• How do we convert mechanistic understanding to a new drug?
• How do we select diseases and drugs that have market potential?
• How do we navigate unmet need into commercial opportunity?
• Details about intellectual property and regulatory issues are unclear to researchers
• Scientists are often not business-savvy about market equity, investments, etc
• Know-how to negotiate contracts is not frequently taught to researchers
• Opportunities for investments are largely relationship-based, faculty do not have access to key stakeholders in drug development

Solution

Leadership of the AITI has direct experience in drug development, biotech startup, and commercialization; we will leverage existing relationships with key representatives at all levels to begin conversations about commercialization; Advisory board members participate in this process at every level (pharma CEO/CSO/CMO, venture partners, regulatory representatives, successful scientists) to support decision-making in target selection and drug development, as well as licensing to interested parties; business support structures at UMass Chan will support AITI and has successfully licensed funding of new discoveries that have entered clinical trials and commercialization.