Not-so-fast track

GlaxoSmithKline plc's Discovery Fast Track competition has hit a roadblock at the University of California, Los Angeles, as the university's technology transfer office has barred researchers from competing for access to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) screening and assay development facilities because of potential IP concerns.

The logjam is a cautionary tale for companies trying to lower barriers to collaboration across the academia-industry divide and highlights the need to bring tech transfer offices to the table prior to launching new partnerships...