i Bio plans to invest in about 20 early-stage companies. i&i Bio is led by an experienced team of professionals with backgrounds in private equity, healthcare and venture capital supporting entrepreneurs on their journey to global success. Thanks to close cooperation with the fund’s main sponsor, the biotech academic incubator i&i Prague, i&i Bio is supporting and advancing transformative Central European technology companies. For more information visit www.inibio.eu . About EIF i&i Bio is supported by an investment from the EIF, with the support of: lnnovFin Equity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing; and the Pan-European Guarantee Fund (EGF), implemented by the EIF with the financial support of the Participating Member States. The objective of EGF is to respond to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring that companies in the Participating Member States have sufficient short-term liquidity available to weather the crisis and are able to continue their growth and development in the medium to long-term.

CasInvent Pharma receives the Neuron Award for excellent Technology Transfer The laureates of the prestigious Neuron Awards in 2021 have been announced. Since 2009, the Neuron Endowment Fund has been rewarding the first-class Czech researchers for their contributions to science. For the first time this year, the Neuron Award has also been given for the collaboration of academic researchers and industrial partners. The award recognized Vítězslav Bryja, Kamil Paruch and Radoslav Trautmann for the close collaboration between the Masaryk University in Brno (MU) and the incubator and investor i&i Prague, and for their work on the establishment of the spin-off company CasInvent Pharma . Masaryk University, the second largest university in the Czech Republic, is one of the foremost research-oriented Czech universities. i&i Prague is a biotech incubator and hub in the Central European Region, scouting and supporting projects with excellent innovative potential in the fields of MedTech, Diagnostics and Drug Discovery. These two well-known organizations have joined forces working on the establishment of CasInvent Pharma, one of the first spin-offs of its kind, to enable further development of small-molecule compounds with anticancer properties. The core of the technology licensed to CasInvent from MU is a proprietary class of highly potent and selective inhibitors of casein kinases 1. These compounds are being developed for the treatment of selected types of leukemias, lymphomas and solid tumors. The entire team of CasInvent Pharma, including the laureates Vítězslav Bryja, Kamil Paruch, Radoslav Trautmann and further composed of Pavlína Janovská (MU) and David Stíbal (i&i Prague) is currently progressing their lead compound through the advanced stages of preclinical development.

i&i Prague announces its first exit, DIANA Biotechnologies is bought out by its founders Prague, 21 February 2022 – BTND a.s. has completed the buyout of DIANA Biotechnologies from the portfolio of biotech incubator i&i Prague. For i&i Prague, the transaction opens up new opportunities to support other scientific projects. i&i Prague acquired a stake in DIANA Biotechnologies at its inception, reflecting the important role of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB) in the early development of DIANA technology prior to the company’s establishment. However, DIANA Biotechnologies has gradually become a successful biotechnology company that is independently developing a number of other new technologies. It has also made a positive contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic by developing unique PCR assays, significantly increasing the Czech testing capacity. DIANA Biotechnologies is now facing major investments in further development and it made sense for i&i Prague to make its first exit. BTND a. s., a company backed by DIANA Biotechnologies co-founders Václav Navrátil and Martin Dienstbier, together with the Czech investment group BTCZ, is buying the stake from i&i Prague. „In less than four years DIANA Biotechnologies has moved from a spin-off project to a broad-based and independent company. We are now facing heavy investment in building a state-of-the-art scientific facility and in developing projects in drug development and monoclonal antibody development. Our goal is to build an innovative biopharmaceutical company that will work closely with Czech academia. I am pleased that our success will also help other promising scientific projects,“ said Václav Navrátil, co-founder and director of DIANA Biotechnologies. The transaction is also considered a great success by the incubator i&i Prague, where it is the first purchase of a share of the company from their portfolio. “We were honored to be at the birth of this project. It is the first swallow, which completes several years of efforts of our entire team and which also confirms the sense and correctness of our steps and vision. We will use the funds raised through this transaction to support other interesting startups and spin-off companies from the academic sphere in the Czech Republic and Europe,“ explained Jaromír Zahrádka, founder and director of i&i Prague. About i&i Prague The i&i Prague biotech incubator was founded in 2017 and has become part of a unique ecosystem that has formed around the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB). Since its establishment, this incubator has been dedicated to investing in academia and supporting the transition of scientific discoveries into practice. Currently, i&i Prague has in its portfolio the shares of 10 spin-off companies, promising projects from all over Europe or the USA, in which it has invested a total of approximately EUR 3 million. In addition, it has helped these early stage companies to raise another approximately EUR 75 million from investors not only from Europe but from all over the world. About DIANA Biotechnologies The i&i Prague biotech incubator was founded in 2017 and has become part of a unique ecosystem that has formed around the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB). Since its establishment, this incubator has been dedicated to investing in academia and supporting the transition of scientific discoveries into practice. Currently, i&i Prague has in its portfolio the shares of 10 spin-off companies, promising projects from all over Europe or the USA, in which it has invested a total of approximately EUR 3 million. In addition, it has helped these early stage companies to raise another approximately EUR 75 million from investors not only from Europe but from all over the world.

