This primer demystifies the technology transfer process in biotechnology, offering practical tools and real-world examples. It equips biotech professionals, particularly those involved in university-based technology transfer to manage IP, negotiate agreements, and facilitate university–industry partnerships, ensuring impactful commercialisation of biotech research. It provides user-friendly templates, recommended language, and real-world examples to address key challenges in sustainability, legal certainty, and the commercialization of biotechnology innovations.
- Acknowledgments
- Summary
-
1 What is biotechnology?
Biotechnology is the applied science that uses living organisms, biological processes, and products to develop goods and services for human use. Though definitions vary, they all emphasize applying science and technology to biological systems to create products and services. This chapter presents a brief history and overview of the biotechnology field.
-
2 How is biotechnology in the life sciences used today?
This chapter looks at how biotechnology is used in daily life, from health technology applications, environmentally friendly products such as enzyme-based detergents and biodegradable plastics, to agricultural applications that enhance crop resistance and nutrition, to developing climate-resilient plant varieties crucial for global food security amid climate change.
-
3 The life sciences innovation ecosystem: from bench to market
The journey of biotechnology products from laboratory discovery to market availability is complex. This chapter highlights the capital-intensive, lengthy process of biotech development, subject to strict and varying regulatory requirements across jurisdictions, including patent application and prosecution, licensing strategies, jurisdictional differences in technology transfer laws, , non-patent approaches for extending exclusive rights, and extensive clinical trials.
-
4 Market considerations for biotechnology products and the role of governments
Successful biotechnology development depends on, e.g., government support through R&D funding, strong IP protection, flexible technology transfer frameworks, data exclusivity, and science-based regulation. This chapter looks at how regulatory approval processes vary globally, creating challenges for product commercialization.
-
5 Role of intellectual property in biotechnology commercialization
This chapter outlines how the creation, protection, management, and licensing of intellectual property are critical aspects in biotechnology, given the length of time and high-cost R&D where only one in five drug candidates survives clinical testing. A robust IP portfolio is vital for biotech startups to attract financing, demonstrate market exclusivity potential, and to maintain strategic flexibility if primary products fail.
-
6 Academic institutions and the biotechnology industry
The synergistic relationship between academic institutions and biotech companies drives industry innovation. Universities contribute cutting-edge research, specialized facilities, and scientific discoveries, while companies provide commercialization expertise and investment capital. This chapter highlights how partnerships have yielded breakthroughs like COVID-19 vaccines and cancer treatments.
-
7 Technology transfer in biotechnology (continuum of agreements)
Technology transfer in biotechnology depends on various classes of well-structured agreements and strong IP foundations. This chapter highlights how academic institutions need Technology Transfer Offices with the capacity to manage IP assets and to facilitate commercialization through agreements ranging from non-disclosure agreements to exclusive licenses.
-
8 Biotechnology in the time of COVID-19
COVID-19 placed biotechnology in the global spotlight, prompting unprecedented collaboration in vaccine development. This chapters looks at how academic institutions pivoted to support rapid research and technology transfer through time-limited non-exclusive royalty-free licenses and at how patent pools and licensing partnerships facilitated access to technologies.
-
9 Cross-border collaborations: challenges and opportunities
International biotechnology collaborations have increased with globalization, enabling researchers to combine expertise from divergent jurisdictions on complex multidisciplinary problems. This chapter looks at how these partnerships face significant challenges, including cultural differences in negotiation approaches, varying legal frameworks across jurisdictions, inconsistent IP ownership laws, and differing privacy laws and regulations.
-
10 Utilizing genetic resources for economic growth
Biotechnology uses genetic resources for societal benefit. This chapter gives an overview of how international treaties and countries can foster economic growth by creating frameworks that provide legal protection for inventions while encouraging conservation, funding relevant research, while establishing effective technology transfer offices and facilitating knowledge transfer to commercial entities.
-
11 Humanitarian goals versus for-profit activities
In biotechnology, addressing global health needs requires both charitable and commercial approaches. This chapter looks at how developing treatments for endemic diseases in underserved populations may be best addressed through foundation-funded initiatives, while other biotechnology products require for-profit investment and expertise. Creative solutions can combine both models through strategic licensing approaches.
- Conclusion
- Copyright notice