BioPAD Knowl’EDGE Management supports Proof-of-Concept to Viable Product Solution

By Dr Deonie Botha, Knowledge manager at BioPAD

The life sciences field has changed more, in the past few decades, than virtually any other field within science and engineering.

Until the 1970’s, the goal of most basic research was to generate new knowledge and advance understanding of biological and biochemical processes. Steady, incremental advance of the life sciences bore important medical benefits, particularly through the pharmaceutical industry and greatly enhanced agricultural production systems. In general, though, research was largely focused on the scientific goals of the academic research community. In the past two-and-a-half decades, the life sciences have become increasingly relevant to commerce and society, catalysing the development of an entirely new industry – the biotechnology industry.

Dr Joe Mosala Molete, CEO of BioPAD, says “The biotechnology industry has emerged over the last two decades as a vital and dynamic source of new technologies with the potential to drive economic development in many countries. For many developing countries like South Africa, still at an infancy stage, the impact of Biotechnology to the overall economy is still difficult to calculate. The social and economic benefits are, however, obvious. The economic impact can only be realised over a long period of time due to the length of time it takes to convert biotech ideas into products.”

BioPAD is making use of Knowledge management to exploit sources of explicit and tacit knowledge to support the commercialisation of the products which are funded by them. Knowledge management in an R&D environment, such as biotechnology, manifests in the form of market intelligence and aims to close the knowledge gaps which exist between the scientist and the environment in which he has to “market” a specific product.

Research has indicated that scientists in general do not spend enough time determining the demand and the nature of the competitive environment in which their products will be marketed. Furthermore, they also do not spend much time keeping up with the developments within the market which could impact on the successful commersialisation of their products. Currently Knowledge management initiatives at BioPAD focus on developing a comprehensive “database” of information on biotechnology as well as identifying pockets of biotechnology excellence. This would enable BioPAD to assist their stakeholders, who include scientists, in the biotech industry to:

1. Monitor competitor R&D investments;
2. Monitor clinical trial and patent application;
3. Monitor mergers and acquisitions in the biotechnology industry which could impact on products funded by BioPAD;
4. Monitor the positioning of competitive drugs to include sales policies adopted by medical representatives to major buyers;
5. Monitor statutory developments in the health sector et cetera. 

From the above it is evident that Knowledge management will enable BioPAD to provide a comprehensive “solution” to its partners by providing both the necessary funding and the knowledge to enable the successful commercialisation of biotechnology products.

Please contact Deonie Botha at 012 844 0164 or email, Deonie@biopad.org.za, for more information or contributions.