Thermo Fisher Scientific and AstraZeneca BioVentureHub Announce Strategic R&D Partnership to Advance Life Science Innovation.
The PPD™ clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced a new research and development (R&D) partnership with the AstraZeneca BioVentureHub, located on AstraZeneca’s strategic R&D campus in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The collaboration represents a significant milestone in uniting two global leaders in life sciences, with the shared mission of accelerating innovation, strengthening the European science ecosystem, and ultimately delivering new breakthroughs to benefit patients worldwide.
Driving Innovation Through Collaboration
The new partnership will bring together Thermo Fisher’s expertise in analytical services, genomics, proteomics, and drug development with AstraZeneca’s cutting-edge research environment and collaborative platform.
A dedicated Thermo Fisher team will co-locate within the BioVentureHub, working side by side with AstraZeneca scientists and other innovative companies already embedded in the hub. The initial focus of joint projects will include chromatography, molecular genomics, and proteomics—areas that are essential for advancing drug discovery and development.
“This is a unique opportunity to co-locate with AstraZeneca scientists, driving collaborative innovation, strengthening the science ecosystem, and generating value for all collaborators,” said Leon Wyszkowski, president of analytical services, clinical research at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “The partnership will ensure that emerging life science and biotech companies, as well as academic groups, gain easy access to cutting-edge technologies. By advancing drug and analytical development, this initiative brings Thermo Fisher’s mission to life: enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.”
Strengthening the Life Science Ecosystem in Sweden
For AstraZeneca, the collaboration with Thermo Fisher is part of its broader effort to foster open innovation and to create a thriving life science community in Sweden and across Europe.
“When two global life science leaders join forces in an open innovation environment, truly exceptional conditions for breakthrough discovery and progress are created,” said Magnus Björsne, CEO of AstraZeneca BioVentureHub. “Welcoming Thermo Fisher Scientific into BioVentureHub at AstraZeneca’s strategic R&D campus in Gothenburg—adjacent to GoCo Health Innovation City—marks a significant step forward. This partnership will unlock dynamic opportunities for open scientific co-creation between AstraZeneca and Thermo Fisher, benefiting the broader ecosystem. We are delighted to welcome the Thermo Fisher team and look forward to a highly productive collaboration.”
Expansion of Thermo Fisher’s Footprint in Gothenburg
The announcement comes at a time when Thermo Fisher Scientific is expanding its bioanalytical laboratory presence in Sweden. The company is currently constructing a state-of-the-art bioanalytical facility in the GoCo Health Innovation City, located next to AstraZeneca’s R&D campus.
The new laboratory, expected to open in March 2026, will serve pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers across Europe and globally. It will provide leading-edge bioanalytical capabilities to support all phases of drug development—from discovery through clinical studies and commercialization—helping customers bring life-changing medicines to patients faster and more efficiently.
By placing both a co-located R&D team at the BioVentureHub and a new laboratory in GoCo Health Innovation City, Thermo Fisher is strategically investing in Gothenburg as a hub for life sciences innovation, reinforcing the city’s growing status as a center of excellence in biopharmaceutical R&D.
A Global Network of Scientific Excellence
This new initiative in Sweden builds upon Thermo Fisher’s existing global infrastructure. The company’s PPD clinical research business already operates a worldwide network of GMP, central, bioanalytical, and vaccine science laboratories.
Key sites in this network include:
- Middleton, Wisconsin (U.S.)
- Highland Heights, Kentucky (U.S.)
- Richmond, Virginia (U.S.)
- Athlone, Ireland
- Brussels, Belgium
- Singapore
- Suzhou, China
By integrating the forthcoming Gothenburg facility into this network, Thermo Fisher will strengthen its ability to support global pharmaceutical and biotech companies with comprehensive, end-to-end laboratory services—helping accelerate the development of new therapies worldwide.
Advancing Science, Supporting Patients
The R&D partnership with AstraZeneca BioVentureHub underscores Thermo Fisher’s commitment to advancing science through collaboration, while also highlighting AstraZeneca’s dedication to building an environment that nurtures cross-industry innovation.
Together, the organizations aim to address some of the most pressing challenges in drug discovery and development, from improving analytical methods and genomic analysis to advancing proteomics and next-generation biopharmaceutical platforms.
By aligning Thermo Fisher’s global reach and technical leadership with AstraZeneca’s collaborative R&D culture, the partnership is expected to accelerate the delivery of new scientific solutions, create opportunities for startups and academic partners, and ultimately help deliver innovative medicines to patients more quickly.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them.
Our global team delivers an unrivalled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.
For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.
About AstraZeneca BioVentureHub
AstraZeneca BioVentureHub is a unique open innovation platform, offering an inside track to AstraZeneca’s scientific expertise, world-class infrastructure, and facilities. Integrated at the heart of AstraZeneca’s strategic R&D site in Gothenburg, the BioVentureHub enables emerging life science companies and academia to work and grow within our focus areas: Pharma, DeepTech, Digital & SustainTech.
We promote innovation by connecting, catalyzing, and nurturing the right parties to form valuable collaborations that drive growth for all involved. Our unique dare-to-share culture, trust, and scientific curiosity, together with non-competitive synergies, are at the core of being part of the BioVentureHub.
All BioVentureHub companies operate independently, and AstraZeneca holds no ownership or innovation rights. The BioVentureHub is a fusion of minds and resources leading to groundbreaking innovations and industry leadership. We believe in Growing Innovation Together. For more information, please visit www.azbioventurehub.com
