Rudy Dekeyser 21/04/05

•

origin of the species

•

mission & objectives

•

creating an innovative environment

•

is basic high quality research compatible with tech transfer?

•

origin of the species

•

mission & objectives

•

creating an innovative environment

•

is basic high quality research compatible with tech transfer?

Origin of the species

Antwerp Ghent Brussels Louvain Diepenbeek

Origin of the species

Step 1. Flemish government evaluates the life sciences research [1994]

Origin of the species

The 1994 conclusions:



big names in science

   

but lack of structural support critical mass translation in industrial activities

Origin of the species

The conventional approach:



Dedicate a certain volume of an existing granting body to life sciences research



danger:



slice it thin



lack of sustainability



Establish a novel independent research institution



danger:



disturb the equilibrium



lag phase

Origin of the species

Step 2. The VIB concept



unite existing quality



build synergy and critical mass



research



tech transfer

Origin of the species

VIB – unite existing quality 60 biotech teams in 5 universities evaluation select 9 excellent teams

U2

Origin of the species

U1 U3 VIB vzw U4 U5

Origin of the species

VIB – create critical mass



Flemish government invests



5y x 25M € = 125.000.000 € = doubling research budget overnight = creating critical mass



Framework agreement:

•

long term commitment

•

in depth evaluation every 5 year

Origin of the species

VIB – create synergy



Framework agreement with universities



key output: scientific publications www.nature.com/reviews/genetics 752 / October 2004 / volume 5

Origin of the species

VIB – create synergy



Framework agreement with universities



tech transfer:

•

IPR

– – –

joint ownership management: VIB costs: VIB

•

marketing/exploitation: VIB

Origin of the species

VIB – create synergy



Framework agreement with universities



tech transfer - return € € € patent cost inventors VIB 10 50 univ 40 40 Department 50 VIB 10

Origin of the species

VIB – create synergy



Framework agreement with universities



tech transfer – return UNIV : VIB : 10 + 40 + 40 = 90% 10 + 40 + 40 = 90%

Origin of the species

VIB – key facts & figures



foundation



legal entity



field



budget 2004



headcount : : : : : 1996 not-for-profit life sciences ~ 60 mio € ~ 850

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origin of the species

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mission & objectives

•

creating an innovative environment

•

is basic high quality research compatible with tech transfer?

Mission

Molecular sciences to improve the quality of life

Objectives 

conduct frontline basic research



translate inventions into products for the benefit of society



inform the public

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origin of the species

•

mission & objectives

•

creating an innovative environment

•

is basic high quality research compatible with tech transfer?

VIB - Research

Major fields:



Oncology



Cardiovascular/angiogenesis



Neurobiology



Inflammation/immunology



Developmental biology



Plant system biology



Microbiology

VIB - Research

membrane

FADD casp8 TNF TNF-R55 TNF-R75 TRADD Ub TRAF2 RIP Ub MAP3K Ub IKK



IKK



/



P IKK



/



P

apoptosis

A20 ABIN P I



B p50 p65 P Ub I



B P P p50 p65

inflammation

NF-



B dependent genes p50 p65

nucleus

VIB - Research Novel treatment for IBD in clinical trial

Colitis ulcerosa Recombinant L.lactis, expressing IL-10 Crohn’s disease healthy colon

VEGF

d/d

mice show adult onset ALS phenotype

VIB - Research C/ A -2578 CTG1 (-540) G/ A -1154 G/ C -634G/C ATG (1) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 L-VEGF Cleavage gDNA mRNA Protein

Reduced levels of VEGF increase the risk for ALS

VIB - Research Quantitative N-teromics

N N

Arg Arc

16 O

C

16 O

H

18 O

C

18 O

H

Ex.: Heatmap of ratios of amino-terminal peptides for 700 IDs from T-Lymphocyte According to reverse phase chromatography position According to ratio (O18/O16)

x

VIB - Research

VIB – Tech Transfer

Tech Transfer = = Technology Transfer Knowledge Transfer = the movement of knowledge between different parties = the transfer of knowledge from an academic institution to industry = patenting, licensing and establishing start-ups = mining of knowledge => optimize knowledge creation

VIB - Research 

Target :



frontline Create the environment:



recognise excellence



top performance => budget low performance => budget



excellence bonus



recruit internationally

VIB – Research international recognition  39 nationalities  58%  23 %  11%  6,5 %  1% European countries Asia N&S America Africa Australia  % internationalisation

30 20 10 0 1997 1999 2001 2003

VIB - Research 

Target :



frontline Create the environment:



recognise excellence



up to date infrastructure

UGent-VIB research building

VIB - Research 

Target :



frontline Create the environment:



recognise excellence



up to date infrastructure



access to advanced technology platforms

VIB microarray facility

VIB proteomics core facility (Source: PhD thesis Kris Gevaert, 2000)

VIB Genetic Service Facility 

sequencing



STR-genotyping



SNP discovery



SNP analysis

VIB technology – model organisms yeast drosophila xenopus zebrafish mouse arabidopsis

VIB technologies Bio-informatics

VIB - Research 

Target :

  

frontline Create the environment:



Stimulate debate and interaction



GLC



VIB seminar



VIB newsletter



science clubs



PhD program

VIB - Research 

Quality assurance:

•

IAB

Institutional Advisory Board 2004

VIB - Research   

Quality assurance IAB SAB

 

strategic plan organigram [critical density]

VIB - Research

VIB - Research 

Quality assurance

 

IAB SAB

 

strategic plan organigram



performance criteria

VIB - Research

Performance criteria:



scientifically ≥ 45 publications in IF > 10 journals ≥ 125 publications in IF > 5 journals



tech transfer ≥ 25 patent applications 50% granted ≥ 5 mio € industry funding



education ≥ 35 PhD’s

VIB - Research 60 40 20 0 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 69 1995

IF > 5

187 2004

X 2.7

IF > 10

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 16 1995 53 2004

X 3.3

VIB – Tech Transfer research records of invention IPR agreements existing companies start-ups • facilitate the commercialisation of research results for the benefit of society • promote economic growth • job creation • generate research € to dept.