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The Start-up Gives Scientists the Opportunity to Help Shape the Path of Their Discovery Jiří Růžička works as an incubation manager at the biotech incubator i&i Prague, where he focuses on innovations in drug development, diagnostics, and medical technologies. His work centers on analyzing scientific projects from the perspective of their commercial potential and supporting early-stage scientific start-ups and spin-offs. What does he think about the relationship between basic research and the commercialization of scientific discoveries? Why should young scientists consider creating a start-up, and when is the right time to start? What role do incubators play in this process? He answers all of these questions in the following interview… First of all, how would you describe the relationship between basic science and the commercialization of scientific discoveries? It’s a bit like the relationship between your left and right hand. Each hand functions independently, but both are part of the same body. And the better they cooperate, the better off the whole organism is. In other words: without basic science, nothing new or revolutionary would ever emerge, meaning there would be nothing to commercialize. Successful commercialization, in turn, brings much-needed financial resources back into science. Moreover, it often supports basic science with insights that arise from industrial research. One form of commercialization is transforming a scientific project into a company, such as a start-up or spin-off. Why should a scientist become an entrepreneur? If someone starts a company to further develop the results of their scientific work, they gain the ability to help shape the path their discovery takes. I personally find it unique when you can not only announce your findings to the world but also play a role in how they are applied in practice. If successful, you can directly witness how your discoveries improve the quality of life for millions of people around the globe—but we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves. Another motivation is the potential financial reward that comes when the developed technology becomes interesting to big pharmaceutical companies or other industrial partners. However, if that’s the only reason for commercialization, I consider it insufficient. It’s a very long and uncertain path—people say that in this field, one project out of ten survives, and one out of a hundred makes a profit. That’s why you need a stronger motivation than just money. The most important reason young scientists should consider this path, in my opinion, is the invaluable experience they gain from it. Working in a start-up helps everyone on the team grow and develop in a comprehensive way. When we talk to colleagues from Germany, Austria, or other Western European countries, these people are among the most valued in the job market—often even if their project didn’t succeed. I personally find it unique when you can not only announce your findings to the world but also play a role in how they are applied in practice. JIŘÍ RŮŽIČKA Project manager at i&i Prague Is it true that creating a start-up means the end of a scientist's research career? Not true—or better said, it doesn’t have to be. In a well-functioning start-up, the scientist becomes part of a team where each member has their defined role. The CEO manages the overall operations, the CFO handles finances, and the scientific team should continue focusing primarily on the development of the core technology, with research being guided by goals based on specific market needs. When is the right moment for a scientist to start thinking about commercializing their discoveries? At the beginning, of course, you don’t know whether your work will ever have commercial potential. But it’s important to keep in mind that it might—and to understand that your discoveries need to be properly protected through patents. No commercial partner will invest in a technology that anyone can easily copy. So if you have an idea or data that you haven’t published or presented outside your team yet, go talk to your institute's or university’s tech transfer office. They can advise you on the next steps, how to protect the technology, and if you want to go the start-up route—who knows, maybe we’ll meet. You can also reach out to us directly. What role do incubators play in the whole process? I’ll speak on behalf of i&i Prague. Our incubator is ready to help from the moment a purely scientific project begins to take shape as an idea for a start-up or spin-off. In collaboration with inventors and tech transfer offices, we assist in establishing the company itself. Then we help with legal, business, organizational, staffing, and other matters related to launching and growing a new company. A separate part of our support is investment. Our incubator doesn’t just provide scientific and business expertise—we can also help with funding. Thanks to our close collaboration with the investment fund i&i Bio, which we co-founded in 2021, we know what it takes to attract investors. While we don’t promise direct investment, we offer know-how that helps companies understand what they need to do to stand a chance of securing funding. I personally find it unique when you can not only announce your findings to the world but also play a role in how they are applied in practice. JIŘÍ RŮŽIČKA Project manager at i&i Prague In addition to your work at i&i Prague, you’re also involved in the