Russian biopharmaceuticals: to cut a window to the West
Experts: Rusnano and Skolkovo will help biopharmaceuticals come to Russia
The lack of experience of Russian companies entering high–tech markets and bureaucratic obstacles have long kept Western biopharmaceutical companies from cooperating with Russian partners, according to an article in the journal Nature Biotechnology (Alla Katsnelson, Russian fund steps up investments in innovative biotechs - VM). In recent years, development institutions have been established in Russia, whose activities, according to experts interviewed by the publication, inspire confidence among foreign companies; among such institutions, company executives primarily named JSC Rusnano.
Rusnano ProjectsThe total volume of Rusnano's investments in biopharmaceutical projects with the participation of foreign companies currently amounts to almost 123 million dollars.
Rusnano, together with American Selecta Biosciences, BIND Biosciences and Panacela Labs, is implementing projects to create anti-cancer drugs, vaccines, drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. Another project involving JSC "Human Stem Cell Institute" and JSC "Pharmsintez", as well as the British Xenetic Biosciences and SymbioTec (Germany), is aimed at creating drugs for the treatment of liver diseases, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, kidney failure and a number of other ailments. In addition, Rusnano will participate in a joint project with BiOptix Diagnostics to create bio-detectors used to study promising molecules that form the basis of innovative medicines.
The head of BiOptix Diagnostics, Richard Whitcomb, told the publication that at first he was afraid that Rusnano would turn out to be too bureaucratic, a slow decision-making organization, but, according to him, Rusnano turned out to be "a great partner."
Werner Cautreels, President of the nanobiotechnological company Selecta Biosciences, noted that the partnership with Rusnano allows Selecta not only to attract investments in its projects, but also to gain access to Russian scientific developments, as well as to conduct clinical trials in the Russian Federation. In turn, Managing director of the nanotechnology corporation Dmitry Lisenkov explained to the magazine that investments in projects involving foreign biopharmaceutical companies are very important for creating a high-class scientific base in Russia that allows "igniting innovation." Lisenkov noted that about 20% of all Rusnano investment projects are related to medicine and biotechnology.
Skolkovo and RVC fundsAmong other organizations contributing to the interaction of Russian specialists with foreign biopharmaceutical companies, the magazine notes the Skolkovo Innovation Center, which provides its participants with tax and administrative benefits, as well as funds created with the participation of JSC Russian Venture Company.
Some Russian companies that have received funding from the Skolkovo Foundation will invest in projects with foreign partners who are creating their own divisions in the Russian Federation, said Chris Janssen, Director of Science and Innovation of the Skolkovo Cluster of biological and medical Technologies. According to him, the arrival of foreign specialists is attractive for Skolkovo, so that their presence stimulates the development of innovations in Russia.
As an example of the RVC foundation, whose work makes it possible to organize cooperation between Russian and foreign drug developers, the publication cites the Maxwell Biotech Foundation. Managing Director of the Fund Alexey Eliseev explained that the fund's portfolio companies can invest in projects with foreign partners. He noted that out of seven portfolio companies, five work together with foreign biomedical specialists.
As noted in the article, in addition to bureaucratic obstacles, there are a number of factors preventing more effective participation of foreign investors in innovative biopharmaceutical projects in Russia.
One of such factors, according to Eliseev, is the shortage of specialists in the Russian Federation who know how medicines are created and at the same time have entrepreneurial skills. The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (SkolkovoTech), which is being created within the framework of the Russian innovation Center, will help fill the shortage of such personnel, focusing on training entrepreneurs in the field of high technologies, including biopharmaceuticals.
In addition, foreign investors still need to confirm the potential of the biopharmaceutical market of the Russian Federation in order to cooperate with Russian companies. "It will take at least the first success story – in the form of a serious sale of a license or a commercial sale (of products)," Yeliseyev believes.
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13.01.2012