Cambridge biotech – innovation and global partnerships
pharmafile | October 19, 2009 | Feature | Research and Development |Â Â Cambridge, ERBI, biotech, regenerative medicineÂ
Just two years ago it cost $10m to sequence a human genome, now for $48,000 you can have a personal profile, an indication both of the pace of change in technological development and in the ability of the life science industry to adopt new approaches.
Arguably one of the biggest changes in recent years is the way in which R&D is done, with collaboration at all levels in the industry accelerating the process of moving from lab and into the market.
No longer do University researchers publish their findings in esteemed journals for those with an eye for business to exploit. Now those scientists are aware of the commercial opportunities for their work.
At ERBI we have observed this development at close range as our headquarters are on the Babaraham Research Campus, just outside Cambridge, part of the largest cluster of medical sciences companies in Europe. At our networking meetings and conferences we see world-class research and business come together to promote innovation and bridge the academic and commercial divide.
The origins of the cluster are thanks in part to the University of Cambridge, which this year celebrates its 800th year in existence. World renowned as a centre of academic and scientific excellence, probably its most famous breakthrough was the discovery of the structure of DNA by Crick and Watson in 1953.
In more recent years other research institutions have developed across the region and include the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Cancer Research UK.
Advanced R&D generates a need for supporting industries and one of the first scientific instrument companies, Cambridge Instruments, was established in Cambridge by Charles Darwin’s son.
By the 1990s, biotech companies began to emerge in the area, many being spin-offs from academic research at the University, and we are now seeing this work come of age.
But today in 2009, innovative life science companies around the world are facing a very tough funding environment, and national governments and regional innovation hubs are looking to re-engineer the biotech funding and drug discovery model to help the sector flourish in the years ahead.
ERBI is at the heart of that, thinking not just in UK terms, but internationally looking to be part of the best science and innovation around the world.
ERBI
ERBI was established in 1997 as a government initiative to facilitate and accelerate growth for the life science industry across the East of England.
Although a significant number of core members still come from the high-tech cluster around Greater Cambridge and the surrounding areas, increasingly our members have overseas headquarters or are a based outside the region. The cluster is not defined by a geographical location.
For our science and technology-based members, that means being global leaders in the research, development and commercialisation of healthcare innovations that radically improve the quality of people’s lives around the world.
As well as promoting the interests of the sector on a national level, ERBI is focused on creating new regional and global alliances and networks with other centres of excellence.
International perspective
We recently conducted a survey of members and becoming truly global is one of the challenges which many of our members identified as crucial to their future.
In my previous role as Head of the Life Sciences Trade Team at UK Trade & Investment I championed the international plans of life science companies, and this has given me a great deal of insight into the needs of these businesses. It has also allowed me to forge links with a number of other networking organisations, and to develop ERBI’s relationships and synergies.
One of my maxims is to always avoid duplication wherever possible. If someone else is already doing something well, why copy it? My approach is to do what we do to the very best of our ability, to fill gaps with top quality services and to work in partnership with other organisations where they have already made their mark.
A good example of the alliances we are forging is the ‘Golden Triangle Partnership’ (GTP). By working closely with the London Biotechnology Network and the Oxford Biotechnology Network, ERBI has been successful in creating a formal collaborative agreement with Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC). This agreement will allow its members to present at the MBC 2009 Investors Forum in October with reduced fees for attendance. The event will be attended by the global investor community, which is all-important in these difficult times.
Broadening our scope
ERBI has also broadened its scope beyond pharma and biotech, and now also represents the ‘medtech’ sector, which encompasses a range of cutting edge medical device companies. This expansion has proven to be very successful, and could point to expansion into other high tech areas. The convergence of industries such as gaming, wireless, medical devices and biotechnology have meant that new insights can be gained from cross-discipline discussions.
Results from a recent membership survey found that over 90% welcome the broader church that ERBI now serves. Crucially they also agreed that the new positioning has improved the value of opportunities available to members.
All companies benefit from synergies between R&D companies specialising in the development of small molecule drugs, biologic therapies, diagnostics and medical devices and specialist technical services ranging from contract research organisations, regulatory consultants and design and technology consultants.
These companies can also benefit from access to leading universities and some of the world’s most innovative teaching hospitals.
Lobbying to improve industry position
Despite broadening our global horizons, ERBI is staying close to its grass roots membership. Its independence and neutrality enables the organisation to be proactive in representing its members.
As a result of a visit by Rob Sullivan, director of the Office for Life Sciences in July, members were polled about their response to the recently announced Innovation Fund.
Members felt very strongly that the fund must be put into practice now. An important element of this was a request for the government not to ‘reinvent the wheel’ but to use existing entrepreneurial structures eg: the Wellcome Trust to administer the fund.
Our members believe there are other ways that cash flow in the industry can be improved, simply by streamlining administrative processes.
This input was presented to the OLS and reassurances have been given that the fund will be put in place before the end of 2009.
Our membership survey produced one idea that would represent an evolutionary way of getting tax relief to companies effectively and quickly. Many ERBI members spend over £250k a year on National Insurance contributions and then invest a huge amount of time trying to retrieve some of this back in the form of R&D tax credits. Cutting smaller organisations employer NI contributions by 50% could reduce this burden, cut the red tape and ensure that tax credits are directed at those most in need. OLS has been made aware!
