Elsevier launches pharma and biotech startup hub, The Hive

Specialising in science and health, information analytics company Elsevier has recently launched its nominations for The Hive, which has become an essential innovation hub for biotech and pharmaceutical start-ups in the US.

Elsevier’s R&D Solutions are utilized everyday across the life science industry to enable research and accelerate confident decision making in drug discovery and development, and helps institutions and professionals progress science, advance healthcare and improve performance. The company provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education.

This year, approximately eight start-ups have been working on implementing ideas which will be chosen to become part of The Hive, which has incorporated an unlimited number of places for candidates which show increased promise in these areas.

If successful, The Hive’s start-ups will receive complimentary access to Elsevier’s suite of digital solutions for 18 months, which will no doubt support the advancement of critical research and improve productivity.

Initially launched in 2016, The Hive displays significant innovation in the start-up biotech and pharma sector; as well as demonstrate to larger companies and other areas of the research community, how research and development (R&D) challenges can be overcome.  

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Tamas Szarvas, CMO, Corporate R&D, Elsevier’s R&D Solutions explained: “We created The Hive to highlight the trend in the industry which has seen biotech and pharma start-ups become centers of cutting-edge science. This trend is continuing in 2017 – many of the most promising drug candidates and discoveries in R&D pipelines originate from these early stage companies.

The Hive will continue to highlight the fresh, innovative and agile world of R&D that is taking place within start-ups. Additionally, we know that the industry is always looking to learn from these innovation powerhouses, and The Hive offers a far-reaching platform for sharing success stories.”

At present, the healthcare sector is facing a number of complex challenges; from implementing new healthcare systems, overcoming antibiotic resistance in the absence of new drugs, to reducing the chance of unanticipated adverse events, and also being able to deliver on the promise of precision medicine. For health to ensure it delivers a meaningful and objective impact, this access to latest data, analytics and technologies to support R&D professionals, remains essential.

For start-ups that will be joining The Hive, Elsevier’s R&D Solutions will therefore support them to deliver rapid scientific breakthroughs, and improve the lives of patients.

Claudia A. McDonald Bøen, Ph.D., CEO of 2016 participant in The Hive, Arctic Pharma AS commented: “Elsevier’s solutions contain extensive and detailed information on chemical compounds/structures, visualization of disease mechanisms, metabolomics data, and predictions on drug-drug interactions – all of which are important to further develop our cancer therapies.”