Collaborative innovation during the drug discovery and development process

Given the complexity and resource-intensive nature of the drug discovery and development process, break-through innovations often stem from multidisciplinary collaborations. This systematic literature review examines collaborative innovation within this process, analyzing current practices and identifying future research directions. The review used an evidence-based approach, retrieving 737 papers through a Web of Science “All Databases” search, and ultimately selecting 74 articles for discussion. The articles were categorized according to the initiation, implementation, and closure phases of collaborative innovation, and were classified into homogeneous and heterogeneous collaborations. Using this frame-work, we systematically reviewed the existing knowledge, with a particular focus on how collaborative innovation can be successfully initiated and implemented, and how it can generate positive outcomes for drug research.