2. Learn, Build, Measure in Life Science
Hypotheses
Ideas
ANALYSIS
LEARN
DESIGN
BUILD
LAB WORK
Data
Experiment
LAB WORKProduct
LAB WORK
LAB WORK
MEASURE
3. Moore’s Law
Intel and Dataquest reports (2002) Gordon E. Moore, “Our Revolution”
Eroom’s Law
Nature Rev. Drug Discovery (2012) 11, 191-200.
4. Cost of Innovation
Startup Financing
Mean R&D Expenditures per Employee by Industry Sector
Costs of Instrumentation per Lab
Single Purpose
Minimal
Complete
$500k-$1M
$1-3M
>$10M
$ (USD) Employee-1 Year-1
Dow Jones VentureSource, PWH Coopers / National Venture Capital Association, Thomson Reuters
Self report survey, n=130 Scientists (2013)
“The Impact of Innovation and the Role of Intellectual Property Rights on U.S. Productivity, Competitiveness, Jobs, Wages, and Exports” N.D. Pham, (2010) NDP Consulting, Washington DC
6. Scientific Research “Product” Cycle
Design Experiment
Conduct Experiment
Analyze Data
Troubleshooting Time
Most Time Consuming Activity:
Conducting Experiments
Equipment Access Problems
Average Experiment Onboarding Time
Acquire Equipment
Onboard Experiment
Gahh!
No
Yes
Most popular workaround:
Troubleshoot Experiment
Personal Favor (73%)
Self report survey, n=130 Scientists (2013)
7. Imagining Lean Research
• Lower Barriers to Entry
– Amortize the fixed costs
– Democratize access
• Faster Iteration
– Minimize experiment onboarding times
– Mitigate troubleshooting SNAFUs
INNOVATE ON THE PROCESS OR DIE RETIRE
Late 1960: Regulations tighten post thalidomide Early 1990s: First wave of Biologics research beginsLate 1990s: PDUFA regulations clears a backlog at the FDA
Alexander Fleming 1928StaphylococcusConnect to large corporations vs startups.Founders solving their own problems with their own two hands.
Slowed Research:No (17%) Yes (83%)Prevented Research: No (27%) Yes (73%0
“I think we should consciously look with great dedication for those things that made Moore‘s law work. God didn’t give us Moore‘s law. Even Gordon Moore didn’t give us Moore‘s law. Your predecessors in the labs worked hard for it.” – Andy Grove
Alexander Fleming 1928StaphylococcusConnect to large corporations vs startups. Founders solving their own problems head on.
Hardware and ICs:Noyes & MooreHewlett & PackardRussell & Sigurd VarianSheldon Roberts, Jay Last, Jean HeorniAmelco -> TeledyneBiotech:Genentech:Swanson & BoyerVC (KP)UCSF ProfessorAmgen:William Bowes & George RathmannVC (US Venture Partners)Executive from AbbotGilead:DuBose Montgomery & Michael RiordanVCs (Menlo Ventures)Biogen Idec:Ivor Royston, Howard BirndorfVCs (Forward Ventures) and former prof.Walter Gilbert, Phil Sharp, Charles Weissmann, Kenneth MurrayProfessors (Harvard, MIT, University of Zurich, University of Edinburgh)