roundtable bioprospecting at brazilian amazon, boston, june18, 2012 - discussion highlights &...
DESCRIPTION
An initiative of EXCEED AMERICAS, with the support of BIO International Convention and the Licensing Executives Society (LES) – Brazil Chapter, the roundtable “Frameworks & Challenges Associated with Bio-Prospecting & Technological Development in the Brazilian Amazon & Similar Regions” was held on June 18, 2012, at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel. The roundtable objectives were: a. Provide an overview of the genetic & human assets, the ongoing bio-prospecting and technological development in the Brazilian Amazon; b. Stimulate cross-pollination of best practices in the Amazon and other similar regions; c. Develop a framework to minimize bio-prospecting challenges; d. Discuss bio-prospecting as a key strategy towards technological development and the sustainable growth of the global economy. This document highlights the opportunities and challenges discussed during the roundtable and includes the 15-minute presentation of Prof. Dr. Carlos Gustavo Nunes da Silva, DSc, PhD, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering of UFAM-Federal University of Amazonas.TRANSCRIPT
FRAMEWORKS & CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH
BIO-PROSPECTING & TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE
BRAZILIAN AMAZON & SIMILAR REGIONS
Boston, June 18, 2012
Sponsorship & Organization Promotional Support
roundtable
OBJECTIVES
Provide an overview of the genetic & human assets, the ongoing bio-prospecting and technological development
in the Brazilian Amazon
Stimulate cross-pollination of best practices in the Amazon and other similar regions
Develop a framework to minimize bio-prospecting challenges
Discuss bio-prospecting as a key strategy towards technological development and the sustainable growth of
the global economy.
AUDIENCE
About 80 attendees
Countries represented
– Brazil, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland
Companies represented
– Abbott; AstraZeneca R&D Lund; Bioamber, Inc.; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Burrill & Company; Debiopharm AS; DuPont; Eli Lilly & Company; FIOCRUZ; FKBiotec; GlaxoSmithkline; INCT (National Institute of Science & Technology) Nanobiotecnologia; Johnson & Johnson; Keller and Heckman LLP; Leonardos & Licks Advogados; MedStar Cleveland Clinic Innovation Alliance; Merck-Serono; Monsanto Company; Nanodynamics; Pfizer, Inc.; Sanofi; SinoVeda Canada; Synthetic Genomics, Inc.; TransLegal, LLC; UBS Financial Services
Institutions represented
– ABDI - Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development; ANPROTEC; Biotechnology Industry Organization; BrBIOTEC; BIO-RIO Foundation; MPEG - Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi; National Research Council Canada; IP Network of the Minas Gerais State; René Rachou Research Center - CPqRR – Fiocruz, Minas Gerais; SENAI Innovation Institute CETEC-SENAI; State Secretariat of Science, Technology & Higher Education, Government of Minas Gerais; State Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation, Government of Pará; UFAM - Universidade Federal do Amazonas; UFMG - Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; UNB - Universidade de Brasília.
AUDIENCE
DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS
Opportunites & Challenges By Stakeholder Group
INVESTORS & COLLABORATORS
OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGES
1. Early access to matchless molecules and compounds in various sectors a. Massive collections of extracts to be screened; b. Natural compounds with biological activity already
identified.
1. Complexity of access a. The extract collections are spread in several storage
areas, which reduces the efficiency of access and scalability;
b. Need to boost the screening / characterization of Amazon molecular wealth and compounds;
c. Platform fragmentation – a centralized, automated and controlled lab will require large investments.
2. Capitalize on the biotech momentum a. Bring technology and funds to create a unique,
centralized and automated storage and research lab in the Amazon region;
b. Boost the screening of extracts through technology transfer and collaborative partnerships;
c. The sprouting bio-industry in Brazil and the untapped R&D potential offer vast opportunity to the establishment of new, innovative enterprises.
2. Investment risks a. Must establish clearer policies and priorities towards
investment in biotechnology innovation; b. Regulations must be harmonized / streamlined in order
to make the country competitive; c. Bureaucracy - lengthy timelines to import research
materials, to obtain patents, registration and licenses for both research and clinical trials, to register products, to access the bio assets;
d. The establishment of biotechnology university spinoffs is embryonic which makes it challenging to identify those of attractive investment grade.
INSTITUTES OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGES
1. Increase R&D activities a. Characterize million compounds and molecules; b. Bring thousands of compounds in early stages of
development to clinical.
1. Legal framework a. Unclear policies to access Brazilian biodiversity; b. Increased risk to investors: massive fines and litigation for
an unclear regulatory system; c. Patent Office genetic resource patent filing requirements
greatly increase risk of investment: i. Compliance mechanisms should not be in the
Patent Office as genetic resource is not yet invention.
d. A new regulatory framework is under discussion: i. Regulations must be harmonized / streamlined in
order to attract R&D private investments.
2. Boost R&D partnerships a. Benefit from the increased demand of national
corporations for new technologies; b. Capitalize on the current interest of transnational
organizations to build or increase presence in Brazil; c. The larger share of biodiversity assets are in the Brazilian
Amazon region: i. This may confer the region the status of a
potential biotechnology ST&I valley in the globe.
2. Infrastructure & Bureaucracy a. Lengthy timelines to import research materials; b. Complex and lengthy clinical trials approval process; c. Risks to invest due to current policies and bureaucracy
(refer to topic I. Investors & Collaborators); d. Although the Brazilian Amazon region is the core of the
biodiversity in the planet, its characteristics make it a challenging place to develop a biotech cluster.
