OBN PharmaTuesday: ‘Should Pharma Externalisation go to 100%?’ - Cambridge

Should Pharma Externalization go to 100%?
At this excellent upcoming PharmaTuesday, senior speakers from all sides of the industry will debate the contentious question whether biotech really can afford for big pharma to externalise R&D completely? Expect vigorous debate.

Key questions to be explored:

• How far should pharma externalization go?
• Will it hinder emerging companies if development expertise is lost from very large companies?
• What will be the economic effect of further externalization on the R&D and CRO sector?
• Will pharma sponsored innovation hubs be a substitute for pharma R&D organisations?
• At what point, if any, could further externalisation harm the ecosystem whose growth it has driven?

Programme
18:00 Registration & Networking
18:30 Welcome & Introduction by Jon Rees, CEO, OBN
18:40 Address from the Sponsor - Paul Clewlow, Senior Vice President - Business Development, Sygnature Discovery
18:50 Panel Discussion including:
Ann Connolly, Senior Director New Ventures, Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Rob Pinnock, Director, Business Development & Licensing MRL, MSD
Georg Buchner, Licensing Director, Europe, Amgen
Richard Mason, CEO, X01
Ian Moules, Senior Director, Search & Evaluation, Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Simon Hirst, CEO, Sygnature Discovery
19:30 Q&A with the Panel
19:45 Networking over drinks and canapés
21:30 Evening Close

This OBN BioTuesday event is kindly sponsored by:

Background:
The growth in pharma R&D externalization is driving dealmaking to new highs, as demonstrated by the $4.3bn total value of deals** closed by OBN members alone over the last 5 years which represents approximately 50% of the total for the UK. A stark contrast is that internal pharma R&D capacity continues to reduce following successive reorganisations.

The percentage of pipeline business sourced externally by pharma continues to grow, from 34-40% in 2002*, to 42-63% in 2007, and in 2015 many firms are now sourcing two thirds of their pipeline externally. More than 80% of innovative biologics have their origins outside of pharma R&D. AZ's relocation to Cambridge, as well as J&J’s Innovation Centre in London, GSK's location next to the Stevenage Bioscience Centre and Merck's impending Innovation Centre in Kings Cross underlines the movement toward collaborative R&D.

But with a wave of patent expiries, would significant further growth in pharma R&D externalization affect the viability of large pharma’s R&D organisations. Will it hinder emerging companies if development expertise is lost from very large companies? What will be the economic effect of further externalization on the R&D and CRO sector? The overarching dogma among SMEs might be that small entrepreneurial R&D teams can get it done faster and cheaper, the burning question is whether it is.

But can biotechs really afford for big pharma to externalise R&D completely? Will pharma sponsored innovation hubs be a substitute for pharma R&D organisations?

Meanwhile the investors in the new wave of biotechs being driven by the next generation of entrepreneurs, might see significant value-add by deal-making with collaborative pharma R&D groups. They may be able to hand off to their sales & marketing organisations seamlessly. Will the opening up of pharma Innovation Centres to source early-stage partnering opportunities add value, - or should pharma companies stick to their knitting and spin-off their remaining capabilities?

At what point, if any, could further externalisation harm the ecosystem whose growth it has driven?

*McKinsey
**M&A, Collaborations and Licensing - "OBN Impact Research 2014" - to be published at BioTrinity 2015

Payment is required in advance via PayPal, or by phone using a credit/ debit card.

Cancellation Policy
In the event that you cancel your reservation more than one week prior to the event, full refund is available, less 25% Admin fee. Cancellation within 1 week of the event; no refund is available. Substitutions can be made up to 24 hours before the event.

Please be aware we will not accept registrations from non-member law firms, patent attorneys or other IP Consultants, Accountants or Auditors, Headhunters or Recruiters.