Post on 31-Mar-2015
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Marie Curie Fellowships: Experiences of an Industry-
Academia Partnership
David Smith, PhDResearch Director
Biotie Therapies Corp.
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BIOTIE IN BRIEF
• Founded in 1996 in Turku, Finland by two Turku University Professors
• Drug discovery and development for first-in-class pharmaceuticals– Dependence disorders, inflammation, thrombosis
• Strong commercial partnerships, Roche, Seikagaku, Lundbeck, Britannia
• Capital raised to date: EUR 100+ million
• ~ 40 Employees
• Listed on Helsinki Stock Exchange in 2000 – (OMX: BTH1V)
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Small molecule a2ß1 integrin inhibitor
THROMBOSISRecombinant bioheparin
Small molecule VAP-1 SSAO-enzyme inhibitor
INFLAMMATORY DISEASESMonoclonal VAP-1 antibody
Pathological gambling Nalmefene
DEPENDENCE DISORDERSAlcoholism Nalmefene
Phase IIIPhase IIPhase IAuthority-regulated preclinical
Early preclinical
Indication
PIPELINE
Registrat-ion
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Biotie has considerable experience of EU funded research consortia
4th Framework Programme• BRIGHS = Biotechnological Routes in Generating Heparin-Related
Saccharides 1996-98 (partner) SWE (2), IT (2), UK (1), FIN (1)
5th Framework Programme• BANG = Biologically Active Novel Glycosaminoglycans 2000-2002
(Coordinator) FIN (1), SWE (2), IT (3), UK (1)
• TUNEUP = Therapeutic Utilisation of a Novel Enzyme with Unique Adhesion Properties 2000-2003 (partner) FIN (2), UK (1), FR (1), ES (1)
• HEPARANASE = Heparanase inhibitors in antiangiogenic and antimetastatic cancer therapy 2002-2005 (partner) IT (3), IL (1), SK (1), FIN (1), SWE (1)
7th Framework Programme• IMADI – Application (partner)
1-2 companies in each project
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Marie Curie ToK-IAP Fellowships
6th Framework Programme
Marie Curie Host Fellowships for the Transfer of Knowledge:
INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA PARTNERSHIP
`..to create and develop real strategic and durable partnerships between the academic world and the world of enterprise....´
• Funding level between 200k€ and 1200k€• Usual Marie Curie rules on fellows and trans-national
exchange• Living allowances, travel costs, overheads, some research
costs, management costs.
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Biotie’s Marie Curie Fellowship
• Programme: `Structuring the European Research Area – Human Resources and Mobility´ FP6 Marie Curie Host Fellowship for the Transfer of Knowledge Industry–Academia Partnership (TOK-IAP)
• Project: LEVITATES = Liver Endothelial VAP-1 In Tethering And Transmigration Experimental
Systems
• Contract: MTK-CT-2005-029862
• Partners: University of Birmingham, UK and Biotie Therapies
• Coordinator: Biotie Therapies
• 2006-2010. Start date: 1st October 2006
• 54 person months exchange of researchers
• Budget: 390 kEur over 42 months
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Biotie’s Marie Curie Fellowship
• Biotie’s objectives in applying for Marie Curie funding– Strengthen links between a key academic collaborator and the
company– Train personnel. ’Exposure to the outside scientific world’– Further research in a core strategic area– Transfer certain key technologies to the company
• Partners perspective– Funding opportunity for an experienced researcher in the
academic group– New skills brought in
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Project outline
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
Activity 1-6 7-12 11-18 19-24 25-30 31-36 37-42
Isolation of Human and Murine HSEC
BIOTIE staff to UNI BHAM for knowledge transfer, 3 months
Flow and perfusion adhesion assays
Tuition by UNI BHAM for
Fellow 1
Experimental phase for fellow 1, 24 months in total
In vivo liver fibrosis model
Tuition by UNI BHAM for Fellow 2
Experimental phase for fellow 2, 24 months in total
VAP-1: Ligand interaction
UNI BHAM staff toBIOTIE for training and
studies, 3 months
Identification of the VAP-1 ligand
Exchange fellow at UNI BHAM performs experiments in parallel with UNI BHAM staff for duration of the knowledge transfer and training period
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Key issues
• Establishment of Consortium Agreement- Long legal document but relatively straightforward to establish*
• Researcher Agreement- Long legal document, somewhat complicated to establish*- Lack of prior experience in Biotie and University with these type of agreements caused delay
• Practical issues that needed to be addressed- New situation for the company- Employment status of Biotie staff being transferred- Eligibility for transferred researchers share options- Accommodation and practical issues regarding transfer- Return of researcher and filling position in meanwhile
* Difficulties in dealing with the University administration- More than 6 months to set up contracts and financial arrangements- Some frustration and bad feeling from researchers side
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Current status and upcoming issues
• Fellow started 1.10.06 in Birmingham- Research and exchange according to plan (more or less.....)- Some integration difficulties but no major problems
• Face to face meeting at six monthly intervals to discuss progress and plans- Last meeting May 07.
• Three month Biotie to Birmingham transfer to start in 2008, slight delay over plan
• New hire probably needed for second researcher transfer
• Generally positive experience so far
Lesson learnt – Make all arrangements early enough !
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