The participants in this National Roundtable observed, by way of opening premise, that biotechnology is a scientific field offering great prospects and within which Italy could play an important role. Indeed, the country boasts a high level of training and outstanding expertise in the sector. The projected rewards, including of a financial nature, are quite considerable, with attractive prospects from an industrial point of view. Indeed, biotechnologies represent a growing market, due not only to an increase in life expectancy, but also to a rise in the number of people around the world with access to medical care.
It was stressed, however, that in order for the country to be truly competitive in this field, a systemic effort is required that brings together excellence in scientific research, businesses operating in this field and the voluntary sector.
The first hurdle to be overcome in this endeavor was identified by the participants as being a cultural one, in the sense that it is necessary to instill an appreciation of and properly convey to the general public the importance of biotechnology to society.
Another issue pointed to was the need for coordinated regulatory measures to eliminate existing impediments to biotech development. While those who work in Italy often have a solid background in managing unexpected eventualities and complex systems, it was suggested that the easiest way to ensure that this sector prospers and grows is to apply successful models already tried and tested abroad.
The starting point – it was emphasized – must be universities and research institutes, where efforts should be made to retain and reward the most gifted researchers, as well as to promote the circulation of talent within a system that also encompasses industry. It was felt that various tools could be employed to this end (such as, for instance, industrial doctorate programs), but that for technology to be transferred from the academic sphere to industry, there is a particular need for career recognition to be achieved beyond the halls of academia, and, hence, for performance to be assessed not only on the basis of publications, but also on results obtained in terms of patents produced.
Another no-less-important aspect highlighted was that of funding. In times of scarce financial resources, the most effective approach is to rationalize and hone the specialization of existing research centers in order to create focal points that are genuinely capable of bringing about supply chain integration, a role all-too-often filled by non-profit foundations in Italy. It was underlined that in a sector marked by a shortage of private investment in research and development, due to the presence of a myriad of often undercapitalized small and medium-sized enterprises, one of the first measures that should be introduced is an incentive in the form of a tax credit, a system which has already proved successful in other European countries.
The absence of such incentives could discourage the establishment of research centers in Italy, precisely at a time when interesting prospects are opening up as a result of the new research paradigms being adopted by the large pharmaceutical companies. Indeed, the big pharmacos, rather than developing everything in-house, are looking to forge external partnerships with smaller and more dynamic businesses.
In order to seize this opportunity, the participants perceived a need to foster a vital network of spin-offs and start-ups. Together with the difficulties innovative firms face in getting themselves established in Italy, businesses in this sector are particularly affected by very long development lead times and extremely complex regulatory procedures. In the case of biotechnology more so than in other fields of innovation, it was felt that it would be more useful to create an integrated procedural framework that would speed up the transfer of research outputs to the market. Only thus, it was concluded, will this sector become competitive and be in a position to contribute to the country’s growth.