Article

Academia-Industry Collaboration: A Driving Force for

Accelerating Pharma Research
Neelesh Malviya*1, Sapna Malviya2
*1 Smriti College of Pharmaceutical Education, Indore
2
Modern Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), Indore

Abstract
Academia-industry collaboration has persistently been a matter of debate in academic and industry. Research done
in academia and its translation into marketable products certainly is not new. A high-quality academic research can
assist industry to produce economical product to the society. Traditionally, academics were professed as a foundation of
innovations and industry act as platform provider to convert those innovations to consumer products. The need for sharing
knowledge between research institutions and industry has become increasingly evident in recent years. To translate
academic ideas into industrial products the collaboration of research academic institutions and the industry is needed
and the academic institute should be permissible by the industries for making more reachable to offered resources. Our
country has a large resource power in sort of all the materials required for a research work to be carried over successfully.
We have a large number of well-educated persons in the field of pharmacy; we have our own traditional knowledge, natural
resources, large number of student community etc. We have everything but still we can’t utilize these why? The simple
reason is we don’t know the power of each of us and are not utilizing it to the maximum. The major problem in this field
is facing is that there is neither a good tie up nor a successful relationship between the companies and the academic
institutions in India. There exist only a few relationships in the same in India. Currently, certain research institutions have
staffs that actively pursue links with industry, but they lack the interactions amongst themselves and with industries.
Though academicians in best institutes engage in research, but maximum of their research is limited to publications or
patentability on higher hand, very few are converted into marketed or commercialized products. Therefore if academicians
research orientation is as per the need of industry or if academicians work for industrial research it will help to generate
more revenue and also help reduce time and the research expenditure of industries. Our systematic review highlighted
the current status of academia-industry collaborations in the field of pharma at national and international level.
Key words: Academia-industry collaboration, pharmacy, Patent

Introduction
The modern epoch of collaborations between innovative
ideas and industrial facilities put forward a new platform to
attend the global challenges and for the betterment of society [1].
Collaboration between academics and industries is very essential
for skills development, modernization, entrepreneurs, start-
ups, enhancing research, troubleshooting and innovations [2]. In
developing countries academia-industry collaboration fosters the
commercialize research through mutual tie-ups, partnerships,
research scheme, agreements and patents [3].
Global interest towards Academia-industry collaboration
The quality of education is degraded day by day and very few
government schemes are available for education organizations due
to that research facilities of academics are not up to the mark. In
that situation academicians are not cable to focus on innovative
research, consequently industries not attracted towards academia-
industry linkages [4]. The challenge for both is to make connectivity
as per individual needs. Academicians need motivations in the form
of finance and position to accelerate their research as per the need
of industries, while industries need to understand the potential of
academicians and provided them financial support to continue their
research till commercial output drawn [5]. In that circumstances
research works of academicians funded by industries it will help to
them to work without any limitations this will possible if academics
and work for each other through partnership. Collaborations in
this area are necessitated academicians work research as per the
requirement of industries and industries provide research funding
to the academicians [6].
Academia-industry collaboration potentiating Pharma
research
In developed countries the pharmaceutical industries and
academics work together to enhancing the quality of life through
research or innovation. Researchers from academics and
legislatures from industries tied up to fight with the health issues, life
threatening diseases, rare diseases as well as genetic disorders [7,8,9].
Academic-industrial collaborations and technology transfer have
over the past 50 years played an increasingly prominent role in the
Pharmaceutical sciences. Academician’s partnerships with industry
can expedite the availability of innovative drugs and other medical
technologies, bringing both important public health benefits and a
source of income for Academician’s through a variety of financial
arrangements [10].
Recently it was observed that pharmaceutical research,
nowadays, is growing through multifaceted dome. The research
expenditures limit the drug discovery and development process due
to that the cost of newer products are increases. In that situation if
research institutions and pharmaceutical industries work together
efficiently that can easily reduce the cost of the product and time
taken for drug discovery and development [11,12].