start-up Deep MedChem. Can you tell us more about this project? Deep MedChem was born out of a collaboration between the tech transfer office IOCB Tech, which is part of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, and a company called MAMA AI, which specializes in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Deep MedChem is developing an idea that uses vector-based search of chemical space—a massive database of billions of molecules, from which, for example, large pharmaceutical companies search for potential candidates for the production of new drugs. Our solution works like a kind of ChatGPT that significantly streamlines this process, saving not only time and money, but also drastically shortening the early stages of drug development. Specifically, how did you get involved in the Deep MedChem project? I joined Deep MedChem at the end of 2023 as a representative of i&i Prague during the founding of the company. At that time, the company needed to handle issues unrelated to technology development. It’s important to realize that while the project is developing an amazing technology, that’s only the beginning. We had to create a standard company structure, set up proper accounting, establish supervisory bodies, draft a basic business plan, and prepare for investor negotiations, grant applications, and acquiring the first clients. In short—everything related to launching a company. It’s now been over a year, and as the CBO of the start-up, I’m still learning new things that I want to pass on to others. As a former scientist, I really appreciate that my synapses are definitely not going idle. Thank you for the interview. Author: Martin Kovalčík

Notes from a trip to “The most startup friendly country in the world” At the end of April, Karel Kubias (one of the partners of i&i Biotech Fund) and Jiří Moos (CEO of i&i Prague) attended an event in Riga, Latvia, called Roche Latvia Innovations Day. Here you can read their blog where they describe their impressions from the event and, more importantly, provide further evidence that the Baltic States can serve as inspiration for the Czech Republic. At least in terms of technology transfer… At the end of April 2022, the Latvian representative office of the global pharmaceutical company, Roche, invited us as guests of the “Roche Latvia Innovations Incubator Day”. We gladly accepted the invitation as supporting and building technology transfer is in i&i Prague and i&i Biotech’s genes. It is commendable and positive (but not surprising) that Roche has decided to establish incubators in different territories to financially support primary research results and create an environment where innovative ideas can grow and mature. In Latvia, moreover, this initiative is closely aligned with significant state support. Developing the knowledge economy During the one-day event, two representatives of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (www.liaa.gov.lv ) spoke, among others, about how the Agency supports innovation and technology transfer, increases Latvia’s attractiveness for foreign investors and, last but not least, introduced us to its support programs for startups. Additionally, we learned that: in 2021 Latvia had over 400 startups from different sectors (from Fintech to Medtech and Healthtech to Biotech); the entire country (almost one-fifth smaller than the Czech Republic in size) is divided into 11 regional incubators, each of which provides startups with pre-incubation and incubation programs. Latvia has a “Startup Law”, designed to support startups, which allows them to receive co-funding from the state for qualified staff as well as tax benefits. However, the agency not only supports startups, but also the activities of entrepreneurs looking to develop new products or technologies in the form of Innovation Vouchers of up to €25,000. If you are interested in transferring your activities from abroad to Latvia and establishing a startup there, the Agency will arrange a visa for you. Thanks to all this, the Baltic country has been named “the most startup friendly country in the world” by Index Ventures. At times, we felt like we were at a conference in Germany or Austria, where the state also strongly supports technology transfer and startups in general. But Latvia? The targeted efforts to promote technology transfer here have a quite prosaic reason, this country does not have a strong industrial base, so they are focusing on promoting technology transfer in order to create favorable conditions for the development of the knowledge economy in Latvia. The meeting in Riga ‘one of the most exceptional’ As part of our contribution “What does your start-up need to be ready for investors?”, we shared our experience of the process of evaluating and supporting startups before i&i Biotech Fund decides to invest. We were delighted with the feedback from the audience who found our experience beneficial and did not hesitate to contact us with questions after the program. The full morning program can be viewed here. In the second part of the program, we were then introduced to the presentations of seven startups. Each of them received feedback from us and also recommendations for next steps. We continue to stay in contact with two of the teams and are considering investment in the future. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Roche team for the excellent organization of the meeting. In our professional lives we have made dozens, if not hundreds of business trips, and only a few have stuck in our minds for their uniqueness. We dare to say that this visit to Riga will be one of those exceptional experiences. And we must also admit that we were pleasantly surprised by the level of support the Latvian government is dedicating to technology transfer. Our country can take inspiration from Latvia in this respect. Jiří Moos, i&i Prague (Executive Director) Karel Kubias, i&i Biotech Fund (Partner) THE CZECH VERSION OF THE BLOG CAN BE FOUND HERE . Contact: Martin Kovalčík, kovalcik@inibio.eu , +420 777 472 863

