Technology Transfer      


Quarterly newsletter from the UMDNJ Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 October 2011
In This Issue
Issued U.S. Patents Available for Licensing
Recent License Agreements and Amendments
Technology Spotlight: Insulin and insulin mimetic agents to help promote bone healing
Featured Article: Dr. David Seifer wins multiple awards for his patents on predicting ovarian reserve
US Patent Reform: Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
News Flashes
Upcoming Events
Issued U.S. Patents Available for Licensing

MG53 compositions and methods of use; (Jianjie Ma, Noah Weisleder, Chuanxi Cai)  US Patent # 7,981,866 Disclosed herein are nucleic acid sequences that encode novel polypeptides, polypeptides encoded by these nucleic acid sequences, and antibodies, which immunospecifically-bind to the polypeptide, as well as derivatives, variants, mutants, or fragments of the aforementioned polypeptide, polynucleotide, or antibody. The invention further discloses therapeutic, diagnostic and research methods for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders involving any one of these novel human nucleic acids and proteins.

 

Single protein production in living cells facilitated by a messenger RNA interferase; (Masayori Inouye, Junjie Zhang, Motoo Suzuki) US Patent # 7,985,575 The present invention describes a single-protein production (SPP) system in living E. coli cells that exploits the unique properties of an mRNA interferase, for example, MazF, a bacterial toxin that is a single stranded RNA- and ACA-specific endoribonuclease, which efficiently and selectively degrades all cellular mRNAs in vivo, resulting in a precipitous drop in total protein synthesis. Concomitant expression of MazF and a target gene engineered to encode an ACA-less mRNA results in sustained and high-level (up to 90%) target expression in the virtual absence of background cellular protein synthesis. Remarkably, target synthesis continues for at least 4 days, indicating that cells retain transcriptional and translational competence despite their growth arrest. SPP technology works well for yeast and human proteins, even a bacterial integral membrane protein. This novel system enables unparalleled signal to noise ratios that should dramatically simplify structural and functional studies of previously intractable but biologically important proteins. The present invention also provides an optimized condensed single protein production system.

 

Estrogen receptor modulators and uses thereof; (William Welsh, Nina Ching Wang, Ni Ai) US Patent # 7,989,487

A method for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a condition mediated by an estrogen receptor by administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of formula I, II, or a combination thereof: wherein R1, R3, R4, and R5 are independently selected from H, OH, and OR.sub.a; R2 is selected from H, OH, and (C.dbd.O)(C.sub.1-7)alkyl; R.sub.a is (C.sub.1-7)alkyl or (C.dbd.O)(C.sub.1-7)alkyl; or a derivative of the compound selected from N-oxide derivatives, prodrug derivatives, protected derivatives, isomers, and mixtures of isomers of the compound; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate of the compound or the derivative. Compounds of formula I and II and pharmaceuticals compositions thereof are also presented.

 

Antibody profiles characteristic of tuberculosis state; (Maria Gennaro) US Patent # 7,993,657 Serum antibody assays capable of distinguishing cases of inactive TB from cases of active TB include a combination of at least three M. tuberculosis protein antigens, at least one for which a positive response is consistent with inactive TB and at least one for which a negative response is consistent with inactive TB. Preferred assays further distinguish other TB classes. Also, antigen kits for performing such assays.  


Methods and kit for detecting breast cancer; (Kiran Madura, Li Chen) US Patent # 8,008,022 
The present inventions relates to kits and methods for diagnosing and monitoring breast cancer. An increase in the level or activity of proteins of the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway, and ancillary proteins thereof, as compared to normal control or benign tissue is indicative of breast cancer.

 

Support for medical equipment; (Steven Ginsberg) US Patent # 8,011,625 This invention relates to novel "bracket" to be used in the operating room of hospitals. The bracket of the invention holds a transducer at the level of a patient's heart in order to easily and accurately record pressures during surgery.   

 

For additional information on any of the above issued patents, please contact the Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development at [email protected].  

Recent License Agreements and Amendments

Exclusive license agreement to a spin-off company, Affineti, to provide rights to technology developed at the New Jersey Dental School, UMDNJ.

 

Amendment to the exclusive license agreement to a spin-off company, The Incubation Factory, to the personal tonometer technology developed jointly with the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

 

Amendment to an existing non-exclusive license agreement for molecular beacon technology to include rights to additional intellectual property.