3. Fuel the establishment of university spinoffs a. New regulatory framework in place to register biological
products and stimulate startup creation.
3. Scarce private / venture capital a. Mechanisms to encourage the creation of new spinoffs
need to be further expanded or even created in some states:
i. Boston biotechnology cluster is an example.
STARTUPS
OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGES
1. Accelerate the growth of startups a. The developing bio-industry, and the number of
compounds and molecules to be characterized embody vast opportunity to the establishment of new businesses.
1. Infrastructure & Bureaucracy a. Need to further improve the approval process of bio-
based projects; b. Current infrastructure of public agencies do not support
the growing demand for new projects and start-ups approvals;
c. Not enough auditors and consultants specialized in the assessment of bio-based projects:
d. Dedicated educational programs have been recently launched.
2. Partner with tech-based local and international organizations and institutions, to combine knowledge, resources and fill technology gaps.
2. Lack of resources for internationalization a. International expertise in early stages:
i. The Triple Helix innovation model locally adopted in some states of Brazil needs to be further stimulated in other regions;
ii. And further stimulated at the international scope.
PRESENTATION
Prof. Dr. Carlos Gustavo Nunes, M.Sc., Ph.D. UFAM, Manaus, AM, Brazil [email protected] | [email protected]
A BRIEF MESSAGE
Brazil will grant 75,000 scholarships over the next four-year period, five times the current number.
– Goal: to promote the consolidation and expansion of ST&I in Brazil by means of international exchange and mobility.
The strategy aims to:
– Increase the presence of students, scientists and industry personnel from Brazil in international institutions of excellence;
– Encourage young talents and highly qualified researchers from abroad to work with local investigators in joint projects;
– Induce the internationalization of Brazilian universities and research centers.
Over 55% Brazil’s land
Amazon river holds about
17% of all fresh water
It pours millions cubic feet
of water into the Atlantic
EVERY SECOND
The most extraordinary attribute of life is its
diversity… The Amazon rain forest
is the pinnacle of it.
THE BIODIVERSITY IN NUMBERS
Plants
– 300 different species in one ha.
Animals
– ~3,000 different fish species
– 30% of the birds in the world
– Most of the small poisonous amphibians
– New insects species being discovered every day
Microorganisms
– Beyond reasonable assessment
Unique ecological relationships
– Physiology
– Behavior
– Biochemistry
CONVENTIONAL USE OF TROPICAL FORESTS
–Agriculture
–Pasture
–Extraction
•Minerals, gas and petroleum
•Wood
RATIONAL USES OF TROPICAL FORESTS
Establishment of Research & Innovation Parks
– Bio-prospecting /discovery
– Bio and nanotechnologies
– Bio and environmental engineering
– Technology transfer
Management and sustainability – Forest-based management
– Non wood materials
– Agro energy
– Ecotourism
– Social inclusion
UFAM INPA EMBRAPA FIOCRUZ UEA SUFRAMA HEMOAM PCTIS
UFPA UFRA MEG EMBRAPA PCTG
UFOPA
UFRR EMBRAPA
UFAM
UFAM
UFAM
UFAM PETROBRAS
VALE
UFAM
UFAM
UFAP EMBRAPA
UFMA UEMA
UFTO EMBRAPA
UFMT UEMT
UNIR IPEPATRO FIOCRUZ EMBRAPA
UFAC EMBRAPA
Collections Petro/mining Tech Industry Universities R&D Inst. R&D in Health
A NEW GEOGRAPHY OF SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATIONS
Brazilian Amazon: the yet unknown profile
REALGENE
PROTEAM
REDEBIO Amazonian Genome and Transcriptome network Guarana transciptome
+ 10 other genomes/transcriptome About 120 researchers from
several institutions of all Amazon States
Guarana (Paullinia cupana) Chromobacterium violaceum
Biodiversity, Conservation & Biotechnology network
22 institutions 20 Projects (ongoing)
Doctoral Program with 100 projects (begining)
www.bionorte.org.br
Dermatology & Cosmetic Development
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AMAZONAS UFAM
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION
PCTIS: A NEW APROACH FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Modern concept: Innovation Network
~500 researchers in networking
~100 projects
– Over 100 partners • Government
• Companies
• NGOs
– Traditional communities (over 1,000)
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE PCTIS
Biocentro focus
–Biotechnology development
–Working on Amazon biodiversity
– Innovation
–Sustainability
–Training of traditional communities, researchers, graduates and postgraduate
BIOCENTRO: R&D
New enzymes
Antibiotics
Anti-cancer molecules
Pigments, dyes
Biocides (pesticides, fungicides)
Diagnosis and tests
Challenges
– Million compounds and molecules waiting for characterization
– Incipient bio-industry
– Scarce private / venture capital
Tackling it
– Develop and attract key expertise
– Accelerate the creation of startups
– Attract bio-industry
– Encourage private investment and partnerships
EDUCATION
Management
Environmental protection
Technology
transfer
Innovation
Social inclusion
Government Industry People
PCTIS proposal
Partnering Institutions (Technology development, technical, material & financial support, consulting)
Rede NIT Amazônia Ocidental
Rede NIT Amazônia
Oriental
FIOCRUZ