Business
committed to providing science for the sake of sci- ence, only indirectly contributing to the drug mar- ket by adding valuable data to the sum of knowl- edge in the field. But once an innovation attracts attention from for-profit organisations, the com- plexity and cost of drug discovery and develop- ment increases exponentially. Here is where owner- ship of the innovation is apportioned, as well as the dispensation of any eventual profits. However, with less than 10% of drugs from this stage mak- ing it to market, organisations and stakeholders involved in the process are required to take on con- siderable risk. To manage that risk, a number of diverse players in the drug discovery and develop- ment ecosystem have emerged and are engaged. Various types and sizes of organisations occupying specialised niches have emerged, including non- profit research organisations, foundations, small and scrappy biotechnology start-ups and contract research organisations (CROs). These entities are often nimble and efficient – able to apply their expertise to a few key functions or to solve a par- ticular set of problems – and with each offering an opportunity to add value to the scientific pro- gramme and accelerate scientific assets and pro- grammes forward.
Perhaps the most promising development in this changing landscape is the evolution of CROs. Though CROs have always had a part to play in the drug delivery pipeline, their ability to stream- line research has made them even more relevant in today’s market. With CRO management structures
dedicated solely to execution of research without the distraction of other departments, CROs are able to adapt quickly to the sometimes unexpected demands of new research. Historically, CROs were used for one-off contracts. These relationships were brief and simple, with CROs taking one small part of the research burden away from the larger company and being paid a set fee for their service. This relationship, though useful, no longer realises the full potential of CROs to streamline research. With the increasing importance of risk-sharing in the pharmaceutical industry to offset costs, CROs have begun offering a wider range of services, busi- ness arrangements and drug-hunting expertise to become true partners in drug development. A common theme among the emerging and new alliance approaches is that more diverse players are engaged. These diverse partners are working together in innovative ways by fully leveraging tal- ent and expertise, unlocking synergies on many levels and harnessing more brainpower across diverse players. One of the key aspects to these new approaches is a back-and-forth flow of infor- mation and trust. This is achieved by removing silos and facilitating an ongoing exchange of infor- mation, talent and expertise among each of the entities/stakeholders involved, resulting in more integrated relationships that are true partnerships. We describe two distinct types of these non-tra- ditional alliance models that integrate stakeholders as true partners and add value to the drug develop- ment process.
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Figure 3: Non-traditional accelerators engage academic PIs and CROs in close interaction Drug Discovery World Winter 2017/18 27
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