The European Metropolitan Region of Munich (EMM) is one of the outstanding locations for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in Germany. This is the result of the update of an industry study presented by the Department of Labor and Economic Affairs and the biotech cluster management organization BioM at a press conference on October 21, 2021.
The innovative industry makes a significant contribution to the economic performance of the region. The study Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry in the European Metropolitan Region of Munich (EMM) counted 373 companies employing 33,400 people in the EMM in 2020. 21% of Germany's biotechnology companies are based in the EMM, and 25% of national clinical trials take place here.
Growth in drug candidates
The success of the industry can also be seen in the positive development of the companies' product pipelines: There are currently 126 drug candidates for drug and diagnostics development in the clinical phase, which shows a significant increase compared to 2013, the year the last study was published, when there were 49 candidates. Thirty-five projects alone are already in clinical phase III. At the same time, the number of drugs approved by small and medium-sized companies has doubled from six to twelve since 2013.
Pandemic reveals strengths of the industry
During the coronavirus pandemic, the industry in general has experienced a new and increased attention from society and politics, also associated with high financial support programs. The acute threat to the health of the world's population has prompted many healthcare players to collaborate and pool expertise and resources. While biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry contributed a large number of development candidates for drugs and vaccines, research institutions made data freely available and the state quickly invested capital, the responsible authorities managed to process applications for approval in record time.
Clemens Baumgärtner, Labor and Economic Affairs Officer, explained:
"The importance of Munich as a business location stems from the sum of its future-oriented industries. These offer highly qualified jobs and benefit from a broad-based scientific network at the location. Even in the Corona crisis, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in Munich have demonstrated their innovative and competitive capabilities and may be considered the mainstay of Munich as a high-tech location."
Attractiveness of the location
Companies clearly feel comfortable at the location: 81% of the companies rated the Munich region as a very good or good biotechnology and pharmaceutical location in the current survey.
The focus here is on the proximity to science and research. The region is characterized by eight research institutions that lay the scientific foundation, including two elite universities, three world-renowned Max Planck Institutes and the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Health. In addition, there is effective network management such as BioM, which not only encourages business and science to work together, but also accompanies them.
Cooperation between companies, proximity to top-class research and a vibrant network thus make EMM an attractive location for both established companies and the innovative start-up scene. Added to this is the excellent geographical location in the center of Europe. With one of the largest international airports and a high recreational value, the region offers ideal business connections and attracts top international talent in addition to local talent. This mix of already successful and new companies, scientific institutions and networks within the EMM forms a reliable, future-oriented foundation for its successful international development as a biotechnology and pharmaceutical location.
Prof. Horst Domdey, Managing Director of BioM, emphasized:
"The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in the Munich Metropolitan Region has brilliantly seized both the challenges of the pandemic and the opportunities of digitalization, and has successfully further developed its professional expertise in the field of personalized medicine."
Commissioned by the Department of Labor and Economic Affairs of the City of Munich, BioM 2021 produced the study Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry in the Munich Metropolitan Region (EMM) for the fourth time in order to analyze this important sector of the region's economy and identify its needs.
The German study is available in our media library under Study Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry in the European Metropolitan Region Munich (EMM).
A summary in English can be found at: Executive Summary Study Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry in the European Metropolitan Region Munich (EMM).