Mind the gap

A wave of initiatives and funds in the U.K. over the last two years has been flooding the gap between the country's prolific scientific achievements and its comparatively low rate of commercialization. The hope is that by connecting translational academics with sorely needed early capital and industry expertise, stakeholders can drive the creation of a self-sustaining ecosystem, and push universities towards spinning out newcos rather than routinely licensing their discoveries to pharmas.

The sector appears poised for an upswing, after a checkered history that saw an early burst of enthusiasm peter out when some high-profile companies ran aground...