ARC: Research Process
The Myelin Repair Foundation's Accelerated Research Collaboration™ (ARC™) model is different from traditional research models because a single entity facilitates and manages all aspects of the basic, translational and clinical research necessary to bring a drug to market.
Through donor-supported funding and partnerships with commercial biotech and pharmaceutical companies, we are tracking and managing the progress of our scientific discoveries from beginning to end. This ensures that myelin repair treatments will remain on fastest possible track to the clinic.
Though we are currently demonstrating the ARC model in a research program for developing a myelin repair treatment for MS, the ARC model can be applied to any medical research problem.
The core components of the ARC model are shown in the graphic below.
Core Components of ARC Model
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Research Focus |
Select a well-defined problem that addresses a critical unmet medical need. |
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Discovery Biology/Labs/Scientists |
Select the most talented and accomplished scientific experts in the areas of expertise required to solve the problem. |
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Management |
Provide small highly-efficient staff of business, science and drug development experts to oversee the entire process. Run organization like a start-up business. |
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Scientific Oversight |
Assemble advisory groups of eminent basic scientists, “drug hunters”, and clinical research scientists to ensure appropriate design, focus, and outcomes of research plan. |
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Business Oversight |
Provide Board of Directors to manage oversight of staff and budget. |
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Research Plan |
Work with the scientists to develop an outcome-driven research plan. |
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Communication |
Throughout process, require and facilitate communication and collaboration among those scientific experts for the purpose of providing therapeutics. |
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Shared Intellectual Property |
Work closely with legal counsel, participating university technology transfer offices and scientists to establish relevant patent positions. |
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Translational Research/Target Validation and Drug Discovery Networks |
Develop industry data sets to meet licensing criteria for commercial drug development and clinical trials. |
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BioPharma Development |
Conduct early discussions with pharmaceutical companies to ensure the rapid development of new therapies. |
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Clinical Research |
Coordinate the development of biomarkers for establishing clear and relevant end-point for measuring therapeutic effects in clinical trials. |
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Royalty Revenues |
Use income generated from patents to fund future research, creating a self-sustaining research model. |
Our Model = Progress
"MRF's collaborative model is brilliant. It is definitely accelerating results. The scientists have made important advances that, if the labs had been working, on their own, would have been much less likely."
Martin Raff
Emeritus Professor
Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology
University College London
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Your gift today will help us reach the first myelin repair Phase I Clinical Trial by 2014.
