Lyfebulb, a patient empowerment platform that connects patients, industry and investors to support user-driven innovation in chronic diseases, and Helsinn, with activities focused on early-stage investments in areas of high unmet patient need, today announce the names of the eleven companies launched by patient entrepreneurs who are chosen as finalists for the Lyfebulb-Helsinn Innovation Summit & Award in Oncology. The finalists are invited to compete at the Lyfebulb-Helsinn Innovation Summit & Award, which will be hosted on 26-27 March 2018, by Lyfebulb and Helsinn at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, in Monaco, Principality of Monaco.

Due to the high quality and quantity of applications this year, there will be 11 finalists:

• Samuel Wagner of Batu Biologics
• Massimo Bocchi of Cellply
• Walid Al-Akkad of Engitix
• Gitte Pedersen of Genomic Expression
• Lorenzo Pradella of GreenBone Ortho
• Samir Housri of TheMednet
• Till Erdmann of Myelo Therapeutics
• Christian Apfel of SageMedic
• Aaron Horowitz of Sproutel
• Thierry Desjardins of Surgisafe
• Boaz Gaon of Wisdo.

The Award will recognise outstanding potential among entrepreneurs who have demonstrated an ability to develop and bring to the market innovation designed to improve the quality of life of people with cancer using drugs, medical devices, consumer products and healthcare information technologies. The finalists represent companies of all sizes that have been founded by cancer patients, cancer survivors, or those with close relatives with cancer.

The finalists will be contending for a $25,000 monetary grant in recognition of the best ideas to advance business ideas which leverage their personal experiences to help manage the burden of cancer.

The finalists were selected by Karin Hehenberger, MD PhD, CEO and Founder of Lyfebulb, Leslie Brille, Chief Investment Officer, Lyfebulb, Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO and Roberto De Ponti, Head of Corporate New Ventures and Strategic Investments, Helsinn International Services. The Innovation Summit has been founded upon Lyfebulb’s concept of Patient Entrepreneurship and Helsinn’s determination to provide the best supportive care for cancer patients and to improve the health and quality of life of every person affected by cancer. A “pitch session” will be held at the summit, where a winner will be selected from the eleven finalists by a panel of experts.

“At Lyfebulb, we interact with numerous individuals who are using their own experiences with chronic disease to originate and develop effective solutions to help others. The level of innovation demonstrated by people who submitted their ideas to the first Lyfebulb-Helsinn Innovation Award were of a very high caliber and we commend all of them. Core to Lyfebulb’s Mission is to empower individuals living with chronic disease, and by embracing patient entrepreneurs and furthering their ideas and businesses, we are doing exactly that.”says Dr Karin Hehenberger.

Riccardo Braglia added,“I know from experience how a cancer diagnosis can often be a spur towards greater dynamism and entrepreneurship and have seen many examples of great innovation from people who have first-hand experience with the disease. I am looking forward to learning more about the potential of their concepts and am confident that the expertise and industry experience of the judging panel will help choose a finalist who can innovate to improve the lives of people with cancer.”