New Step in Pharmaceutical Industry-University Cooperation

The Pharmaceutical Industry Employers' Association (İEİS) continues its uninterrupted efforts with the aim of increasing R&D competence in the pharmaceutical industry and, particularly in the biotechnology field, developing and producing higher value-added products. In pursuing this goal, strengthening university-industry collaboration is of major importance. Within this scope, at the "Pharmaceutical Industry-TTO Meeting" first held on 13 June 2017, representatives from the pharmaceutical sector and Technology Transfer Offices (TTO) from universities in Istanbul and its vicinity came together. Officials from the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology as well as TÜBİTAK also attended the meeting. Murat Barlas, Board Member of İEİS and Chair of the Turkey Biotechnology Pharmaceutical Platform, opened the meeting by emphasizing that R&D, and particularly biotechnology within this scope, plays a key role in enabling Turkey's pharmaceutical industry to achieve its targeted breakthrough and have global impact. Barlas continued his remarks as follows: "As the Pharmaceutical Industry Employers' Association, we place great importance on R&D in pharmaceuticals. At the end of last year, we established the Turkey Biotechnology Pharmaceutical Platform. Our aim is to increase our industry's competence and competitiveness in the biotechnology field and contribute more effectively to the development of this sector in our country. Our companies are working with all their strength to develop our industry in this area. With a long-term perspective, they are making high-cost investments. Worldwide, university-industry collaborations serve as a catalyst for R&D. We know that these collaborations are of critical importance to the success of our industry's work. Within this scope, as İEİS, we have been making intensive efforts for a long time to strengthen collaborations in this field," he said. Noting that the knowledge and technology produced are extremely valuable for the pharmaceutical industry, Murat Barlas stated: "The transfer of knowledge and technologies, their conversion into application and obtaining tangible outputs is of great importance. In implementing these activities and bringing commercializable ones together with companies, our technology transfer offices play a key role. With this collaboration, we have no doubt that our industry will gain strength and experience in the R&D field. Beyond the contribution this strength and experience will make to our industry, it is clear that it will have positive implications for our economy and provide significant benefit to our country's targeted industrial transformation," he said. Stating that they believe these partnerships will produce effective results for the future of all stakeholders in the sector as public, university and industry, Murat Barlas said: "We aim to expand our activities in future periods to encompass other provinces and TTOs."