A Survey of the Barriers Associated with Academic-based Cancer Research Commercialization

Abstract

Commercialization within the academic setting is associated with many challenges and barriers. Previous studies investigating these challenges/barriers have, in general, broadly focused on multiple disciplines and, oftentimes, several institutions simultaneously. The goal of the study presented here was to analyze a range of barriers that may be broadly associated with commercializing academic-based cancer research. This goal was addressed via a study of the barriers associated with cancer research commercialization at the University of Kentucky (UK). To this end, a research instrument in the form of an electronic survey was developed. General demographic information was collected on study participants and two research questions were addressed: 1) What are the general barriers inhibiting cancer research commercialization at UK? and 2) Would mitigation of the barriers potentially enhance faculty engagement in commercialization activities? Descriptive and statistical analysis of the data reveal that multiple barriers likely inhibit cancer research commercialization at UK with expense, time, infrastructure, and lack of industry partnerships being among the most commonly cited factors. The potential alleviation of these factors in addition to revised University policies/procedures, risk mitigation, more emphasis on commercialization by academia research field, and increased information on how to commercialize significantly correlated with the potential for increased commercialization activity. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression modeling demonstrated that research commercialization would incrementally increase as barriers to the process are removed and that PhD-holding respondents and respondents in commercialization-supportive research fields would be more likely to commercialize their research upon barrier removal. Overall, as with other disciplines, these data suggest that for innovations derived from academic cancer-research to move more effectively and efficiently into the marketplace, university administrators and external agents, such as policymakers, need to address what are well-documented and defined issues.

A Case Study of the Impediments to the Commercialization of Research at the University of Kentucky

“…The study herein is a supplement to and modeled closely after a similar, larger scale study conducted at the University of Kentucky specifically among cancer researchers 11 . The methodology and design of the study was qualitative in nature and was based on two modules: an online survey (included as Supplementary materials S1 ) followed by a face-to-face interview.…”

“…The methodology and design of the study was qualitative in nature and was based on two modules: an online survey (included as Supplementary materials S1 ) followed by a face-to-face interview. It is important to note that the prior study 11 did not include a face-to-face interview and was conducted with faculty that had both successfully commercialized their research and those that had not. It is also noteworthy that the respondents for this supplemental work span different research categories as defined in Table 4 .…”

“…Previous studies at academic institutions have documented challenges to the commercialization process that include, but are not limited to: risk aversion; constraints on faculty time; lack of financial support; policy/regulation barriers; infrastructure insufficiencies; lack of a common understanding of the value of research commercialization; lack of entrepreneurial thinking among faculty; and lack of interaction and collaboration between universities and industry 4 – 10 . A previous study at the University of Kentucky found that expense, time constraints, insufficient infrastructure and lack of industry partnerships were the most common factors experienced by cancer researchers that impede research commercialization 11 . Ultimately, challenges to the effective and efficient commercialization of research inhibits obtaining the maximum benefit of university research in that such barriers can prevent university-based innovation from progressing to the marketplace for the benefit of inventors, universities and society.…”

“…The study herein was designed as a supplement to the previous study at the University of Kentucky 11 and focused on obtaining a more detailed understanding of the impediments to commercializing research at the university from the perspective of three faculty members that have been successful in the continuum of commercialization through successfully obtaining patents, licensing intellectual property and forming start-up companies. The rationale for conducting this supplemental study with only successful academic entrepreneurs was that we believed that more focused and individualized conversations with such entrepreneurs could provide more insight into the commercialization process versus conducting the study with individuals that have had more limited or no experience in commercializing research.…”

Risk mitigation in academic drug discovery

“…For example, a common feature in academic drug discovery is the lack definitive criteria for terminating a project and, even when such criteria exist, they are still frequently based on go/no-go decisions, also overemphasizing recent results, instead of decision matrices. [7,8] Drug Discovery scientists need a certain level of self-confidence and so-called 'false-optimism' to pursue what can often be frustrating work. However, clear criteria have to be installed to review and balance decisions made while carefully scrutinizing results and ideas.…”