Vera Codazzi
Innovation Network Manager
Chiesi Farmaceutici
Parma, Italy
About
After a PhD in Industrial Biotechnology on metabolic engineering, I joined the Research Dept of the Italian association of medical devices companies in 2011.
From 2013 I was responsible for INNOVATION, dealing with startups, tech clusters, R&I grants at Eu, national and regional level.
In 2018 I reached Assolombarda as the general manager of the Lombardy Life Science Cluster which represents all regional healthcare private and public players – industry, research, hospitals.
I managed all activities and strategic projects, coordinating lobbying and communication activities, as well as events organization, supporting Cluster members in developing innovative projects and business, also at international level, helping them to find the right partners.
From Oct 2023 I am in Chiesi Center of Open Innovation and Competence, as innovation external ecosystem manager. The COIC works to find and manage external opportunities interesting for the development of inclusive and sustainable solutions.
My organisation
Chiesi Group is a certified B Corp international biopharmaceutical group, headquartered in Parma, Italy, dedicated to the research, development and commercialisation of ethical products. Group sales peaked over €2.7 in 2022. Chiesi invested about 20% of the turnover in R&D. The Company, founded in 1935, employs ~ 6,500 people worldwide and has subsidiaries in 30 countries (in EU, USA, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, China, Brazil, Pakistan and Australia).
Chiesi is looking for the expansion of its presence in Europe, US and Emerging Countries through licenses or asset/company acquisitions in the following areas:
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All stage products in Respiratory and Neonatology;
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Late Stage products in Special Care and Rare Diseases;
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Marketed products in Consumer Healthcare & OTC.
Chiesi launched recently the Center of Open Innovation & Competence (COI&C) to, inter alia, scout early stage innovations in the above mentioned areas (TRL3-6) and to define innovative ways to engage esternal actors (Universities, incubators, accelerators, startups, investors, etc). COI&C is working starting from patient needs along the patient journey and is looking for inovations in Pharma (Biomarkers and Therapies), med-tech (early stage diagnosis, drug delivery devices and supporting tools/devices/wereables), digital health (education, monitoring, increased adherence, etc) and supporting technologies and solutions (clinical trial innovation and RWE, drug discovery platform conceived for the priority areas, etc)
Skills
- biotechnology
- innovation
- Start-up
- cluster
- Open innovation