Oregon leaders can blaze a trail to life science innovation: Guest opinion

The authors write that Oregon's leaders can fortify the state as a "hub of medical discovery" by pushing for policies promoting life science and biotech research.

By Erin Flynn and Eric Myers

Oregon may be at the center of the biggest medical advancement in a century. A team of researchers at Oregon Health and Science University has found a way to repair disease-causing genes in human embryos.

The research uses a promising new technique known as CRISPR, or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. It could allow scientists to eliminate deadly diseases before they ever arise -- and to prevent them from being passed on to future generations.

This is just one example of the groundbreaking medical research currently underway in Oregon. This research spurs the development of state-of-the-art treatments and propels economic growth and job creation.

By supporting policies that promote life science and biotech research, state leaders can fortify Oregon's position as a hub of medical discovery -- and safeguard both the health and wealth of Oregonians.

Bioscience research already plays a crucial role in Oregonians' lives. More than 17,800 state residents owe their jobs to the industry. These are precisely the kinds of jobs we need. The average annual compensation in the bioscience sector is $74,188, 62 percent greater than the average Oregon private sector salary. In 2014, Oregon life sciences firms and their employees contributed $171.5 million in state and local taxes.

Oregon's growing biotech sector is a major driver of economic growth. The industry contributes more than $4 billion worth of goods and services to our state economy each year. The impact of clinical trials alone exceeds $260 million.

And as the recent CRISPR research makes clear, Oregon's most significant contributions to life science may lie in the future. There are currently about 900 clinical trials underway across the state involving more than 10,600 patients. Any one of these efforts could result in a life-changing new treatment or cure.

Continued life science progress can't be taken for granted. Developing just a single successful drug is an enormously risky process that, on average, takes more than a decade and costs nearly $2.6 billion. This astronomical upfront cost reflects the fact that most experimental drugs never pan out. Just 12 percent of experimental medicines that enter clinical trials are ultimately approved.

The recently-launched Portland IQ (short for Portland Innovation Quadrant) is an example of public and private partners joining forces to cultivate and grow Oregon's innovation ecosystem. By bringing together innovators, educators, and creators, the Portland IQ intends to propel Portland into global prominence at the intersection of health, science, technology, and product design.

Already, the IQ is seeing results. Autodesk, a global leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, recently celebrated the grand opening of its new office building in the Central Eastside Industrial District. While the company has had a presence in the region for more than 20 years, its move to the Innovation Quadrant reflects a recognition that fast-growing companies are attracted to the talent, innovation, and entrepreneurs clustered in Portland's urban core.

Autodesk's investment in Portland, along with the $1 billion Knight Cancer Center at OHSU, send a strong signal to other companies that our region is positioned to become a global innovation hub, especially health and life science companies focused on drug discovery, medical devices and digital health.

A scarcity of laboratory space in the metropolitan area has been a significant barrier for start-up bioscience companies seeking to expand and stay in the Portland area. Located in the heart of the Portland IQ, Summit Development is undertaking renovations on a 40,000 square foot development in Portland's Central Eastside. Set to open in 2019, this new building will become Portland's first lab space developed entirely with private funds -- an example of the promise the private sector sees for Portland's future.

Public investment in OTRADI (Oregon Translational Research and Development Institute) and the Oregon Bioscience Incubator (OBI) is bearing fruit. OBI is full to the brim with life science and digital health companies -- with a long waiting list of aspiring tenants, to boot. The State will realize even greater return on its investment when these companies grow and identify avenues for commercializing their innovations.

Through intentional public policies - like allowing universities and the private sector to maintain responsibility for license agreements and ensuring sound trade policies that protect intellectual property -- together the public and private sectors can accelerate commercialization and discovery.

If the recent CRISPR breakthrough is any indication, Oregon's bioscience industry is solidifying our reputation as an innovation center while improving the health of generations of patients. But securing that bright future will require policies that incentivize, rather than discourage, life science innovation.

-- Erin Flynn, PhD, is the Portland Innovation Quadrant's Board Director and Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at Portland State University. Eric Myers is Managing Partner of Summit Development Group.

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