VIB – Tech Transfer

Disclosure and recording of inventions Policy:



adapt to academic environment



pro-active



minimize administrative hurdles



treat with priority

# ROI 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 96

VIB - Tech Transfer Inventions

97 98 99 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

VIB - Tech Transfer ROI-benchmark 3 2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 V IB Can. Inst.

US Inst.

Cal Tech US Univ.

ARCH Stanford

# P A

VIB - Tech Transfer # patent applications

3 5 3 0 2 5 2 0 15 10 5 0 9 5 9 6 9 7 9 8 9 9 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 4

VIB - Tech Transfer

Patent applications (PA)

 

VIB Benchmark : :

~

48% ROI => PA

~

50% ROI => PA

EU Priority filing US UK 2 nd filing VIB – Tech Transfer portfolio management PCT filing National phase Granting Search report Written opinion Preliminary Examination Report

VIB – Tech Transfer Budgets/year - cumulative

35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04

VIB - Tech Transfer

Licensing/R&D: some collaborators



Pfizer



Novartis



Johnson & Johnson



Solvay



Abbott



Bayer



Innogenetics



Tibotec



Galapagos



CropDesign



Ablynx



Tigenix

VIB - Tech Transfer

Start-up: basic principles VIB operates in a very hands-on manner by playing the role of seed financier:



conceptualize and write business plan

 

strengthen the technology/product base via inlicensing assist in bringing the team in place

 

road show to raise venture money assist in the due diligence process

VIB - Tech Transfer

Start-up: case study - nanobody



Broad application spectrum

•

diagnostics/proteomics

•

therapeutics

•

immuno-affinity

•

feed/food

VIB - Tech Transfer

Start-up: case study – nanobody (1) Technology building



secured access to 3 basic patents covering product claims and production methodology (VUB)



filed 6 more patent families



> 40 patent applications and patents (2) Strategic investments:



VIB grant complemented with:

•

tech transfer project

•

IWT grant

VIB - Tech Transfer

Start-up: case study – nanobody (3) Business plan (Ablynx) (4) Attract lead investor (GIMV) (5) Establish legal entity (VIB + GIMV) (6) Attract CEO (M. Vaeck, ex-COO Ceres) (7) Ad interim management

•

recruit first employees

•

rent lab space

• •

furnish labs establish contacts with potential licensees

Ablynx nv     

Biopharma Foundation Location CEO Venture Capital 1st round



Investors

 

Venture Capital 2nd round : New investors : : : : : :



Employees : 2001 Ghent Dr. Mark Vaeck 5 M € GIMV, BFV, Sofinnova, Gilde 25 M € Abingworth, Alta Partners 40

Devgen nv 

Biopharma & agbio



Foundation



Location



CEO



Venture Capital 1st round



Investors 1st round



Venture Capital 2 nd round



New investors



Employees : : : : : 1997 Ghent Dr. Thierry Bogaert 9.4 M € GIMV, Abingworth, BVF : 29 M € : Advent, LSP, Rendex, ING, DV, KBC, M&M : 95

CropDesign nv      

Agbio Foundation Location CEO: Venture Capital 1st round Investors 1st round : : : : :

 

Venture Capital 2 nd New Investors round : :



Venture Capital 3th round



Employees : : 1998 Ghent Dr. Johan Cardoen 11 M USD GIMV, Atlas Venture, Sofinnova, BFF 25.6 M € Gilde, ING, DV, Burrill Agbio, KBC, Technolife 2010 16 M € 70

Peakadilly nv 

Biopharma



Foundation



Location



CEO



Capital 1st round



Income



Employees : : : : : : 2004 Ghent Koen Kas VIB 3 mio € 10

Tech Transfer - 2004 Start-ups: employees

200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 Totaal

VIB start-up

Benefit for society:

 

multiple therapeutics under development novel agronomically improved crop varieties under deveopment

VIB - Tech Transfer

Ghent Technology Park DeVGen research facilities University of Ghent/VIB Innogenetics VIB Bio incubator 2 Bayer Bio Science VIB Bio incubator 1 Innovation& Incubation centre 2 (University of Ghent) Innovation & Incubation centre 1 (University of Gent) Crop Design Service Center for biotech Buildings planned or under construction

Conclusion 

scientific output and quality improved significantly



tech transfer output has increased from almost zero to significant

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origin of the species

•

mission & objectives

•

creating an innovative environment

•

is basic high quality research compatible with tech transfer?

Balancing science & Tech Transfer

Groups with collaboration Groups without collaboration

science technology basic applied

Source: K. Debackere et al., in prep.

Balancing science & Tech Transfer

Table 1a – average number of SCIE publications (1998-2000) Inventors Non-inventors Complete sample 35,8 11,7 Sample without outliers (# pubs < 90) 22,8 12,1 Source: K. Debackere et al., in prep.

Balancing science & Tech Transfer

Conclusion: High quality basic science & tech transfer are compatible