University of Colorado
Technology Transfer Office
Monthly Newsletter
March 2009 - Vol 5, Issue 9
TTO Logo & CU Logo
What's Inside
Spotlight
CU Technology in the News
People
CU Resources
Upcoming Events
Innovation in the News
External Resources
Parting Quote
Links
 
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Today at the TTO

BioRelix Expands License for CU-Yale Riboswitch Technology
Yale University recently executed an agreement with BioRelix, Inc. to expand the company's commercial rights for riboswitch technology jointly developed by Robert Batey (CU-Boulder Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry) and a collaborator at Yale. BioRelix, founded in 2005 and based in New Haven, CT, was established to discover and develop novel and highly potent anti-infective compounds against pathogens resistant to currently available drugs. Riboswitches are short stretches of messenger RNAs that bind small metabolites and control genes required for the survival of many disease-causing bacteria; novel riboswitch technology may be used to defeat bacterial resistance to currently available antibiotics. The expanded license agreement adds the field of agricultural applications to the original BioRelix license.

Legislative Update: Clean Tech Research Grant Program
Earlier this year, Senator Heath and Representative Riesberg introduced Senate Bill 09-031 (PDF) in support of cleantech-related research and development, and largely modeled after HB 08-1001, the biosciences development bill. If enacted, one quarter of the funds would be directed to university cleantech proof of concept funding up to $50,000 per project matched by university funds, one quarter for matching grants to Colorado cleantech companies up to $150,000 matched by company funds, and half the funds directed to university/industry infrastructure to expand the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory. In early March, the bill passed the Senate and was assigned the House Committee on Transportation & Energy.

Spotlight On:

CU-Boulder Technology of the Month:

CU1137B - Simple, low-cost on-chip amplification technique for DNA microarrays


UC Denver Technology of the Month:

2001.042H - Enhanced measurement of cAMP, an important signaling molecule, enabling improved study and drug discovery for related disorders

CU Technology and Licensee Companies in the News

OPX Biotechnologies Raises $12.1M
In February CU licensee OPX Biotechnologies, Inc. closed a $12.1M series C round of financing and hopes to raise an additional $2.9M by the end of the quarter. The Boulder-based biofuels company plans to use the funding to increase its staff from 20 to 40 by the end of the year as well as ramp up its technology and engineering.

Avigen Announces Positive Data for AV411 in Pain Relief and Drug Addiction
Avigen, Inc. announced in late February that two preclinical reports with glial attenuator AV411 (ibudilast) support the pharmacological effect of the drug on enhancing the pain-killing effect of opioids while reducing the addiction properties of commonly used opioids (an application of the drug licensed from CU).

Carbon Capture on the Cheap?
CU licensee ION Engineering says it has devised a cheaper way to clean contaminating gases from natural gas - and it's seeking investment and stimulus funding to extend that to capturing carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants. (See also: New carbon capture technology promises cleaner power plants.)

CU Researchers use Stem Cells to Repair Muscles
Researchers led by CU-Boulder professor Bradley Olwin have identified a type of stem cell that may be able to fight muscular dystrophy, according to a new study published in early March.

NIH Awards $300,000 SBIR to ImmuRx
CU licensee ImmuRx has been awarded a $300,000 SBIR award from NIH for the evaluation of hCD40 agonists. This award will support the development of an hCD40 component for the ImmuRx adjuvant platform, which synergistically enhances the magnitude and function of cytotoxic T cells, resulting in superior primary and secondary immune responsiveness against cancer and infectious diseases.

Bioptix Announces Closing of $3M Series A Financing
BiOptix Diagnostics, Inc., a Boulder-based analytical instrumentation firm originally based on technology developed at CU-Boulder, announced in early March the closing of a $3M Series A financing round led by Boulder Ventures Ltd.

Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute Announces 2009 Pilot Project Awards
The Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) at the University of Colorado Denver recently announced the awarding of 39 Pilot Project Awards to clinical and translational investigators at CU, its CCTSI affiliated institutions and community partners. A total of $963,214 was awarded for 14 projects.

ColdQuanta Ships First Product
In mid-February CU licensee ColdQuanta Inc. announced that it had shipped its first device to produce Bose-Einstein Condensate, a new form of 'ultracold' matter first produced at CU-Boulder in 1995. (See also: ColdQuanta Joins 8th Continent Incubator.)

