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Trilogy Tidings
May 2010
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in this issue
Exploiting Your Platform Technology
Home-Use Medical Devices
Resources from our Archives
What does Trilogy do?

     We've advised quite a few emerging "platform technology" companies over the years.  (A platform technology is one thought to be broadly applicable to many applications, markets, or even several industries.)  Sometimes the owner is right, sometimes mistaken.  In either case the objective is to somehow monetize the technology by selectively out-licensing the technology to one - or even better, several - commercial partners or corporate investors.

     This partnering process is a delicate piece of hard work, but it can pay huge rewards.  I offer a few suggestions based upon our experience in this domain.  I also offer a resource to help you understand the current landscape of medical devices used in the home. 
Regards,
Joe
Change Ahead
Exploiting Your Platform Technology 
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     How can you build a business with your wonderful invention(s), which you firmly believe can be applied as solutions to multiple problems?  Whether you plan a single, quick-hitting commercial exit or a sequence of licensing deals with multiple buyers, how should you proceed?  I offer a few thoughts on this issue that may help you get to your first deal.

     This is really a follow-up to my previous lessons-learned on Doing Technology Deals, which I shared with you in March.  In today's contribution, however, I address a stepwise plan for dealing with multiple applications and markets from the seller's point of view.

     Let me know what you think.
Home-Use Medical Devices 
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     The market for medical products used in the home is an intriguing target for device makers.  The number of potential users is obviously compelling.  But the domain is unfamiliar, dominated more by consumer-products companies than by medtech firms.  And questionable reimbursement policies and prevailing low prices give one pause.  Finally, if home-use devices are intended to communicate and interconnect with off-site data repositories, when is that really going to be possible in a meaningful way?  But it sure is hard to ignore those millions of users!

     I tuned in to a recent webinar sponsored by IBM on this topic.  Unlike many such infomercials, I found this one to be quite good.  If you're involved in this domain or potentially interested in this market, check out the archive of this free 90-minute webinar.  You may have to register to look and listen; if so and you would rather not do that, just let me know and I'll send you the slide deck.

     Also, the FDA is starting to take notice of this growing trend toward home-based devices.  Read this story about their planned initiatives.
Resources from our Archives 
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     Check out our Reading Room to view my published articles, presentations and white papers on a variety of topics.
 
     And, you can examine an archive of my prior newsletters (since February 2007).
 
What does Trilogy do? 
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     Trilogy Associates facilitates business growth and renewal through commercialization of new products, providing the following services:
  • Opportunity assessment
  • Business planning and enterprise growth strategies
  • New-product conceptualization, commercialization and marketing
  • Market research and competitive assessment
  • Business development and partnering
  • Market and technological due diligence
  • Assessment of the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of novel technologies
  • Design of efficient and effective development strategies for early-stage biomedical products
  • Business and technical writing/publishing

     Inquiries to establish whether and how we might support your business initiatives are always welcome.  Contact us.

Contact Information
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ContactInfoJoseph J. Kalinowski, Principal
919.533.6285
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/trilogy
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