About
FAQ
Background
What is PharmaLinks?
What is the scope of PharmaLinks?
ThePharmaLinks Resource
What areas of expertise does PharmaLinks cover?
What are the advantages of working with PharmaLinks?
Why PharmaLinks is different
Why is working with PharmaLinks better than using an intermediary?
What is different now compared to what we have done
in the past?
What is different to what the two Universities do
individually?
Working with PharmaLinks
What types of interaction are possible through PharmaLinks?
How long does a project last?
Can there be direct scientific contact between company
staff and university scientists?
What type of legal framework exists for PharmaLinks?
Intellectual property rights?
Access to patients?
Confidentiality?
Costs?
GMP/GLP/GCP?
How Pharmalinks works with you
Project management experience?
Can I meet with PharmaLinks scientists?
How does PharmaLinks operate?
Who do I contact and when?
Background
What is PharmaLinks?
PharmaLinks is the new gateway to the combined biomedical strengths of the Universities
of Glasgow and Strathclyde. Through PharmaLinks, the pharmaceutical industry
has direct access to a wealth of new opportunities for therapeutic targets,
drug candidates and drug delivery.
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What is the scope of PharmaLinks?
In general, PharmaLinks' role is in:
- developing experienced interdisciplinary teams for drug research projects
- facilitating company access to the outstanding biomedical resources of the PharmaLinks
partners
- delivering drug discovery & development solutions in key therapeutic areas
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The PharmaLinks Resource
What areas of expertise does PharmaLinks cover?
PharmaLinks research expertise is concentrated in a number of overlapping research
groups. The therapeutic focused groups are further enhanced by cross-fertilisation
from the teams concentrating on platform-technologies such as cell signalling.
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Neuroscience
- Infection & Immunity
- Inflammation
- Oncology
- Cell Signalling
- Biomedical Imaging
- Biostatistics & Epidemiology
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What are the advantages of working with PharmaLinks?
Access to complementary skills in the therapeutic and platform technologies listed
above, allows PharmaLinks to put together relevant combinations of expertise
required in the resolution of complex problems. Companies can benefit
from access to this multi-disciplinary group whilst dealing with a single
point of contact. PharmaLinks has an extremely flexible approach: from
an integrated 'cradle to grave' solution, to access to the specific expertise
as required at any level.
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Why PharmaLinks is different
Why is working with PharmaLinks better than using an intermediary?
PharmaLinks is a wholly owned not-for-profit initiative of the Universities of Glasgow
and Strathclyde. Therefore, we are best placed to know the strengths of
the research activities and the novel opportunities arising from our research.
Working with PharmaLinks will give you cost-effective research tailored
to the needs of your company.
Benefit directly though:
- improved productivity
- cost-effective out-sourced facilities
- enhanced innovation
- access to therapeutic targets
- novel lead molecules
- functional biological models
- clinical & scientific expertise
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What is different now compared to what we have done in the past?
We aim to promote our research to the pharmaceutical industry more directly,
focusing on key therapeutic targets and platform technologies to enable
you to add instant value to your existing pipeline in a cost-effective
and timely manner.
PharmaLinks is:
- focused on delivering solutions to drug research problems
- based on integrated biomedical and clinical expertise
- aimed at generating commercial opportunities
- mirrored on company target areas
- covering most elements of drug discovery and development
- providing basic research informed by experience of clinical colleagues
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What is different to what the two Universities do individually?
In medical and pharmaceutical investigation, PharmaLinks offers you an extensive
range of excellent resources for outsourcing a wide scope of pharmaceutical
research, which would be difficult for any single group to undertake.
The larger critical mass for interdisciplinary collaborative research
enables a more flexible, rapid and total response to industry needs. PharmaLinks
has developed closer links between the scientific and business expertise
within both Universities, providing better service for industry.
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Working with PharmaLinks
What types of interaction are possible through PharmaLinks?
PharmaLinks can organise various types of interactions including:
- Sponsored collaborative research
PharmaLinks will bring together an interdisciplinary research team to
determine the optimal research protocols for the project. The research
will be carried out in existing laboratory facilities.
- Sponsored specialised research institute
In this type of interaction, the client makes an investment in a designated
laboratory and a selected team of scientists works on the project with
additional input from academic departments as required. The client can
second staff to the research institute, giving additional development
opportunities and training for in-house research staff.
- Contract Research
In this case, PharmaLinks research staff will carry out studies determined
by the client. The research will be carried out in existing laboratory
facilities.
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How long does a project last?
Projects can range from a few months to several years depending on the nature of
the research being carried out.
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Can there be direct scientific contact between company staff and university
scientists?
Yes, often such direct collaborations improve communications and accelerate
progress in projects. Company staff can be seconded to PharmaLinks projects.
Advanced training programmes are also possible.
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What type of legal framework exists for PharmaLinks?
The Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde will co-negotiate all PharmaLinks
contracts under their 'Synergy' Agreement and Agreements will be signed
by the three parties - your organisation, the University of Strathclyde
and the University of Glasgow.
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Intellectual property rights?
Generally, intellectual property rights generated from collaborative research projects
through PharmaLinks will belong to the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde.
Collaborating companies however can negotiate the right to have an exclusive
licence to this intellectual property for commercial exploitation.
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Access to patients?
PharmaLinks integrates a unique combination of a well documented patient population
with university biomedical research expertise. The clinical context informs
the science, which, in turn, provides the basis for new therapeutic approaches
and their rapid translation to the population through the proximity of
bench and bedside. Departments within the School of Medicine at the University
of Glasgow can be accessed through PharmaLinks to conduct clinical trials.
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Confidentiality?
Academics working with PharmaLinks understand the need to keep commercially sensitive
information confidential. Although there is always a wish to publish the
results of research, this will be done in collaboration with you and all
exploitable technology will be protected before publication.
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Costs?
PharmaLinks offers cost-effective use of your research dollars/yen/pounds
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GMP/GLP/GCP
facilities?
PharmaLinks does not offer GMP/GLP/GCP facilities at present, although research is
done to a comparably high standard.
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How PharmaLinks works with you
Project Management Experience?
PharmaLinks will manage projects to ensure that results are delivered on time and
within budget. The management team within PharmaLinks has extensive experience
of major project management.
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Can I meet with PharmaLinks scientists?
The PharmaLinks Office can organise visits to suit your requirements, coordinating
meetings with scientists key to your project and with business development
officers. You will also be able to visit potential sites where your research
would be carried out if this is appropriate to your needs.
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How
does PharmaLinks operate?
There is no set formula because each project is customised to the requirements
of each customer. However, a typical development is:
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Who do I contact and when?
Contact the PharmaLinks Office now to discuss how we can help you.
For further information, contact:
PharmaLinks
27 Taylor Street
Glasgow G4 0NR
Scotland United Kingdom
Tel: 44 141 548 3755
Fax: 44 141 548 3990
Email: info@pharmalinks.org
Web: www.pharmalinks.org
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