Breaking through together

THE PFIZER IGNITE PROGRAM IS INSPIRED BY A COLLABORATION PFIZER AND BIONTECH CREATED to tackle the spread of COVID-19 by developing a vaccine together. Now Ignite is looking for highly innovative early science biotech companies looking to access Pfizer’s long-established expertise and services through partnerships.

When Pfizer partnered with BioNTech to develop the first approved and most widely used mRNA vaccine to help prevent COVID-19, it was a collaboration with an established partner that was borne out of a global crisis and necessity. Many of today’s widespread and disruptive global health-care challenges are too great for any one organization to tackle alone. The pandemic provided an opportunity for cutting-edge science from a smaller biotech company to benefit from the size and scale of Pfizer and its capabilities — and it sparked thinking about how to collaborate with innovative companies earlier. It was, in fact, the genesis of an entirely new program called Pfizer Ignite.

Pfizer recognizes that the biotech ecosystem is a “major engine of innovation and growth” and an increasing percentage of breakthrough therapies are coming from this sector.

“Perhaps the greatest example of innovation through collaboration was the partnership between Pfizer and BioNTech that brought forth the first COVID-19 vaccine,” says Najah Sampson, president of Pfizer Canada ULC and a member of the board of BIOTECanada since June 2023. “Each company brought something distinct and complementary to the table and because of that, we achieved the extraordinary.”

Indeed, based on this experience, Pfizer knew it wanted to create these partnerships again and thus Pfizer Ignite was born. This new end-to-end offering for biotech partners that leverages Pfizer’s resources, scale and expertise to accelerate innovation from pre-clinical R&D through the development lifecycle, is now globally available and open to highly innovative, early-stage biotech companies, including those located in Canada.

“The pandemic accelerated our recognition that many of today’s widespread and disruptive global healthcare challenges necessitate creating diverse partnerships whose stakeholders share a common purpose,” says Sampson. “They require innovation — and to be a true innovator, we believe you need to be a world-class collaborator.”

“We want to meet these partners where they are, regardless of where that is in the development cycle as long as it’s the right fit for both parties. And we’re open to many different business arrangements to get the work done and ultimately improve the lives of Canadians and people around the world” says Shaan Gandhi, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Pfizer Ignite.

The strengths Pfizer brings to Ignite is a deep understanding of drug development and manufacturing — and the challenges faced by those who are working to bring innovative treatments to patients in need.

“The entire goal of this program is to build relationships with prospective biotech partners to help enhance the value of their work and accelerate bringing breakthrough therapies to patients all over the world,” Gandhi says.

The program works by offering would-be partners a suite of customized services such as strategic advice, research development and manufacturing to tailor each collaboration to the partner’s unique needs as well as to its stage in the development journey. There are several other services as well. Pre-clinical research and development includes pharmaceutical science and drug safety. Clinical development includes drafting clinical development plans in the IND-enabling phase; clinical supply and manufacturing brings in a network of more than 35 manufacturing sites across six continents. Meanwhile, cross-cutting platforms, including platforms for data management and analysis as well as drug development, help improve efficiency and apply the best practices from the industry to give therapies the highest chance of success. An expert advisory network gives partners access to people who know what it takes to get a breakthrough to market as Pfizer is a current end-to-end clinical success-rate leader that can help with advice on pricing, feedback on protocol amendments, reviews of medicine development plans and open-ended and collaborative development discussions.

“We have an in-depth understanding of the process and how to navigate it,” Gandhi says. “It’s an understanding that we share with our partners to co-create a clear roadmap to accelerate their candidates through the clinical phases.”

“Pfizer works exclusively with companies and therapies that have the potential to change lives, are aligned with our priority therapeutic areas and are ready to move from candidate selection through Phase II and beyond,” Gandhi says. “We are focused on compelling, innovative external science, which has the potential to result in real innovations for patients, and where we can add substantial value.”

Pfizer’s scientific skills and acumen are centered around therapeutic areas, with areas of interest being broadly focused on some of the most serious medical conditions of our time. Among others, the company has vast experience in oncology, inflammation and immunology, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, hematological disease, anti-infectives and vaccines. The company is also interested in engaging with companies with technology platforms that have the potential to fuel multiple products, such as mRNA, PROTACs and gene editing.

PFIZER IGNITE’S GOALS

Pfizer Ignite features a proven track record of accelerating development timelines as well as years of expertise across the entire development lifecycle and Pfizer’s promise of flexibility on agreement structures.

“As veteran drug developers, we’re able to offer biotechs strategic and operational support honed by decades of in-house R&D, manufacturing, clinical and commercial experience,” Sampson notes. “Pfizer is the industry leader in first-in-human to approval success rates, which reflects the rigour, efficiencies and capabilities we bring to the table in designing and executing preclinical and clinical studies. Our track record is a key differentiating factor.”

Companies that are ready to co-create and advance their breakthroughs together with Pfizer’s team of experts and innovators are invited to visit www.pfizerignite.com.