Transcript Severnside Alliance for Translational Research

www.cymru.gov.uk
NISCHR Academic Health Science Collaboration Launch
Millennium Stadium
Cardiff
3 March 2011
www.cymru.gov.uk
Severnside Alliance for Translational
Research (SARTRE) –
A cooperative approach to working across
institutions
Professor Lars Sundstrom, Director of
SARTRE
Context
The new landscape for therapeutics
Partnerships and alliances
Context for NISCHR-AHSC
SARTRE
Background
What we are doing
A few case studies
Prof. Lars Sundstrom
Severnside Alliance for Translational Research
www.Sartre.ac.uk

Research councils/NHS are focusing more on societal
impact and translational funding
 NISCHR/NIHR, WT, MRC-DPFS, NIH, IMI

Pharma’s productivity is not as expected
 More willing to outsource pre clinical research and collaborate in
R&D, Looking for options to engage with projects early.
 Personalised medicine, diagnostic and pharmacodynamic
markers have become critical.

Early stage Biotech is facing problems
 Capital markets are very frosty, challenging biotechs as a vehicle
for therapeutics development.
Creates new opportunities for the public sector.
Academic institutions are not companies!
Lab science
(Bench)
Research

Forward
Reverse
Patients
(Bedside)
Products
Mission - To pursue and share knowledge and understanding, both for their
own sake and to help individuals and society fulfil their potential.



Translational research -The acceleration of advances in (medical) research
towards societal benefit.
In order to perform basic research we need to demonstrate effective
translation.
Thus translation is an integral part of our mission.
 Discovery is done in cell free systems
 Then tested in simple unicellular
systems
 Results are confirmed in animal models
 Then tested in a few humans
 Then given to lots of different humans
This is not leading to new treatments

Not everyone responds the same
way to drugs
 Beneficial
 Adverse
 Non–responders
 Treatment response
markers

Predicting response from model
systems
 Better test systems
 Better understanding of
how to use them
 Validation with clinical end
points

Better understanding of disease
biology

Linking Clinical and laboratory
sciences




Forward translation
Back translation
Surrogate end points
Pharmacodynamic markers
 Applying knowledge from
genomics
Translational science is addressing these gaps
 Systems biology

Source of innovation
◦
◦
◦
◦

Disease mechanisms
New targets
New biomarkers
New technologies

BUT
◦ We need to develop a
new culture
◦ And new ways of
working
Clinical expertise
◦ Patient stratification
◦ Experimental medicine
◦ Clinical research

Training
◦ New translational scientists

In academia and industry
NISCHR/AHSC
Cooperative models
Open innovation models
Melese et al. Nature medicine 2009 15;5 502-507
Munos et al. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 2010 9; 203-214
In-house Vs Collaborative models
Collaborative model
Interactions
are implicit
Traditional
in-house
model
University
Patho
physiology
Target
Academic Expertise
In vivo
model
Assay
Screen
SME/Pharma
Hit
NHS
Proof of concept
in human
Lead
Candidate
Development & Tox
Company Expertise
NISCHR/AHSC
Post Market
Drug
Benefit
Phase III
CRO-Pharma
We are all looking for a new model
Certainly public private partnerships
Basic Research
Discovery Research
Shift of
Pharma
Needs
Commercial Development
Shift of Pharma
Resources
“Valley of Death” -Development Gap ©Obama Administration
‘How will this be funded?’
Portfoilo approaches to
Joint value creation
Public sector Partners:
NISCHR/Charities
RCs MRC/BBSRC/EPSRC/TSB
EU
Universities
Pool of
Ideas
Projects
NHS R&D
Partners
Assessme
nt
Application
Consolidat
ion
Proof of
Principle
Validati
on
Private sector partners:
Energ
y
Value Creation
License
Product
New Co
Partnership
Momentu
m
Value
Local(SMEs)/TSB/KTP
International (Pharma/Biotech/Medtech)
Synergy, Critical mass, Scale and Collaboration are byproducts
Active project management is essential with multiple actors
Flexible funding mechanisms are essential to catalyse collaborations







An example of effective inter-university
cooperation between Bristol and Cardiff
Universities to advance translational research
together.
Funding from WAG and MRC.
MRC devoloved DPFS funding.
Creation of a unique competence network.
Leveraging shared resources for maximum.
mutual benefit.
Critical mass for attracting new govt. funding.
Portal for realizing opportunities with
industry.
Together we are stronger
Industry
Bristol
Basic
SARTRE
Clinical
Cardiff
‘The start of a federated approach’
Mapping
Scouts
Web based
Networking
Partnering
Finding Partners
Alliance
management
Demonstration
Select Pilot Projects
Funding
Project management
Follow on strategies
Linking
Focus groups
Networking
meetings
Teaching
Training
Seminars
Enterprise and
Innovation
Mapping
Scouts
Web based
Networking
Partnering
Finding Partners
Alliance
management
Demonstration
Select Pilot Projects
Funding
Project management
Follow on strategies
Linking
Focus groups
Networking
meetings
Teaching
Training
Seminars
Enterprise and
Innovation

