Israel’s academic institutions and healthcare organizations have long been recognized for their talent pipeline and scientific biomedical research. Yet for all their promise, many potentially life-saving technologies born in research institutions languish in academic labs, struggling to spin out into viable biotech startups and ultimately reach patients.
A new venture launched Sunday in partnership with 15 major Israeli universities, healthcare institutions, and medical centers from across the country aims to turn Israel into a competitive biotech hub by bridging the critical gap between academic discovery, financing, clinical application and commercial viability of new medicines.
Designed as a non-profit, the Israel National Biotech Innovation Center, or INBI, aims to advance and commercialize disruptive biomedical research, driving the development of new therapies and human cures.
“From an academic research point of view in life sciences, Israel is a very strong player in the world, on a par with major global hubs in Germany and the UK and some of the major hubs in US cities — not in quantity, but in quality,” INBI chairman Samuel Moed told The Times of Israel. “But great research is languishing in labs as Israel has been challenged to translate the potential that sits inside of academic institutions into a steady flow of world-class investable biotech companies.”
