Technology transfer for COVID-19 vaccine in the Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. / Transferência de tecnologia para vacina contra COVID-19 no Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz.

Innovation is an essential element for development and growth, but it consists of a long process of knowledge accumulation, so technology transfer is used to accelerate this process. This study mapped the particularities of the technology transfer process for the COVID-19 vaccine between AstraZeneca and the Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, and identified enablers, obstacles, and gaps. Our analysis investigated the process from selection of the most suitable partner to incorporation of the new technology based on a comprehensive literature review on this topic, combined with a case study. The results showed that, although many actions still have to be performed to maximize technology capacity gains, the lessons learned from the technology transfer process will be used in future and ongoing agreements.

A inovação é um elemento fundamental para o desenvolvimento e crescimento, mas constituída por um processo demorado de acúmulo de conhecimento. Uma das formas de acelerar tal processo é por meio da transferência de tecnologia. Este artigo mapeou as particularidades da transferência de tecnologia para a vacina contra COVID-19, celebrado entre a AstraZeneca e o Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, bem como reconheceu os seus facilitadores, seus entraves e suas lacunas. Para tanto, foi realizada uma análise desde a etapa da seleção do parceiro mais adequado até a incorporação da nova tecnologia. A metodologia utilizada se baseou em uma ampla revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema, aliada ao estudo de caso. Os resultados apontaram que, apesar de muitas ações ainda precisarem ser realizadas para que os ganhos de capacidade tecnológica sejam potencializados, as lições aprendidas com o processo de transferência de tecnologia servirão de aprendizado e serão utilizadas nos acordos futuros e em andamento.

La innovación es un elemento fundamental para el desarrollo y el crecimiento, pero consiste en un proceso de acumulación de conocimiento que requiere mucho tiempo. Una de las formas de acelerar este proceso es mediante la transferencia de tecnología. Este artículo mapeó las particularidades del proceso de transferencia de tecnología para la vacuna contra la COVID-19, celebrado entre AstraZeneca y el Instituto de Tecnología en Inmunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundación Oswaldo Cruz, además de reconocer los facilitadores, obstáculos y brechas. Para ello se realizó un análisis, desde la etapa de selección del socio más adecuado hasta la incorporación de la nueva tecnología. La metodología utilizada se basó en una amplia revisión bibliográfica sobre el tema, combinada con el estudio de caso. Los resultados mostraron que, si bien aún es necesario llevar a cabo muchas acciones para maximizar las ganancias de capacidad tecnológica, las lecciones aprendidas del proceso de transferencia de tecnología servirán como lecciones y se utilizarán en acuerdos futuros y en curso.

A pandemic agreement is within reach.

At the end of May, 194 member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) will meet for the World Health Assembly. Negotiations underway now will determine whether they vote then to adopt a pandemic agreement. For the past 2 years, discussions have focused on articulating essential components of a robust and equitable architecture for pandemic preparedness and response. Despite this, talks have failed to produce sufficient consensus on a detailed draft, prompting the intergovernmental negotiating body to propose a "streamlined" version. The new text, released on 16 April, consolidates provisions for research and development, technology transfer, pathogen access and benefit sharing (including pandemic products such as medicines and vaccines), with many particulars deferred to future procedures. Ultimately, success of the agreement will depend on these details and implementation. Nevertheless, member states shouldn't bypass the consensus reached to date, but continue progress to adopt this agreement.

An mRNA technology transfer programme and economic sustainability in health care.

The World Health Organization (WHO) set up the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology transfer programme in June 2021 with a development hub in South Africa and 15 partner vaccine producers in middle-income countries. The goal was to support the sustainable development of and access to life-saving vaccines for people in these countries as a means to enhance epidemic preparedness and global public health. This initiative aims to build resilience and strengthen local vaccine research, and development and manufacturing capacity in different regions of the world, especially those areas that could not access coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in a timely way. This paper outlines the current global vaccine market and summarizes the findings of a case study on the mRNA technology transfer programme conducted from November 2022 to May 2023. The study was guided by the vision of the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All to build an economy for health using its four work streams of value, finance, innovation and capacity. Based on the findings of the study, we offer a mission-oriented policy framework to support the mRNA technology transfer programme as a pilot for transformative change towards an ecosystem for health innovation for the common good. Parts of this vision have already been incorporated into the governance of the mRNA technology transfer programme, while other aspects, especially the common good approach, still need to be applied to achieve the goals of the programme.

