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News and Events > Newsletters > Monthly Newsletter: February 2005
University of Colorado Technology Transfer Office
Monthly Newsletter
Volume 1 ~ Issue 6 ~ February 2005
Top Stories
The University of Colorado Announces a License Agreement with New Fitzsimmons Research Park Company, Proteome Resources LLC
The University of Colorado today announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Proteome Resources, LLC., an emerging biosciences company that manufactures and provides biochemistry tools and services for drug discovery and research. The technology license allows Proteome Resources use of unique gene expression and purification technologies developed at CU-Boulder to manufacture unique and high-purity reagents for study of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS) in particular, and for the production of highly-purified proteins in general. (more)
University of Colorado Licenses Patent-Pending Network Security Technology to Secure 64 Software Corporation
The University of Colorado has licensed network security technology to Secure64, a software company based in Englewood, Colorado that will use the technology to fortify its secure 64-bit software applications against the disastrous effects of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. The technology is a patent-pending algorithm that intelligently responds to abnormal network activity such as DDoS attacks. It was developed in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder by Dr. James Garnett and Dr. Elizabeth Bradley. (more)
Today at the TTO
TTO is Accepting Applications for the 2nd Round of Proof of Concept (POC) Funding
A revised web page has been created to facilitate the 2nd round of Proof of Concept (POC) funding applications. The site contains information about the structure of the program and the determination of the award winners. Applications for 2nd round POC funding will be accepted between 2/11/05 and 3/25/05. (more)
TTO Announces New Licensing Associate
The TTO is pleased to announce the recent hire of a third Licensing Associate in its HSC office, Susana B. Read DVM, MBA. In 1997, she spent two years as a visiting doctor at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1999, she took a position as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Immunology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. During her fellowship, she directed a laboratory specializing in tumor Immunotherapy for brain cancer. As a Licensing Associate in the TTO, she will manage patenting and licensing opportunities in life science inventions developed at the Health Sciences Center Campus. Her office is in Building 500 at Fitzsimons, Room C-1005 and she can be reached at 303-724-0184 or by E-mail at Susana.Read@uchsc.edu.
TTO Introduces its Newest Interns
Chris McReynolds is working with the Technology Transfer Office this semester to develop business plans for concepts based on university intellectual property. His first assignment is to work with Sentina Systems, a business concept for an improved collision avoidance system for automobiles. Rita Sanzgiri is a second year law student at CU-Boulder. Her scientific background and legal reasoning skills have been put to task in the TTO to assess recent patent decisions affecting university intellectual property, undertake contract review and interpret university and federal policy. Toni Newville (BA 2005) is a Senior, majoring in Mechanical Engineering at CU-Boulder. Thus far, she has analyzed patent correspondence and documentation as a part of a due diligence process, reviewed the TTO website and is assisting Lisa Eschbach in a patentability and marketability project. (more)
CU Licenses Monoclonal Antibodies to Santa Cruz Biotechnology
Santa Cruz Biotechnology has recently acquired three non-exclusive worldwide licenses from University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. The company acquired the rights to develop and commercialize monoclonal antibodies for detection of: 1) Human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQ01) receptor, developed by Dr. David Ross and Dr. David Siegel; 2) Phosphorylated Serine 162 human progesterone receptor (Ser 162) developed by Dr. Dean Edwards and Dr. Nancy Weigel, and 3) Steroid Receptor Coactivator -1 (SRC-1), developed by Dr. Dean Edwards.
