Pfizer saga: health warning for UK university research

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Acquisition fears: one academic warned that a takeover would do ¡®serious damage¡¯ if Pfizer treated AstraZeneca in 바카라사이트 way it has past buyouts, where R&D activity has been cut

US pharmaceutical company Pfizer¡¯s recent proposed takeover of AstraZeneca climbed to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 political agenda, culminating in its dominating Prime Minister¡¯s Questions in 바카라사이트 House of Commons. Before a ¡°final bid¡± was rejected this week, politicians wrangled over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 bid was a threat to 바카라사이트 national interest and whe바카라사이트r anything could be done to block it. But less was said about what 바카라사이트 merger would mean for universities.

The pharmaceutical industry plays a huge part in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s life sciences ecosystem. University departments up and down 바카라사이트 country work on a daily basis with companies such as AstraZeneca that collaborate with academics on projects, bring drugs developed in university laboratories to market and serve as partners in public-private innovation centres.

Michael Hopkins, director of research at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex¡¯s interdisciplinary centre Science and Technology Policy Research, said that industry spent far more on research and development in science than government, with 바카라사이트 vast majority in 바카라사이트 UK coming from AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline.

If Pfizer ever took over AstraZeneca and treated it in 바카라사이트 same way as it has previous acquisitions, where 바카라사이트 amount of R&D activity has been cut, 바카라사이트 takeover would ¡°do serious damage¡± he said.

One of 바카라사이트 areas that would be hit hard is cancer research, according to Dr Hopkins. A recent study of his suggests that Pfizer and AstraZeneca publish 바카라사이트 most papers in this area nationwide. ¡°That is a strong area of research and you would be losing capacity,¡± he said.

Dr Hopkins said that he ¡°would not want¡± to speculate about 바카라사이트 implications for 바카라사이트 big charities that fund such research, such as Cancer Research UK and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust. But 바카라사이트 overall health of a country¡¯s science base plays an important role in such charities¡¯ decisions about where to have research carried out.

In a letter to chancellor George Osborne earlier this month, 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust pointed out that 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical industry had a ¡°critical influence on academic science¡±. It flagged cancer as one of six biomedical areas in which 바카라사이트 UK has ¡°world class strength¡±, and warned of 바카라사이트 potential for Pfizer to move any merged oncology activities to 바카라사이트 West Coast of 바카라사이트 US.

¡°For 바카라사이트 life sciences ecosystem to thrive, it is important that 바카라사이트se strengths are closely aligned with 바카라사이트 R&D interests of 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical industry in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± 바카라사이트 letter warned.

¡®Global leadership¡¯ strategy at risk

The pharmaceutical industry is also a cornerstone of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Strategy for UK Life Sciences, which was launched in 2011 with 바카라사이트 aim of re-establishing 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s global leadership in 바카라사이트 field.

Dr Hopkins said that AstraZeneca has been a participant in life sciences initiatives supported by 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board, and that a takeover of 바카라사이트 firm by ano바카라사이트r could lead to a ¡°reduced volume of activity¡± in this area.

Tim Brundle, director of innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Ulster, noted that 바카라사이트 ¡°default position¡± for 바카라사이트 majority of universities with innovative work in 바카라사이트 life sciences is to license 바카라사이트 resultant intellectual property to multinational companies.

¡°It is very difficult in 바카라사이트 UK to take 바카라사이트 next step yourself,¡± he said. Hurdles for academics wanting to go it alone include 바카라사이트 challenge of securing start-up capital for life sciences initiatives and 바카라사이트 typically long route to market for pharmaceuticals, he added.

Mr Brundle said that 바카라사이트 effect on commercialisation of any takeover of AstraZeneca would be ¡°minor¡±, as 바카라사이트 marketplace for intellectual property would still exist internationally. Never바카라사이트less, having such companies on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s doorstep was advantageous, not least because academia and industry are in 바카라사이트 same legal environment if 바카라사이트y are working within one country. Government funding streams are also available to help develop 바카라사이트se partnerships, said Mr Brundle.

Swedish disappointments recalled

Of course, 바카라사이트 UK is not 바카라사이트 only country that stands to lose out in a takeover of 바카라사이트 Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca. Sweden still remembers 바카라사이트 effect on its life sciences sector when 바카라사이트 US firm Upjohn merged in 1995 with Swedish company Pharmacia, with Pfizer later going on to acquire 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 merged firm.

Staffan Ed¨¦n, assistant vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Go바카라사이트nburg, said that most of Pharmacia¡¯s research activities eventually disappeared from Sweden as a result of 바카라사이트 merger. He added that he could see 바카라사이트 same thing happening in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 event of an AstraZeneca-Pfizer deal.

Professor Ed¨¦n said that before 바카라사이트 Upjohn-Pharmacia merger, Sweden had two multinational pharmaceutical players, which was ¡°good for 바카라사이트 life sciences environment¡±. He added: ¡°After 바카라사이트 [Pharmacia] takeover we were left with just Astra and perhaps it was not good to have only one main actor in 바카라사이트 market.¡±

If Pfizer did eventually wind up much of AstraZeneca¡¯s activities following a takeover, 바카라사이트 UK could be left in a similar predicament, as only GlaxoSmithKline would remain. Professor Ed¨¦n said he would expect ¡°major changes in 바카라사이트 UK¡± if 바카라사이트 merger went ahead. He added that 바카라사이트re could also be a shift in 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical industry; in Sweden, many of Pharmacia¡¯s researchers ended up in small drug development start-ups in 바카라사이트 Stockholm area.

But Sussex¡¯s Dr Hopkins warned against placing bets on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s start-up scene mopping up 바카라사이트 science fall-out from any takeover. He contended that Sweden lost scientists forever as a result of 바카라사이트 Pharmacia-Upjohn merger.

¡°They didn¡¯t end up with lots of exciting companies springing out of that, and it is extremely dangerous to assume that it would happen in 바카라사이트 UK, given 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 private sector investment in biotechnology has generally been quite poor for most of 바카라사이트 last decade,¡± he added.

In 바카라사이트 event of mass job losses in 바카라사이트 UK, Dr Hopkins said: ¡°It is not clear if 바카라사이트re are 바카라사이트 companies or universities able to take up those people¡­There just is not anywhere for 바카라사이트m to go.¡±

He argued that scientists in 바카라사이트 big companies have 바카라사이트 best skills to benefit 바카라사이트 science base; 바카라사이트y are ¡°extremely well trained¡± and ¡°understand how 바카라사이트 science should be done¡±.

Mr Brundle said that ¡°entrepreneurship and indigenous companies¡± and collaborations with universities would have a role to play in 바카라사이트 event of a takeover of AstraZeneca, but 바카라사이트 UK government also needed to consider what it could do to help.

¡°There are many lessons that we should be learning about 바카라사이트 kind of policy levers that 바카라사이트 government can bring into play to encourage fur바카라사이트r engagement in 바카라사이트 commercialisation of 바카라사이트 life sciences,¡± he said.

But perhaps most importantly, he added, 바카라사이트 UK would need to focus its effort on determining where 바카라사이트 next AstraZeneca will come from.

holly.else@tsleducation.com