THE SANFILIPPO FOUNDATION SWITZERLand
Our main objective is to optimise the chances of success
and to find a treatment for MPS.
Since it was established, the Foundation has implemented a dynamic which is capable of providing support for the duration and regular monitoring of research programmes.
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SUPPORT

any innovative scientific research action aiming to provide effective therapeutic outcomes for children suffering from mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), in particular type III (Sanfilippo).

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BRINGING TOGETHER

researchers, clinicians, leaders of young companies and patient associations/foundations in order to encourage exchange and collaboration between the actors in the Sanfilippo rare diseases community.

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SUSTAINABLY FINANCE

programmes with active monitoring by being both a joint owner of the programme’s intellectual property and a shareholder in the company development in order to provide the best possible conditions for successfully conducting the work and ensuring their culmination in a medication which can benefit patients.

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INCREASING AWARENESS

to promote and ensure recognition of the issue of rare diseases since, undoubtedly, they represent one of the biggest challenges today for public health at a global level.

Wherever it has been possible, the Foundation has ensured that it is either the joint owner of the intellectual property relating to the research carried out or a shareholder by acquiring a stake in the capital of the companies whose programmes the Foundation has chosen to support.

In our eyes, this is the only dynamic which allows us to persuade the researchers to continue their work until a medication is developed. In effect, too many programmes are supported by foundations without the latter being able to exert influence on the researchers and pharmaceutical companies because they are sadly not stakeholders in the programmes.

Very commonly used across the Atlantic, this approach of “Venture Philanthropy” is beginning to find its place in Switzerland, which has confirmed the strategy implemented by the Foundation since it was established. The aim here is not to manage these investments commercially : this would be counter to the mission expected from a non-profit foundation. The goal is to allow the foundation to ensure and monitor a beneficial use of the support provided. Our main objective is to optimise the chances of success and to find a treatment for MPS.

At the same time, it seems reasonable to us that the non-profit foundations which support a research programme resulting in a favourable therapeutic outcome can take part in any possible profits resulting from it. This would allow them to benefit from a new source of potential financing and, according to their aim, to be able to finance new research programmes.