CU Technology in the News
CU Researcher Soo-Hyun Kim Highlighted in the Journal Immunity
Dr. Soo-Hyun Kim has recently had a paper describing his work featured in the January issue of Immunity. Dr. Kim's technology is also the HSC Technology of the Month this month. Feel free to contact Jennifer Eby for licensing options. (more)
5280 Magazine Offers a Look at Innovative Denver DocsIt's a sad state of affairs when we can rattle off Jake Plummer's pass rating, know what restaurant Kate Hudson was seen at over the weekend, and converse intelligently about Carmelo Anthony's drug bust, but can't name those people in our community who make a real difference in our lives. What does it say that there are heroes hidden in offices across the metro area, yet not one is a household name? Sally Wenzel, Kristi Anseth, Jeff Wagener, Curt Freed-anything ring a bell? Maybe they should. (more)
GlobeImmune and MycoLogics Enter TarmogenT Technology Collaboration for Antifungal Therapeutics
GlobeImmune and Mycologics announced recently that they have signed a non-exclusive research license and option agreement under which Mycologics will pursue select antifungal products under the GlobeImmune TarmogenT Technology. The license agreement enables MycoLogics to enter into proof of concept pre-clinical testing of human and animal candidate vaccines targeting the fungal diseases aspergillosis, coccidioidmycosis, cryptococcosis and the disease leishmaniasis. Both fungal and parasite research and development projects are fully supported by NIH SBIR and STTR awards. (more)
Device Detects Toxins Within 1 Second
Misha Plam held a small cylindrical object in his hand. His prototype was the size and shape of a flashlight. After Plam gave a slight flick of his thumb on one of the switches, the object emitted a radiant crimson light. While small in size, Plam said the technology could have a big impact in both corporate and government worlds. The object, called a Holographic Optical Chemical Detector, can be used to detect various toxic chemicals in less than one second, Plam said. The technology was developed at the University of Colorado and licensed to Boulder-based AlphaSniffer LLC, which is headed by Plam. (more)
Spotlight On:
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CU Boulder's Technology of the Month
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CU Boulder's Technology of the Month
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CU's Company of the Month
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1997.8046B - Sugar Free Fibroblast Growth Factor
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CU1157H - Tumor necrosis-a inducing factor (TAIF) blockade or activation for therapeutics as well as detection for diagnosis
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Taligen
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This disclosure pertains to a genetically engineered form of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), a biomolecule that governs cellular differentiation in multicellular organisms. The recombinant protein of this invention is produced by three different genes which encode distinct proteins. The resultant FGF does not require FGF receptors or heparin sulfate to penetrate cells. This is significant because several diseases have been shown to be related to defects in the FGF receptor or herparan sulfate metabolism (achondroplasia, Pfeiffer syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome).
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Currently, there are more than fifty different autoimmune diseases affecting more than fifty million people in the United States (20% of the US population). The function of cells of the human immune system is regulated by cytokines. Cytokines help immune cells communicate with each other and with other cell types. When the body is injured or encounters foreign material, cytokines are produced. When cytokines are produced in the absence of injury, the result is pain, swelling and eventual tissue destruction.
Interleukin (IL)-18 is a proinflammatory cytokine associated with innate and acquired immune responses. Genes that are induced by IL-18 likely contribute to the development of autoimmune disease. By testing for genes turned on by IL-18, the inventors discovered a novel cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-? inducing factor (TAIF). The invention is a novel target that allows for the identification of compounds to block the activity of TAIF in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases or to enhance the activity of TAIF to treat cancers. The invention also allows for the development of novel and sensitive diagnostics for inflammatory and autoimmune disease.
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Taligen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded by Dr. V. Michael Holers and Dr. Woodruff Emlen in March 2004 to develop and commercialize technology from the University of Colorado for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The Company is focused on developing innovative technologies to manipulate complement proteins of the immune system to inhibit inflammation and to target inhibitors of inflammation to specific sites of tissue injury. The complement system consists of some thirty different proteins circulating in the blood that are activated sequentially to produce an expanding cascade of activity to destroy antigens. Taligen's technology inhibits inflammation at the beginning of the inflammatory cascade, resulting in the down-regulation of multiple downstream effector mechanisms. Based on medical need, the competitive landscape and pre-clinical data, the Company is focusing on three areas of major unmet medical need: asthma, traumatic brain injury and autoimmune disease. Taligen's products are currently in pre-clinical development with estimated time to Phase I studies of two years.
Taligen was the recipient of the University's inaugural Proof of Concept (POC) fund in the fall of 2004. In addition to the POC, the Company received matching seed funding from a local private investment firm and is currently seeking additional funding. Recently, Taligen joined the Bioscience Park Incubator at Fitzsimmons as a client. For more information contact Woodruff Emlen, MD at 303-638-1604 or woodyemlen@yahoo.com.
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Search our database for licenseable CU Technologies
Technology Transfer Bulletin of the Month
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Intellectual Freedom and IP
Does commercialization conflict with intellectual freedom or the academic mission?
In most cases no. Many investigators have the impression that any research endeavor with commercial ties cannot be published. The contrary is true. Successful technology transfer typically requires publication of research in the most prestigious journal possible.