L'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) a lancé le Programme de transfert de la technologie de l'acide ribonucléique messager (ARNm) en juin 2021, assorti d'un centre de développement en Afrique du Sud et de 15 fabricants de vaccins partenaires dans des pays à revenu intermédiaire. L'objectif consistait à soutenir la pérennisation et l'accès à des vaccins d'importance vitale pour les populations de ces pays en vue d'améliorer la préparation aux épidémies et la santé publique mondiale. Cette initiative vise à accroître la résilience et à renforcer la recherche vaccinale locale, ainsi que les capacités de conception et de fabrication dans différentes régions du monde, en particulier dans celles qui n'ont pas pu obtenir des vaccins contre la maladie à coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) en temps utile. Le présent document décrit l'actuel marché mondial des vaccins et résume les résultats d'une étude de cas consacrée au Programme de transfert de la technologie ARNm et menée de novembre 2022 à mai 2023. L'étude s'inspire de la vision du Conseil de l'OMS sur l'économie de la santé pour tous, qui consiste à construire une économie allant dans le sens de la santé selon quatre axes de travail: valeur, finances, innovation et capacité. En nous fondant sur les résultats de l'étude, nous proposons un cadre stratégique orienté vers un but précis: soutenir le Programme de transfert de la technologie ARNm en tant que projet pilote afin d'évoluer vers un écosystème d'innovation en matière de santé dédié au bien commun. Certains aspects de cette vision ont déjà été intégrés dans les principes de gouvernance du Programme de transfert de la technologie ARNm tandis que d'autres, en particulier l'approche liée au bien commun, doivent encore être appliqués pour atteindre les objectifs du programme.

La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) creó el programa de transferencia de tecnología de ácido ribonucleico mensajero (ARNm) en junio de 2021 con un centro de desarrollo en Sudáfrica y 15 productores de vacunas asociados en países de ingresos medios. El objetivo era apoyar el desarrollo sostenible y el acceso a las vacunas que salvan vidas para la población de estos países como medio para mejorar la preparación ante epidemias y la salud pública mundial. Con esta iniciativa se pretende crear resiliencia y reforzar la capacidad local de investigación, desarrollo y fabricación de vacunas en distintas regiones del mundo, especialmente en aquellas áreas que no pudieron acceder oportunamente a las vacunas contra la enfermedad por coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-19). Este documento describe el actual mercado mundial de vacunas y resume las conclusiones de un estudio de caso sobre el programa de transferencia de tecnología de ARNm realizado entre noviembre de 2022 y mayo de 2023. El estudio se guió por la visión del Consejo de la OMS sobre la Economía de la Salud para Todos de crear una economía de la salud utilizando sus cuatro líneas de trabajo: valor, financiación, innovación y capacidad. A partir de las conclusiones del estudio, ofrecemos un marco político orientado a la misión para apoyar el programa de transferencia de tecnología de ARNm como piloto para un cambio transformador hacia un ecosistema de innovación sanitaria para el bien común. Algunas partes de esta visión ya se han incorporado a la gobernanza del programa de transferencia de tecnología de ARNm, mientras que otros aspectos, en especial el enfoque del bien común, aún deben aplicarse para alcanzar los objetivos del programa.

Technology transfer for green investments: exploring how technology transfer through foreign direct investments can contribute to sustainable practices and reduced environmental impact in OIC economies.

