Insegnamento a.a. 2018-2019

20493 - INNOVATION AND COMPETITION IN LIFE SCIENCE

Department of Management and Technology

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - IM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - MM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - AFC (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - CLEFIN-FINANCE (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - CLELI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - ACME (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  12 credits SECS-P/06) - EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06) - GIO (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/06)
Course Director:
FABIO MONTOBBIO

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: FABIO MONTOBBIO


Prerequisites

To feel comfortable in this course, you should be familiar with basic accounting and basic notions of intellectual property rights.

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The course mission is the analysis of innovation and competition in the life sciences, a sector that is considered revolutionary and extremely important for the social and economic prosperity of modern countries. This sector has a very rapid economic growth, is highly research intensive, heavily regulated and involves companies in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and biomedical technologies. This innovation has applications from new therapies to agriculture, spanning over the traditional industry boundaries. The management of innovation involves interactions with a set of public and private research organizations and a careful handling of intellectual property rights. Innovation and competition in the life sciences sector raise also key societal and ethical challenges (e.g. genetics, biodiversity, vaccines etc.).This course is dedicated to students that: - Want to work in the life science industry (e.g. pharmaceutical or biomedical companies). - Want to develop a better knowledge of the competitive dynamics of the life science industry. - Want to enter the life science sector from an entrepreneurial perspective; - Are looking for concrete cases for the formulation of a business plan. The main mission is to provide students with an economic perspective on the life science industry coupled with practical industry-specific entrepreneurial skills.

CONTENT SUMMARY

  • The pharmaceutical industry: origins and its evolution, main functions within pharmaceutical companies.
  • The biotechnology revolution in medicine and agriculture and the birth of the life sciences sector.
  • The bio-pharmaceutical industry: new business models, financing mechanisms for start-ups, managerial competences in start-ups.
  • The industry of genetically modified food: main issues and controversies.
  • Business challenges in the life sciences sector: new advanced therapies (regenerative medicine, stem cells and genetic test).
  • The global governance of intellectual property in life-science.
  • Intellectual property and technology transfer in life-science.
  • Issues and legal controversies associated with patenting in the life science sector.
  • Case studies.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Understand new business models for innovation and competition in the life sciences.
  • Identify the main regulatory issues.
  • Illustrate the different applications in a variety of fields related to life science.
  • Identify intellectual property rights and technology transfer policies.
  • Recognize the relevant ethical challenges (e.g. genetics, biodiversity, vaccines etc.). 

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Analyse case studies and disentangle the most relevant dynamics and controversies in the sector.
  • Apply new new business models.
  • Search for the relevant intellectual property.
  • Create a business plan.
  • Discuss it with practitioners and experts.

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)
  • Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
  • Individual assignments
  • Group assignments

DETAILS

  • The most relevant dynamics and controversies in the sector are discussed through case studies, with a specific attention to new business models, regulation, intellectual property and knowledge transfer policies.
  • The course is also based on class work with a creation of business plan, its presentation and discussion (with experts). It includes the market analysis and the search for the relevant intellectual property.
  • It benefits from the contribution of practitioners, international organizations and experts.

Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
     x
  • Individual assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
   x x
  • Group assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
   x x
  • Active class participation (virtual, attendance)
 x    

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Grades are based on:

  • Individual assignment (20%).
  • Group assignment (50%): (BP final presentation on December).
  • Written exam (1 h) to be held at the end of the course (2 out of 3 questions on various course topics - 30%).

Presentations are in English. Class discussions and questions are considered an important component of the course.


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Written exam (1h 30) to be held at the end of the course (3 questions on various course topics and course readings).

Last change 28/06/2018 08:48