ESA courts bioscience firms

The European Space Agency (ESA) is increasing efforts to encourage life science companies to use the International Space Station and other ESA facilities for zero-gravity research, according to ESA officials. Maurizio Belingheri, head of the Commercialisation Division of the ESA's Dutch-based Directorate of Human Spaceflight, told The Scientist that research projects backed by commercial interests currently account for only 10 to 15% of total ESA life science research projects, with the rest backed by universities and research institutes. “We would like, in general, for 30% to be commercial research,” he said. A major component of the ESA commercialization drive will be use of “commercial agents,” he said. The agents would search for life science companies that might benefit from zero-gravity research and then try to convince those companies to submit research applications to ESA. ESA last year opened bidding from life science–focused firms interested in being the agency's primary commercial agent for attracting research in the fields of health, biotechnology, food, and nutrition, Belingheri said. Thursday (April 29) was the deadline for proposals, and ESA hopes to name its commercial agent by June. Outside firms offer several advantages for promoting commercial life science research projects, Belingheri said. “They have the knowledge that we don't. We have the knowledge of space; they have the knowledge of the various [life science] market segments.” Roger A. Binot, biotechnology applications coordinator at the Directorate of Human Spaceflight, told The Scientist that a major reason for seeking an increase in the commercial use of ESA facilities was to move beyond basic research and into the development of applications based on that research. “One of the purposes of ESA, and of ESA's participation in the International Space Station, is to contribute to European innovation and competitiveness,” Binot said. Construction of the space station began in 1998 in partnership with the United States, Russia, Japan, and Canada. When completed, possibly later this decade, the 450-ton station will have more than 1200 cubic meters of pressurized space and will be able to house seven crewmembers and a large variety of scientific experiments. Binot said that ESA's share of International Space Station resources is about 8%, compared to about a three-quarter share for the United States. Whereas researchers from nations participating in the ESA's human space program are not required to pay for use of ESA facilities, commercial researchers will be required to pay for the privilege, Belingheri said. Belingheri declined to cite specific figures on the cost to a company, but said at a minimum a company would be required to pay “some hundreds of thousands” of euros. In addition to hiring an outside agent, ESA will promote life science commercial research by being present at conferences and other scientific events attended by companies, posting information on its Web site, and distributing colorful brochures, Belingheri said. Belingheri's office also has an open invitation to any organization or company to visit the Directorate of Human Spaceflight for a first-hand look. “We would be delighted to receive pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, medical organizations, health companies,” he said. One of the first to take advantage of the offer was the European Association for Bioindustries (EuropaBio), a Brussels-based lobbying group representing the interests of biotech companies. Adeline Farrelly, EuropaBio communications manager, told The Scientist that eight EuropaBio members last week visited the human spaceflight center after being invited by ESA officials at a conference in March. She described the visit as worthwhile and informative, but conceded that she was “disappointed” that more EuropaBio members did not attend.

ESA courts bioscience firms

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