Need is more than demographics and statistics. It is often also predicting of the future as new innovations often take many years to become available.
The development of a new innovation or technology should aim to work backwards from the end user. It should understand their needs, what is currently available in the market, why and how this new innovation will make a difference, who will pay for it and the pathway to deliver new and improved benefits.
Understanding both the research and development pathway and the supply chain in reverse can assist you to think early about priority research questions that can assist researchers maximise the use of finite resources to more efficiently advance their technologies.
There are many, many questions to be asked and researchers supported by clinicians, communities, industry and business development at the beginning of the translational pathway can reduce waste and maximise potential.
My advice to researchers developing new technologies: please consider the how, why and who throughout the process. You don’t need to know all the answers, but it helps to understand next-steps and to direct research towards securing partners than can advance innovations.
Looking into the future is important for next-step partners. If your innovation takes another 10 years before it is approved, will the need and opportunity be the same?
Predicting the future is always hard, new innovations come to market and some fail, but reviewing the intellectual property literature and using patent analytics can assist in identifying your potential and directions for success. Meta data from patents and publications can help connect the dots and identify opportunities and weaknesses.
Investigating what is in development and clinical trials globally can also assist in identifying not only what is in development, but by whom. There are numerous databases around the world that researchers can search. One of the largest with over 450,000 current studies from more than 250 countries is https://clinicaltrials.gov/.
Exploring the regulatory guidelines for both clinical and preclinical safety and efficacy for specific diseases can help researchers direct research activities to attract the best next-step partners. Example: European Medicines Agency, Non-clinical toxicology
Reaching out to potential next-step partners to learn their needs can focus research activities and maximise the use of resources.
Considering data utility, where the research is undertaken and the benefits of quality systems when appropriate can accelerate the process and make your innovation more attractive and competitive for potential industry partners.
Planning your journey early on can save time, resources and help you and others deliver community benefits.