Venture Academics
A new firm thinks it has found a way to turn inventions from the nation's biggest research institutions into cash (featuring Allied Minds, a company that has funded two CU spinouts, Illumasonix, LLC and Precision Biopsy, LLC. )

People

Peterson Named President of Georgia Institute of Technology
In late February Dr. G.P. "Bud" Peterson, Chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder, was named as the eleventh president of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Peterson will assume his new post on April 1, 2009. (See also: CU President Bruce Benson Names Interim Chancellor at CU-Boulder.)

Three CU-Boulder Chemistry Professors Win $500,000 NSF Career Awards
CU-Boulder chemistry and biochemistry Assistant Professors Niels Damrauer, Rainer Volkamer and J. Mathias Weber have been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, and each will receive at least $500,000 over a five-year period to be used for both teaching and research. The Faculty Early Career Development Program, or CAREER, offers the NSF's most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars.

Cech Joining Merck & Co.'s Board
Thomas R. Cech has been elected to pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. Inc.'s board of directors effective May 27. Cech currently serves as the president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute but will step down and return to his faculty position at the University of Colorado at Boulder at the end of March. 

UC Denver TTO Director to Address National Tech Transfer Audience
On March 31, UC Denver TTO Director Rick Silva will be among the panelists in a national audioconference focused on effective workload management and IP assessment in tech transfer offices. Registration online.

Gov. Ritter Honors Life-Saving Impact of CU-Boulder Inhalable Vaccine
University of Colorado at Boulder Professor Robert Sievers was honored with the first Governor's Award for Research Impact in the public health category in mid-February. Also a co-founder and CEO of CU licensee AKTIV-DRY, Sievers is developing a cheaper, easier-to-distribute and needle-free version of the traditional measles vaccine.

Do you know of a recent award, new position or transition of interest to the CU tech community? Please send information to [email protected].
CU Resources

University of Colorado Cancer Center Pharmacology Core
The UCCC Pharmacology Core, located at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, was established to work with researchers and clinicians in a collaborative manner to design and implement studies to measure xenobiotics (drugs, toxicants, natural products, inc.) in biological systems and matrices. The mission of the Pharmacology Core is to assist in the prospective design of studies to assess drug exposure in biological systems, to measure drug levels using validated analytical assays, and to analyze, model and interpret the results.

Upcoming Events

2009 Sustainable Opportunities Summit

March 17-19, Colorado Convention Center, Denver

The 4th Annual Sustainable Opportunities Summit will showcase the development of Denver, Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West as an emerging center of a new, more sustainable economy. Also featuring Cleantech Venture Challenge 2009.


Entrepreneurs Unplugged

March 18, CU- Boulder

Ongoing networking event hosted by CU's Silicon Flatirons Center, providing faculty, students and community members with technical backgrounds the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship through the experiences of a successful local entrepreneur.

 

Protecting Intangible Assets: Strategies for an Ever-Changing Legal and Business Landscape

March 19, Patton Boggs LLP, Denver

This panel discussion will offer conclusions and proactive strategies for building simple yet effective approaches to identifying, evaluating, protecting and - most importantly - exploiting companies' assets (intellectual, intangible and tangible) in today's climate. The panel will touch on several topics including "freedom to operate" vs. "gotcha" on infringement, as well as license in, license out or cross license.

 

Conference: Evaluating Software Patents

March 19, CU-Boulder

Over the last several years, the Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit have taken a number of steps suggesting that the law governing software patents is still very much in flux. This conference, hosted by CU's Silicon Flatirons Center, will evaluate both the premises underlying the call for a fundamental reform software patents as well as some specific suggestions for changing how patents are granted and how patent litigation operates.

 

CBSA BioBreakfast: We Work for Health Campaign

March 20, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora

Join the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) for a discussion regarding the biopharma industry and economic development opportunity in Colorado. Featuring U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and the co-chairs of the We Work for Health Colorado Campaign.

 

Writing Successful SBIR/STTR Grant Applications

March 24-25, Colorado Science + Technology Park, Aurora

This 2-day intensive workshop (presented by BIOTECHNOLOGY Business Consultants and sponsored by the CBSA and Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority) includes modules on strategic planning, proposal development, proposal submission, preparing a commercialization plan, and post-award administration. Seating is limited; priority will be given to bioscience companies and faculty. Please contact Vicki Jenings (FRA) to apply for this workshop.

