Assessment Report on Biotechnology Capabilities and Opportunities in Jordan

In 2004, upon the request of His Majesty King Abdullah II, an initiative was launched to draft recommendations for the leadership in Jordan to advance the Kingdom's biotechnology sector, attracting global recognition, regional leadership, and capitalizing on the strengths and competitive advantages of Jordan's research universities, healthcare institutions and industries. Dr. Samir Khleif, Director General and CEO of the King Hussein Cancer Center, led a steering committee which evaluated the capabilities of Jordan and implemented an aggressive action plan. This action plan provided a framework involving execution of short, intermediate, and long-term objectives of advancing the sector. An ongoing initiative on the development of Best Practices for the legal and regulatory framework, is being conducted by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI). Three years later, Bearing Point contracted Biotech Compass to evaluate the status of the sector by reviewing existing data and publications, conducting interviews, evaluating biotechnology programs within the academic sector and assess the status of regulatory and Intellectual Property Rights. A set of recommendations are provided to USAID-SABEQ in which to take action in supporting the productivity of the sector. Biotechnology offers solutions to global challenges from healthcare drug diagnosing and innovative medicines, to efficient agriculture usage and new energy modalities. When developing countries explore creating an ecosystem which supports the advancement of science and technology, initial questions regarding the status of their academic institutions, regulatory infrastructure and protection of Intellectual Property are raised. With the former USAID program, AMIR, a number of these challenges were addressed due to the accession of Jordan to the WTO and the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement. To date, in the public sector, there are a number of initiatives underway in the development of the biotechnology sector within the Kingdom of Jordan. His Majesty King Abdullah II launched a series of committees and numerous biotechnology programs within the academic institutions, including a National Biotechnology Center supporting incubator companies, and an analysis of the regulatory and legal infrastructure, and policy recommendations. The initial challenge identified with all of these activities is the lack of communication, integration, and follow through for existing programs. The funding mechanism that supports research collaboration amongst biotechnology programs in the Universities and linking them internationally would be a great asset. Creating a forum in which the private sector can identify resources in the Universities, whether human or technology, and then using these resources for the profitability and advancement of the sector. SABEQ now has the opportunity to transition this fledgling biotechnology industry, implementing certain components of King Abdullah IIs existing action plan, and develop Jordan into a globally recognized regional leader for the advancement of the sector.