ABSTRACT
Translational medicine (TM) is still a relatively new concept in the
biomedical sciences, as well as the social sciences, although some of
the key processes and principles underpinning it are not so novel.
There has been much investment from the commercial and public
sector in TM research in recent years, as pharmaceutical firms try to
respond to the “productivity crisis” and high attrition rate for new
therapeutic compounds [1-3] and the public sector strives to push
forward its broad biomedical research agenda and build on existing
evidence-basedmedicine to develop sustainable solutions for public
health problems [4]. Successful research, development, and delivery
of innovative therapies has become increasingly difficult due to
a confluence of scientific, regulatory, and policy challenges. For
example, of the thousands of biomarkers developed by industry
and academia, only a few dozen have actually been fully validated
by regulatory agencies. Few medical products that appear to be
promising based on early published findings make it to the market,
and fewer still become widely adopted as the standard-of-care in
the clinic. There is, in essence, a problem with the translation of
new scientific knowledge into the everyday practice of medicine.
Industry and the public health sector are increasingly embracing TM
as a potential strategy for improving the overall health innovation
cycle.