CoLab AccelBio was featured in the April 2026 issue (No. 196) of Portugalglobal, the magazine published by AICEP – Portugal's Trade & Investment Agency, in an article on Health and Life Sciences titled "A bridge between research and industry to create new drugs."

The article traces CoLab AccelBio's journey since its founding in 2021: a non-profit association bringing together academic institutions, biotech companies, an investment fund and a technology park, positioned as an intermediary in the early stages of new drug development. Its work focuses on the pre-clinical phase, from target validation through to clinical-trial readiness, aiming to increase the number and quality of drug candidates with therapeutic and market potential.

As Ricardo Viais, Chief Operations Officer of CoLab AccelBio, notes in the piece: "Our mission is to accelerate the pre-clinical phases of drug discovery, translating scientific discoveries into assets with clinical and investment potential."

Over three years, CoLab AccelBio has supported 14 projects spanning neurological disease, immunity, infection, gastric cancer and obesity, raising more than €2 million in competitive funding in addition to core funding under the Missão Interface programme. The team now numbers 20 people, mostly PhD holders.

The article also highlights a strong 2025 — with growth in services to national and international partners and six new projects approved — as well as the two technology platforms underpinning CoLab AccelBio's work: a medicinal chemistry platform using computation and AI, and an organoid platform based on lab-grown organ models for pre-clinical testing, reducing reliance on animal models.

Internationally, the piece points to CoLab AccelBio's involvement in European networks and initiatives such as the EU-funded BIO-RED project, as well as its role in bringing BioEurope Spring 2026 to Lisbon, reinforcing Portugal's international visibility in biotechnology.

Looking ahead to 2026, Ricardo Viais anticipates accelerating ongoing projects, launching a new Open Call, expanding services, and strengthening national and international partnerships.

Read the full article (PT) in the April 2026 issue (No. 196) of Portugalglobal, available here.