Europe’s centre for biomaterials

Göteborg boasts one of Europe’s finest clusters for life sciences and biomedicine. As the site of numerous breakthroughs in R&D within medicine, the city is also a leading cluster in biomaterials and cell therapy. Its key strength lies in the combination of high-calibre academic research capabilities and a well-established industrial base.

The city of Göteborg, Sweden, has an excellent record of achievements within the biomedical field, which is based on a strong research tradition. Among its pioneers are professor Arvid Carlsson, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2000 for his research in dopamine, and professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark, who introduced osseointegration as a method for attaching prostheses directly into bone.

Biomaterials research at the University of Gothenburg and at Chalmers University of Technology has resulted in over 150 PhD dissertations. Two of these are by noted professors Tomas Albrektsson and Peter Thomsen. Albrektsson was instrumental in the development of the first bone-anchored dental implant system and the first bone-anchored hearing aid implant system. Thomsen focuses on the interface between material surfaces and cells using modern methods in cell and molecular biology.

Dental implants are today an accepted treatment for patients with missing teeth, and more than eight million people have so far received dental implants. The procedures are taught to dental professionals at most universities around the world and the global dental implant market is valued at over €12 billion annually - and is still growing. This is enabled by the revolutionary research done by professors Brånemark and Albrektsson and their co-workers.

Materials specialities
New materials, the modification of materials and characterisation of materials are other Göteborg specialities. Professor of polymer technology Per Flodin of Chalmers and co-workers developed the slowly biodegradable polyurethane-urea, a material later manufactured by Artimplant for orthopaedic and dental applications. Today, Artimplant is a public company located in Göteborg, and offers degradable implants for the regeneration of body functions.

Another leading researcher is professor Bengt Kasemo of Chalmers, whose work focuses on nanoscale surface phenomena and properties. Kasemo and co-workers developed a unique method for surface analysis – QCM-D Technology, which is today marketed and sold to the biomaterial community by another Göteborg-based company Q-Sense. Since 1999, when the first commercial system for measurements in liquid was launched, Q-Sense has become the leading supplier of acoustic resonator-based instruments for analysis of various surfaces.

Professors Paul Gatenholm of Chalmers and Bo Risberg of the University of Gothenburg are prominently involved in the Göteborg biomaterial arena. Gatenholm focuses on biopolymer technology while Risberg is dedicated to tissue engineered blood vessels. Arterion is a company that originates from this research. It commercialises artificial blood vessels consisting of microbially derived cellulose for revascularisation of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Stem-cell technology is another thriving research area and one third of the world’s stem-cell lines are from Sweden, the majority from Göteborg. The Göteborg-based company Cellartis has developed over 30 well-documented stem cell lines and is today one of the world’s largest stem cell providers.

Another Göteborg strength is its clinical trials, thanks to its clinical research capabilities, outstanding international networks and university-affiliated CROs, such as A+Science.

Life sciences
There are around 170 companies and over 8,000 employees in life science companies within the Göteborg region. One major employer is AstraZeneca, which has a large research site and global headquarters for cardiovascular and gastro-intestinal research in the adjoining town of Mölndal.

The biomaterial/cell therapy cluster includes leading companies Nobel Biocare and Astra Tech, which specialise in dental implants; Anatomica, Artimplant, Astra Tech, Gore and Integrum, which focus on polymers for implantable prosthesis; Mölnlycke Health Care Group, Astra Tech, Appeartex and Biopolymer Products, which specialise
in wound care and incontinence applications.

Company profile

Business Region Göteborg AB is a non-profit company that works to strengthen and develop trade and industry in the Göteborg region.

The goal is to contribute to strong growth, a high level of employment and diversity in trade and industry in the region. For more information, visit:
www.businessregiongoteborg.com.