The identification of novel discoveries – ranging from cutting edge technologies to previously unknown molecular targets – has traditionally been the domain of academic scientists, while the development of drug candidates that capitalize on these insights has been undertaken by pharma and big biotech companies, through resource- and time-intensive development processes. The need to bridge these two worlds has allowed the biotech start-up industry to flourish, but new models are needed to scale, amplify, and expedite the creation of new medicines. The last decade has seen the emergence of several such models, with varied success. Today’s panel will focus on four high profile/successful efforts to ‘feed the pipeline’ by spanning this gap between basic research and actionable pharmaceutical assets. The panel will discuss their successes, failures, and future directions.
