Opinion

Private-Public Research Partnerships with Academic Research Institutions
Are Vital to the Health and Economic Well-Being of New Jersey

By Stuart D. Cook, M.D.
President

Imagine the impact on society when heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease are cured, or better yet, prevented all together. This prospect moved closer to reality recently when the complete sequence of the human genome was published--in essence, the dictionary that describes the heritable basis for life. Understanding how all these "genetic words" fit together remains a monumental effort, but one that is fully within our capability. What is New Jersey's place in this scientific and medical revolution?

New Jersey--known as the nation's medicine chest and home of many of the prominent pharmaceutical powerhouses--has long been a leader in biomedicine and biotechnology. Over the past five years, one-third of all new drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were the product of scientists affiliated with New Jersey institutions. That's because every day in laboratories located on university campuses, in high tech corporations, and in pharmaceutical complexes throughout the state, scientists are engaged in research projects leading to new life-saving treatments.

Maintaining this prominence is both labor-intensive and expensive. To succeed will require an unshakeable belief by the pharmaceutical industry, public officials and academic research institutions that only by working together will we enhance and strengthen our reputation as the "cure corridor."

A major benefit of this three-way collaboration is that it spreads the huge financial investment required over a variety of sources, blending state and federal academic research funding with private industry resources and venture capital. Collaboration also provides a structure for sharing data and ideas in a timely fashion, leading to a more rapid pace of scientific breakthrough. New discoveries lead to better health care and create commercial opportunities to keep the state's economy strong.

New Jersey has several examples of successful public/private/academic collaborations led by the state's public research universities--the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Rutgers and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. These partnerships have established world-class institutions such as the Center for Biotechnology and Medicine in Piscataway, University Heights Science Park in Newark, and The Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick.

These institutions are not just academic ivory towers. Our scientists are constantly using new biomedical breakthroughs as a basis for many New Jersey start-up companies. Three examples of companies established by UMDNJ researchers illustrate the point. BioDelivery Sciences in Newark is developing new delivery systems that allow a variety of drugs to be administered orally. HMGene in Piscataway is exploiting gene discoveries that may lead to powerful new treatments for obesity and cancer. PTC Therapeutics in South Plainfield is using technology to address genetic diseases and to combat deadly viruses. As their developments mature into products, these companies also will form strategic alliances with New Jersey's "Big Pharma" for manufacturing and distribution.

Our newest collaboration makes UMDNJ one of a handful of research universities nationwide to own high-field superconducting magnetic image resonance (MRI) technology. Its capability will dramatically enhance research on brain function. This $4.5 million project, a joint project with Rutgers/Newark is also an outstanding example of the state's commitment to boosting the capacity of academic institutions to conduct research. It is being partially underwritten with a $1.9 million grant from the state. The proposed FY 2002 state budget contains several new funding proposals to encourage scientific collaboration. We applaud the executive and legislative branches of the State of New Jersey for supporting these initiatives.

Both the pharmaceutical industry and academic research institutions garner a number benefits from working together. From the industry perspective, this partnership can enhance recruitment and retention of outstanding scientists by offering the possibility of faculty appointments and access to talented graduate students. For academia, these partnerships present faculty and students with opportunities to participate in the most advanced research, and offer potential financial support from joint ventures. For the citizens of New Jersey, these partnerships offer access to some of the most advanced health care anywhere.

The pharmaceutical industry is the backbone of New Jersey's economy, directly employing more than 60,000 statewide. Through collaborations with research institutions, the industry generates thousands more jobs. New Jersey's institutions of higher education are eager to provide the educational programs necessary to fulfill the workforce needs of the pharmaceutical industry--to ensure literate, technically competent individuals who are capable of functioning at all levels.

We thank New Jersey's citizens, the state and the corporate community for their support of academia. The synergy of this collaboration benefits all of the partners. It supports the stability and growth of New Jersey's economic infrastructure by attracting financial investment, creating jobs and solidifying our state's position as an international leader in health care.