A Primer on Technology Transfer in the Field of Biotechnology aims to help biotechnology innovation stakeholders understand the environment needed for sustainability, legal certainty, and effective technology transfer in this sector. In addition, it considers challenging issues such as the role of intellectual property (IP) in the creation, protection, commercialization, and transfer of research outcomes from laboratories to public and private users.
Biotechnology innovation takes place in both the private and public sectors, and biotechnology innovation stakeholders may be involved in, for example, research and development (R&D), production, evaluation, protection and out-licensing, funding, marketing or commercializing of these innovations. Stakeholders may be working in universities to transfer research outcomes from laboratories to end-users and may also be found in other settings such as businesses, manufacturing, government agencies, independent research institutes, non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations, or public–private partnerships. Given the current scale and scope of university-based technology transfer, the main focus of this Primer is to provide guidance, with templates and suitable language, for technology transfer professionals who are tasked with managing the out-licensing of university-generated innovations in the field of biotechnology. The term “technology transfer” as used herein will most often refer to the process of licensing or otherwise facilitating the transfer of biotechnology innovations resulting from university research to the commercial sector for further development, with the goal of commercialization and at the same time benefiting society. Nevertheless, because the Primer discusses the issues that arise at many steps in the technology transfer process, and the perspectives both sides may bring to a strategic decision, biotechnology innovation stakeholders working in other settings will find useful guidance here.
The Primer provides an overview of the unique nature and specificities of biotechnology R&D, the resulting life sciences innovation ecosystems and their benefit to society. It also provides real-world examples of successful transfers of health-related biotechnology innovations from academia to industry to illustrate some of these unique aspects. Examples of important inventions that have arisen because of publicly funded research in collaboration with commercial stakeholders are included. Finally, the Primer provides a detailed description of the various types of agreements that are often utilized when university-derived biotechnology innovations are transferred to and commercialized by industry partners.
The Primer has been developed with the help of prominent experts with the goal of providing information that is accurate, practical and up to date. However, it is not intended to provide an exhaustive overview of biotechnology technology transfer as there are additional types of agreements that may be used in the development, manufacture, marketing and commercialization of biotechnology products. Instead, the Primer highlights various issues and factors for technology transfer professionals around the world to consider, all with a specific focus on biotechnology innovations.