Adelaide Maria de Souza Antunes

Pipeline of Known Chemical Classes of Antibiotics.

Many approaches are used to discover new antibiotic compounds, one of the most widespread being the chemical modification of known antibiotics. This type of discovery has been so important in the development of new antibiotics that most antibiotics used today belong to the same chemical classes as antibiotics discovered in the 1950s and 1960s. Even though the discovery of new classes of antibiotics is urgently needed, the chemical modification of antibiotics in known classes is still widely used to discover new antibiotics, resulting in a great number of compounds in the discovery and clinical pipeline that belong to existing classes. In this scenario, the present article presents an overview of the R&D pipeline of new antibiotics in known classes of antibiotics, from discovery to clinical trial, in order to map out the technological trends in this type of antibiotic R&D, aiming to identify the chemical classes attracting most interest, their spectrum of activity, and the new subclasses under development. The result of the study shows that the new antibiotics in the pipeline belong to the following chemical classes: quinolones, aminoglycosides, macrolides, oxazolidinones, tetracyclines, pleuromutilins, beta-lactams, lipoglycopeptides, polymyxins and cyclic lipopeptides.

Technology Prospecting on Enzymes for the Pulp and Paper Industry

The use of enzymes in the pulp and paper industry was introduced in the 1986. However, their use has been relatively minor. This prospective study aims at enhancing the understanding of the most important advances regarding the use of enzymes in this industry and to identify the future trends of this technology. Information gathered from the Web of Science shows a growing number of papers published on this topic indicating an increased interest in this issue. A study on patents also displayed a high number documents related to this technology. Cellulase, xylanase, laccase and lipase are the most important enzymes that can be used in the pulp and paper processes. Furthermore, the key objectives of enzymes development have been in the bleaching boosting with xylanases and fiber modification with cellulases. The current and future trends on the development of enzymes are focused on increasing their thermostability and their alkalinity strength.

Trends in Nanotechnology Patents Applied to the Health Sector

The aim of the article is to present a method for identifying trends in patent applications for nanotechnology applied to the health sector around the world, based on the International Patent Classification. This classification divides the sector into: dental care, drugs, diagnostic kits, and medical apparatus & medical care. The Derwent database was mined for patent documents using nanotechnology terms associated with the IPC subclasses from the health subsectors. The number of patents was found to be rising, led by the United States, particularly universities and R centers. In the dental care subsector, nanotechnology was found to be used in composite material for manufacturing dental appliances. In drugs, the focus is on the use of nanoparticulate compositions comprising agents that are useful for a variety of diseases. In diagnostic kits, nanostructures have been patented that are capable of detecting target analytes. Meanwhile, in medical apparatus & medical care, patent applications have been made for nanocapsules and/or nanocomposite materials inserted in devices and guide catheters. A study was also made of patents in Brazil, where the same assignees and the same country (United States) as in the survey of global patents were found to be the leading patent applicants / holders.

Technological foresight and technological scanning for identifying priorities and opportunities: the biotechnology and health sector

Purpose – This paper aims to present a methodology for technological foresight and technological scanning based on S&T and knowledge indicators.Design/methodology/approach – This proposal considers S&T and knowledge indicators, such as a patents indicator (technology), research and development indicator (science) and competencies indicator (human resources). International databases and a data‐and text‐mining tool are used to build up knowledge maps and reference tables to support decision making.Findings – This study provides information about the use of technological foresight and technological scanning using the biotechnology in the health sector as a case study. In this paper, the trends observed in patents and articles worldwide clearly show the growth in biotechnology, which points to the need to prioritize this area, as well as opening up a variety of opportunities, especially when one considers the human competencies already consolidated in Brazilian universities and research institutes, which coul...

O Processo de Transferência de Tecnologia na Industria Têxtil

This article has the objective to describe and characterize the textile sectors technology transfer process, under the light of the core theoretical concepts, and the sectors dynamics and technological characterization. In addition to the technology transfer process, the article shows the main bottlenecks observed in the process, and possible actions for the involved actors to seek a better execution to the technologic transfer, thus reducing the acquired technology under-utilization, as well as the delay on its full use.