Estimating the asymmetrical influence of foreign direct investment is the primary goal of the current study. In addition, further controlled variables affect environmental degradation in OIC nations. Due to this, current research employs the asymmetric (NPARDL) approach and the data period from 1980 to 2021 to estimate about viability of the EKC (environmental Kuznets curve) theory. The study utilized greenhouse gas (GHG) including emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and ecological footprint as substantial parameters of environmental quality. A nonlinear link between foreign direct investments, trade openness, economic growth, urbanization, energy consumption, and environmental pollution with CO2, N2O, CH4, and ecological footprint in the OIC nations is confirmed by the study's outcomes, which however reveals inconsistent results. Furthermore, the results also show that wrong conclusions might result from disregarding intrinsic nonlinearities. The study's conclusions provide the most important recommendations for decision-makers.

Organizational Network Analysis of SAMHSA's Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network.

Technology transfer centers (TTCs) facilitate the movement of evidence-based practices in behavioral healthcare from theory to practice. One of the largest such networks is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) TTC Network. This brief report shares findings from an organizational network analysis (ONA) of the network conducted as part of an external evaluation. For non-supervisory TTCs (n = 36) across three focus areas (addiction, prevention, and mental health), the authors computed network density, harmonic closeness, and non-null dyadic reciprocity for five types of interactions (e.g., "collaborated in workgroups"), then, for each interaction type, used Welch's T-test to compare mean harmonic closeness of standalone TTC grantees versus multiple-TTC grantees. ONA identified potentially isolated regional TTCs as well as mismatches between some centers' desired scope and their network centrality and enabled investigation of broader questions around behavioral health support systems. The approach appears useful for evaluating TTCs and similar support networks.

Evaluation framework for facilitating the technology transfers of universities: Focusing on the perspective of technology donors.

Technological innovation and preoccupation with new markets through technological innovation have become critical factors in achieving success in the global market. Currently, companies cannot develop and commercialize all technologies. Therefore, the importance of technology transfers is rapidly increasing. Technology transfer is a crucial strategy adopted by organizations to remain innovative and competitive. However, Korea's technology transfer rate is only 37.9%. In particular, the technology transfer rate from universities to companies is lower than that from government-funded research institutes in Korea. Although the fundamental approach for resolving barriers to technology transfer have been studied, previous research has been conducted from a narrow definition of technology transfer. Furthermore, previous research has focused on analyzing the success factors of technology transfer, presenting technology transfer processes, or conducting case studies. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a technology donor diagnosis framework based on CSFs (Critical Success Factors) to eliminate obstacles to technology transfers. To lower the barriers to technology transfers, it is necessary to develop a strategy for a successful technology transfer based on the diagnosis of technology donors. This study develops a diagnosis framework for universities from the perspective of technology donors, implements and tests the framework using case studies, and proposes strategies for each stage of technology transfer growth. The framework is able to assess multidimensional perspectives, because CSFs and PMs were extracted based on BSC. Furthermore, by comparing the perspectives score of technology donors in different universities, technology donors can identify the areas in which each university is lacking in its current situation. Multidimensional diagnosis and aggregation score of technology donors offer to extract optimal CSFs for technology transfer activation for each growth stage.

Maturity assessment of software-driven medical technologies: a quantitative score derived from a quality standard for the research phase.

Quantitatively assessing the level of readiness of medical technology improves its chance of successfully transfer from research to industry but remains a challenge. As many innovative medical devices are associated with or incorporate software, this article presents a methodology for evaluating the software maturity of a "Software-driven Medical Technology" (SdMT) during the research phase. A technological maturity model is developed by methodologically extracting relevant terms from the ISO/IEC 62304 standard, the main industry standard for medical device software, and results in a list of required software engineering artifacts. This list and the relative weight of the artifacts are used to establish a software maturity score for SdMT and the corresponding assessment questionnaire. The consistency of the model is demonstrated by analyzing the obtained score system relatively with the standard. The maturity score of a SdMT can be assessed during the research phase and depends on the number and importance of the artifacts already present at the time of evaluation.Clinical relevance- The proposed quantitative maturity score can help the medical technology innovation actors (clinicians, researchers and industrials) to better identify, improve and fasten the readiness of technology for clinical investigation and technology transfer.

Key considerations for the development of novel mRNA candidate vaccines in LMICs: A WHO/MPP mRNA Technology Transfer Programme meeting report.

