Life Sciences: Europe places its bets on a Lombardy-based startup

Milan, 29 July 2016 - Lombardy confirms its position as one of the most advanced regions in Italy and Europe within the Life Sciences sector. The startup Tensive is one of two Lombard companies, and among 22 Italian firms, to be awarded funding under Phase 1 of the SME Instrument programme – receiving a grant of €50,000 – as part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme for the 3 May 2016 deadline. This success is due to Regenera, a project that enables the development of innovative prostheses aimed at offering natural breast reconstruction or augmentation through the use of a biodegradable synthetic biomaterial manufactured with internal micro-channels.

“Congratulations to Tensive on this significant achievement,” stated Rosario Bifulco, President of the Lombardy Life Sciences Cluster and Vice President of Assolombarda Confindustria Milano Monza e Brianza with responsibility for Territorial Competitiveness. “This result confirms that membership of ‘Clusters’ is synonymous with development and growth. These are, in fact, virtuous ecosystems that undoubtedly contribute to business productivity by fostering dialogue and collaboration between the various stakeholders in the sector. Beyond facilitating the sharing of methodologies and know-how, they integrate expertise to develop more effective technology transfer processes and increase the capacity to utilise European programmes.”

As Federico Martello, COO of Tensive, explains: “Tensive is a biomedical startup developing innovative prostheses with the goal of restoring a natural breast to patients undergoing reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy or quadrantectomy, thereby improving their quality of life. Tensive’s prostheses, which have not yet been tested on humans, are based on a resorbable synthetic biomaterial and manufactured with internal micro-channels. This unique combination, achieved through a patented process, aims to promote the natural growth of adipose tissue. During the regenerative process, the prostheses are designed to gradually degrade and be replaced by adipose tissue.”

“This important result follows others and demonstrates that the decision to join the EEN network, through the SIMPLER consortium, was a winning choice. Results are achieved because, as Confindustria Lombardia, we have long chosen to invest in skills that provide added value to businesses and prove to be one of the decisive factors for competitiveness,” declares Confindustria Lombardia Secretary General Silvia Pagani.

Therefore, in order to excel in the Horizon 2020 programme at a European level, the support of representative associations and networks is fundamental, in addition to the innovation proposed by the project. Tensive, an Assolombarda member, is part of the Lombardy Life Sciences Cluster and, through the cluster, received support from the Enterprise Europe Network’s Europe desk. Other services, such as commercial and technological partner searches provided by the Enterprise Europe Network, are also available within the Europe – Cluster LLS desk.