LSIPR 50 2018: Leading the transformation change

Charged with protecting the innovation arising from MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, as well as AstraZeneca’s innovative medicines and early development biotech units, Scott Alban’s job is far from insignificant.

Alban was behind AstraZeneca and MedImmune’s recent transformation of its global IP organisation to circumvent geographic and cultural barriers between the IP professionals who support pharmaceuticals and biologics across seven global sites.

“We wanted to empower our attorneys and other patent professionals to work collaboratively across multiple therapy areas, technology platforms and therapeutic modalities,” he says.

All AstraZeneca’s patent attorneys are now co-located in three core research facilities in Gaithersburg, in the US state of Maryland; Cambridge, UK; and Gothenburg, Sweden.

The transformation is already showing positive results, explains Alban, who says he’s observed a more collaborative culture “allowing the team to develop and deliver creative strategies to ensure innovation continues to thrive”. This development is intended to have long-term benefits, not only for the organisation but ultimately for the patients that AstraZeneca and MedImmune serve.

According to the executive, robust collaboration inside and outside the company is vital to the realisation of AstraZeneca’s ambitions of achieving scientific leadership in its core therapy areas and delivering life-changing new medicines to patients.

He adds: “It’s part of our DNA at AstraZeneca and MedImmune.”

Collaboration outside AstraZeneca can take the form of licensing. The company has a strong track record of in-licensing and acquiring new technologies that are a “good fit” within its core capabilities, and out-licensing assets that are better served in the hands of others.

In May last year, pharmaceutical company Recordati paid AstraZeneca $300 million for the European commercial rights to two beta-blockers: Seloken/Seloken Zok (metoprolol tartrate/metoprolol succinate) and Logimax (metoprolol succinate and felodipine), which are used for the treatment of hypertension, angina and heart failure.

Advancing science

Alban explains that the company is always looking for the best way to advance science while accelerating the benefits to patients.

His team ensures that AstraZeneca and
MedImmune scientists maintain their ability to innovate and develop important medicines for patients.

This involves working alongside the AstraZeneca’s business development teams in the evaluation of new opportunities (eg, asset licences, M&A, and scientific collaborations).

AstraZeneca’s business development and partnering teams are embedded within its R&D and portfolio strategy units, meaning that AstraZeneca and MedImmune can combine scientific and commercial insight with business development expertise.

It also means ensuring that R&D and commercial assets are appropriately protected throughout the process to allow for future innovation.

Alban’s team also works closely with AstraZeneca’s litigation group on all IP litigation matters and identifies and mitigates business-critical risks.

It seems to be a well-oiled machine, but that doesn’t mean it’s all plain sailing for Alban.

AstraZeneca is a large multinational biopharmaceutical company with commercial, R&D and business units all over the globe which can pose their own challenges.

“It is quite challenging but also exciting to provide an essential service to so many diverse stakeholders across the business,” he says.

There are also risks attached to investing in the development of medicines. It’s not only an “expensive, complex, and lengthy process involving significant time, financial, R&D and other resources” but candidate medicines in development could fail at any stage of the process, due to many factors, which are often outside the company’s control.

“This creates inherent risk and uncertainty, while at the same time allowing for unprecedented and exciting breakthroughs.”

Uncharted territories

What’s next for the company? AstraZeneca has a large and diverse pipeline of investigational therapies that address a wide range of diseases in its core therapy areas of oncology, respiratory and cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.

Alban claims that there is always “new and exciting territory” for AstraZeneca and MedImmune to explore, because of AstraZeneca’s commitment to innovation and a culture that celebrates entrepreneurialism. He is particularly excited about two areas.

First is the field of digital health and artificial intelligence, which Alban states is “uncharted territory” in terms of building an IP strategy that can help protect AstraZeneca’s investments in these areas.

Second is China—AstraZeneca has a large and growing presence in China, a market that makes up approximately 15% of its revenue today.

In November 2017, AstraZeneca partnered with the Chinese Future Industry Investment Fund, which is managed by private equity specialist SDIC Fund Management Company, to form a company focused on discovering, developing and commercialising new medicines.

Fast-forward four months, and AstraZeneca announced partnerships with Chinese companies Alibaba and Tencent, in agreements that will use emerging technologies to improve healthcare in China.

“China’s patent laws are developing very quickly and this is an area that will continue to keep us learning and improving,” explains Alban.

Developing IP strategies that are fit for purpose in all of AstraZeneca’s markets presents a challenge, as most countries have vastly different laws and restrictions on what can be patented and how that patent can be enforced.

“We work very hard to understand the patent laws and market dynamics in the countries where we intend to deliver our medicines to patients. We are also committed to ensuring we responsibly enforce our intellectual property,” he concludes.