"Who Controls Innovation?" (3/5) How to fix Europe's access gap in Biopharma

Europe does not lack talent. It does not lack scientists. What it often lacks is structure.

Welcome to Pharma Minds, Mini-Series « Who controls innovation ? ». In this series, we explore one question in two parts: who controls innovation - and who actually makes it happen.

There is an alarming gap in global healthcare: more than 100 new drugs currently available in the United States are still not accessible to European patients. Why?  Because while Europe produces exceptional research, its access pathways are fragmented, and increasingly influenced by global pricing debates such as Most Favored Nation (MFN) policies.

In this episode, we tackle the execution gap with Pierre-Henri Belin, Co-Founder and CEO of Xcube.Bio. His company accelerates biopharma market entry across Europe by mitigating risks and bridging the gap between capital, deep expertise, and industry knowledge. Pierre-Henri shares a bold vision to pool resources, make Europe attractive for research again, and ensure that innovation actually reaches the people who need it.

Because research without access is only half a success.

In this episode, we cover:

◾️ The 100-Drug Gap: The alarming disparity between US and European patient access to new treatments.

◾️ The Root Causes: How fragmented regulatory systems and national-level decision-making are holding Europe back.

◾️ The Consequences: What this delay means for patients and the global competitiveness of Europe’s healthcare ecosystem.

◾️ The Solution: Pierre-Henri’s proposed model built on transparency, early collaboration, and shared responsibility.

◾️ A Path Forward: How Europe can reinvent its system and become a more predictable market without sacrificing safety or trust.

If Europe wants to remain a scientific leader, it must restructure. But this raises a deeper question: is the pharmaceutical economic model still aligned with the expectations of public health systems?

👉 What do you think: Is Europe too fragmented to compete globally, or is its diversity actually its strength? Let us know in the comments.

Next time, we will explore the tension between price, access, and societal choices.

Science creates hope. Reality decides impact. If you want to follow the whole series, don't forget to subscribe!
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This episode has been translated with the help of AI tools.

Originally released on: October 27th 2025.

To listen to the original French version of this episode : https://smartlink.ausha.co/pharma-minds/44-why-europe-is-missing-100-new-drugs-pierre-henri-belin-s-call-for-change

Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.