The Prague.bio Conference 2024 welcomed 300 participants from all over the world The second edition of Prague.bio Conference (i&i Prague is a co-organiser of this event), held on this occasion, brought together global experts on technology transfer and the creation of biotech startups, awarded the best startup presentations and introduced the upcoming educational academy for future spin-off managers. What was accomplished during the year? · The Prague.bio Conference this September welcomed 300 participants from all over the world · The number of members of the organization doubled to 12 · Major players from the pharmaceutical business joined the association - Bristol Myers Squibb and Zentiva · A training academy for future founders and managers of spin-off and start-up companies is in the pipeline for Q1 2025 Prague, 24 September 2024: At the Prague.bio Conference 2024, the professional biotechnology association Prague.bio celebrated its 1-year anniversary. The conference, which took place on 24 September in Prague's Slovansky dum, welcomed 300 visitors from scientists, biotechnology experts and innovators from all over the world. The interest that the event had already registered last year was confirmed and even increased. Biotechnology, as one of the key technologies of the future, has its place and room for further development in the Czech Republic. This year's event focused more on technology transfer to university spin-offs and building successful startups or partnerships between industry and academia, areas that offer considerable potential for better exploitation. "There was a lot of interest in this year's Prague.bio Conference, so logically we see potential for further growth. In addition to the possible expansion of the conference, we are also going to launch an educational programme in the first half of 2025, which will focus on future founders and managers of spin-off companies from Czech research institutes. We therefore want to further develop the topic, which was also covered in detail at this year's conference," says Petra Kinzlová, Director of Prague.bio. The lectures of two experts on the transfer of intellectual property and the startup environment attracted a lot of attention this year. The conference was opened by Christian A. Stein, CEO of Ascenion GmbH, one of the largest technology transfer institutions in Germany, and founder of a several successful biotechnology companies. He spoke about the different models of IP licensing to start-ups from universities and research institutions, giving examples of models from the UK, the US and Israel, and a specific case study of Cardior, a spin-off of the Hannover Medical School, which was acquired this year by Novo Nordisk for €1.025 billion. Another speaker was Silicon Valley expert Petr Jansa, Executive Director for Medicinal Chemistry at Biomea Fusion (a publicly traded biotech company) and co-founder of other innovative start-ups. His expertise builds on his collaboration with Professor Antonín Holý and the development of new drugs at Gilead Sciences. His presentation summarized the sources of innovation that are currently driving the world of biotechnology in Silicon Valley. The conference also offered a showcase of 12 biotech startups from the CEE region. The expert jury then selected the 3 best presentations. The 1st place went to the Polish company nCage Therapeutics, which is developing technology for the creation of new types of vaccines. The jury selected the presentation of the Czech startup LAM-X as the 2nd best, in which they presented its antimicrobial nanotextile for wound dressings, significantly reducing the risk of infection. The third place was awarded to the Czech project ChemCell from the IOCB (Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry), whose team is developing cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. "Biotechnology is one of the key areas that can make a major contribution to our future, not only in health, but also in strengthening the competitiveness of our economy. Fostering technology transfer between research institutions and industry is essential if we are to translate cutting-edge scientific discoveries into innovative solutions that can succeed in the marketplace more quickly and efficiently. That's why I am glad that the Prague.bio Conference is of such interest and that in addition to the results of large research institutions or companies, innovative startup companies are also presenting here. I believe that the Czech Republic has great potential in this area," said Marek Ženíšek, Minister for Science, Research and Innovation. The conference was held under the auspices of the City of Prague and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the general partner was the global biopharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb, which is now also a member of the Prague.bio association, and presented its vision of healthcare in the future. "We are pleased to support the Prague.bio 2024 