Commercialization of research projects in the school of pharmacy at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences during 2002-2012

Abstract Commercialization is to transfer the results of research and development rapidly and efficiently into the market. This study investigates the extent of research projects and their commercial status in the school of pharmacy during the 2002-2012 periods. It was a descriptive study.All193 completed projects were analyzed using several commercialization criteria: publication of articles in regional and international journals, patent registration, and production, conducting a joint program with industry, initial prototyping, and founding spin-off companies. Findings showed thatfrom 193 (100%) projects the majority of them 190(98.4%) were documented from 193, 100% of them had proposals and written final reports. The findings of 80% of research projects were utilized in some form. Four medical products, one patent, five new spin-off companies, one incubator knowledge base, 23 joint programs with industries and an income 20 billion Rials were the most significant achievements of the pharmacy school. All commercialization criteria were higher in 2012 compared with previous years. Data revealed that pharmacy school had some relationship with industries, assisted in the development of spin-off companies, and was instrumental in achieving initial prototyping and incubator knowledge base centers respectively.