Working in partnership, whether through collaborations, alliances, in-or out-licensing or outsourcing, or even through mergers and acquisitions, is a powerful way to boost pipelines and support preclinical and clinical research and development. [1] The challenge is finding the right partner and the right product or project, and this may be with the company in the next building, or halfway around the world.
Working with a smaller company can provide access to specialist knowledge and cutting-edge research, whereas working with a bigger company provides access to clinical trials, sales, marketing and manufacturing knowledge and experience. Looking for the right asset or partner means exploring strategic synergies and complementary strengths, and there are a number of avenues to explore, both digital and face-to-face.
Having a target profile of an ideal partner and/or product in mind [2], and thinking about the who, what and why, can help at the beginning of the partnering process. As part of this process, consider the ‘4 Ws’: [3]
· Who are your partners?
· What do they want?
· Why do they want it?
· How do they recognize what they want?
Creating target profiles
For companies seeking to in-license a product or technology, creating a target product profile (TPP) that brings together the critical aspects of the product sought is a practical start. If kept updated, the TPP can also provide a framework for preclinical and clinical development and streamline interactions with regulatory authorities. Suggested attributes to use in the TPP include: [4]
· Patient population
· Primary endpoints
· Interference
· Safety and tolerability
· Dosing
· Dosage regimen or schedule
· Stability
· Process-derived impurities
· Patient population
This can be extended into a target licensing profile (TLP), which will also cross over into due diligence (see later). The TLP can include the following additional attributes: [5]
· Therapeutic hypothesis
· Development stage
· Requirement for preclinical or clinical data
· IND-enabling plans or data
· CMC (chemistry, manufacturing and controls) information
· Estimated costs
· Clinical trial plans or data
· IP position
· Commercial analysis
· Current standards of care
· Unmet needs
· Pricing and reimbursement estimates
Doing the research
Selecting the right product and/or partner starts with desk research. Scientific research published in journals, conference reports and abstracts can help to identify emerging opportunities and indicate companies’ recent research. Papers may also list a corresponding author for an initial point of contact. While these may not be the person who can discuss licensing opportunities, they may be able to direct enquiries.
Company’s websites and annual reports describe their areas of focus and will often give details of their pipelines, particularly the assets that are in clinical trials. They may also have a business development or marketing web page, including what they are looking for or offering for collaboration or licensing, along with contact details for the teams involved. [3, 6]
Talking the talk
Partnering conferences, whether digital or ‘in real life’, provide opportunities for companies to showcase their available technologies, platforms and assets, through presentations and face-to-face or virtual networking. Partnering conferences can be local, national or international. They can also be across technologies and therapeutic areas or focused on specific indications or approaches. Attendees include C-suite and senior level management as well as individuals at earlier stages or their careers.
Scientific conferences are a good way to keep abreast of cutting-edge science, and to meet key opinion leaders who can offer advice on new areas of research. Serendipitous meetings over coffee or at lunch or dinner can be a way to start useful discussions.
While partnering and scientific conferences provide targeted networking opportunities, networking can also be a more organic process. Fellow students from undergraduate and postgraduate courses and colleagues from previous jobs may turn out to be useful contac...
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