WIPO, in collaboration with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) organized the first Regional Conference in Support of Accelerated Life Sciences Innovation entitled “Skills Development and Capacity Building”, which was held in Mexico City (Mexico) on May 9 to 12, 2023. The Conference aimed to support the development of innovation ecosystems and skills and capacity related to intellectual property management and technology transfer in the Life Sciences, with particular reference to Health Technologies.

The conference benefited from the attendance of participants and delegates from Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Peru, who hold positions related to IP and/or technology transfer (TT) in the field of Life Sciences mainly in the public and non-profit research sectors.

Mexico was chosen as the initial venue for what is foreseen to be a global series of regional training events related to the accelerated life sciences capacity building tools developed by WIPO with the support of the external experts, the rationale being its relatively well developed Life Sciences R&D and innovation systems combined with the needs for rather advanced training on IP & TT related issues.

The Conference focused on:

• The exercise of concrete IP & TT skills development and capacity building activities within the Life Sciences;
• Developing knowledge of databases and strategies for undertaking pharma related chemical compound and biological sequence searches;
• Increasing awareness concerning the particularities of patent disclosure requirements in the Life Sciences;
• Highlighting Genetic Resources and associated IP management and TT skills;
• Developing awareness and capacity relating to the structuring of Life Sciences relevant IP policies and agreements based on those.

Alejandro Roca, Senior Director, IP for Innovators Department (IPID), IP & Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO, Geneva (left); Aldo Fragoso, Deputy General Director, Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) (right) (Photo: IMPI)

Lorena Rojas Vega, Fellow, Technology Transfer Section, IP for Innovators Department (IPID), IP & Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO, Geneva) (Photo: IMPI)

An additional objective of the Conference was to receive feedback from the delegates as well as from the Mexican participants on the new materials to be launched under the framework of WIPO’s “Accelerated Life Sciences Innovation Capacity Building” program, which include:

• Free and open source data related to pharma related chemical compounds and biological sequences;
• Patent data search for pharma related chemical compounds;
• Disclosure requirements and protection of inventions related to pharmaceuticals and biotechnology;
• Guidelines for best practices for disclosure requirements and protection of inventions related to pharmaceuticals and biotechnology;
• Increasing awareness to transfer knowledge in a socially responsible manner in the field of Life Sciences;
• IPR management and technology transfer in the Life Sciences.

This intense four-day Conference was concluded with a round table session in which Mexican participants and regional delegates discussed the needs and opportunities in relation to the various regional and national Life Sciences R&D and innovation ecosystems represented according to their experiences in the field, resulting in the expressing of the common notions that:

• There is a strong need for more intense promotion of IP awareness among academia stakeholders;
• There is a need for awareness concerning the regulatory process in addition to the IP and TT strategy building skills;
• Regional networking for the benefit of relevant actors to stay updated and in step with developments in this rapidly evolving sector should be encouraged and supported.

Mattias Karlsson Dinnetz, Senior Program Officer, Technology Transfer Section, IP for Innovators Department (IPID), IP & Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO, Geneva. (Photo: WIPO)

Round Table between Mexican participants and regional delegates moderated by Mr. Alejandro Roca, Senior Director, IP for Innovators Department (IPID) (Photo: WIPO)

One finding stemming from this event is the confirmation that the innovation cycle is innately complex, but even more so when it comes to medical and health technologies. The development of such technologies is often a complex, risky and uncertain process, drawing on diverse knowledge and technology streams originating from both public and private sector actors and often requiring scrupulous testing and regulatory requirements. Thus, collaborations involve large biopharmaceutical industries, biotechnology companies (medium and small), universities, research centers, and government entities, and are frequently based on the use of IP rights as a basis for technology transfer and investment in scientific research, R&D, and innovation.