BOSTON (PRWEB) April 16, 2021
The Termeer Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting life science innovators and catalyzing the creation of new medicines, today announced the recipients of the inaugural 2021 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award. The awardees will be recognized during a presentation at the Innovation for Health conference taking place April 15-16, 2021 in the Netherlands.
The 2021 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award honorees are: Eline van Beest, CEO, Hybridize Therapeutics; and Joshua Cohen and Justin Klee, co-Founders and co-CEOs of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals. Information about the 2021 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award winners can be found here.
“The Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award winners represent the highest caliber of entrepreneurial life science leaders currently working to advance the global biosectors in Massachusetts and the Netherlands,” said Belinda Termeer. “Josh, Justin and Eline have shown from the outset of their careers that they have the vision and leadership capabilities to address the ongoing needs of the biotechnology industry as this vital business area continues to respond to global health needs. The Foundation is proud to recognize these three life science leaders with this honor.”
The Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award began as part of an agreement in July 2019, between the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, which created and signed a Memorandum of Understanding laying the basis for a Massachusetts – Netherlands Transatlantic Life Sciences Partnership. The signatories included Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (Health-Holland), MassBio, HollandBIO and the Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee; all of whom agreed to provide support and organize activities to promote trans-Atlantic collaboration between the two biotechnology ecosystems.
“When the Termeer Foundation created the Transatlantic Connections Award it was with the goal of celebrating those emerging life science leaders who represent the drive and innovative thinking necessary to create transformative discoveries in science and medicine. It was also to underscore the idea of the life sciences industry as a global entity driven by collaborations across borders,” said Hans Schikan, board member of Health-Holland and a member of the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award Steering Committee. "We are proud to announce this year's recipients of the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award and look forward to following their career and future accomplishments.”
Beginning with the 2021 Award, the Termeer Foundation and Health-Holland will select two emerging life science entrepreneurs, one in Massachusetts and one in the Netherlands, who are leading innovative biomedical research activities, and whose programs have the potential to strengthen transatlantic relations between the two life science regions. Each year, candidates will be selected based on their initial entrepreneurial success in establishing a life science company that meets certain scientific and financial criteria, exhibit a strong interest in mentoring other young entrepreneurs, and a willingness for additional involvement in Termeer Foundation programs. Awardees also receive Fellowship status within The Termeer Foundation, which includes access to experienced healthcare mentors, networking with fellow peer entrepreneurs, and recognition at the annual Termeer Fellows Celebration. Recipients are invited to spend a week visiting their fellow awardee’s company, and to participate in additional learning, networking and cultural events in that location.
“When we founded Amylyx more than 8 years ago, we knew we had an opportunity to help improve the lives of people affected by neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Alzheimer’s,” said Justin Klee, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Amylyx. “It was Henri Termeer who told us that when you have positive data in people, it’s no longer an opportunity, but a responsibility. We’re honored to push forward with that responsibility as a global representative of the Termeer Foundation and the values Henri stood for.”
“We’re thrilled to be chosen as honorees for the 2021 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award, particularly as we reflect on the incredible impact the late Henri Termeer made at the foundational stages of our company,” said Joshua Cohen, Co-CEO, Chairman and Co-Founder of Amylyx. “Our team of industry veterans continues to grow, and we know that our connections to the wonderful team at the Termeer Foundation will further propel us as we aim to launch global products for patients who need better treatment options.”
The Greater Boston and Netherlands biotechnology sectors represent two of the world’s prolific global biomedical research centers. Boston and Cambridge is home to approximately 1,400 biotechnology companies; ranging from small, emerging start-ups to larger, more established biopharmaceutical companies. Cambridge’s Kendall Square is the heart of this sector and holds a large concentration of life science companies, with over 120 located within the Square’s small footprint. The highly collaborative Dutch Life Sciences & Health community includes 3,100 R&D life sciences companies, 420 biopharmaceutical companies, 65,000 employees in pharmaceuticals and a 4.7-billion-euro medtech market. Life Sciences businesses in the Netherlands profit from countless opportunities for growth and collaboration.
“The Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award creates a strong link with the Massachusetts biotech ecosystem, which tremendously increases the chances and opportunities for all kind of collaborations,” said Eline van Beest, CEO, Hybridize therapeutics. “I’m very impressed by the Termeer Foundation and eager to listen and learn from their stories, feedback and advice and hope that I will be able to implement and embed their insights.”
About the Termeer Foundation
Building on the bold legacy of Henri Termeer, who pioneered groundbreaking treatments for rare diseases, The Termeer Foundation connects life science innovators and catalyzes the creation of new medicines. The Foundation’s network of emerging and established healthcare innovators cultivates tomorrow’s leaders and leverages their collective expertise to solve complex problems in drug development and accessibility. The Foundation also integrates its network with academic institutions, nonprofits, regulatory agencies and other organizations across the global healthcare ecosystem to provide expert counsel, stimulate innovation, eliminate barriers to progress, and ultimately connect the world of healthcare until every patient has a cure. Visit us at http://www.termeerfoundation.org or on LinkedIn @TermeerFoundation.
Contact:
Paul Kidwell
Termeer Foundation
617-680-1088
paulkidwell@comcast.net