Improving Private Sector Engagement
STAR IDAZ played a key role at the Discovery to Innovation in Animal Health (DIAH) conference, sponsoring innovators and facilitating connections between researchers and industry.
Context
STAR IDAZ research initiatives aim to drive innovation in diagnostics, vaccines, and treatment strategies, providing the tools necessary for effective disease control. We support the development of new technologies that improve animal health, reduce the need for antibiotics, and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Innovation accelerator activities
In February 2023 STAR-IDAZ participated in the inaugural edition of the Discovery to Innovation in Animal Health (DIAH) conference, held in Ghent. By contributing to networking and matchmaking between researchers and the private sector, familiarizing researchers with the industrial innovation process, IP and regulatory frameworks and learning entrepreneurial research to pitch their technology to industry, we accelerate innovation in animal health.
Sponsoring participants
STAR IDAZ sponsored two attendees. Paul Hodgson (VIDO, Canada) presented a novel, patented vaccine
for control of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in cattle. It is the first patented vaccine for the control of CBPP that is safer, more stable and does not impede the use of antibiotics after vaccination. It could present a major step in the control on one of the highest priority diseases of sub-Saharan Africa.
The second pitch was delivered by Sanjay Vashee (J. Craig Venter Institute, USA) on reverse genetic approaches to engineer African swine fever virus and accelerate vaccine development. The approaches significantly reduce the time needed to generate multiple vaccine candidates. Moreover, a vaccine candidate was presented that shows 100% protection with a very favourable safety profile that is ready for the late discovery phase for addressing regulatory requirements. The candidate, based on genotype IX
virus is suitable as a vaccine for East Africa. Moreover, the gene deletion in question can be transferred to a genotype II virus, to make a vaccine for Europe and Asia.
Making connections
The DIAH conference was organised to bridge the gap between early developers, including academia, regulators, research organizations, and spin-offs/start-ups on one side, and medium-to large-sized companies on the other. Through attendance and sponsoring the attendance of innovators STAR IDAZ can help new technologies find their way to the market.
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An impact we’re having
Reducing duplication of research effort and encouraging information sharing
Facilitating research gap analysis including the provision of literature reviews for working groups, maps funding activities against identified research needs, and helps mobilise resources to address them.