Collaborative Research Models: Academia & Industry Partnerships

Collaborative research between academic institutions, biotech companies, and pharmaceutical companies is playing an increasingly important role in the life sciences sector. Supporting drug development, biotechnology breakthroughs, and the greater understanding of diseases – and the therapies required to treat them – this collaboration is beneficial to all. And we’ve seen multiple notable examples during the last few years.

Core Examples of Successful Collaborative Life Science Research

Imatinib (Gleevec)

Collaboration: University of Pennsylvania and Novartis

Imatinib, marketed as Gleevec, is a groundbreaking treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and other cancers. The discovery of the molecular target for CML was made by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, including Dr. Brian Druker, who identified the BCR-ABL fusion gene as the cause of CML. Novartis collaborated with these researchers to develop imatinib as a targeted therapy.

This is viewed by many as the first step towards personalised medicine in oncology.

The Human Genome Project and subsequent drug discovery

Collaboration: Broad Institute (Harvard, MIT), Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and several pharmaceutical companies

The Human Genome Project was an international collaboration involving academic institutions, government agencies, and pharmaceutical companies. Its aim was to map the entire human genome. The information provided by the project delivered a wealth of knowledge that was pivotal for understanding the genetic basis of diseases and led to new drug discovery initiatives.

Pharmaceutical companies globally have used this information to identify new drug targets and biomarkers.

Keytruda (Pembrolizumab)

Collaboration: Merck & Co. and various academic research institutions

Keytruda is a pioneering immune checkpoint inhibitor used in the treatment of various cancers, including melanoma and lung cancer. The development of Keytruda by Merck & Co. was based on the academic discovery of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in immunology, which involved research by academic institutions, including the University of California.

Keytruda has become a leading immunotherapy for cancer and significantly altered the treatment landscape for several types of cancer.

RNA Interference (RNAi) Technology and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Collaboration: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and various academic research labs, including MIT and Harvard

RNA interference (RNAi) is a revolutionary technology that can silence specific genes, offering potential treatments for a variety of diseases. The foundational discovery of RNAi came from academic research, particularly from Dr. Andrew Fire and Dr. Craig Mello at the University of Massachusetts, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2006 for their work. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals formed a collaboration with these academic pioneers to bring RNAi therapies to the clinic.

Alnylam has developed RNAi-based drugs such as Onpattro (patisiran), which treats hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR), a rare and life-threatening disease.

HPV Vaccine (Gardasil)

Collaboration: University of Queensland and Merck & Co.

The HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was developed in collaboration between the University of Queensland's Professor Ian Frazer and Merck & Co. Professor Frazer’s research identified the virus-like particles (VLPs) that could be used to create a vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer.

The vaccine is credited with reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers.

CAR-T Cell Therapies

Collaboration: University of Pennsylvania, Novartis, and Gilead Sciences (Kite Pharma)

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is a game-changing cancer treatment that involves modifying a patient’s T-cells to better recognise and fight cancer cells. The initial breakthroughs in CAR-T cell therapy were made by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, led by Dr. Carl June. These findings were then advanced in collaboration with biotech companies, including Novartis and Gilead (through Kite Pharma).

CAR-T therapies, such as Kymriah (Novartis) and Yescarta (Gilead), have been approved for treating cancers like leukaemia and lymphoma.

Collaboration between academia and the biotech and pharma industries holds enormous potential to enhance healthcare, just as AI in life sciences is enhancing the entire industry. Together, they bring cutting-edge research, scientific knowledge, financial resources, developmental infrastructure, and market access, enabling the discovery, development, and commercialisation of innovative new therapies. And this is only going to continue with enhanced collaboration.

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