The WHO/MPP mRNA Technology Transfer Programme, initiated in 2021, focuses on establishing mRNA vaccine manufacturing capacity in LMICs. On 17-21 April 2023, Programme partners were convened to review technology transfer progress, discuss sustainability aspects and promote mRNA product development for diseases relevant to LMICs. To help guide product development, this report introduces key considerations for for understanding the likelihood of technical and regulatory success and of policy development and procurement for mRNA vaccines to be developed and manufactured in LMICs. The report underscores the potential for LMICs to establish sustainable mRNA R&D pipelines.

Algorithms at the Gate-Radiology's AI Adoption Dilemma.

In this Viewpoint a radiologist surveys the ascent of artificial intelligence (AI) in imaging and what the future likely holds for AI in this discipline.

Technology transfer during the COVID-19 pandemic: report on the first face-to-face practical training course in Brazil.

MAIN RESULTS: Technology transfer can take place at large events, as long as safety protocols are strictly enforced. It is important to disseminate, at these events, the concepts of the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). Implications for services: Face-to-face training course is fundamental for training public health professionals. Technology transfer between research institutions and health services results in updating and improving health system performance. PERSPECTIVES: Based on the success of the reported technology transfer, a new module will be incorporated into the next edition of VEME (Panama 2022), entitled Virus Evolution to Public Health Policy Makers. The objective of this report was to describe the first face-to-face course aimed at training public health professionals in performing real-time genomic surveillance during the pandemic period. Experience report on a theoretical-practical course focusing on genomic research and surveillance, including mobile sequencing technologies, bioinformatics, phylogenetics and epidemiological modeling. There were 162 participants in the event and it was the first major face-to-face training course conducted during the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil. No cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected among the participants at the end of the event, suggesting the safety and effectiveness of all safety measures adopted. The results of this experience suggest that it is possible to conduct professional training safely during pandemics, as long as all safety protocols are followed.

Does high-speed rail stimulate university technology transfer? evidence from China.

Prior studies ignore the impact of infrastructure on university technology transfer. High-speed rail, China's most significant infrastructure, has played an essential role in the economy and society. Using high-speed railway construction as a quasi-experiment and a large sample of Chinese universities for the 2007-2017 period, we investigate the impact of high-speed rail on university technology transfer. We provide extensive evidence that high-speed rail has a positive effect on university technology transfer. The finding remains valid after a battery of robustness tests. Mechanism tests find that high-speed rail can improve university technology transfer by promoting the interaction between universities and enterprises and improving enterprises' technology demand for universities. Further analysis shows that better intellectual property protection strengthens the effect of high-speed rail on university technology transfer, and the relationship between high-speed rail and university technology transfer is more prominent in the regions with underdevelopment technology trading markets. Our study suggests that high-speed rail is an important variable that affects university technology transfer.

Best Practices and Guidelines (2022) for Scale-up and Technology Transfer in Freeze Drying Based on Case Studies. Part 2: Past Practices, Current Best Practices, and Recommendations.

Scale-up and transfer of lyophilization processes remain very challenging tasks considering the technical challenges and the high cost of the process itself. The challenges in scale-up and transfer were discussed in the first part of this paper and include vial breakage during freezing at commercial scale, cake resistance differences between scales, impact of differences in refrigeration capacities, and geometry on the performance of dryers. The second part of this work discusses successful and unsuccessful practices in scale-up and transfer based on the experience of the authors. Regulatory aspects of scale-up and transfer of lyophilization processes were also outlined including a topic on the equivalency of dryers. Based on an analysis of challenges and a summary of best practices, recommendations on scale-up and transfer of lyophilization processes are given including projections on future directions in this area of the freeze drying field. Recommendations on the choice of residual vacuum in the vials were also provided for a wide range of vial capacities.

How enterprise interactions in innovation networks affect technological innovation performance: The role of technological innovation capacity and absorptive capacity.

