CDIMHow do I get public research funding for industry-academia collaboration?
How do I get public research funding for industry-academia collaboration?
For companies developing medical products such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices, the importance of R & D in collaboration with universities and public research institutes is increasing with the flow of open innovation. Numerous institutions such as the national government, local governments, foundations, and universities are supporting industry-academia collaboration to promote this industry-academia collaboration. The range of support is wide, ranging from intellectual property, facility equipment, human resources, product evaluation and business consultation, but the most important thing is to secure research and development funds. In particular, many medical products are developed in many stages and long-term, and it is essential to secure appropriate funds during the development stage. The lack of funding is a matter of life and death (valley of death) in product development, because the laboratories of universities where research and development companies cooperate have research results and wisdom but no development funds.
Supporting research conducted by universities and research institutions to ensure that research and development in the medical field is seamlessly and smoothly implemented, including responding to such important research and development issues specific to medical products. , AMED (Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development). Research related to medical products by collecting the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (MEXT), the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry It provides financial support to developing universities and research institutes (total budget of 127.2 billion yen for the two-year AMED decree, and the funding for MEXT and MHLW projects will be continued separately by ministries and agencies). It is important to note that MEXT and MHLW cover only universities and public research institutes.However, with AMED, companies that cooperate in R & D through industry-academia collaboration are also eligible for support. That is. This has enabled development companies to obtain public research funds through industry-academia collaboration *.
A research and development project by AMED started in 2015, and many projects to support the development of medical products have been publicly offered and implemented. I have applied to these R & D projects (at the application stage) and have been involved in actual R & D projects. While some research applications have been adopted and research and development is progressing steadily, others have been unfortunately not accepted (approximately 5-10x). Applications for open recruitment research projects are evaluated by AMED, and the applications with the highest evaluation are selected within the range of the budget in the order of the highest evaluation, but you will notice that you have received consultation for application for research projects etc. there is.
At the application stage, we will show the development purpose, scientific technology, research content, feasibility of the research, etc. and make an appeal. Here, it is important that the proposed R & D is not "excellent" as research, but "how suitable" it is for the research project sponsored by AMED. There are quite a lot of people who apply for this. The reason is that AMED is an organization for conducting government research projects. Government research projects, such as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, formulate national policies and budget them. The budget for research and development of medical products goes to AMED so that each government agency can conduct research projects that meet their policies. Therefore, AMED plans a research project to realize the policy and is looking for the best R & D developer to implement the project. Therefore, the support of industry-academia collaboration is to support R & D developers (universities, companies, etc.) that carry out the research project sponsored, and not to the support of excellent R & D developers. There is none.
In order to apply for the recruitment, carefully consider the goals and objectives of the sponsor for each research project to be recruited, and what stage of social issues and what stage of research and development results are desired. It is necessary to propose R & D so as to adapt its R & D capabilities to the relevant research project, as well as to grasp its own technology, ideas, development potential, and construction system. In order to be accepted for the recruitment, it is necessary to obtain a higher evaluation than other applicants in the examination, and it is necessary to propose meaningful R & D from the viewpoint of the evaluator. The R & D proposal is "Write what the evaluator wants to write, not what you want to write."
CDI Medical has begun providing public research funding to companies that develop medical products through industry-academia collaboration, universities that conduct joint research and development, and public research institutions to promote research and development (see “Industry-Academia” R & D advisory business for collaboration ”below.) In addition, many medical products must be approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and applied for medical insurance in order to be put on the market for medical care, and product development such as digital health products, medical devices using new principles and in vitro diagnostics, Difficulties are involved in examining the performance, requirements, and standards required to launch a product. In such product development, it is necessary to build a pharmaceutical affairs strategy from the early stage of development. In product development in collaboration with industry and academia, we also support compliance with regulations and systems such as pharmaceutical affairs.
Competition for the development of medical products around the world is intensifying, and R & D on pharmaceuticals and medical devices from Japan, which are globally accessible, is a pillar of future Japanese industry. Japan's support for industry-academia collaborative development research is maintained at a high level even under severe national finances. Utilizing public research funds is one of the most important means of taking R & D to the next stage in developing medical products through industry-academia collaboration.
*: Support for research and development of medical products through industry-academia collaboration is provided not only by AMED but also by JST (National Institute of Science and Technology) and some local governments.
Image of research and development of medical products through industry-academia collaboration
研究 R & D advisory business in industry-academia collaboration
例 An example of a public research funding project through industry-academia collaboration (open call for projects in the AMED Ordinance 2 “Medical Field Research Results Development Project (Advanced Measurement Analysis Technology / Equipment Development Program)”)
Author: Tokuya Okanouchi
Tokuya Okanouchi (CDI Medical Co., Ltd.)
Graduated from Shizuoka Prefectural University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, completed Toin Yokohama University Law School.
Doctor (pharmacy), Doctor of Justice, MBA.
After working at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the National Hospital Organization, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, the National Institute of Health Sciences, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Justice, and Kanagawa Prefecture.