A leading UK university had patented a cell-based assay which it believed had potential in drug discovery, or as a whole-cell biosensor, and asked Alacrita to review the technology platform and develop a commercialization strategy if appropriate.
Alacrita's consultants met with the principal investigator to discuss the science, the progress to date and ongoing research activities. However, on detailed review it became clear that there was a limited commercial market for the technology, the university’s IP position was very weak and the project was extremely early stage. As such, there were no immediate prospects for commercialization, and Alacrita recommended the existing patent be dropped to avoid incurring unnecessary and unproductive expenditure and the science developed further in academic research.
Alacrita works with universities, research institutes, and centers of innovation to help them bridge the gap between academia and industry, position their technologies for funding, and successfully move scientific discoveries from the lab to the clinic. Our extensive industry experience and technical and commercial expertise allow us to assess the feasibility of a project and its chance of success, define its realistic commercial potential, and map out potential go-to-market pathways.