A breakout discussion led by David Klatte at the Pistoia Alliance Information Ecosystem Workshop proposed a number of potential projects. The workshop was held in October 2011.

1. Participants
• David Klatte (Leader)
• Jasmin Saric
• Robin Munro
• Simon Mercer
• Steve Pettifer
• Todd Vision
• Nick Lakin

2. PRINCIPLES FOR LOW HANGING FRUIT
• Pistoia should pick and support some standards
• Should do things that are already in‐flight, e.g. a standard that
is already in use by a Pharma
• Adopt standards that have a clear business case – “easy to
convince my boss’ boss that it would have value this year!”
• Pistoia shouldn’t be involved in systems implementations but
only in the language definition (format)
• Value would be in an open (non‐proprietary) language /
standard

3. Opportunities
Where From? Value Delivered Actions / Deliverables
Canonical PFE initiative which •Opportunity for exchange of data •Develop a BC for this and
model for will be published as with CROs circulate to pharma’s
large open standard • Previous examples of small • Identify stakeholders and
molecules molecules standards which have form a cross‐pharma
(#1) become a hodgepotch. Pistoia could • Agree on the standard
take a role validating to the standards. • Build validation tool and
• Mechanism for down stream data enable
exchange on a molecule
BEL Collaboration • Open Language for expressing • Develop a BC for this and
framework – between PFE and biological relationship + system for circulate to pharma’s
product Selventa holding triples • Identify stakeholders and
(#3) • Pick a standard to be supported by form a cross‐pharma
Pistoia community
• Agree on the standard
• Build validation tool and
enable
Gene Pistoia driven •Obtain dictionaries and taxonomies • Clarify licensing questions
Taxonomy – initiative with EMBL for the genes – no need to license • Initiate discussion with
establish a them individually EMBL
service which • Able to have collaborative working • Investment in service to set
delivers this across Pharma’s up open standard
• End user has improved
interpretability
• Genes are an easy start to this and
this can be extended to MOA, cell
lines, etc.

4. Opportunities
Where From? Value Delivered Actions / Deliverables
Standard for Bayer? •Cross Industry problem of •As above
HTS communication with CROs
Innovation Drivers
Pistoia as an University of • Framework for collaboration • Format for proposals and
Innovation Manchester between Pharma and third parties, terms of engagement to be
Forum e.g. Academia. Need to set up IP defined. Needs to have legal
position with gets communicated to input and will require effort.
those making a proposal. • “Dragon’s Den” ‐ panel for
• Pistoia would own the IP in some approval of proposals
cases.
• Pistoia as the communication glue.
• Academic projects get the benefit of
more credibility to funding bodies.
Pistoia point Group • Clear picture to the industry of areas • Representatives to discuss
of view on of potential focus and provide examples
what is non‐ • White Paper
competitive
(#2?)

5. • Ideas:
• Gene Taxonomy – establish a service which delivers this
• e.g. BI partnership with EMBL
• Shadow set of taxonomies – could be quickly achieved
• What areas count as non‐compete?
• NGS
• Pistoia should publish it’s ideas
• What are the statistics across the industry
• BEL framework – product – already a collaboration with PFE
• Language for expressing biological relationship + system for holding triples
• Open source opportunities
• Could become a standard or a recommendation
• Pistoia shouldn’t be involved in systems implementations but only in the
language definition (format)
• Academic labs (for example) would be involved in content definition
• Value would be that it is an open language (non‐proprietary)
• Usecase:
• Pharma needs to improve attrition rates
• Need to be able to look at perturbation on other proteins for another
target
• Principle: Pistoia should pick and support some standards
• Principle: Should do things that are already being prioritized, e.g. a standard that
is already in use by a Pharma

6. • Ideas:
• e.g. PFE movement to large molecules – canonical model for large molecules
• Opportunity for exchange of data with CROs
• Previous examples of small molecules standards which have become a
hodgepotch
• Pistoia could take a role validating to the standards
•Mechanism for down stream data exchange on a molecule
• PRINCIPLE: Adopt standards that already exist and have a clear business case –
“easy to convince my boss’ boss that it would have value this year!”
• Prevent vendor lock‐in
• Standards are more useful if you can combine proprietary and public data easily
• What’s the mechanism for getting any of these things done?
• e.g. Publish Large Molecule standard
• Pistoia organized PoC for verification tool
• Be able to have strong business case (elevator speech) – appeals to individual
company providing the new tool/standard, etc.
• Identify people involved, get confirmation that BC is solid, PoC then stamped
with Pistoia brand – need to have gates to the process