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News and Information Article
PHOENIX, Dec. 6 // -- Arizonas developing bioscience
industry is growing rapidly in leveraging federal grants, creating jobs,
and stimulating new innovations and companies. But more work is needed to
attract greater private capital to position the state as a major national
competitor.
Thats the nutshell message of a comprehensive review of Arizonas
progress after four years of a decade-long plan to build a competitive
bioscience base, known as Arizonas Bioscience Roadmap. Battelle, the
Roadmap author, assessed progress in key areas plus reviewed Arizonas core
competencies-the scientific niches on which the state is focusing its
resources and collaborative efforts.
"Arizona is well on its way to achieving the 2007 midpoint goals set
back in 2002, when the Roadmap was published," said Walter H. Plosila,
Ph.D., vice president of Battelle Technology Partnership Practice, who will
present the findings Dec. 5-7 in Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff. "In fact,
one of the most important goals -- surpassing the leading states in the
growth rate of NIH grants -- was achieved in 2005.
"The prognosis is excellent, though Arizona has its work cut out for it
over the next six years," he continued. "Considerable work remains in
generating investment in early-stage companies, building commercial wet-lab
space, and creating a critical mass of bioscience firms while continuing to
grow the bioscience R&D base in an environment of increased competition and
limited federal funding growth."
The year 2006 -- the fourth year of Roadmap implementation since its
release in December 2002 -- was highlighted by the creation of Science
Foundation Arizona by the business community, the establishment of the
Arizona 21st Century Fund by the Legislature, and a $50 million investment
by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust to recruit world leaders in
personalized medicine.
Arizona showed consistent growth on key performance measures. Among them
are:
Federal Grants: Arizona research grants from the National Institutes
of Health, the "gold standard" of scientific research grants, grew
30 percent between 2002-05, compared to 21 percent by the nations
top-10 states in this category. In 2005, the states total NIH
funding grew by 10 percent, compared to the U.S. average of
3 percent. The states performance has also been impressive in
bioscience-related awards from the National Science Foundation and
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Jobs: From 2001-05, Arizona added 10,700 jobs in bioscience-related
fields, an increase of 16 percent. In non-hospital biosciences, the
job growth of nearly 17 percent overshadowed national growth of less
than 4 percent. Leading all sub-sector job growth during this period
was research, testing, and medical labs with a 32 percent increase.
Wages: During 2001-05, bioscience wages increased by 13 percent
(inflation adjusted). Bioscience professionals in Arizona earn an
average of $45,182 compared to the private-sector average of $37,709.
Start-up firms: In 2002, the year the Roadmap was launched, only two
new bioscience-related companies were spun out of the states
universities. Since then, there have been a cumulative total of
33 additional bioscience-related firms created.
Venture capital: The Roadmap called for $100 million in
bioscience-related venture capital to be achieved in Arizona-based
firms for the three-year period from 2003-05; the actual figure
exceeded $118 million. Through the first three quarters of 2006,
bioscience VC couldnt keep pace with 2005s stellar performance
($73 million), though at $33 million still bested year-end totals for
both 2004 and 2003. Regardless, the state needs further improvement
as it receives less than 1 percent of total VC nationally.
Regarding venture capital, Plosila said there is a need to galvanize
private, civic, and public leadership around the risk-capital gap for
bioscience startups. "This is essential if Arizona is going to build a
critical mass of firms and take full advantage of the benefits of a
stronger research base," he said.
Martin L. Shultz, vice president of Pinnacle West Capital Corp. who
chairs the 75-member steering committee that oversees Roadmap
implementation, said: "Beyond the data and technical details of this study,
there is a growing acknowledgement that the biosciences are taking root in
Arizona. And with it comes a better quality of life for Arizonans -- a more
diversified 21st- century economy that can weather the inevitable dry
spells, plus local access to the latest innovations in healthcare."
Next key steps on the Roadmap, according to Plosila, are to implement
the Southern Arizona Bioscience Roadmap that focuses on the Tucson areas
key strengths and needs (released in mid-November by the Southern Arizona
Leadership Council); develop in 2007 a Northern Arizona Bioscience Roadmap
that does the same for Flagstaff and northern areas of the state; continue
implementing recommendations to form a leading statewide model of
translational research (through the leadership of the Arizona Biomedical
Research Commission); and advance efforts to establish a "seed fund" for
early-stage bioscience firms.
Additional information on Arizonas Bioscience Roadmap is available at
http://www.flinn.org. General background on Arizona biosciences can be found by
visiting http://www.arizonabiobasics.org.
Battelle is the worlds largest private, nonprofit organization
recognized for technology development, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
Battelles Technology Partnership Practice provides research and
facilitation for the Roadmap project.
The Flinn Foundation is a Phoenix-based, private, nonprofit
philanthropic endowment. In addition to commissioning the Roadmap project,
the Foundation staffs its committees and workgroups.
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