What started out as an idea to help Malta build on its base as a pharmaceutical hub is now the Malta Life Sciences Park (MLSP): a world-class research facility and digital hub set to spur the growth of Malta’s life sciences sector.
- 29 August 2017
A well-balanced combination of entrepreneurial and industrial competence is essential for the growth and development of every company, and at the Malta Life Sciences Park there are no limits on a company’s opportunity to continually improve, develop and grow.
The Malta Life Sciences Park offers 13 5002 of space, including state-of-the-art laboratories, offices, seminar and meeting rooms and a range of shared facilities, all adjacent to some of the country’s leading hospitals and universities. Here, nearly 30 companies of all sizes have access to experienced and professional business and financial advice, as well as assistance for taking their products and services to the global market.
The MLSP is already having a profound impact. For example, over 25 pharma and medical device companies use the centre to successfully build their product portfolios. The MLSP’s campus-style environment attracts several educational institutions, which now use the facilities to carry out market-driven technology development and applied research. Here the goal is to reverse the brain drain by providing local talent and recent graduates with a world-class research centre.
Facilitating opportunities, forming networks
At the core of the MLSP is the Malta Life Sciences Centre. As the MLSP’s focal point, the Life Sciences Centre brings together university students, researchers, lecturers, hospital professionals and industry to interact and establish new technology and research-based firms and clusters.
The centre houses a reception area, management office, meeting rooms, a lounge area, and seminar and lab training facilities. Each of the building’s six levels hosts a number of independent entities, which range from 1002 up to 3002 in size — many of which can be interconnected to create even larger research spaces. The centre’s secure basement is used to store flammable liquids and gases and hazardous waste, along with heavy equipment.
Leveraging Malta’s advantage
The life sciences sector has a large presence within the Maltese economy, with many companies operating in the pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare technology and health tourism sectors. This is in large part a result of Malta offering a knowledgeable workforce of skilled, English speaking individuals and its well-established connections to foreign markets.
The MLSP is well-positioned to further leverage these advantages, allowing new life sciences companies to launch with minimal preparation and start-up costs. Instead of focusing their time and resources on getting set up and running, these companies can concentrate on their core activities and grow by leveraging the many synergies with other operators and academia that the MLSP offers.
The project also plays an important role in helping the EU become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy — part of the EU 2020 growth strategy. In addition to supporting the growth of the region’s knowledge-based economy, MLSP is expected to eventually employ 138 people. Project organisers believe that the MLSP is just the beginning, and are already making plans to grow the centre into a true science park.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “BioMalta – Setting up a Life Sciences Centre” is EUR 18 000 000 with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 15 300 000 through the “Investing in Competitiveness for a Better Quality of Life” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period.