Current research on the impact of innovation networks focuses on the web and inter-organizational layers, with less consideration of individual behavior at the firm level. Interaction is an active action strategy that firms take when dealing with the external environment. Therefore, this study explores the mechanism of enterprise interaction on innovation development from the perspective of an innovation network. And measures enterprise interaction in three dimensions: affective interaction, resource interaction, and management interaction. The empirical results indicate that the three dimensions of enterprise interaction contribute significantly to technological innovation performance, and the realization of this role requires technological innovation capabilities (technological research and development capabilities, technological commercialization capabilities) to play a partially mediating role. The moderating effect of absorptive capacity between resource interaction, management interaction, and technological innovation capability is significant; however, the moderating effect between affective interaction and technological innovation capability is statistically insignificant. This study promotes the development of interaction theory to a certain extent, which helps enterprises build appropriate industrial chains in innovation networks and achieve rapid development.

Micro-foundations of dynamic capabilities to facilitate university technology transfer.

Within the university-industry ecosystem, improvement and innovation of technology transfer involve implementing appropriate dynamic capabilities. To answer the question-What are the micro-foundations of dynamic capabilities in university technology transfer?-this study investigates in-depth organizational-level dynamic capabilities in transferring university-based knowledge to business and society. Two qualitative case studies were deployed at organizational entities at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: the Industry Alliance Office, and the Demonstrator Lab. These two organizations stimulate science- and business-oriented university technology transfer. In this context, the micro-foundations of the dynamic capabilities "sensing", "seizing" and "reconfiguring" are identified and discussed. For "sensing", which is the university's ability to explore the opportunities in the ecosystem, the micro-foundations are "selecting internal competency" and "sensing external partners". For "seizing", which supports universities in managing complementarity with industry and society, micro-foundations include "resource co-allocation" and "collaborative business model". The micro-foundations of "reconfiguring", through which universities maintain evolutionary fitness in the innovation ecosystem, are "strategic renewal", "establishing a university technology transfer-friendly environment", and "asset orchestration". This study provides researchers with a better understanding of how dynamic capabilities facilitate university technology transfer. Industrial practitioners and policymakers can consider the suggestions of the present study when pursuing collaboration with universities.

Multivariate Pharma Technology Transfer Analysis: Civilization Diseases and COVID-19 Perspective.

The importance of studying civilization diseases manifests itself in the impact of changing lifestyles, on the number of deaths and causes of death. Technology transfer plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of these diseases. Through this, it is possible to transfer new treatments and diagnostics to clinics and hospitals more quickly and effectively, which leads to better healthcare for patients. Technology transfer can also aid in the development of new drugs and therapies that can be effective in the treatment of civilization diseases. The paper aims to evaluate the technology transfer process in the field of civilization diseases, using COVID-19 as an example of a pandemic that requires quick development and transfer of technology. To achieve the assumed goal, we propose a multivariate synthetic ratio in the field of civilization diseases (SMTT-Synthetic Measure of Technology Transfer) to analyze data from the Global Data database. We used sub-measures like SMTT_value (Synthetic Measure of Technology Transfer_value) and SMTT_quantity (Synthetic Measure of Technology Transfer_quantity) to measure technology transfer and put the data into a graph. Our analysis focuses on 14 diseases over a period of 10 years (2012-2021) and includes nine forms of technology transfer, allowing us to create a tool for analysing the process in multiple dimensions. Our results show that COVID-19 is similar in terms of technology transfer to diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and breast cancer, even though data for COVID-19 is available for only 2 years.

Can air pollution reduce technology transfer? Evidence from China's prefecture-level cities.

Air pollution hinders technological innovation, but the causal effects of air pollution on technology transfer are overlooked. We use thermal inversion as an instrumental variable for addressing air pollution endogeneity. The empirical results show that a one-unit increase in air pollution reduces technology transfer strength by 4.5 %. However, air pollution has a strong asymmetry in two directions of technology transfer strength. We find that those cities with worse pollution have an intention to transfer their technologies to cities in other provinces. In the PLFC model, heterogeneity varying with GDP can be addressed to estimate the marginal effect between them. Findings suggest that the marginal effects of air pollution on technology transfer can be divided into two parts based on GDP levels. Within the thresholds (lngdp = 11), the effect of environmental regulations will keep increasing and keep stable beyond the thresholds. In addition, different effects on different cities are also discussed.