ARTE

The ARTE project’s challenge has been to transform the program area into a reference point for the European ecosystem for innovative therapies and regenerative medicine (which, with a global market of € 20 billion and a CAGR growth of 36%, is a priority of the EU Commission), by rendering this innovative territory attractive for investments in smart health, as one of the key S3 sectors.

ARTE INTERREG Italy-Slovenia V-A has been a precursor project aligned to the new Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe. It has primed a durable change in the area's competitiveness, creating a notable HUB in the fast-growing European and global ecosystem of advanced cell therapies, benefiting patients, research, companies, employees, and the economy in general.

Ecosystem-building methodology

The Business Ecosystem model has been pursued to involve and support technology companies that have global market potential, putting in place new forms of “collaborative business models” for continuous innovation. This implies above all a business-oriented, open-minded, and dynamic approach, and the capability to activate SME networks in Slovenia, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Italy, as well as globally. Other implemented methodologies include: Open Innovation, Product Platforming, and Tech Risk Array.

By improving cross border cooperation among Hospital structures, R&D Centers, Universities, SMEs, and Technology Parks, ARTE has had the following development objectives:

• achieve high competitiveness in the field of regenerative medicine,
• attract Investment and financial resources,
• prime SME Growth,
• generate new employment.

FOCUS: ARTE's focus has been Osteoarthritis, a disabling disease affecting over 10% of the adult population and 50% of people over 60. By building upon the achievements of the previous EU Horizon projects, the Partners worked together to make regenerative medicine for musculoskeletal diseases become affordable.

Breakthrough innovations in cell manufacturing developed around the NANT XL system.

Improving Cell Product Manufacturing is central to improve the affordability of new therapies, letting more patients benefit from new solutions. VivaBioCell’s automated bioreactors (“GMP-in-a-Box”) contribute to improving the cost and scalability of manufacturing.

ARTE contributed to developing the next generation family of bioreactors that will embed innovations from several SME suppliers. New solutions include the development of a new software suite to scale production and new optical sensors.

Notably, ARTE has helped EDUCELL d.o.o., a manufacturer of cell therapy products, to gain expertise with “GMP in a Box” tools. This new competence has enabled the Slovenian SME to conclude new very promising international agreements and obtain funding for new investments.

THE VISION OF WORKING AHEAD, TOGETHER

Strong cooperation is essential to bring ground-breaking therapies to patients and create entrepreneurial and employment growth. Implementing the concerted approach outlined in Figure 1 may become the core experiment of a new “Slovenia-Italia Collaborative Advanced Therapies Hub," which would have significant European value as a test-bed for new initiatives in the high-tech sector of Regenerative Medicine. The Hub would encompass various Stakeholders and address both Lead Demand (e.g., public Hospitals and administrations), Innovative Offer (products, services, intellectual property, clinical research), and have an EU/international reach.