Innovation environments for more accurate solutions in health

Within the innovation environments, companies, healthcare providers, universities, civil society and patients will work together for more accurate solutions in the entire health area, both in prevention and promotion as well as in diagnostics and treatment.

- Sweden and the world are facing important and complex health challenges. At the same time, new technology and digitalisation create great opportunities for increased health and well-being. With this investment, we want to mobilize for innovation that enables more people to live a life in health and enable preventive, accurate and equal efforts, says Darja Isaksson, director general of Vinnova.

The innovation environments contribute to the realization of Sweden's life science strategy and strengthen Sweden's position as an innovation country.

- The life science sector is one of our most important industries and precision health will become more and more important for healthcare and industry. Through today's announcement and the funding of Genomic Medicine Sweden that was announced recently, Sweden strengthens its position in precision medicine and creates better conditions for the business community to contribute to research and innovation. This is an important step in realizing the life science strategy and consolidating Sweden's position as a leading innovation country, says Minister of Trade and Industry Ibrahim Baylan.

In total, this is an effort from Vinnova of SEK 323 million. The innovation environments receive grants of up to SEK 8 million per year for either 2.5 or 5 years.

Accurate diagnostics and treatment

In today's healthcare, treatments developed for broad patient groups are often used, which is not always effective. Thanks to research and new technology, there are new methods that make it possible to make more accurate diagnoses and tailor treatment based on the individual's conditions.

The following innovation funding receive funding to make diagnostics and treatment more accurate.

GeneNova (5 years)
More efficient production of gene therapy for individualized treatment. KTH is the coordinator for the innovation environment, which includes several universities and companies.

IndiCell (5 years)
Implementation of clinical workflows for individualized stem cell therapy. Lund University is the coordinator for the innovation environment, which includes several universities, regions and companies.

Test Bed Sweden for Clinical Trials and Implementation of Precision Health in Cancer Care (5 years)
Test bed for clinical trials that facilitate the introduction of more effective prevention and treatment in cancer care. The Research Institute SIR at the Stockholm School of Economics is the coordinator for the innovation environment with participating authorities, regions, companies and patient organizations.

Accurate solutions with digitalisation and AI

New technologies and digitalisation revolutionizing diagnostics, treatment and prevention. By making data available and analyzing it, we can build knowledge about how individual conditions affect our health. Sweden has good access to data from extensive registers, biobanks and medical record systems. There are great opportunities to create more accurate solutions and give more people a longer life in health if we think new.

The following innovation funding receive funding for them to develop solutions with the help of digitalisation and AI.

ASSET (5 years)
Use of AI to identify individuals at risk of developing type 1 diabetes and enable prevention and early treatment. Diamyd Medical AB is the coordinator for the innovation environment with participating regions, universities and companies.

Incubator for national platforms for systematic clinical validation of AI in imaging (2.5 years)
Environment for clinical validation of commercially available AI software in imaging. Linköping University is the coordinator for the innovation environment, which includes several universities, regions, a patient organization and a company.

Swedish AI Precision Pathology (2.5 years)
Nya AI-baserade diagnostic solutions based on image analysis in pathology. Karolinska Institutet is the coordinator for the innovation environment, which includes several regions and companies as well as a patient organization.

(Swedish AI Precision Pathology and Test Bed Sweden for Clinical Trials and Implementation of Precision Health in Cancer Care are funded in part through the strategic innovation program Swelife, a joint effort of Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency and Formas.)

Preventive measures that make a difference

Today, there are great opportunities to give more people a longer life in health while we save money and resources by strengthening coordination and working more preventively. It is not just about medical interventions, but also adapting our lifestyle and our environment.

The following innovation funding receive funding from Vinnova to develop innovative preventive measures.

PLATINEA 2.0 (5 years)
Individualized use of antibiotics to prevent antibiotic resistance. Uppsala University is the coordinator for the innovation environment where several universities / institutes, regions, companies and industry organizations are included.

PREDEM (5 years)
Precision diagnostics and treatment in dementia and other cognitive disorders. Karolinska Institutet is the coordinator for the innovation environment with participating regions, companies and interest groups.

Prevention and early therapy of rheumatoid arthritis using precision medicine (2.5 years)
Better detection, preventive measures and treatment for people who have or are at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Karolinska Institutet is the coordinator for the innovation environment, which includes another university, a region and several companies.

Improved preparedness for future pandemics and other health crises through large-scale disease surveillance (2.5 years)
New tools for future preparedness for pandemics, disease outbreaks and other health crises. Lund University is the coordinator for the innovation environment, which includes several universities, companies and one region.

Precision Nutrition Arena (2.5 years)
Adaptation of diet and nutritional intake based on individual differences in digestive systems.

Örebro University is the coordinator for the innovation environment, which includes several universities, companies and one region.