In July, members were invited to meet the regional MEP, Vicky Ford. She was concerned to hear the difficulties that some members had experienced accessing EU funds, especially for FP7 monies, which is particularly resource-intensive. Vicky and ERBI are in close touch on this issue.
Saving members £2m
The purchasing power of ERBI has also been leveraged to provide membership discounts; last year ERBI members saved over £2 million in agreements.
Three brand new agreements have just been announced: with Adelphi Healthcare Packaging (formerly Adelphi Tubes) who are offering members a discount on their first order; Arkadin will give members preferential rates for audio and web conferencing and CLS, who offer support for multilingual communications, are offering a 10% discount on their standard translation prices.
ERBI also negotiates hard on discounts for members for attendance at international events such as the upcoming BioPartnering Europe and MedTech Investing Europe Conference.
Convergence is the future
A key differentiator for ERBI is the diversification of its cluster, which includes organisations at the forefront of new healthcare developments.
Many of our members are renowned for drug discovery and the development of biologic therapies and the product design consultancies deliver a prolific output of medical device solutions for global clients in areas such as drug delivery and diagnostics.
I have some ambitious plans for ERBI and this includes to further develop its international mission which includes creating relationships with organisations on the West Coast USA and hosting seminars, workshops and networking events that will allow for creative synergies between US companies and ERBI members.
We will use our critical mass to open new doors for our membership. And by facilitating meetings between members in different disciplines we aim to encourage open innovation to the benefit of all in this exciting industry.
SOME ERBI MEMBER COMPANIES
Abcam
Astex Therapeutics
A world leader in fragment-based drug discovery – one of the most important advances in drug discovery chemistry in the last 20 years.
The company’s in-house R&D is focused on the areas of oncology and anti-virals. The company uses an innovative fragment-based drug discovery platform, PyramidT, to identify and develop new medicines, primarily for the treatment of cancer.
Avita
The company develops and distributes autologous tissue-engineered products for the treatment of a wide range of wounds, burns, scars and skin defects. An example is ReCell (www.recell.info) a stand-alone, rapid, point-of-care cell harvesting device that enables surgeons to treat skin defects using the patient’s own cells, accelerating the healing process, minimizing rejection and eliminating scarring.
Domantis
develops a range of platform technologies for the in vitro evolution and engineering of recombinant proteins. The field of recombinant proteins is showing immense potential and is expected to yield both new medicines together with vital diagnostic and proteomic tools.
KuDOS Pharmaceuticals
Discovers and develops small molecule drugs that selectively inhibit the repair process in cancer cells thus facilitating their destruction and improving cancer management. This new approach to cancer treatment promises to act as a monotherapy as well as to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapeutic drugs.
Illumina
The company’s innovative, array-based solutions for DNA, RNA, and protein analysis serve as tools for disease research, drug development, and the development of molecular tests in the clinic. These studies will help realise the potential of personalised medicine.
MedImmune
AstraZeneca’s worldwide biologics unit. It has two actively marketed infectious disease products and an advancing pipeline of promising candidates in the areas of infection, oncology, respiratory disease and inflammation, cardiovascular/gastrointestinal disease and neuroscience.
OrthoMimetics
A spin-out venture from the Cambridge-MIT Institute, is focused on the development and manufacture of products that provide surgeons with a practical, reproducible and adaptable means of improving the outcome of existing surgical procedures for the regenerative repair of cartilage, ligament and tendon.
Pfizer Regenerative Medicine
The UK arm of Pfizer Regenerative Medicine was established in 2008 in Cambridge’s Granta Park and is focused on stem cell research.
The UK site will specialise predominantly in age-related and degenerative disorders, with particular interest in common cellular mechanisms and disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system. Pfizer Regenerative Medicine will operate as an independent Research Unit and base its stem cell research and drug discovery efforts on a full set of drug discovery capabilities, including In Vivo and Translational Stem Cell Research, Cell & Molecular Biology, and Biological Chemistry. These functions are complemented by Pfizer’s existing R&D resources as well as by an extensive network of alliances and collaborations.
Sphere Medical
Develops highly innovative monitoring products that allow minimally invasive, real time measurement of clinical chemistry parameters and therapeutic drug concentrations, to give healthcare professionals the information they require to more effectively manage therapy and optimise patient outcomes.
TwistDx
Has developed an ultra-rapid DNA/RNA detection technology. No complex sample handling is required, and reaction behaviour can be monitored by fluorescence or equipment-free formats.
About the author
Harriet Fear was appointed as chief executive of ERBI earlier this year. The organisation’s aim is to help members of all sizes operate effectively on a world stage, and Harriet has instigated a number of developments to build relationships and raise their profile with the international community.
Harriet has a world-view gained from years in the British diplomatic service, which included postings at 15 different Embassies around the globe. She also has knowledge of the market. In her role as Head of the Life Sciences Trade Team at UK Trade & Investment she championed the international plans of life science companies and she understands their requirements. This experience helped her to establish good contacts with a number of other networking organisations and now at ERBI she is nurturing those relationships where there are synergies.
To learn more about ERBI visit its website at www.erbi.co.uk
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