Like many biologists approaching the end of their doctoral studies, Nader Halim, PhD, MBA, realized that a career as a an academic-based bench researcher was not for him. The life science industry beckoned, and he pivoted to consulting and positions at Quintiles and Genentech before joining Pfizer. Along the way, he built expertise in policy, pricing, research and development, and evaluating academic and startup innovations for their potential as partnerships for industry.
So, when a group looking to make a seed investment asked him to assess the potential of a fledgling Parkinson’s disease startup — Innervace — at the University of Pennsylvania, Halim was well prepared. He saw it as “a very transformative opportunity” that led to his current position as the company’s CEO.
Led by D. Kacy Cullen, PhD, Penn researchers were developing an implantable technology to restore the brain circuit that is destroyed in people with Parkinson’s disease. Normally, cells in a well-defined brain region called the substantia nigra produce dopamine and deliver this neurotransmitter chemical to an area called the striatum. In Parkinson’s the dopamine neurons die and, without the movement of dopamine, symptoms develop.
The Innervace’s innovation is an implant that encases dopamine neurons using a tube-shaped scaffold designed to reconnect the two brain regions.
“It has elements of a device, but the main active ingredient is the neurons,” said Halim. “When the scaffold is implanted, the neurons form connections on either end of the tube. We hope that would recapitulate the circuit that is lost in patients with Parkinson’s disease.”
Innervace is now in residence at Cure. Halim offers this advice to academic scientists considering making the leap to a startup:
Pay Attention to Industry Needs
“Most biotechs are ultimately acquired by a larger pharmaceutical company. So, keep an eye on, what is the path for a therapeutic to be developed and what is industry looking for? What are the regulatory hurdles? What are the overall policy trends to keep in mind, whether that's pricing or government reimbursing, when we're developing a therapeutic? Integrate that information early into the research and development cycle, so the product both meets patient needs and is well prepared for a commercial launch.”
Be Comfortable Knowing What You Don’t Know
There will be many things you do not know along the path of translating academic technology to industry. “Be open-minded. Ask questions, look around, do not try to be the subject matter expert. I think you need to pull on a diversity of folks.”
Be Mission-Driven
“Being drawn to the mission of the company, I think, is really important. My uncle has Parkinson's disease, so I've seen the devastation of the disease. There are millions of people who could be helped and impacted.”
Stay True to the Science
“While we have passion, and we need to have faith in an idea because an idea is untested, we have to maintain scientific rigor. Most drug development efforts fail. Be cognizant of that and fail fast, but to do everything you can to push your concept, your platform, your therapeutic forward.”