New export initiative: A boost for Norway's healthcare sector

'Norway has world-class health research and a young, ambitious health industry. This offers enormous potential for growth, which we look forward to strengthening in close collaboration with the industry,' says our CEO, Håkon Haugli.

Earlier this year, the government launched a new health initiative featuring 15 measures to strengthen Norway's health industry internationally. We are responsible for implementing some of these measures, including joint export initiatives and brand building.

'Our goal is to give the many innovative companies in the health industry even greater opportunities to establish a position in the growing global market,' says Tone Varslot Stave, who leads our health export initiative.

Stave also points out that the new healthcare initiative will be a joint public-private effort. Through Team Norway, we facilitate collaboration between public and private stakeholders, with the shared goal of promoting Norwegian business interests internationally.

Read also: Norway is well positioned to increase healthcare exports

Norway's health industry is a leader in several niche areas. The market is also vast and growing.

The healthcare initiative is part of the Norwegian Government's export reform, 'All of Norway Exports', which brings together the public sector, businesses and the business support system to pursue ambitious opportunities abroad. The goal is to increase export revenues from NOK 22 billion in 2021 to NOK 50 billion by 2030.

It is often described as one of the greatest threats to public health: bacteria that could previously be treated with antibiotics can no longer be defeated. As a result, infections we consider harmless today could become fatal. In many countries, antibiotics are available without a prescription, and their indiscriminate use has made antibiotic resistance a rapidly growing global problem.

Norwegian company AdjuTec Pharma has developed a technology that restores the effectiveness of antibiotics.

'In some areas, there are now almost no antibiotics left that can be used for treatment. Doctors often resort to older medicines that were discontinued because of serious side effects. This is the challenge we are working to address,' says Bjørn Klem, pharmacist and CEO of AdjuTec Pharma.

The Norwegian company has developed a technology that eliminates the resistance mechanism produced by the bacteria, tackling the root of the problem.
By combining a substance with an antibiotic and administering it as an infusion, the technology restores the effectiveness of existing antibiotics that have stopped working.

'So this is not a new antibiotic, but an enzyme inhibitor that restores the effectiveness of medicines already on the market,' Klem explains.

He explains that this is a well-established approach to the problem.

- What makes our product unique is that there are no enzyme inhibitors for this increasingly widespread group of enzymes.

AdjuTec Pharma was established in 2019, but its scientific roots stretch back much further through research communities at the University of Oslo. The company, which now has five employees, is also part of the Oslo Cancer Cluster, giving it valuable support.

Klem also highlights our support as crucial to their development.

'The innovation funding and commercialisation grant were crucial to getting the company off the ground. We used this funding to develop further and prepare to raise more capital – without it, everything would have ground to a halt,' he says.

The founders began testing in 2021 and have achieved promising results in animal trials. After the summer, they will test the product on healthy volunteers to determine the optimal dosage for patients. At the same time, they are testing the product with different types of antibiotics to identify the most effective combination. Klem expects its product to be ready for market in five years at the earliest.

The company is also exploring the possibility of licensing the technology to other pharmaceutical companies that produce antibiotics and need this type of technology.

- The potential is undoubtedly significant. We have developed a unique solution to a major and growing problem, and it is vital for the patients who need it. This product is set to generate billions in sales.

Entrepreneur, researcher and doctor Anita Kåss develops medicines and solutions for people affected by autoimmune diseases.

Her company, Kaass Discovery, is now developing an AI-powered device that collects data and monitors people's health at home.

'People with autoimmune diseases such as MS have no way of measuring whether they are having a bad day or not. They receive no warning if an MS attack suddenly occurs and their symptoms worsen. Being able to predict when these attacks are on the way could help people get the right treatment sooner – and prevent the attack from causing damage,' Kåss emphasises.

Throughout Kåss’ childhood in England, her mother suffered from arthritis and died when Anita was just 13 years old. This motivated her to learn more about autoimmune diseases, which affect more than 600 million people worldwide – and to find new solutions.

The Porsgrunn-based company is now working to secure a patent for the new device before bringing it to market. At the same time, it is developing treatments and other medical devices.

'We want to give patients greater control over and insight into their own health. More measurements, big data and artificial intelligence, combined with devices that collect large amounts of information, create opportunities for more personalised solutions. This is the future of healthcare,' the researcher concludes.

Kaass Discovery has also received EU funding in two rounds: first through the EU's Eurostars programme, and then through Women TechEU – both initiatives under Horizon Europe, the world's largest research and innovation programme. Kåss also praises our support.

- In addition to the importance of the grants we receive from Innovation Norway, they provide excellent advisory and are always ready to help. I know I can always ask them.

Connect the Dots has developed a virtual reality (VR) tool for the healthcare sector. It improves the quality and accessibility of training in medical procedures.

'We use VR to prepare healthcare professionals for real-life situations where they must act quickly to save a patient's life,' says Siva Snarby, CEO and co-founder of Connect the Dots (CTD).

Snarby knows from personal experience that first aid saves lives. When her brother had an allergic reaction to nuts, his partner, a healthcare professional, saved his life.

'It was a matter of seconds between life and death. Fortunately, she was well trained in using an EpiPen,' says Snarby.

However, not all healthcare professionals receive adequate training.

'Face-to-face training is not offered as often as it should be because of high costs and time constraints. In addition, procedures need to be practised regularly to ensure they are performed correctly,' she explains.

Connect the Dots’ training tool allows healthcare professionals to immerse themselves in realistic scenarios before treating patients in real life. Using VR headsets, they can learn and practise a medical procedure in a virtual, fully equipped care home room – alone or in a group.

'The patient is extremely realistic. He can turn his head and cough, and healthcare professionals can see his condition deteriorate and take appropriate action. In future, they will also be able to talk to the patient,' says Sarby.

The innovative training tool can also help healthcare professionals detect a deterioration in the patient's condition earlier, which could prevent complications and save lives.

'The solution will help employees feel more confident in carrying out their tasks. This is also likely to improve job satisfaction and reduce sickness absence, which is a challenge today,' says Snarby.

Hospitals will also reduce their training costs.

Connect the Dots has received funding from WomenTechEU, an initiative under Horizon Europe, the world's largest research and innovation programme. The company is now developing its solution and expanding its market share in Norway before launching the product internationally.

'We expect our VR tools to help us address a range of potentially fatal conditions – from sepsis to COVID-19,' says Snarby.

Read more about Connect the Dots’ VR tools.