The
California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) has renewed and
expanded a three-year agreement with Pfizer Inc. to collaborate on
research projects at the University of California with the potential to
transform world-class science into better medicine.
The
renewal expands a 2009 QB3-Pfizer collaboration that led to 22 joint
projects across the three QB3 campuses—UC Berkeley, UCSF and UC Santa
Cruz—addressing a wide range of bioscience research. The expanded
partnership will be open to UC Davis researchers, as well.
The
renewal also includes a program to fund innovative projects by
postdoctoral scholars to pursue fundamental research questions that have
a direct impact on Pfizer’s research and development efforts.
“UC
scientists are working in some of the most innovative areas of science,
which could have a real impact on patients and our environment,” said
QB3 Director Regis Kelly, PhD. “By bringing these scientists together
with researchers at Pfizer, we’re hoping to create equally innovative
benefits for patients.”
“This
collaboration has been very productive for Pfizer, and a diversity of
scientists from our numerous research centers have enjoyed the
scientific interactions we have had with the QB3 network,” said Uwe
Schoenbeck, chief scientific officer of Pfizer External R&D
Innovation. “This collaboration has been a model of success for us, and
we look forward to an ever-closer relationship with this faculty in the
coming years.”
Kelly
said the success of this partnership is partially due to efforts to
promote collegial interactions between Pfizer scientists and UC faculty,
including a speaker series at QB3 that pairs industry scientists with
faculty in their areas of expertise and provides a forum for discussing
approaches to product development in hopes of spurring further
collaborations.
The
agreements are part of QB3 and the University of California’s efforts
to establish a framework for successful university-industry partnerships
while protecting research autonomy and integrity. These master
agreements ensure protections of academic freedoms and transparency,
such as the right to publish research findings.
The
success of this structure is exemplified in the broad range of
collaborations that were formed under the original Pfizer/QB3 agreement,
Kelly said, ranging from proof-of-concept research projects to
technology translation and disruptive innovations.
While
the first arrangement garnered the full $9.5 million in funding, actual
funding consistently depends on Pfizer’s interest in specific projects.
QB3
is a cooperative effort among private industry and more than 220
scientists at UCSF, UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz. One of four
technology institutes created in 2000 by former California Governor Gray
Davis, QB3 has a joint mission of supporting science, driving the
California economy and transforming scientific research into public
good.
Fundamental
to the latter two missions are QB3’s efforts to commercialize
University of California science by creating mutually beneficial
partnerships with industry and supporting innovative entrepreneurs. The
effort has led to 45 bioscience startup companies currently in QB3’s
Garage/Innovation Network. QB3 also operates Mission Bay Capital, an
$11.5M seed-stage venture capital fund designed to support UC startups.
