Closing The Gap
Know-how - The Life Sciences sector in the Czech Republic boasts a very long and rich tradition. Despite its small size, the Czech Republic is a significant player in the biotech and pharmaceutical sector. The country has given the world many important discoveries over the past century including the fourth blood type, polarography, soft contact lenses, Vistide and Truvada anti-AIDS drugs, the anti-hepatitis B drug Hepsera and the ELISA diagnostic kit.
Biotechnology has become increasingly prominent over the past decade while bringing forth possible applications in a wide range of other related sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and industry. Conscious of this development, the Czech Republic, through a Government Decree in 2005, set molecular genetics and biotechnology among the priority areas in the long-term, fundamental direction of research. The Czech Republic can be ranked among those countries where public opinion has not historically been against the introduction of modern biotechnologies into practice and it is one of a few European countries authorized to cultivate GMO crops for feed production. The general population accepts the results of biotech research relatively favorably.
Research Infrastructure
The Czech Republic has a well-establish and strong network of research institutes. At the end of 2008, the country had 308 biotechnology research entities, based mainly in the Prague region (47 %) and in the South Moravia region (22 %). The majority of the research facilities belong either to the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, to universities or to the Ministry of Health. The main centers of biotechnology, molecular biology and pharmaceutical R&D are located in Prague and other large cities with universities such as Olomouc, Hradec Králové, Plzeˇn, ˇCeské Budˇejovice and Brno. Brno has a strong tradition in the medical sector and is especially well-known for cardiovascular and cancer research. An example of an excellent research facility in Brno is the International Clinical Research Centre (ICRC), a joint project of Saint Anne's University Hospital Brno and the Mayo Clinic based in the U.S. The ongoing collaboration between Czech scientists and their counterparts at the Mayo Clinic has resulted in a clinical-research and education centre capable of significantly strengthening U.S.-European collaboration in medical research and education, particularly in the areas of cardio and neurovascular diseases, internal medicine, neurology and oncology.
Human Resources
Most basic biotechnology-oriented fields of study at universities arose prior to 2000, which reflects the advanced degree of the Czech Republic's experience in this sector. In 2008, the total number of university students in the Czech Republic was 294,082. Approximately 56,777 students were enrolled in life-sciences universities with the corresponding output of 7,400 graduates per year. University professors and doctoral students are increasingly involved in both public and private-sector research projects.
Industry Focus
The development of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, fermentation technologies, use of biotechnologies in liquidating waste and protecting the environment, and animal and plant biotechnologies are currently the most successful areas in which Czech biotechnology entities operate. Microbial and cellular biotechnology (33 %) is the most common biotech sector in companies, whereas plant biotechnology (28 %) is the most common among research entities. Czech biotech companies mostly use "Proteins and other molecules" as a biotechnology technique, whereas research entities widely use "DNA/RNA" techniques. Nearly two-thirds of enterprises in the Czech biotechnology sector are companies with up to 20 employees, which is comparable with similar firms in other developed countries. The reason for this is that the biotechnology sector requires know-how rather than manual skills and numerous employees.
That foreign biotechnology firms recognize the importance of having a presence in the Czech Republic is apparent in the relatively recent investments made by foreign pharmaceutical companies and independent investors. Companies such as Barr Pharmaceuticals, Lonza Biotec, Baxter International, Astrazeneca, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi-Aventis and Beckman Coulter are developing their operations in the Czech Republic. Czech companies specialize in the production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, antibody-based diagnostic kits, immunoanalytical tools, ELISA diagnostic kits, recombinant proteins and environmental-protection services. The Czech Republic provides a progressive legal and patent environment resulting from the country's membership in crucial multilateral international treaties. Furthermore, the Czech Republic was among the first countries to implement the EUs Directive on Legal Protection of Biotechnological Inventions, which contributed to harmonization of the legal framework and interpretive practices as well as to the enhanced legal security of the application of patent law.
Sector Outlook
Considering that new biotechnological incubators and clusters are being established, that Czech legislators are successfully ensuring that biotechnology laws are fully compliant with those of the EU, that recent polls indicate that Czechs have adopted a rather liberal view of the scientific, ethical and religious aspects of biotech activities, and that the Czech Republic continues to achieve record levels of FDI, it becomes increasingly apparent that the Czech Republic will soon be in a position to quickly surpass many competing countries by gradually closing the gap.