 

Amendment to an existing non-exclusive license agreement with Covance for valuable antibody developed at UMDNJ.

 

Non-exclusive license agreement for molecular beacon technology.

 

Exclusive license agreement with Allegheny Singer Research Institute to a copyrighted intellectual property.

 

Amendment to an existing non-exclusive license agreement for molecular beacon technology.

UMDNJ Office of  Technology Transfer and Business Development

  

UMDNJ Office of Patents and Licensing

UMDNJ Office of Patents and Licensing Staff

From left to right: Sue Dolci, Laura Schepps, Vince Smeraglia, Norell Hadzimichalis, Susan Rae, Tania Litvin-Vechnyak, Tejal Talati (Not shown: Robert Bzdek, Lilly Cohen, Mona Daniels, Nicole O'Hara)

 

  

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For suggestions on future newsletter content, including upcoming events, news flashes, and articles please email [email protected] 

  

Technology Spotlight:
Insulin and insulin mimetic agents to help promote bone healing 
Dr. Sheldon Lin, MD
Dr. Sheldon Lin, MD



The problem of effective bone fracture healing poses significant clinical challenges in the United States and globally. In the US alone, there are over 6 million fractures recorded annually, 10% of which result in nonunion/improper healing. Current adjunct treatment options for nonunion fractures include electro-stimulation devices and biologics such as bone morphogenic proteins. However, these methods come with many drawbacks and thus there exists a need for additional adjunct strategies to help safely and effectively enhance bone healing through tissue re-engineering. 

 

Dr. Sheldon Lin, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-NJMS, and his team of scientists including Dr. David Paglia and Dr. Joseph Benevenia, have developed multiple strategies to effectively combat this problem of improper fracture healing. In his patent portfolio, Dr. Lin focuses on the use of insulin and insulin mimetic compounds and different methods of delivery to promote bone healing in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. He demonstrates that  introduction of a formulation containing insulin at the site of fraction can significantly decrease the time for the fracture to heal. Alternatively, the use of a vanadium based insulin mimetic agent instead of insulin in a similar formulation can also accelerate fracture healing. In addition, Dr Lin showed that when the surface of an orthopedic implant such as a stainless steel K-wire was impregnated with vanadium, it can also be used to heal bone fractures. All three of these methods were validated using rat models that are standard in the field of bone research. In each experiment, the quality of the healing was determined by measuring mechanical properties such as torque to failure, torsional rigidity, and maximum shear stress. In the cases where insulin was used, careful monitoring of the insulin levels in the animals showed no systemic increases in insulin. Therefore, bone healing can be enhanced with the use of insulin without a threat of hypoglycemia. Dr. Lin is planning validation studies in vivo. 

 

To learn more about these technologies, related patents, and partnering opportunities, please contact the UMDNJ Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development at [email protected].  


Featured Article:
Dr. David Seifer wins multiple awards for his patents on predicting ovarian reserve

Dr. David Seifer, MD
Dr. David Seifer, MD

Dr. David Seifer, MD Clinical Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at UMDNJ along with his colleague, Dr. David MacLaughlin, are being honored for their development of a novel method for assessing a woman's ovarian reserve (egg supply) and predicting and monitoring a woman's response to fertility treatments. Drs. Seifer and MacLaughlin are the recepients of the 2011 Inventor of the Year Award (Inventor of the Year) and the R&D Council's 32nd Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award (Thomas Alva Edison Award) and will be recognized for their accomplishments, on October 27 at the W-Hotel in Hoboken and on November 10 at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, respectively.

For more information about these awards, please contact the UMDNJ Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development [email protected]


US Patent Reform: Leahy-Smith America Invents Act 

 

On September 16, 2011 President Barack Obama signed into law the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act which represents the most comprehensive overhaul to our nation's patent system since 1836. Of the many changes that will go into effect as a result of this Act, the change from a "first-to-invent" to a "first inventor-to-file" system may be of the mot impactful for university faculty. This means that potential applicants should get in touch with their university technology transfer offices as early as possible in the inventive process in order to best avoid losing patent rights.

 

While various aspects of the Act will not go into effect immediately, additional general implications of the new law include post grant administrative challenges, increases in patent fees, and limitations on false patent marking suits.    