*E-mail: nil30oct@gmail.com

Pharma Times - Vol. 50 - No. 05 - May 2018 25

 Innovative research is a collaborative
endeavor of all divisions and so the
outcomes are also shared. Seeing that
the linkage between academia and
industry is not satisfactory, to increase
this collaborations academic institutions
and industry need to come ahead along
with some innovative ideas to bridge the
gap. Efforts should be made in line with
bringing institutions of academic excellence
and industry together to make sure that
quality is delivered both ways. Research
and development activities in the Indian
pharmaceutical and allied sectors are on
the rise. Pharmaceutical industry is one of
the fastest growing sectors in India [20]. The
domestic pharmaceutical market, estimated
to be worth INR 728 billion, is expected to
grow at CAGR of ~14.5% till 2020. Rising
income levels, increase in chronic diseases,
better medical infrastructure, wider health
Figure 1: Outcomes of Academia-industry collaboration
insurance reach and supportive healthcare
policies are driving the growth in domestic
In recent years there has been much better ingenuousness market. India exported pharmaceutical products worth USD
to collaborative planning about technology transfers between 14.5 billion in 2012-13, increasing at CAGR of ~10.6 for past
academic institutions, biotechnology companies and pharmaceutical 5 years. Indian pharmaceutical industry thrives on the strong
companies. This has been result in a streaming of scientific generic medicines production capability of private sector. R&D in
expertise, technology transfer and patents from the academic pharmaceutical industry, a high risk and capital intensive area,
institutions to pharmaceutical companies. In India the status of is the key to growth and is at nascent stage in India. Presently
pharmaceutical industry and pharmacy institutions collaborationsis most of the pharmaceutical R&D is carried out by private sector
in developing stage [13,14,15]. companies, with major R&D spenders like Dr. Reddy’s laboratories,
Academia and industry, which for long have been operating in Glenmark and Piramal enterprises spending 7-8% of total income
separate domains, are rapidly inching closer to each other to create in 2013 in R&D activities. Indian companies get access to markets
synergies. The constantly changing management paradigms, in and technologies abroad, while big pharmaceutical companies
response to growing complexity of the business environment, today, are tapping onto the abundant scientific talent and low R&D and
have necessitated these two to come closer. A productive interface manufacturing costs in India. Apart from in and out licensing
between academia and industry at present knowledge economy models, contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS)
is a critical requirement. Also, industry-academia collaboration, and collaborative R&D activities are other avenues for increased
the world over, is extremely limited and has not been harnessed alliance between multinationals and Indian companies .
[21]

to its full capacity [16]. Hence, there is an urgent need to take
proactive steps to enhance the interactions between academia and
industry. Domestic ties with research institutions and academia
have received a least amount of attention from the emerging
Indian pharmaceutical multinationals. Although domestic firms
are the major beneficiaries of R&D services sourced from public
sector research laboratories, but there are very few alliances for
undertaking collaborative drug discovery and development related
R&D work between domestic firms and public sector research
institutions [17,18].
Today in this era of rapid discovery of newer and newer drugs
for the specialized treatment of diseases, it’s very important for
India to become a part of the discoveries as well. This is very much
important as India is aiming to become the best drug manufacturing
country for generic drugs at a higher quality with an affordable
pricing. Everyone in the world has accepted that the world would
be controlled by the BRIC counties in near future. In the case of
India, it should not only produce drugs for the export but also to
meet the major internal demands of the people. The research
activities in India have wide chances of development in the field’s
right from the drug discovery from the natural crude drugs till the
successful dosage form designing [19].
Admirable academia-industry collaborations in
pharmaceuticals
India is also emerging as a preferred destination for clinical
and drug discovery research. Indian companies have expertise in
process research and developing new drug delivery systems, and
are strengthening pipelines in these areas. For India to become
a global destination and innovation hub in pharmaceutical
sector, quality and safety standards need to be improved, and
patent protection and regulatory framework need to be further
strengthened. Public and private sector need to work collaboratively
and proactively to develop competent facilities and workforce in
science and technology for India to lead new drug development
and pharmaceutical R&D at forefront [22].
Pharma Industries collaborations with Indian Institutes
• Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Cadila Healthcare Ltd,
also known as ZydusCadila, had signed memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with NIPER, Ahmedabad, with the aim
to exchange scientific personnel for education, training and
research collaboration. Johnson & Johnson (J&J), and Sahjanand
Technologies, also collaborated with NIPER, Ahmedabad for the
development of their curriculum as per industrial atmosphere
orientations [23].

