TPP Global Development and the U.K.’s University of Edinburgh have agreed to work together on the development of novel drugs originating from the University’s research. The initially five-year collaboration will focus on commercializing IP in the fields of nervous system disorders, immunology/inflammation and oncology.
Also based in Edinburgh, TPP is focused on in-licensing IP from academic institutions across Europe, the U.S. ,and Asia, and developing it into preclinical drug assets that can then either be sold to large pharma or biotech or spun out into separate companies. The firm claims it is willing to take on research programs that are at a much earlier stage of development in comparison with most other IP commercialization organizations.
In May TPP raised £9.6 million (about $14.9 million) to fund its IP acquisition strategy. "There has always been a funding shortfall for early-stage research,” commented CFO Peter Trill at the time. “This will become ever-more acute as the pharma industry continues to reduce spending on preclinical research, instead looking to in-license late-stage preclinical drugs, and the economic environment puts pressure on central government and medical charity research funding."