Conference, which gives us the opportunity to get to know innovative ideas from Czech scientific institutions, as well as promising startups from the Central European region. At the conference, we also presented one of our visions of digital health, which combines digital technologies with diagnostic methods and has the potential to change clinical practice and ensure the best possible outcomes for every patient in the future," said Karin Bacmaňáková, CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, Czech Republic. Prague.bio Prague.bio was founded in August 2023 with the aim of developing the biotechnology segment in the wider Prague region. The association connects important actors in the public, private and academic spheres and promotes the region as a biotechnology hub on the map of Europe. Members of Prague.bio are the Institute of Biotechnology of the CAS, Bristol Myers Squibb, dubanska & co., i&i Prague, Kapaji, MCB Lab, Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS, University of Chemical Technology in Prague, Wolf Theiss and Zentiva. Media contact: Kristina Svobodová Marketing manager Prague.bio +420 725 935 900 svobodova@prague.bio

Licensing agreement for a novel SARS Cov-2 virus neutralization antibody test was signed We are very happy to inform you that i&i Prague has participated on a development of novel in vitro diagnostics test measuring virus neutralization antibodies against SARS Cov-2 in human blood. The project was successfully completed and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (IOCB) and the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT) have signed an exclusive license agreement with the company Immunotech, the Prague based subsidiary of Beckman Coulter. Read more information on IOCB webpage. 12 mouse monoclonal antibody clones against different domains of SARS Cov-2 Spike protein were generated in this project and are available for research or other use. For more information about the new test and the available antibody clones, contact: Dr. Jiří Moos moos@iniprague.com

David Stíbal: We believe a startup is one of the best paths nowadays to develop interesting technologies beyond the academic level How complex is the path to a new drug? Why do licenses for Czech drugs end up abroad? What are the most common issues currently faced by biotech startups? David Stíbal, Vice Director of the biotech incubator and venture builder i&i Prague, s.r.o., reflects on these and other questions related to the commercialization of scientific discoveries. How complex is the path to a new drug today? The path to a new drug is very complex and risky, and in some respects, this is even more true today than it was in the past. For example, if we were to calculate the current cost of developing a new drug from initial trials to the final "pill", statistics show it would approach one billion dollars. This figure includes also the costs of all unsuccessful candidates within the development program, preclinical and clinical experiments, production, marketing, and much more. Pharmaceutical companies then need to recoup this investment from the sales of the drugs that make it all the way to market. What drugs are in the highest demand today? According to the list of the most successful drugs (known as "blockbusters," i.e., drugs that generate at least one billion USD annually) for 2023, the most sought-after drugs are GLP-1 agonists, such as anti-obesity drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro, etc.), cancer-fighting antibodies (e.g., Keytruda from MSD), immunologic drugs (Humira, Stelara, etc.), or HIV medication, incidentally the one developed by Professor Holý’s team at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in the late 20th century (Tenofovir alafenamide, marketed by Gilead Sciences). Many licenses for Czech drugs are sold abroad. Is there any way to change that? Licenses are typically sold at an early development stage to larger companies that have the capacity to bring such programs through advanced clinical trials and to market. In our field, this is usually the domain of major pharmaceutical companies capable of bearing the high costs mentioned earlier. The idea of having a drug, invented and developed in the Czech Republic, also manufactured here is certainly appealing. However, until a major pharmaceutical company transfers its R&D or manufacturing facility to the Czech Republic, or until a mid- to large-sized pharmaceutical company emerges here, this scenario is hard to imagine. You support startups focused on developing new drugs or diagnostic methods. Are there any positive trends in this segment in the Czech Republic? Through our work, we see a positive trend, especially in the growing number of startups and the willingness of scientists and university employees to discuss commercialization and consider developing their inventions beyond scientific publications or patents. We’re delighted by this, as we believe a startup is one of the best paths nowadays to develop interesting technologies beyond the academic level. However, it's also worth noting that the startup mentality in the Czech Republic, particularly in our field, is not yet as developed as it is in more advanced countries. What are the biggest challenges these startups face today? The biggest issue, globally, is the current lack of investment capital and, more specifically, the scarcity of investors willing to support new, high-risk projects. This is especially true when compared to the “COVID years” of 2019-2021, when