Message from the Executive Board

In the course of 2022, it became clear that the problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were finally behind us. Whereas the first quarter of 2022 was still characterised by lockdowns and restrictions, in the following months we were able to gradually return to full capacity. In addition, our employees, who demonstrated so much resilience and resourcefulness amid all the difficulties of the pandemic, have now all returned to the office and are enjoying being able to work face-to-face with colleagues and external partners once again. With a full portfolio for the coming period, we therefore look to the future with optimism.

In October 2022, we celebrated CHDR’s 35th anniversary with an event on the theme ‘Creating value in an unpredictable world’. As an organisation, we strive to create value through the development of innovative drugs and research methods, as well as by championing personal and professional development through education and training. Unpredictability is an inescapable reality, with many ever-changing external factors at play: public health and infectious diseases, the economy, international current affairs, the energy transition, the labour market, and more. And of course, drug development itself is inherently unpredictable. Our scientific question-based approach and our data-rich methods are designed to tame that unpredictability at an early stage of the clinical drug development process, in turn augmenting the value that we create for the field.

The keen interest in our anniversary celebration in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center — both live and online — was uplifting. CHDR is still thriving after 35 years thanks to a network of collaborative partners in industry, academia and healthcare, and that network continues to grow. We are pleased to announce a new collaboration with the Haga Hospital in The Hague, one of the major teaching hospitals in the region. Our work together will focus on oncology, pain, neurology and immunology, incorporating educational activities alongside research. Our long-established relationship with Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) continues to flourish: we will open a new, dedicated unit for clinical drug studies at the LUMC in 2023, expanding both our capacity and our capabilities.

To celebrate the renewed momentum of our organisation post-pandemic, this year we proudly present our annual report in this new online format. This format is not only more sustainable than the printed books of previous years, but will also enable us to reach many more readers. 

This year’s annual report is structured around our three strategic goals — developing drugs, developing methods and developing people  — with a section dedicated to each of these three themes. Alongside this, we bring you a range of other stories from around the organisation, celebrating the diverse efforts of our operational and scientific staff. As usual, you can also find a full list of our publications from the past year, or see the year at a glance in 2022 in numbers.

We look forward to continued collaboration with our vibrant network of clients and partners — here’s to creating value together for at least another 35 years!

Prof. Koos Burggraaf, CEO

Prof. Geert Jan Groeneveld, CMO / CSO