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Upcoming Events
TTO Reception: Open Source, Open Standards, and the Future of the Internet
In conjunction with the March 3rd Silicon Flatirons Telecommunications Program event, "Open Source, Open Standards, and the Future of the Internet, The CU Technology Transfer Office will be holding a special reception for CU faculty, staff and students who develop software. The TTO is supportive of using open source licenses to release software. Representatives will be available to discuss the TTO's philosophy on open source software distribution. (more)
Life Science Thursday
February, 17, 2005 - Controlling Your Company's Destiny When Financing. This upcoming event will feature speakers including: Waren Henson, Green Manning & Bunch - IPO/M&A; John C. Aplin, CID Equity Partners - Equity Funding; David L. Henry, NewWest Mezzanine Funds - Mezzanine Funding; Frank Amoroso, Silicon Valley Bank - Senior Debt; Bonnie Vivan, Denver Biomedical - Recapitalizing for Growth. (more)
Business Development Conference
February 17, 2005 - Technology Transfer's Impact on Business Development. University technology transfer programs around the country are fueling new products, business creation and job growth in biotechnology and other innovation industries. Come hear from the experts and explore the possiblity of how you can capitalize on opportunities emerging from University of Colorado and other technology transfer initiatives right here in Aurora. (more)
Innovation in the News
Industry Experts Shed Light on Technology Transfer
Many of small tech's success stories or at least promising prospects are based on technology from universities or research laboratories. But moving technology to market can be an unfamiliar, sometimes difficult process. A group of technology-transfer experts shed light on the topic in answers to questions by Small Times' Jeff Karoub.
Yale Keeps Patent Stats Secret
Though Yale participated in a survey of 165 colleges and universities showing the institutions had filed for a record number of patents and earned almost $1 billion in combined licensing revenue last year, the Yale Office of Cooperative Research requested the school's data not be published individually. The University was one of seven, including Columbia University, whose data remained anonymous.
State Big in Nanotech
Colorado is running near the front of the pack when it comes to nanotechnology, a revolutionary new science that experts say will herald the next industrial revolution.
Drug Patent Peril
Eli Lilly Chief Executive Sidney Taurel is facing what could be a painful case of déjà vu. In August 2000, a surprise patent ruling cut three years off of the patent for Lilly's Prozac, causing shares in the company to drop 30% in just a day. Now, investors are on tenterhooks waiting for another patent ruling, on Lilly's current top-seller, Zyprexa.
NIH Announces New Conflict of Interest Policy for its Employees
On February 1st, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new supplemental ethics regulation that addresses outside consulting activities by NIH employees. The regulation was developed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with the concurrence of the Office of Government Ethics, the federal agency that prescribes executive branch-wide ethics standards. The new regulation focuses on outside activities, financial holdings, and awards for all NIH employees. It raises many questions about interactions between NIH employees and non-profit professional societies such as The Endocrine Society.
Genetic Variants Shed New Light on Tailor-made Therapeutics
Since the inception of the Human Genome Project, the healthcare and life science industries have been buzzing with the promise of personalized medicine - innovative therapy that matches drugs to an individual's genetic makeup, rendering treatment for various diseases essentially customizable.
Brazil Reshapes Debate on Intellectual Property
Brazil's president often gets criticized by his old leftist friends for being conservative at home. But globally he has reshaped the debate on intellectual property rights to reflect the needs of poor nations. In two years, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has forced the United Nations to change its global patent system, irked Microsoft Corp. by scorning its proprietary software, and annoyed recording studios by putting the music of his dreadlocked culture minister online for free.
NIH Calls on Scientists to Speed Public Release of Research Publications
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced on February 3rd a new policy designed to accelerate the public's access to published articles resulting from NIH-funded research. The policy - the first of its kind for NIH - calls on scientists to release to the public manuscripts from research supported by NIH as soon as possible, and within 12 months of final publication.
Inventors in Wildly Different Areas Honored for Achievements
The inventors of the modern electric guitar and the frozen food industry are among this year's 13 inductees into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Musician Les Paul, already a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Clarence Birdseye, a household name that still appears in kitchen around the country head this year's class. Also on the list are Segway inventor Dean Kamen; Leo Sternbach, the chemist who invented Valium; and Robert Gundlach, a former Xerox Corp. employee who developed the modern photocopier.
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