 

For more information on the implementation of these changes please click here. In addition, Patent attorneys Gerard P. Norton, PhD, Esq and Peter J. Butch III Esq from the law firm Fox Rothschild will be discussing how these changes specifically effect university researchers on October 27 at 2:00pm in Newark (details below in the Upcoming Events section of this newsletter).     

News Flashes

NAME CHANGE: The Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development  

The UMDNJ Office of Patents and Licensing (OPL) has changed its name! We are now referred to as the Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development (OTTBD) to better reflect the broad mission of the office within the university. For all future communications we will use this new name. In addition, our new email address will be [email protected].

 

Researchers at Durin Technologies and the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine Develop Reliable, Accurate Blood Test for Alzheimer's Disease

Scientists from Durin Technologies, Inc., and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey -School of Osteopathic Medicine have developed a blood test that uses human protein microarrays to detect the presence of specific antibodies in the blood that can be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease with unprecedented accuracy. For additional information on this test, please click here.

  

UMDNJ Technology Transfer Faculty Education Seminar Series

The UMDNJ Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development has recently launched a seminar series focused on helping to educate faculty about topics related to intellectual property and technology transfer. University employees can view a podcast from the last seminar (Tech Transfer: A Big Pharma perspective - Making your research more appealing to pharmaceutical executives) on University iTunes here. The next seminar will address issues related to intellectual property law (details in the Upcoming Events section of this newsletter, below).  

 

Research Indicates That Adult Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells May be Viable Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury Repair

Research from Dr. Hatem E. Sabaawy, MD, PhD at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey shows that adult human mesenchymal stem cells may have an important role in the treatment and repair of spinal cord injuries. For additional information, please click here. 

   

Dr. Xilin Zhao selected as a finalist in the University Science Center QED Proof-of-Concept Funding Program

Dr. Xilin Zhao, PhD at the Public Health Research Institute Center of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey has been selected as one of ten finalists to receive proof-of-concept funding for his work in developing a novel treatment for tuberculosis. As a finalist, Dr. Zhao has been matched with business advisers and  received significant guidance on the development of a business plan and advice on marketing strategies and obtaining regulatory approval.  For additional information on the finalists selected, please click here. 

    

UMDNJ Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development Now Offers Office Hours!  

We now offer office hours to university faculty by appointment on Tuesdays (1-4pm) in Newark and Fridays (9am-12pm) in Somerset. Stop by to discuss your research, commercial applications, invention disclosures, and much more! Please email [email protected] for more information or to schedule an appointment.  

   

Upcoming Events

BioStrategy Partners: Practical Knowledge Series

October 21, 2011: Company Formation: When and how, structuring, role of PI/inventor, professional management. Click here for more information.


University for a Day 
Leading experts from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey share the latest news and research on health, wellness and tips for living longer and better. 

Our own Vince Smeraglia, Director of the Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development, is participating with Jim Golubieski, president of Foundation Venture Capital Group; Scott Kachlany, NJDS, founder of Actinobac Biomed and Robert Nagele, SOM, founder of Durin Technologies, who will all discuss "Amazing Science: News on Alzheimer's disease, Leukemia, Psoriasis, more." Click here for information and enrollment. 

October 22 2011, 9:00am - 3:00pm
RWJMS Clinical Academic Building
25 Paterson Street/ New Brunswick, NJ

Biotech 2011: Imagine. Collaborate. Innovate

October 24-25, 2011: The bioscience industry in the mid Atlantic region is one of the most dynamic and innovative in the world and Biotech 2011: Imagine. Collaborate. Innovate is the premier bioscience conference in this region. Join top bioscience leaders from around the world to network, connect with potential partners, share business strategies, and learn from their peers. Click here for information and registration.


What Every Faculty Member Needs To Know About Recent Changes In US Patent Law

Patent attorneys Gerard P. Norton, PhD, Esq and Peter J. Butch III Esq from the law firm Fox Rothschild will be highlighting the recent changes in US patent law and discussinbg how these changes specifically effect university researchers. Please RSVP to [email protected].
October 27, 2011, 2:00pm
MSB, Room B610
185 South Orange Avenue / Newark, New Jersey
*Light refreshments will be served