funds were released more readily, with investors supporting projects that could, among other things, respond immediately to the crisis. The situation is different now: investors are more cautious about where they allocate their funds, partly because they are reserving capital to support their existing portfolio companies. A startup may be a suitable path, where scientists and managers can work together to further develop the technology until it is relevant for direct licensing to a larger firm. DAVID STÍBAL VICE DIRECTOR AT i&i PRAGUE What did you think of this year’s Prague.bio Conference? I consider the event a great success. It’s impressive how the Prague.bio association managed to organize a high-quality conference with such a small team. Similar events are held fairly regularly across Europe, some of which i&i Prague likes to attend. However, there are relatively few conferences focused on such early-stage technologies, as was the case with Prague.bio. We were also pleased with the scientifically oriented program and high attendance, which shows that such an event is needed in the Czech Republic and is appreciated by both academic and industry players. Are there any new figures in today’s biomedicine who might follow in Professor Holý's footsteps? Repeating such an achievement will be challenging but not impossible. To make it happen, however, we need to build a more robust infrastructure that can help scientists navigate the very complex process of bringing their ideas to fruition. Our incubator aims to be one of the pieces that form this mosaic. What is the best way to commercialize the results of science and research? The answer to this question depends on how advanced the result is and how well it aligns with the current market needs. If it is possible to directly connect with a larger company and license the result to them, this is a relatively fast way to transfer the technology into practice. If that’s not possible, a startup may be a suitable path, where scientists and managers can work together to further develop the technology until it is relevant for direct licensing to a larger firm. Alternatively, developing the technology all the way to market can also be considered, although this is more of an exception in our field. David Stíbal is the Managing Director of the biotech incubator i&i Prague. He evaluates the business potential of scientific projects, establishes and initially manages startups, and works on the long-term development of projects all the way to their successful commercialization. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, earned a Ph.D. from the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, and conducted postdoctoral research at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Czech version of the interview was published in Ekonomický magazín . Author: Martin Kovalčík

i&i Prague and other Prague.bio members participate in a business mission with Czech president in Switzerland Prague, November 7, 2024 – Key representatives from Prague.bio, (incl. i&i Prague) and other leading members of the Czech biotech community, participated in a high-profile business mission in Switzerland, which accompanied the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, on his state visit. Organized by the Czech Chamber of Commerce, this mission aimed to deepen commercial and research partnerships between the Czech Republic and Switzerland, particularly in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and innovation. Switzerland, recognized globally for its leadership in biotech and pharmaceuticals, is an ideal partner for the Czech Republic’s rapidly growing biotech ecosystem. Over the three-day mission, the delegation visited Zurich, Basel, and Bern, where they engaged in forums, expert meetings, and institutional visits that highlight the mutual commitment to advancing science and technology. In Zurich, the Czech delegation took part in a prestigious business forum at ETH Zurich, one of the world’s foremost technical universities. The event was inaugurated by President Petr Pavel and Swiss Confederation President Viola Amherd, featuring speakers such as Ruth Metzler-Arnold, President of Switzerland Global Enterprise, and Christoph Mäder, President of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce. The discussions focused on opportunities for collaboration between Czech and Swiss biotech companies, positioning Prague as an emerging biotech hub in Europe. The mission continued in Basel, where delegates were touring the Biozentrum at the University of Basel, a center known for groundbreaking research in molecular biology and biotechnology. Global pharmaceutical giant Roche was also hosting the delegation for an exclusive visit, offering insights into cutting-edge research in biotech and pharmaceuticals. The agenda included a roundtable discussion on funding opportunities for biotech and life sciences, a key area of growth for both Switzerland and the Czech Republic. "Switzerland represents an extraordinary opportunity for Prague.bio to connect with one of the most innovative biotech ecosystems in the world," says Petra Kinzlová, CEO of Prague.bio. "This mission was not just about strengthening commercial ties; it was about fostering collaborations that can drive scientific progress and bolster the international competitiveness of Czech biotech. By connecting with top Swiss institutions and industry leaders, we were opening doors for new ideas, partnerships, and growth." Contact for media: Martin Kovalčík, kovalcik@iniprague.com +420 777 472 863

