prev next Project Realise
In April of this year, the Technology Strategy Board granted part funding over 18 months to an SSCN led bid, with the consortium encompassing Roslin Cells, Innogen (the University of Edinburgh) and KLCE consulting.
Project Realise builds on the research and workshops conducted by the Scottish Stem Cell Network in 2009 to develop a Roadmap for the Scottish Regenerative Medicine Industry, which involved the detailed analysis of the Drivers and Blockers, Capabilities and Promoters which will enable successful translation of innovation into therapies for unmet medical needs.
In response to the Technology Strategy Board’s call for bids under the Regenerative Medicine theme for “Value systems and Business models” Project REALISE was submitted and successful for partial funding. The balance of funding for this project was provided by Scottish Government and Edinburgh Bioquarter with the Economic and Social Research Council supporting the academic component at Innogen, the University of Edinburgh.
The desired outcome of this project will be to enable the development of ”A world-recognised and UK- leading Regenerative Medicine Industry in Scotland, engaged in global markets ,bringing substantial, rapid and multigenerational benefit to the economy of Scotland and to public health around the world”
A core component of project REALISE is the development of a tool which will guide industry from discovery through development to delivery of therapies. The development of the infrastructure of the tool will be led by SSCN with our sub-contractor New Game -Plan Ltd whose expertise in combining innovation in technology and delivering high quality outputs was evident from their unique Brain Pooling workshops held in May 2009. This workshop and the satellite meetings have generated detailed information and data which will now form the content on the software. The tool will be delivered by SSCN as an interactive software application leading those developing products in Regenerative Medicine through a matrix model covering:
- Steps to Market (Discovery, Development and Delivery).
- Supply Chain analysis and Value assessment.
- Economic and business plan models to attract funding and enable commercialisation.
- The tool will facilitate further economic impact analysis of the UK regulatory and funding environment.
The three partners in the consortium all bring unique areas of expertise with Roslin Cells conducting Market analysis and research in addition to testing the tool with 3 identified products:
- clinical grade Pluripotent Stem Cells
- artificial Liver device
- red blood cells from hESC
KLCE Consulting Ltd and Innogen centre, University of Edinburgh, will provide economic and business modelling tools and regulatory Landscaping with full academic support. The project is supported by an industry focussed expert user group. By combining the knowledge base in the tool this will create business opportunities.
- All models produced will be made commercially available to those developing regenerative medicine products.
- The development of business models, by processing 3 innovative products through the tool, will provide enhanced commercialisation of the products involved.
- Further Licensing and commercialisation opportunities to be explored in parallel with the development of the tools.
In order for SSCN to lead this consortium, a project manager, Margaret Ann Pearson, has been appointed. Margaret Ann graduated from Glasgow University with a B.sc in Life Science. Having joined the Pharmaceutical industry in 1985, Margaret Ann has a wide range of experience encompassing people and project management and has held various leadership roles with Blue Chip Pharmaceutical companies.
This project exemplifies SSCN’s core strength in partnering organisations and companies with seemingly differing remits and identifying overlapping areas which are key to attracting funding opportunities. The TSB funding calls in particular ask for applications from academic and industry collaborations, as the UK drives to bring SMEs in contact with the academic base. If you require any assistance in identifying suitable academic or commercial partners for such applications, please do not hesitate to contact SSCN (0131 440 6795 or info@sscn.co.uk) and we will endeavour to put you in touch with potential partners.