A Classificação Industrial e sua Importância na Análise Setorial

O presente artigo tem como objetivo apresentar conceitos acerca das classificacoes industriais, mostrando-se a importância dos sistemas de classificacoes e a necessidade de correlacao entre as classificacoes dos diferentes paises. As classificacoes internacionais sao baseadas na “Familia Internacional de Classificacoes Economicas e Sociais”, que englobam atividades economicas, produtos, consumo, educacao, emprego, entre outras. Sua abrangencia em relacao as classificacoes de atividades e de produtos envolve as “classificacoes de referencia (como a ISIC e a CPC), as classificacoes derivadas (como a NACE e a CPA) e as classificacoes relacionadas (como a ANZIC e a NAICS), cuja harmonizacao e realizada por gestores de classificacao, como o INDEC, da Argentina, o INE, de Portugal, e o IBGE, do Brasil. As classificacoes de atividades e de produtos na economia constituem instrumento basico para obtencao de informacoes e analise dos dados estatisticos.

Trends in Nanopharmaceutical Patents

Investment in nanotechnology is now a given constant by governments, research centers and companies in both more developed countries and emerging markets. Due to their characteristics, such as high stability, ability to enable antigen identification on specific cells in the human body and controlling the release of drugs and, therefore, improving therapies, nanoparticles have been the subject of research and patent applications in the pharmaceutical field. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCDE), patent data can be used as a source of information in order to measure science and technology activities. Thereby, this paper presents an analysis based on patent documents related to nanotechnology in the pharmaceutical sector. As a result, the analysis of patents demonstrate primarily that nanobiotechnology attracts high levels of R&D investments, including nanoparticle-based chemotherapeutic agents/drugs, monoclonal antibody nanoparticle complexes and their role in drug delivery or contrast agents with non-toxic effects.

A Importância de um Sistema Nacional de Inovação para o Setor de Termoplásticos no Mercosul

The present approach discusses the interaction among numerous actors and institutions that participate in the innovation process in every productive chain of thermoplastics. The importance of their interaction to get a result that produces private and social benefits are presented through the proposal of criation and development of National System of Innovation (NIS) for the segment of the thermoplastics in Brazil and Argentina. The interchange nets and the partnerships with the main institutional public organisms of foment for science and technology are amplified through a new institutional and political vision. At the same time the private sector is stimulated to make a better exchange and cooperation.

Identification of Brazilian expertise in the fight against some neglected tropical diseases

Introduction: Neglected diseases represent a threat for over one billion people around the world, of whom about 230 million are in Latin America. Around 10-20% of the Brazilian population is estimated to have suffered from one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases listed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Knowledge management, highlighted in the twentieth century, and industrial policymaking in Brazil have yielded technical and scientific progress in research and development, but there are difficulties in identifying the business and scientific expertise available, because it permeates several factors, including cooperative management. This work therefore aims to map out the senior experts in neglected tropical diseases in Brazil and identify potential partnerships. Methods : Consultation and analysis of information from Portal Inovacao (government innovation portal), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) (government science and technology research agency), and the bibliographical references indexed in Biblioteca Virtuais Saude, Scielo and Lilacs. Results : 40,770 experts working in NTDs were identified from Portal Inovacao, and 2,633 senior researchers from the CNPq database. Conclusions: The databases do not provide effective or practical data on Brazilian businesses and scientists with the competencies to contribute towards treatments for NTDs. The data extraction process lacks effective knowledge management. In the last 30 years, Chagas disease, dengue, Hansen disease, leishmaniasis, malaria and tuberculosis have been high on the government agenda. It is recommended that the 6.5% of the top level CNPq scientists who work in NTDs should constitute a source of consultation for the public and private sectors.

INTERNALIZAÇÃO DE FARMOQUÍMICOS & MEDICAMENTOS PARA DOENÇAS TROPICAIS NEGLIGENCIADAS: PROPOSTA DE INTERAÇÃO ENTRE GOVERNO - UNIVERSIDADE - EMPRESA

History shows that public health actions to combat epidemics are most effective when there is constant synergy of both government and society, exemplified by prevention actions in the fight against dengue fever, H1N1 influenza etc. Private-public-partnerships (PPP) can also provide more dynamic and consistent results in production through interaction among Government, University and Enterprise actors. This article puts forward proposals to tackle the problem of neglected tropical diseases via the formation of a Management Council using Etzkowitzs Triple Helix concept to attenuate this public health issue in Brazil.