Tian, Xinxin
(2009)
The UK's sectoral system of biotechnology drug innovation: structure, networking and knowledge production.
PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
Abstract
The drug discovery and development subsector lies at the heart of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. However, previous studies have not distinguished this subsector from the industry as a whole. Little detailed analysis has looked at the fIrms that discover and develop new therapies. From a perspective of the Sectoral Systems of Innovation, this thesis aims to address this important gap in knowledge by looking at the structure, clustering, knowledge production and networking in the drug discovery and development subsector, and to stress the relevant policy implications.
This study intends to objectively examine the best available indicators for the knowledge produced by this subsector and industry dynamics, therefore a broad design of methodology was chosen. Data was collected from government databases, scientific databases, commercial databases, industry associations and companies' websites, concerning the subsector's structure, clustering and concentration, research and development (R&D) investments, product pipelines, scientific publications and citations, patent publications, and alliance agreements.
This study indicates that the drug discovery and development subsector was geographically clustered. The finding further reveals this subsector's hierarchical structure and divergence in strategy development. This thesis also suggests that the focuses of knowledge production in this subsector were changed when partners changed. Moreover, in arguing that this subsector featured massive knowledge production and expanding collaboration with other actors of the innovation systems, the analysis questioned the notion that domestic industry would benefit much from the successful knowledge production of this subsector, because much of the knowledge produced by this sector was going abroad through commercial licensing, and through mergers and acquisitions (M&As). The data of this study also indicated that the strategies of companies are co-evolved with its position within the networking and industry structure.
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