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The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology establishes close ties with the industrial sector through the transfer of ICGEB-developed innovative technologies and/or products of potential interest to its constituency. In both ICGEB Components, a group of scientists and technicians is fully dedicated to this purpose.

To date, 69 Agreements have been finalised with industrial partners located in Member and Non-Member States for the transfer of know-how related to the production of important compounds, biopharmaceuticals and other biotechnology derived products. During 2004 the Centre entered into a series of agreements aimed at transferring techologies to industrial partners located in France, India, Iran, Pakistan and Sweden.

The procedure for most industrial Agreements, aimed at the transfer of know-how for the production of recombinant proteins (over the next few years, the patents of a number of first-generation biopharmaceuticals will expire; this will open the market for the production of generic biopharmaceuticals with a potential global market of about US$ 2 billion), includes: supply of the genetically engineered strain producing such proteins (mammalian cell, yeast or bacteria); supply of the protocols for production, purification and quality control, and training in ICGEB laboratories of a number of the partners' employees in the techniques required for successful completion of these activities . The trainees should then be able to reproduce these results, on a laboratory scale, at their own premises, following which the transfer of technology is deemed to be complete. In some cases, Agreements may also provide that ICGEB scientists assist its partners also after the completion of the transfer, until the pilot scale level is reached.

The training activities are carried out in both ICGEB Components: by the Biotechnology Development Group in Trieste.