Pharma Times - Vol. 50 - No. 05 - May 2018 26

• Pune-based Serum Institute has collaborated with Cipla for
marketing and selling of their vaccines products in abroad.
Serum Institute is recognised as world’s largest producer of
vaccines but distribution in abroad lacks. In the last few years,
Cipla has fortified its distribution in Africa and is planning to
raise foreign revenue to 80 per cent of the total. Cipla will market
Serum’s products in Africa and Europe [24].
• Lupin Research Park, the R&D wing of Lupin has declared a
tied up with Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences – Pilani,
Manipal University, Karnataka and Pune University whereby
Lupin's Research Park at Pune nowadays acknowledged as
PhD center Lupin employees to pursue their PhD. In this indus-
try - academia interface, Lupin employees can pursue their
Ph.D. on industry specific research [25].
• Panacea Biotec ltd India has collaborated with National
Institute of Immunology, India for Japanese Encephalitis
candidate vaccine, Biotech Consortium India Ltd with the aim
to develop, manufacture and marketing of Anthrax vaccine,
worldwide. They also tied up with National Institute of Health,
USA, for use of a peptide based formulations for generation of
hair follicles and hair growth [26].
• Eris Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd has tied up with the Sree Chitra
Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvanan-
thapuram, Kerala, one of the country’s top hospitals and bio-
medical research institutions, for joint development of certain
unique drug delivery formulations using nanotechnology [27].
• Apogen Remedies Pvt. Ltd Andhra Pradesh, India has
signed a MOU with the Bapatla College of Pharmacy, Guntur,
Andhra Pradesh to establish and make use of Formulation
Development Center at Bapatla College of Pharmacy, Bapatla.
Apogen Remedies offer to take up formulations research and
development activities of its productat this centre [28].
• Lupin Limited has collaborated with Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar
(SKB) College of Pharmacy, Kamptee Maharashtra to set up
industry-academia unite in the form of student encouragement,
exchange and live research projects. The objective of this
agreement was to establish Industry and Academia connect,
maintaining long standing relationship with College and
encouraging the students through recognition and reward of
the top performing students at the college [29].
• Sentiss Pharma Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon, India, has collaborated with
FORE School of Management, Delhi for Post Graduate Certificate
in Business Management Programme for their executives. The
Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Management Programme
has been designed to offer the executives with broad overview of
the key concepts, tools and performance needed to successfully
meet the challenges of today’s global environment [30].
Pharma Industries collaborations with Foreign Institutes
• GlaxoSmithKline and the Crick Institute has worked together
and both contributed their resources, including lab space
and staff, with the aim to start number of projects are in the
upcoming years 2016 with the goal of discovering better targets
for new medicines. They decided that research findings from
the collaboration will be shared with the broader scientific
community via joint publication in journals [31].
• Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd has entered into an an
exclusive worldwide research and license agreement with
Technion- Israel Institute of Technology for cancer treatment
drug. This agreement aims to set up a joint project, based on
new findings by Nobel Prize laureate distinguished Professor
Aaron Ciechanover, Dr GilaMaor and Professor Ofer Binah, that
can potentially lead to the development of novel anti-cancer
drugs. The pre-clinical research was funded thus far by Dr Alfred
Mann. This collaboration is an excellent example of interactions
between academic discovery and pharmaceutical companies
demonstrating the valuable contribution academic institutions can
make in bringing new products to help patients worldwide [32].
• Pfizer, American Pharma Company has made research
collaboration with the Global Medical Excellence Cluster, a
constituted group of Cambridge University, Imperial College
London, King's College London, Queen Mary University London
and Oxford University. The intend of the collaboration is to
discover and develop new drugs for rare diseases, a range of
around 6,000 disorders which each affect fewer than one in
2,000 people on the genetic basis of these diseases [33].
• In March 2011, GSK and AstraZeneca hadgo through into a
joint venture with the University of Manchester to establish the
Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research
(MCCIR). Under this agreement, each partner will contribute
$5m over a three-year period. The aim was set jointly by the
three collaborators and the combination of expertise from the
university and resources from the industry partners is facilitate
the development of innovative biomedical research and its
successful translation into a medically usable drug, which
is often where the process falls down for academic research
organizations [34].
• In April 2011, Sanofi formed a partnership with Stanford
University to fund five research programmes a year and aid the
development of new molecules. There is likely to be a movement
of scientists from one partner to the other and vice versa to
facilitate integration and cooperation [34].
• In February 2010, Sanofi has colloborated with AVIESAN, the
French Life Sciences and Healthcare Alliance, which is made
up of the National Institute of Health, the National Centre for
Scientific Research and Medical Research and the Institut
Pasteur, among others. This is a wide ranging collaboration,
in which up to €50m will be provided for research into various
disease areas [34].
• In June 2011 Pfizer has been made agreements with eight
research institutions in Boston, in which the scientists from
the academic side are expected to be involved not only in the
molecule development, but also the first clinical studies in
humans. Pfizer is investing $100m over five years in its third
Center for Therapeutic innovation, which will gather scientists
from the eight universities, and is expecting the time required
to get the molecules to market to decrease by five to six
years [34].
• In March 2010 Eisai, Japan, among others, also has links with
academia. it formed an alliance with the John Hopkins Brain
Science Institute and its Neuro Translational Program to develop
small-molecule glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) inhibitors,
using Eisai’s technology [35].
• Panacea Biotec Ltd India has collaborated with Vaccine Institute
of Netherlands for Inactivated Polio Vaccine; NRDC- India for
Foot & Mouth Disease vaccine for veterinary use and Bio Farma-
Indonesia for Measles vaccine [26].
Conclusion
It is quite clear that what really dominates at present the scene
Pharma Times - Vol. 50 - No. 05 - May 2018 27
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