Larger scale networking meetings to explore
areas of synergy (Clinical>>Basic>>Regional)
◦ Dec 2010 (Translational technology platforms) with
Mediwales and Cardiff University SOM I&E.
◦ Cancer research (4) - (Medicinal chemistry) 14th May
@Bath
◦ DPFS- (Showcase) Newport May 22nd
◦ I4 (3) - (Diabetes and Cardiovascular) Cardiff June
24th

Focus groups
◦ Feb 2011 Kick of meeting SW Critical care alliance
(Bristol/Bath/Cardiff/Brimingham)
 Sepsis sample bio-repository
Mapping
Scouts
Web based
Networking
Partnering
Finding Partners
Alliance
management
Demonstration
Select Pilot Projects
Funding
Project management
Follow on strategies
Linking
Focus groups
Networking
meetings
Teaching
Training
Seminars
Enterprise and
Innovation

Strategic Projects
◦ Funding for a PET specialist (PETIC-Cardiff)
 WAG funding for Patricia Sancjez-Roa (Madrid)
 Funding for a demonstration project from Bristol.
◦ Protein production unit (CBS-Cardiff)
 Funding for demonstration projects from Bristol.

MRC DPFS – Devolved portfolio
◦ Proof of concept studies (£<30K)
◦ Larger projects (£<500K)
Devolved Portfolio £2M 2009/10-2012
Increased likelihood of further
funding and partnering
Later stage
Partnerships
~1-2
Full projects
3 Years Several Milestones
5
Seed corn
Projects, 1 year 1 milestone
15
Works under a framework agreement for IP
Personnel etc… Between Bristol and Cardiff Universities
Later stage
Explotation Phase
Up to £3M
Mid stage
Proof of concept
£150-£500K
V. Early stage
Speculative
Up to £30K
Loc
Lead
Project
Durat
ion
Objective
Translation
(traction so far)
McGuiga
n
Novel Protides for
Colorectal Cancer
24M
New lead series
(IP on compounds)
Ongoing
Allen
TrkA antagonists for
arthritic pain
22M
New lead series
(IP on compounds)
Hallet
Calpain-1 antagonists
in inflammation in
arthritis
12M
New indication for
existing compounds
Under discussion
McGuiga
n
Novel antivirals CMV
and VZV
30M
New indication for
existing compounds
Further funding
Blain
B.Frereana
Natural product
antiinflammatory in
arthritis
9M
Build data package for
licensing
Co-funded by a
company from outset.
Fergusson
Polymer peptides as
antibacterial agents
12M
Novel drug delivery
system (IP on novel
Further funding
Under discussion
Loc
Lead
Project
Duration
Objective
Translation
Robinson
Back-translation of a
human anxiety model
to an animal model
18M
A new translational
animal model of anxiety
Ongoing
Whone
Measuring impulsivity
in humans with
Parkinsons.
12M
A new diagnostic
software tool
Paton
Cerebral artery
stenosis and
hypertensioni in man
12M
Demonstrate a link in
hypertensive patients in
a small clinical study
Ongoing
A method for
modifying protein
therapeutics
12M
Exemplify TrineX
method with a
therapeutic protein
Ongoing
M.Jones
Correlation SSRT in
animals with human
EEGs.
12M
A common translational
end point for cortical
dysfunction
Tavare
EGF signalling in
breast cancer as a
response indicator
36M
A patient stratification
tool
D.Jones
Ongoing
Partnered with Pharma
Under discussion
Mapping
Scouts
Web based
Networking
Partnering
Finding Partners
Alliance
management
Demonstration
Select Pilot Projects
Funding
Project management
Follow on strategies
Linking
Focus groups
Networking
meetings
Teaching
Training
Seminars
Enterprise and
Innovation

Seed corn project
◦ Matt Jones, Lynsey Forsyth (Bristol University),
Lawrence Wilkinson, Trevor Humby (Cardiff
University), Liz Couthard (NBHT).
◦ Development of a common translational end point
between animal models and humans for EEG
evaluation of antipsychotics.

Now being co-developed with Janssen
(Belgium)
◦ Dr. Trevor Howe seconded to build a partnership
with SARTRE
◦ Janssen/SARTRE supplying direct funding, tool
compounds and input in kind to the project
◦ Will result in validation of the models being
developed.
Industry
Partner
Company
champion
Translator
University 1
Translator
Tech Transfer
Tech Transfer
Translational
research
Hub
R&D
Mangers
University 2
A new co-operative model is evolving
Partnerships are the key to success
AHSC SARTRE are examples
Thank You
Severnside Alliance for
Translational Research
[email protected]
+44 (0)7595 245263
www.sartre.ac.uk