Much has been made of the challenges that stymie academic researchers and entrepreneurs from commercializing their scientific discoveries. From university red tape, lack of business experience, and difficulty accessing funds, there are many reasons that life sciences innovations aren’t commercialized.
A number of unique models have been put forward in recent years to try to increase the chances of the best science and technology being translated from bench to bedside. One that gained attention recently involved private funders hiring university researchers to pursue biotech advances outside the academic setting — a move that ignited debate within academic and venture circles about whether innovation could succeed in university labs.
In this episode of Ventured, we discuss the relative pros and cons of different approaches to supporting and funding life sciences innovation — and how UPMC Enterprises is accelerating advances and breaking down barriers to commercialization of scientific breakthroughs.
It’s a conversation that centers on how the UPMC Enterprises’ model is uniquely placed to guide and enable academic creativity on the path to translational success. By acting as enablers and catalysts of success, as opposed to picking winners, UPMC Enterprises’ goal is to reduce translational barriers at scale. The approach drives innovations on a broader scale than a model that focuses discovery on preselected areas of high value or high priority.
Hear from Matthias Kleinz, DVM, PhD, executive vice president at UPMC Enterprises and head of Translational Sciences investing, and Hank Safferstein, PhD, JD, MBA, senior advisor of UPMC Enterprises, and CEO of Generian, as they discuss the following topics:
- Examination of models for supporting and funding life sciences innovation, including private and academic-entrepreneurial.
- Defining the differences and relative pros and cons of the spectrum of funding approaches in early-stage science and commercialization.
- The importance of casting a wide net for scientific innovation that could lead to commercial success.
- How UPMC Enterprises’ approach is reducing the barriers to translating the best science into new therapeutics.
- Where UPMC Enterprises starts in identifying innovation and how it matches science to the problem.
- Outlook for success of various funding models in generating advances in the life sciences.
Next Steps
- Read about Internal Portfolio Development at UPMC Enterprises and complete the contact form to reach out to the team.
- Listen to all the episodes of the Ventured podcast.
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