Impact Objectives • Use the Therapeutic Innovation Networks (TINs) to harness the translational experience and infrastructure of UCL and its NIHR Biomedical Research Centres to provide education, support and encouragement to early career scientists to translate their novel science

• Maximise University College ’s ability to quickly and efficiently translate disease-related discoveries into high-quality therapeutic interventions and tangible treatments for patients

• Ensure all TINs have an industry network with the aim of using their know-how and resource to aid the development of the portfolio The innovation game Professor David Lomas discusses the Therapeutic Innovation Networks (TINs), which are facilitating and accelerating enterprise at University College London (UCL), UK

Can you begin by commercialising biomedical therapies. These of our national and international standing. introducing yourself? forums are also used to discuss barriers and For example, we have used the TINs to hurdles, and approaches to overcome them. assess our strengths and weaknesses in cell, I am Vice-Provost The Cell, Gene & Regenerative Medicine gene and regenerative therapies, and work (Health) at UCL, Head TIN has been very effective in pulling out how we can collaborate effectively with of the School of Life & the community together and articulating industry and our London partners: King’s Medical Sciences and our strengths in this area. UCL has more College London, Imperial College London Head of the UCL . I also serve research and clinical activity in the area of cell and Queen Mary . This as the Academic Director of UCL Partners’ and gene therapy than any other university allows for economy of scale, more rapid Academic Health Science Centre and as a in the UK and, indeed, has a clinical portfolio translation and more effective competition Director of The , Africa of comparable size to that of the whole of for research and enterprise income, Health Research Institute, MedCity, Non- Spain or Italy. We are working to develop accelerating the delivery of these novel Executive Director of UCLH and a Trustee similar interest groups around Biologics, therapies to our patients. of the British Heart Foundation. I originally Diagnostics, Devices, Small Molecules and trained in medicine at the University of Drug Repurposing, each aligned to its own Are there plans for the establishment of Nottingham, UK, then worked as a junior industry network. further TINs? doctor in Birmingham before moving to Cambridge to undertake my PhD. I then What are you hoping to achieve We are working to establish the current TINs moved to UCL in 2013. through the TINs? before looking to expand to other areas. In this respect, we have just been awarded a What is your role at UCL? Our aim is to bring the active therapeutic Translational Partnership researchers together with professional Award to provide further support for the TINs My role is to coordinate the activities in support and expertise available through over the next two years. health across UCL and, more specifically, to the Translational Research Office (TRO), help the Deans of the four Faculties (Brain our Drug Discovery Groups, UCL Business, Where do you see translation generally Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences Innovation & Enterprise, Central Research progressing in the coming five to 10 years? and Population Health Sciences) within Services, the Joint Research Office, Clinical the School of Life and Medical Sciences, to Trials Units, and the NIHR Biomedical I see major changes in cell, gene and deliver their vision for research, education Research Centres at UCL Hospitals, Great regenerative therapies, which will require and enterprise. I also have a significant Ormond Street Hospital and Moorfields – to innovative approaches to funding and close external role especially liaising with our facilitate and accelerate enterprise at UCL. engagement with the regulatory authorities, partner hospitals and the wider regional and with health economists/the National national research landscape. What do TINs contribute to efforts to further Institute for Health and Care Excellence translate research into effective therapies? for adoption and with the National Health What are the Therapeutic Innovation Service for mainstream clinical delivery. There Networks (TINs)? The TINs allow us to bring together interest will also be major developments in the areas groups, share best practice and work of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) The TINs (Therapeutic Innovation together to overcome many of the observed that may require a different model of data Networks) are communities of interested hurdles such as regulatory obstacles. They privacy, with ethical consideration regarding principal investigators brought together also allow us to survey the landscape within commercialisation that will be acceptable to to share experiences of developing and UCL and further afield, and raise awareness the public. l

06 www.impact.pub Thriving networks Therapeutic Innovation Networks (TINs) at University College London (UCL), UK, with the support of the Translational Research Office (TRO) led by Jane Kinghorn, are helping to accelerate research translation by uniting the right mix of knowledge and expertise and igniting innovation

