Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2022, the Group employed around 101,000 people and had sales of 50.7 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Roche is a leading healthcare company and is heavily investing into R&D, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the CNS. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare. Our Pharma Partnering team provides comprehensive BD and alliance management support for Roche and Genentech’s R&D units and the broader pharmaceutical division. Alongside the broad internal pipeline, external innovation has always been a critical component of our R&D strategy.

VIB is a life sciences research institute, based in Flanders, Belgium. Some 1,500 top VIB scientists conduct pioneering basic research with a strong focus on translating scientific results into pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial applications. These applications are often developed by young start-ups from VIB or through collaborations with other companies. This leads to additional employment and bridges the gap between scientific research and entrepreneurship.