 

Denver Business Series: Energy 2009

March 26, Denver Athletic Club, Denver

Will alternative energy sources and technologies finally take hold despite the global economic slowdown and sub-$50 oil? What role will Colorado play in the energy economy and how can the state position itself for long-term prosperity? This Denver Business Series event will provide an evening of insight and discussion with leading energy experts.

 

Colorado Clean Energy Solutions Series: Smart Grid Symposium

March 30, CU-Boulder

Please join CU-Boulder's Center for Energy & Environmental Security (CEES) for the first program in a series of four clean energy symposiums being conducted in 2009 in conjunction with Governor Ritter, The University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and Colorado School of Mines. Keynote addresses will be given by representatives from the Department of Energy's Smart Grid Task Force and Xcel Energy. The symposium's focus will be on the current state of smart grid technology and policy drivers for increasing research, development, and adoption.

 

First Annual Mountain Lion Research Day

April 3, CU-Colorado Springs

The purpose of Mountain Lion Research Day is to encourage and promote communication and collaboration between investigators at UCCS, as well as to recognize undergraduate and graduate student research efforts, highlight aspects of faculty research activities, and showcase the diversity and growth of research pursuits on campus.

 

Boulder/Denver New Technology Meetup Group
April 7, CU- Boulder
This ongoing event provides a forum for technologists and entrepreneurs to showcase the new (especially web-based) technology developing in Boulder/Denver tech community. Five companies have five minutes each to demonstrate their new technology, followed by five minutes for Q&A from the audience.

 

Colorado Green Tech Meetup

April 9, CU-Boulder

An ongoing event to support eco-entrepreneurs and others people involved and/or interested in green tech: energy generation, transportation, construction, and efficiency technologies. Businesses and researchers present new technologies, and attendees may announce business news, job openings, fundings, etc.

 

Starting Companies at CU:  Technology Entrepreneurship Luncheon

April 13, CU-Boulder

This event, part of CU-Boulder's Entrepreneurship Week 2009, will celebrate CU-Boulder faculty entrepreneurs, as well as providing info about resources available to inventors interested in commercializing their research. The lunch will feature a recent case study, in which CU investigators will talk about their experience working with the BIC and TTO to launch a startup company in Boulder. Free to CU faculty, staff and grad students - RSVP via email. All others, open registration will begin April 1 (link).

 

Feld-Weiser One-on-One: The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

April 15, CU-Boulder

As part of Silicon Flatirons' Entrepreneurship Initiative, Phil Weiser, Professor of Law and Telecommunications, is engaging in a series of interviews with local venture capitalist Brad Feld on topics ranging from financing strategies for start-ups to the nature of innovation to managing work-life balance. This second session will focus on what makes a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem and why living in one makes a difference.

 

Entrepreneurs Unplugged

April 15, CU- Boulder

Ongoing networking event hosted by CU's Silicon Flatirons Center, providing faculty, students and community members with technical backgrounds the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship through the experiences of a successful local entrepreneur.

 

Putting the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Perspective

April 16, CU-Boulder

Commentators, policymakers, and businesses often talk about an "entrepreneurial ecosystem." The conception, however, remains undefined. This conference, hosted by CU-Boulder's Silicon Flatirons Center, will take a critical look at the idea of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, examining how it facilitates innovation.

 

CU-Boulder New Venture Challenge Finals

April 17, CU-Boulder

Please join us for the last event of CU Entrepreneurship Week: the finals for the CU New Venture Challenge. Four finalists will present their business/new venture plans to a panel of judges. The event is open to the public. The winners of the final CU NVC challenge will be announced at the reception following the event.

 

To have your event featured here, please send an email to [email protected].
Innovation in the News

Ernst & Young Seeks Rocky Mountain Region's Outstanding Entrepreneurs
Ernst & Young LLP recently announced an extension to the application deadline for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 Awards (Rocky Mountain Region). The deadline for applications is now March 27, 2009, with the awards ceremony scheduled for June 18. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Boulder's TechStars Starting Boston Program
TechStars, the Boulder-based entrepreneurship and investment program, is opening a similar startup bootcamp operation in Boston, officials announced in mid-February. For the past two years, TechStars has provided 20 companies - 10 each year - with funding and mentoring.