University College London (UCL) working go decisions expedited and measures put THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION NETWORKS alongside UCL Business (UCLB), has a in place to make the translational pathway (TINS) track record of translational discovery as smooth as possible. A current project is TINs are multidisciplinary networks that and innovation typified by IP generation, working towards harmonising the principles bring together research in major therapeutic collaborative research with industrial and practices under which UCL and partner modalities from across UCL and partner partners, licensing and commercialisation. BRCs operate when interacting with third NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs). Some significant successes include: parties to access our data with a view to In addition to enabling UCL to maximise l Basiliximab (Simulect), used in the treatment speeding up the contracting process. its ability to quickly and efficiently translate of renal transplant patients, was discovered in TREACC together with the TINs are disease-related discoveries into high- UCL and co-developed with Novartis; establishing UCL and its partners as the quality therapeutic interventions, the TINs l The UK’s first gene therapy trial, to correct ‘go-to’ place for organisations looking also provide high-level oversight of UCL’s adenosine deaminase severe combined to partner with academia and hospitals therapeutic portfolio, and represent an immunodeficiency (commonly known as in research, education, innovation and integral component of its Translational “bubble baby” disease), was carried out at industrial engagement along the entire Research and Enterprise Acceleration Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. This value chain of therapeutic development. strategy. therapy under development at UCL/GOSH BRC with MRC support, in partnership with Orchard Tx (UCL spin-out) is completing pivotal registration trials with BLA/MAA Small Molecule TIN submission planned in 2020; l UCL with their strategic partner Eisai A network of those focused on small molecule drug discovery Co., Ltd. have commenced preparations at UCL committed to blending experience in order to achieve for Phase I clinical studies on E2814, their high quality drug discovery in an academic setting. first joint clinical candidate, an anti-tau monoclonal antibody designed to slow the Knowledge – applied drug discovery experience gained from progression of Alzheimer’s disease and years in pharma, biotech and academic setting; knowledge of available funding for other tauopathies. drug discovery; extensive industry, biotech and CRO network

University College London have taken steps Expertise – target identification and validation; medium and high throughput to build upon and accelerate this strong screening; access to small molecule libraries; computational and medicinal chemistry; academic drive to translate their novel high content imaging, CRISPR libraries, knockout cell panels and robotic platforms; biomedical science. This is being maximised access to patient tissue, cells and derived IPSC cells; access to clinical expertise and by coordinating professional support and patient public involvement sharing knowledge through the Therapeutic Innovation Networks (TINs). Access to Compound Libraries – signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Astra Zeneca (Nov 2018) within which UCL academics can access the AZ screening ACCELERATING TRANSLATION collection on mutually agreed targets together with a limited number of UCL-chosen Translation is a team sport that requires targets multiple players to be aligned and pulling in the same direction. The Translational Network Activity – organise a series of seminars with biotech, industry, funders, Research and Enterprise Accelerator CROs and consultants. Events have included “Dragons Den” where UCL projects Committee (TREACC) brings together were pitched to external VC dragons with the chance of winning £10k; “AI in Drug resource holders with experience in financial, Discovery”, a workshop linking academics, clinicians and industry to address current regulatory, commercial and behavioural challenges drivers, with a view to accelerating clinical translation. With all of these stakeholders Industry Club – AZ, GSK, Merck and Eisai have joined the Small Molecule TIN to involved, priorities can be established, provide advice and sharpen UCL early drug discovery projects hurdles identified in a timely manner, stop-

www.impact.pub ...07 The CGRT network has thrived because of the colocation of excellent scientists and clinicians with well-defined patient groups

