About Karolinska
Karolinska Development aims to create value for patients, researchers, investors and society by developing innovations from world class science into products that can be sold or out-licensed with high returns. The business model is to: SELECT the most commercially attractive medical innovations; DEVELOP innovations to the stage where the greatest return on investment can be achieved; and COMMERCIALIZE the innovations through the sale of companies or out-licensing of products. Karolinska Development has developed a well-structured selection process to identify the most commercially attractive medical innovations screened by KIAB. Pharmaceutical development is a high-risk enterprise. In most cases, development projects fail because of side effects or insufficient efficacy. Successful selection of innovations is fundamental to Karolinska Development’s business model, which makes the inflow of new projects crucial. One key to success lies in selecting those innovations that can be developed from scientific findings to products and have significant commercial potential. To date, over 1,300 projects have been screened by KIAB. The portfolio companies are often founded together with the innovators and are initially operated as virtual companies with few or no employees. During the first six to twelve months, the companies normally have minimal fixed costs and technological development is outsourced. The innovator, who is often employed at an academic institution, normally participates as a board member and scientific advisor. The CEO of a portfolio company cooperates closely with a representative of Karolinska Development, who in most cases is also a board member of the company. The companies are capitalized to reach their next milestone, usually within a period of six to eighteen months. Development projects are continuously monitored, and those that do not meet their stipulated targets are discontinued. In the first three to four years, a portfolio company