Drug, Tech Firms Work on Differences for Patent-reform Bill
Makers of pharmaceuticals and high-tech products agreed on a provision in a patent-reform bill under which judges would instruct juries on factors to use in determining appropriate damages for patent infringement. The industries were divided on a proposal that would limit damages to lost profits, or to a "reasonable royalty," further delaying the passage of the bill. (See also: Patent Reform Act of 2009 Introduced.)

Kauffman Study Finds MIT Alumni Companies Generate Billions for Regional Economies
A Kauffman Foundation study released in February demonstrates the critical role universities play not only in fostering innovation and entrepreneurial growth, but in stimulating the much-needed recovery in regional and global economies. According to the study, "Entrepreneurial Impact: The Role of MIT," (PDF) which analyzes the economic effect of MIT alumni-founded companies and its entrepreneurial ecosystem, if the active companies founded by MIT graduates formed an independent nation, their revenues would make that nation at least the 17th-largest economy in the world.

Study: Free Markets Superior to Patent Monopolies
Our economic system is based on the expectation that markets can provide optimal solutions more efficiently than monopolies, with one glaring exception: patents, which are structured in a "winner takes all" manner. A new study appearing in the March 5 edition of Science suggests that markets might work here, too.

Roundup: University, Community, State, National and International Initiatives

Pittsburgh Business Incubator Invests $13.2M in Startups
The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse said in February that it has invested $13.2M in 57 early-stage companies as they develop ways to help people with medical problems ranging from eczema to sleep apnea.

New Berkeley Building Makes Room for Commercializing Technology Research
A new seven-story, $127M building at the University of California at Berkeley houses an interdisciplinary technology institute intended to commercialize the findings of researchers on four University of California system campuses.

Univ. of Wisconsin Course Builds Community of Biomedical Entrepreneurs
A new multidisciplinary course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is preparing entrepreneurial graduate students to bring biomedical innovations to the patients who need them. The UW-Madison Bio Innovations and Opportunities in Medicine and Engineering (BIOME) course brings together students from academic backgrounds as diverse as engineering, medicine, education and business.

Minnesota Biotech Park May Get $1B Capital Boost
The developer of an ambitious biosciences park in southeast Minnesota is close to a deal with a major investor in California to create a $1B venture capital fund to lure biotechnology start-ups to the state. A prominent biotech venture capitalist based in San Francisco will be the lead investor in the venture fund that will offer money to as many 30 companies that agree to move their operations to the facility.

U. of Oxford Receives $50M Matching Pledge
The University of Oxford's most generous benefactor has put an additional $50M on the table, promising to match donations of at least $1M over the next year to the university's James Martin 21st Century School, which now has 15 interdisciplinary research institutes that focus on subjects including climate change, global health, and science and technology.


External Resources

Drug R&D Spending Surges in Sinking Economy
The U.S. economy may have fallen off a cliff last year, but drug R&D spending continued to surge upwards. A new survey on R&D reveals that research spending by U.S. biopharma companies jumped to $65.2B last year, an increase of $2B over the year before, according to a recent analysis by Burrill & Co. and PhRMA.

Parting Quote

"Medical miracles do not happen simply by accident. They result from painstaking and costly research, from years of lonely trial and error, much of which never bears fruit, and from a government willing to support that work. From life-saving vaccines, to pioneering cancer treatments, to the sequencing of the human genome -- that is the story of scientific progress in America. When government fails to make these investments, opportunities are missed. Promising avenues go unexplored. Some of our best scientists leave for other countries that will sponsor their work. And those countries may surge ahead of ours in the advances that transform our lives."

President Barack Obama, Remarks, Signing of Stem Cell Executive Order and Scientific Integrity Presidential Memorandum (March 9, 2009)

University of Colorado's Office of Technology Transfer Mission Statement

The mission of the CU Technology Transfer Office is to aggressively pursue, protect, package,
and license to business the intellectual property generated from the research enterprise,
and to serve faculty, staff, and students seeking to create such intellectual property.

(303) 735-3711
[email protected]

http://www.cu.edu/techtransfer