Transcript The joys and sorrows of commercializing research in a

BENEFITS AND COSTS OF
COMMERCIALISING RESEARCH
IN A UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT
A/Prof Merrill Rowley
Autoimmunity Group
Department of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology
COMMERCIALISATION EXPERIENCE
1993-2002
• Syndicated R&D “Diagnostic assays for
autoimmune diseases”
Type 1 diabetes: patent
Primary biliary cirrhosis: EMA kit (Trace)
Rheumatoid arthritis: patent
• Diabetes research (Autogen)
• Development of a diagnostic kit for
rheumatoid arthritis (ThermoTrace)
BENEFITS OF COMMERCIALISATION
Departmental
• $250,000 large equipment
• Infrastructure funding
Research Group (10-20 people)
• Research environment, critical mass
• Post-docs, students, visiting scientists
• >70 peer-reviewed manuscripts
• Experience of a commercial environment
• On-going royalty stream
DIAGNOSTIC ASSAY FOR
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
•Common
inflammatory
polyarthritis (~1%)
•Difficult to diagnose in
early stages, but correct
diagnosis is important
for therapy
•New diagnostic a
“first-line” test
COLLABORATION WITH
THERMOTRACE
• Establish a work programme, milestones
– ThermoTrace are primarily interested in developing
and marketing a kit
– Must be realistic, as continuation of the project
depends on achieving milestones
• Work out a budget
– Salaries, consumables, infrastructure, patent costs
– ThermoTrace’s requirements
• Legal requirements
– Ownership of IP, dispute resolution, royalties
– ThermoTrace, University solicitors
PROBLEMS
• Time requirements
to funding
on-going
• Maintenance of core research infrastructure
between projects
staff on short term contracts
• Difficulties in maintaining both competitive
research grants and commercial funding
different expectations and outcomes
…. is commercially funded
research worth pursuing?
YES
Costs are manageable, and
outweighed by benefits