Winning the game: Public funds for biotech companies

Abstract

This is a transcript from a session held at the Biotechnology Industry Organization 2005 Annual International Convention held in Philadelphia from 19th to 22nd June, 2005, where the authors discussed their experiences and answered questions from the floor. All biotechnology companies can benefit from public funding – small, mid-size and large corporations and non-profits. Examples include funding for applied health research; the BioShield homeland security initiative; and sales to federal, state and local government customers. The panel discussed the basics: (1) where to find money (for example, at NIH, FDA, DOD, DHS, DOE, EPA, via ATP, SBIR and DARPA grants, or from philanthropies such as the Gates Foundation); (2) pros and cons of various approaches to obtaining public funds (via earmarked appropriations, grants, cooperative research agreements, procurement contracts or philanthropy); (3) structuring the deal (allocating liability, intellectual property ownership, deliverables, sharing and commercialising results); and (4) managing the relationship (reporting requirements, follow-on funding).