Enantis, a Masaryk University spin-off company, concluded a license agreement for the production of stabilised growth factor FGF2. After months of negotiations, we are delighted to announce that Enantis, one of i&i Prague´s first supported start-ups, has entered into a global license agreement with one of the top providers of life science solutions with ther innovative FGF2-STAB® molecule and its use in research and cell therapy market. “Having a licensing deal with a company from Fortune magazine’s yearly list of 500 largest US companies is a significant milestone for us,” says Roman Badik, CEO of Enantis. Under the terms of agreement, Enantis along with Masaryk University have granted worldwide royalty-bearing license to manufacture FGF2-STAB® and develop new products containing this patented molecule. More details including the name of the licensee cannot be disclosed as per the terms of the license. Enantis, Masaryk University’s first biotechnology spin-off company, has recently concluded a license agreement with a leading global distributor of materials for science and research. This will enable to increase the production of FGF2-STAB, a patented fibroblast growth factor, making it available to laboratories all over the world. Revenues from sales will also go to MU. Growth factors are among the most important biomolecules in living cells. The synthesis and degradation of growth factors at the various stages of cell division and differentiation enable living organisms to develop and grow properly. Fibroblast growth factor 2 is among key molecules in cell cultivation media used to grow embryonic stem cells, which have broad applications in biomedical research and clinical practice. Fibroblast growth factors are proteins supporting cell growth and division. Petr Dvořák and Pavel Krejčí from the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Medicine were among the first to work with these factors, focusing on FGF2. They discovered and characterised some of its properties, but more importantly, they managed to stabilise the factor using protein engineering. This means they modified it to remain functional for over twenty days at temperatures of around 37 degrees Celsius, which is critical for biological applications. Leveraging their close co-operation with the teams at Loschmidt Laboratories, RECETOX, and the Department of Experimental Biology at the Faculty of Science, they agreed to test the newly developed FireProt stabilisation platform on these biomedically interesting but unstable molecules. “FireProt is a computational system that enables us to search for suitable modifications of molecules to make them useful in practice. FGF2 was the first system with applications in biomedicine on which we successfully used our platform,” said Jiří Damborský, describing the steps towards the recent success. Modifications of FGF2 through protein engineering took three years and focused on the protein’s thermodynamic stability. “We gradually substituted certain amino acids in its structure for different ones, or in other words we deliberately created point mutations. This process strengthened the interactions between the amino acids, thus improving the overall robustness of the protein. The design of the mutations and their construction was quite fast, but then came a long period where we had to test their influence on the FGF2’s biological activity. We were very careful not to damage the protein, so we always tested only a single variant out of thousands of candidates,” added David Bednář, one of the creators of the FireProt platform. Stabilised FGF2 can be used by scientists in their work with stem cells because it stimulates cell division and can be used in cell therapies, treatment of slow-healing wounds such as burns and in the treatment of diabetes. The molecule is protected by a patent that is jointly owned by MU and Enantis. The product named FGF2-STAB secured a European patent and patent proceedings in other countries are pending. Enantis is responsible for the commercial applications of the molecule. After a year of negotiations, the company managed to conclude a license agreement with a US company which will manufacture and further develop the application possibilities of the growth factor. “The negotiation was not easy, but we’re happy that such an important global company decided to license our technology and satisfy the growing demand for our product,” said Roman Badík, CEO of Enantis. While the name of the global company and other details of the license agreement have not been made public, it represents a breakthrough in the history of Masaryk University. “Each year, MU enters into dozens of licensing agreements for the intellectual property developed at the university. However, in terms of future benefits, this may be one of the most important contracts signed so far,” said Radoslav Trautmann, head of MU’s Technology Transfer Division, adding that it marks a milestone in biotechnology not only for the South Moravian Region, but the Czech Republic as a whole.

< Back Martin Kovalčík Communications For almost 13 years, Martin worked as a media coordinator for the respected Czech non-profit organization, People in Need, where he was responsible for the media service for a team of 300 people. Also, he has experience working in several editorial offices. He left his most significant mark at the Metro newspaper, where he worked for over 5 years, the last two as the deputy editor-in-chief.