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ALAIN MAQUET, OF BIOLOG EUROPE IN LIÈGE, TALKS TO THE
MEUSE-RHINE JOURNAL ABOUT BIOLOGISTICS
[LOG/LIFE-SCI: LIÈGE, November 18]
So, Mr Maquet, perhaps you could start by telling us what biologistics is.
Biologistics is a special kind of logistics. It requires close monitoring, because it plays a role in the health of
individuals, which means that failure is unacceptable. We require 100 per cent security. The biologistics initiative
came into existence, because Walloon strengths include two distinct areas of excellence: one is biotechnology, and we
are very fortunate to have a hospital like the University Hospital at Sart Tilman here and a truly exceptional
biotech platform at the GIGA tower. The second area of excellence is that of logistics; Wallonia is very strong in
all the fields of logistics.
We are talking here about logistics in a broad sense. Logistics can cover food, or industry in general. However, health
care is now becoming ever more important as a distinct sector. In consequence, there has been a move, at the Walloon
policy-making level, to combine the areas of excellence and produce an added dynamism, capitalizing on the strengths
of the region, and bringing in new investors.
Biologistics is a discipline with highly specialized requirements. It not only concerns the movement of goods, but their
very special care and this has to be integrated into the system, providing transportation sensitive to the problems of
contamination or infection. It demands speed and, above all, traceability. In cell therapy, where stem cells are taken
from the bones of the patients, cultivated in labs, and treated for withdrawal factors to influence later cell
behavior, the cells must be re-injected into the right patient. There must be precision. There is no room for error.
Biologistics really is a new discipline in the forefront of medical development. Cell therapy is part of regenerative
medicine, an area of growth as a result of an aging population. There are different types of biologistics. For instance
there are new fields of medicine, like regenerative medicine, and also, personalized medicine in the area of the treatment
of cancer. This is where diagnostics and therapeutics combine to ensure the delivery of better treatment, as in the case
of cancer; for example, knowledge of genetic variation can now help physicians optimize breast cancer therapy.
All this also requires a special kind of logistics, that is, at present, closely linked to the world of the hospital.
New types of treatment will increase in the future and will require the support of biologistics – a highly specialized
field of logistics. Another example can be seen in the area of vaccines. The H1N1 influenza pandemic is a very good
example of a type of industrial biologistics. It means operating on a much bigger scale and involves the needs to
handle the new challenges for public health. The mission of Biolog Europe is to structure, improve, and promote
the new logistics. That is why the Biolog-insight conference was organized.
The Biolog-insight conference
The Biolog-insight conference aims to provide a broad range of information on biologistics. This may be a logistical
event, but a broad range of participants is expected and will benefit from the conference. They will not only
be the
logistics’ specialists, who need to know about biotech or about new varieties of medicine. The conference will also
be of value to the biotech people. The biomedical community, with its new approaches to medicine, requires highly
specialized logistics, so there new challenges; Biolog is also examining the issue of training. It involves specialized
operators, but there is also a supply chain.
All the intermediaries need to be efficient; because, as the saying goes: the chain is only as strong as its weakest
link. In the healthcare supply chain, you have the transporter and you have also international contacts. Liège airport
is an example and you have also other operators who play key roles in the quality and integrity of the biologistical product.
The customs officer plays a key role. He needs to be informed about the types of product in this new business. He or
she needs to be told about the technology, for instance, monitoring is very important. A closed package could mean
that the customs officer needs an x-ray machine. Some device, which could be important to you, could also be linked
to bioterrorism. There is considerable concern about the security of international supply chains. Consequently, it
is important for customs officers to be able to recognize a simple temperature-monitoring device, so as not to blow
up every valuable package that makes them nervous.
Efficiency, innovation and security
The Biolog-insight conference is focusing on three issues; one is being efficient in your biologistics; it means being
innovative and being knowledgeable about the state of the art in packaging, or methods of efficient shipping and knowing
emerging economies – like that of China. You need to deal with a range of different regulations before the package is
handed over. That is why security is an issue. We have to operate as ‘Authorized economic operators’, ensuring the
checks are limited to what is strictly necessary, to avoid the opening of packages that are highly valuable and vulnerable.
Biolog Europe’s mission is to structure, improve and promote. This also means promotion in the sense of acting as a
catalyst in preparing biologistical solutions. Biolog Europe is working at three levels: one is the level of choice- the
medical theme; secondly is a second access/ mastering all the wide range of logistical services and third, managing the
regulation dimension and managing the challenges which are related to training, by way of example. Accordingly, Biolog
Europe wants to promote local development, to be able to attract new specialist companies, like biobanks. This is why
we brought in the US company, Steelgate, at the beginning of April to set up in Liege, and it brought its very valuable,
specialized experience in terms of cryogenic services.
The value of biologistics for Wallonia and for the region of Liege in particular is that this can be the new frontier,
for a range of specialists. You have top-level scientists but you also have a need for lab technicians. You require
specialized logistic operators, who are able to handle all the packages in the right way. Some areas, like
radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive drugs used for diagnosis or therapy in a tracer) for medical imaging are very highly
regulated and you need and you need a lot of certification and a lot of authorization for specific services. This means
a need for training, which is also very great; but, in terms of jobs for the region, it means that there is a wide range
of opportunities for different kinds of people.
Do we know anything about the size of the market, the amount of employment, etc?
Of course, I do not have a crystal ball; we have estimated the size of the market. For instance, cell therapy is a very
important area; we can say that it’s worth EUR 27m, but it’s completely new.
Is that in Europe? In Europe, yes – but that’s estimate. It’s difficult to be precise. You also have oncology – a large
area, where the market – although I would prefer to talk about the needs are growing – there a lot of patients and an
increase in types of cancers; for instance a high rate of breast cancer. All those new medicines, combining diagnostics
and the new therapeutics and requiring biologistical support makes for a major market. Biolog Europe wants to be a major
operator in Europe. All those biologistical samples will be traveling to Europe or via Europe from the US to Asia, and
Biolog Europe wants 25% of the flow in this new type of logistics. We have all the infrastructural assets; with a full
freight airport for cargo, open 24/7. New developments like the high-speed train (TGV) are on the way for cargo too.
Two years is a short time, and multimodal high-speed cargo will soon be with us. With important samples, and the life of
patients depending on them. This means you have to ship, by road, by rail and plane with security and integrity; the
supply chain must be secure as possible.
That is why it’s important for Liège. It is not only for Liège though, because in today’s world you cannot live in
isolation. You must be connected to partners in Europe; these could be partners in the Euroregion, because we are very
fortunate and Liège has a lot of assets. However, the neighbors in Maastricht or Aachen also have a lot of ongoing activity
in biotechnology, and we want a collaborative approach, with other continents too. We have a Memorandum of Understanding
with Memphis in the US, which is very important. They have a lot of expertise in logistics a big biotech community, and
I am sure this will be profitable for both sides.
Was there anything else that you wanted to say that we haven’t covered?
Biolog is for everybody; it is not something that is top science or high-tech. It is close to the people and means new
employment.
And Liège is the perfect multi-modal hub!
http://www.biologeurope.com
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