Soaring to New Heights: Wings4Innovation GmbH
In Austria’s dynamic life sciences scene, wings4innovation (w4i) has emerged as a vital player to bridge academic innovation with clinical and industrial application. As an Austrian subsidiary of the KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I (KHAN-I), a unique financing vehicle for collaborative translational research activities financed by the European Investment Fund, Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH, the Max Planck Foundation, and the Thyssen’sche Handelsgesellschaft mbH, w4i’s mission is to uncover and advance promising drug discovery projects on behalf of KHAN-I.
What we offer
In w4i, Austrian scientists find a platform that support them on transferring their innovative ideas towards the patients and the market, in particular by supporting the development steps that might be financially or logistically challenging in an academic or start-up environment. It is always a collaborative effort with the academic proposer remaining involved until commercialization. The focus lies on innovative drug discovery in therapeutic areas lacking sufficient medical solutions. The only limitation is that w4i/KHAN-I can only support drug discovery activities, i.e. with the ultimate goal of identifying a novel therapeutic principle, whereas proposals for biomarkers, formulations, drug delivery devices, medtech, etc. are not eligible.
The team leverages its network in academia and industry to increase the probability of success for drug discovery projects. They work together with key opinion leaders to ensure high unmet needs in the field and commercializability of future drugs. w4i operates as a pragmatic force, facilitating partnerships, supporting crucial steps in drug development, and ensuring that valuable ideas from academia are put into practice rather than remaining in theoretical discussions. Thereby, w4i contributes to the international competitiveness of Austria's life science industry, plays a crucial role in supporting researchers and scientists, and ultimately serves patients.
W4i is the central contact point for questions about Austrian project proposals. The consulting service for Austrian research institutions includes analyses of translatability, maturity, and experimental gaps. It encompasses assessments of robustness and industrial alignment, as well as business-oriented approaches such as competition and pipeline analyses.
To enable professional support, wings4innovation and KHAN-I are collaborating with the Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Dortmund (LDC), an experienced player in drug discovery and translational research incubation. This partnership brings professional drug discovery services to incubate novel projects, ensuring they receive the necessary support to evolve and attract additional investors or licensees.
What we achieved
W4i and KHAN-I entered into a framework agreement with 20 prominent Austrian research institutions in the field of life sciences. With that, nearly all national research organizations have joined forces to collectively support a translational center. This agreement allows for swift and confidential discussions, eliminating bureaucratic hurdles under the cover of a non-disclosure agreement.
Since August 2019, w4i has reviewed and discussed more than 120 proposals (with six still under active evaluation), mainly from academic institutions but also from SMEs, and successfully proposed eight drug discovery projects and one company investment for funding by KHAN-I. Moreover, w4i has held numerous consultation sessions with interested scientists.
Feedback from the pharmaceutical industry supports their mission, as they are not seen as competitors but rather as pioneers and enablers in translation of novel, innovative approaches.
Dr. Juliane Brümmer, Translational Guide at w4i, says: “I am impressed by the quality of the incoming project proposals and the cutting-edge research that I have the pleasure of reading every day. The interaction with very enthusiastic and highly qualified scientists and the collaborative approach when working on the project makes our work so rewarding. We have established an unbureaucratic scheme for the interaction with researchers to discuss their ideas, which has led to many fruitful discussions. I encourage you to further approach us directly or at the many Austrian Life Science Events where you can find us.”
Mag. Dr. Gernot Faustmann, MSc., Technology Transfer Officer, Universität Graz says: “The industry experience, profound understanding of academic research, and impressive expertise in pharmaceutical drug development make the Translational Guides of wings4innovation highly valued contributors in the evaluation and advancement of relevant technologies and project ideas. Due to their support and funding for three preclinical development projects, wings4innovation has become a significant asset and an increasingly important partner for the University of Graz”
Outlook
The number of proposals and, in particular, the projects and companies financed by KHAN-I clearly demonstrate that (i) Austria is a rich source for translational activities with a potentially continuous pipeline and (ii) w4i and KHAN-I serve a real and high need at the interface between basic research and industrial application. Moreover, these activities nicely complement the existing funding environment in Austria. As the investment period of KHAN-I will end in 2024, the establishment of the planned successor fund KHAN-II will be important to sustain a pipeline of promising projects and company investments in Austria. Please check out https://w4i.org/ and https://khanu.de/ for further reading and company news and contact info@w4i.org for inquiries.
Contact
Dr. Juliane Brümmer
Translational Guide
bruemmer@w4i.org
wings4innovation GmbH
Maria Jacobi Gasse 1
MQM 3, 8. OG
1030 Vienna, Austria
www.w4i.org