UCL has established TINs in small he says. ‘The logical progression from that molecules, cell, gene and regenerative is to correct the genetic abnormality with Project Insights medicine(known collectively as ATMPs), novel therapies. Thus, we are world leaders FUNDING biologics, repurposing, devices and in cell and gene therapy in rare childhood • NIHR Biomedical Research Centres diagnostics that focus on connecting the diseases, leukaemia and cancer. The added (BRC) affiliated with UCL* interested community around a particular value of the TIN has been to collectively • Wellcome Trust Translational therapeutic modality. Each TIN seeks to describe the scale of the activity and the Partnership Award (214046/Z/18/Z) * Supported by researchers at the National link UCL’s novel science with professional international standing of UCL and its Institute for Health Research University College expertise to accelerate therapeutics for partner hospitals in delivery of these novel London Hospitals • Biomedical Research patient benefit. In addition, they are therapies. By convening the TIN, a shared Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital also looking to harness the power of big vision for where the community wish to Biomedical Research Centre and Moorfields data, artificial intelligence (AI) and new progress to has provided a roadmap for UCL Hospital Biomedical Research Centre. technologies. This is happening via the to begin to actively influence future policy COLLABORATORS coordination and promotion of scientific regarding internal and external funding, Translational Collaborators at UCL: UCL and clinical teamwork across UCL and its future needs in manufacturing, regulatory Business • Research Services • Joint partners, and enabling best practice and policy and supporting the government’s Research Office • Institute of Clinical important knowledge to be disseminated to industrial strategy by anchoring UK born Trials and Methodology • Clinical a larger audience (please see box on small SMEs in the country, helping them to grow.’ Research Facilities, Biomedical Research molecule TINs). Centres (University College London Hospitals, Great Ormond Street PARTNERSHIP IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS Hospital, Moorfields Hospital) • UCL The Translational Research Office (TRO) The TINs and TREACC are flexible, Partners • Innovation & Enterprise facilitates engagement with SMEs in order professional and responsive structures to lower the activation energy for principal that are highly networked and aligned to CONTACT investigators, increase engagement and, deliver a step-fold change in delivering Dr Jane Kinghorn hence, aid translation for patient benefit. biomedical translational impact at UCL. Director, Translational Research The intention is for each TIN to have a They will allow us to better align with the Office (TRO) small industry network with the aim of UK government Industrial Strategy, as well T: +44 2076798119 using their know-how and resource to aid as the Accelerated Access Collaborative. E: [email protected] the development of the TIN portfolio. In Such coordination makes UCL and TWITTER: @UCLTRO addition, they will identify areas of mutual its BRC partners the ‘go-to’ place for W: TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH interest for future industry needs in the organisations that wish to partner with OFFICE (TRO): www.ucl.ac.uk/ areas of education and manufacturing, as academia/hospitals in the areas of research, translational-research/ well as providing industry with a mechanism education, innovation and industrial THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION NETWORKS (TINS): www.ucl.ac.uk/ to develop their portfolio of opportunities. engagement across the whole value chain school-life-medical-sciences/about-slms/ The TINs bring together the strengths of our of therapeutic development. Partnerships office-vice-provost-health/tins three partner Biomedical Research Centres are pivotal to UCL’s success and we UCLB: www.uclb.com/ (UCL Hospitals, Great Ormond Street are continually seeking to create new, Hospital and Moorfields) into a single multidisciplinary alliances with patient- PROJECT CONTACT BIO portfolio that can be advertised to the wider centric organisations from a variety of As Director of the Translational Research community. sectors. If you are interested in partnering office, Jane Kinghorn is responsible for a team of highly experienced industrial with UCL around the translation of a translational scientists tasked with Professor Lomas provides insight into specific therapeutic modality, please contact establishing the organisational culture, the Cell, Gene and Regenerative Medicine the TRO. capability and processes necessary to (CGRT) TIN and why it has seen success: deliver the UCL and BRC’s mission ‘The CGRT network has thrived because of This is the second article in a series of of ‘Accelerating translation for health the colocation of excellent scientists and three highlighting some of the translational and wealth’. Dr Kinghorn has extensive clinicians with well-defined patient groups. infrastructure available to researchers at experience in developing therapies to clinical benefit gained from over 25 years Patients are often referred to our local UCL, their BRCs and potential industry working in large pharma and academia. hospitals for diagnosis and therapy. As partners. The first (published Dec 2018) Her experience has spanned the drug part of their evaluation and establishment explored the bridge between academia and discovery pathway from target validation, of diagnosis, they often undergo genetic industry facilitated by the TRO and the third lead optimisation and candidate testing. This has allowed UCL to be a (next issue) will focus on educating the next selection through to the clinic and to pioneer in gene discovery for rare diseases,’ generation of translational scientists. l marketing authorisation.

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