Ideas, Perspectives and Updates from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Industry
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Super Cluster Ideas, perspectives and updates from the Massachusetts life sciences industry About PricewaterhouseCoopers Boston With over 2,500 employees, PricewaterhouseCoopers is the largest professional services firm in New England. We serve as the trusted advisor to hundreds of public and private companies and organizations, large and small, in New England. We have particular strength in the life and health sciences industries. Committed to the transformation of healthcare through innovation, collaboration and thought leadership, PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Industries Group is the nexus of industry and technical expertise across all health-related industries, including providers and payers, health sciences, biotech/medical devices, pharmaceutical and employer practices. About the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is the state’s development agency for renew- able energy and the innovation economy. It works to stimulate economic activity in commu- nities throughout the Commonwealth by bringing together leaders from industry, academia, and government to advance technology-based solutions that lead to economic growth and a cleaner environment in Massachusetts. www.mtpc.org About the New England Healthcare Institute The New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) is a not-for-profit collaborative dedicated to transforming health care for the benefit of patients and their families. Through research, education and policy change, NEHI finds and promotes innovative ways to improve health care quality and lower health care costs. Working in partnership with members from all across the health care system, NEHI brings an objective, collaborative and fresh voice to health policy. www.nehi.net Introduction by Governor Patrick April 2007 Dear fellow citizens of Massachusetts, Massachusetts is home to some of the world’s best medical and research facilities and has a wealth of brilliant, dedicated researchers, technicians and practitioners. For decades, this Commonwealth has been a national leader in the life sciences and continues to provide fertile ground for your industry. Today, we lead the nation in per capita NIH funding, bio- medical venture capital investment, and life science PhDs, and feature world-class colleges and universities all across the state. Combine these advantages with a tradition of innovation and entrepre- neurial spirit that dates back centuries and we have everything you need to spark innovation and growth. The Massachusetts Life Sciences Collaborative brings together leaders from hospitals, universities, large and small businesses, venture capital firms and others to develop comprehensive strategies for robust ex- pansion of the life sciences in Massachusetts. I am happy to welcome this rapidly growing, cutting edge industry. You bring to Massachusetts not only economic opportunity, but also the chance to help millions of people around the globe. I know from my own experiences with loved ones who have suffered with Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes just how important it is that you succeed. I look forward to an active working relationship with all of you. I commend the achievements of our life sciences community, and look forward to building upon them now and in the future. I invite you and your colleagues to join the most important and impressive life sciences cluster in the world. Sincerely, Governor Deval Patrick Contents 01 Executive summary 02 Introduction by PricewaterhouseCoopers 03 Introduction by NEHI and MTC 04 Massachusetts Life Sciences Collaborative 05 Perspective: Living the life sciences in Massachusetts 06 About the Massachusetts life sciences super cluster 11 Perspective: MicroCHIPS’ solutions offer hope for patients with chronic conditions 12 Interview: Robert S. Langer 14 Funding 15 Public funding 18 Perspective: Bioresearch collaboration: Merck and Harvard University 20 Perspective: A commitment to academic research 21 Perspective: Through collaboration, Joslin fights the diabetes epidemic 24 Interview: Craig C. Mello 26 Private financing 28 Perspective: Venture capital and biotechnology in Massachusetts 30 Employment 34 Perspective: Ensuring talent for bio-pharma’s future in Massachusetts 35 Perspective: The burgeoning growth of the biomedical industry: the central Massachusetts region perspective 38 Perspective: Developing a climate for life sciences 39 Perspective: Massachusetts’ medical device industry focuses on the global market 40 Interview: Richard J. Meelia 42 Product development 44 Perspective: Innovation at a crossroad: challenges and opportunities for the research-based pharma and biotech industry 48 Perspective: Innovation, collaboration help Dana-Farber Cancer Institute quickly move discoveries from bench to bedside 49 Perspective: Providing a forum for a revolutionary change in the biopharmaceutical industry 50 Interview: Mark C. Fishman 52 Biomedical manufacturing 54 Perspective: Biomanufacturing in Massachusetts 55 Perspective: Developing the life sciences 56 Perspective: Biopharmaceutical operations in the Bay State 58 Interview: Una Ryan 60 Looking ahead 62 Perspective: Biotechnology and the future 64 Methodology and sources Executive summary A super cluster, defined as a large grouping of gravitationally associated clusters of galaxies, is among the largest structures of the cosmos. Likewise, the Massachusetts super cluster is comprised of several industry and academic sectors which touch and enhance the life sciences—and is one of the largest such groupings in the world. The Massachusetts life sciences super cluster includes the activities of the state’s world-class universities, teaching hospitals and research institutions, biotechnology, medical device and pharmaceutical compa- nies, as well as the many software, venture capital, plastics and IT companies that contribute to the growth and vitality of the life sciences. Through the years it has provided a sustain- able, growing economic foundation for the Commonwealth. Because of the groundbreaking work that has emanated from the super cluster, Massachusetts is recognized globally for discovering treatments and cures for the infectious and chronic diseases that afflict society. At a time when the state’s traditional manufacturing industry is These challenges highlight opportunities for improvement to receding, the life sciences industry has continued to grow: ensure Massachusetts retains its leadership position in the life sciences. Collaborative efforts should focus on: • Nearly one in six residents is employed by this cluster, and the jobs pay high wages. Two thirds of organizations with • Developing a strategic plan to improve math and science R&D activities and six in ten with manufacturing activities curriculum required to fill the demand for high quality work- surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers said they plan to ers in the life sciences industry. expand operations in the next two years. • Solving the most pressing issues affecting the reten- • The organizations that make up the cluster have been tion of workers, including high housing costs and long especially productive at attracting public and private capital commuting times. to the state. Massachusetts leads the nation in govern- • Providing consistent, predictable, and efficient tax, regulatory, ment research funding on a per-capita basis. The Boston licensing and permitting policies to nurture company growth. metropolitan area alone is the nation’s top recipient of NIH funding and one of the biggest centers of venture capital in • Strategically responding to growing competition through the world. Venture financing of Massachusetts’ life sciences innovative measures, such as a bond referendum to fund companies was up 43% over the previous year to $1.1 life sciences resources. billion in 2006. This report is both a celebration of the success and potential of • The number of life science patents per capita awarded to the Massachusetts life sciences super cluster as well as a warn- Massachusetts institutions between 2001 and 2005 was ing against complacency. It contains articles by and interviews more than triple the U.S. average. with some of the super cluster’s biggest stars, including a Nobel • The top 25 publicly traded life science companies in Prize winner, top pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical Massachusetts nearly doubled their annual sales revenues device CEOs, and experts from academia, medicine, venture between 2002 and 2006.1 In 2006 alone, these companies capital and state government. It describes the current state of the generated more than $23 billion in annual sales. life sciences super cluster, the outlook for the future, and critical areas of improvement so it can realize its true benefit to society. Massachusetts’ cluster of research organizations, entrepre- neurial leadership, highly educated talent, and strong public and private funding bring a competitive advantage that many states would envy. Yet, research for this report indicates key challenges ahead: • Top scientists and universities are the biggest draw that companies cite for moving to Massachusetts. However, survey respondents indicated that gaps in K–12 education produce a local workforce inadequately prepared to work in the life sciences sector. • NIH funding represents one of the largest sources of funding to the Commonwealth’s life sciences cluster with approxi- mately $2B annually, yet growth of the federal NIH budget has stalled. • The region’s economic prosperity from life sciences may be making the region unaffordable