POLYPURE AS

Their core work

Polypure AS is a Norwegian specialty chemicals SME that manufactures high-purity polymer and fluorinated materials for biomedical applications. Their H2020 participation centers on supplying advanced nanomaterials — including perfluorocarbon compounds and nanoparticle formulations — to research consortia working on medical imaging and targeted therapy. As an industry partner in Marie Skłodowska-Curie training networks, they provide both materials expertise and an industrial training environment for early-stage researchers developing next-generation nanomedicine products.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Polypure's earliest H2020 involvement (2019) focused on cancer-oriented nanomedicine — nanovaccines, immunotherapy, and image-guided surgery through the PAVE project. By 2020-2021, the emphasis shifted toward advanced MRI contrast materials (particularly 19F perfluorocarbon compounds) and nanoparticle-based therapeutic intervention for chronic pain. The trajectory shows a consistent deepening in molecular imaging materials while broadening the therapeutic application areas beyond oncology.

Polypure is moving from oncology-specific nanomaterials toward versatile imaging and therapeutic nanoparticle platforms applicable across multiple disease areas, suggesting growing interest in broader biomedical markets.

How they like to work

Polypure exclusively participates as a partner rather than leading consortia, consistent with their role as a specialized materials supplier embedded in larger research networks. With 27 unique partners across just 3 projects and all involvement through MSCA-ITN training networks, they function as an industry host providing materials know-how and real-world R&D training. This makes them a reliable, low-overhead partner — they contribute specific expertise without demanding project leadership.

Polypure has built a network of 27 consortium partners across 8 countries through three MSCA training networks, giving them broad European connections in the nanomedicine and medical imaging research community despite their small size.

What sets them apart

Polypure occupies a rare niche as a Norwegian SME manufacturing specialty fluorinated and polymer nanomaterials specifically for biomedical imaging and therapy. Unlike academic groups that develop proof-of-concept materials, Polypure brings industrial-grade material production to research consortia — bridging the gap between lab synthesis and reproducible supply. For consortium builders, they offer a credible industry partner with SME status (valuable for proposal scoring) and hands-on materials expertise across multiple nanomedicine domains.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NOVA-MRI
  Focused on 19F MRI — a niche but rapidly growing imaging modality — positioning Polypure at the center of next-generation contrast agent development
• PAVE
  Combined nanovaccines with immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer, one of the hardest-to-treat cancers, demonstrating Polypure's involvement in high-impact therapeutic research
• PIANO
  Applied nanotechnology to chronic pain imaging and therapy in dorsal root ganglia, representing an unusual and promising expansion into neuroscience