University of Colorado
Technology Transfer Office
Monthly Newsletter
October 2009 - Vol 6, Issue 4
TTO Logo & CU Logo
What's Inside
Spotlight
CU Technology in the News
People
Upcoming Events
Innovation in the News
External Resources
Parting Quote
Links
 
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Spotlight On:

CU-Boulder Technology of the Month:

 

Breakthrough Therapies for Neuropathic Pain

 

UC Denver Technology of the Month:


Neural Cell Transplantation for Treatment of Huntington's Disease, Other Neurological Disorders

TTO's Job Corner

Bioscience Licensing Associate
The CU Technology Transfer Office is seeking a Life Sciences Licensing Associate for its Anschutz Medical Campus office (Aurora, CO). The Licensing Associate has responsibility for the management and administration of a portfolio of intellectual property, which involves identifying, soliciting, and evaluating invention disclosures for patent and market potential, prioritizing investments in the portfolio, and negotiating and administering option and license agreements. Please review the full requirements - to apply, visit www.jobsatcu.com (posting #807777).

Chemistry/Biochemistry Licensing Associate
The CU Technology Transfer Office is seeking a Licensing Associate for its Boulder office, with a background in Chemistry (including Biochemistry), Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Biology or a related discipline. The Licensing Associate manages a portfolio of intellectual property, which involves identifying, soliciting, and evaluating invention disclosures for patent and market potential, prioritizing investments in the portfolio, and negotiating and administering option and license agreements. Please review the full requirements - to apply, visit www.jobsatcu.com (posting #808284).

Today at the TTO

Xalud Therapeutics Launched to Commercialize CU Breakthroughs in Pain Management
TTO recently executed an option agreement with Colorado-based Xalud Therapeutics, Inc., giving Xalud the right to commercialize a novel treatment approach for neuropathic pain and other diseases of the central nervous system invented by Dr. Linda Watkins of CU-Boulder. The company's lead product candidate is a proprietary, non-opioid based therapy that eliminates neuropathic pain in highly-predictive, gold-standard rodent models; the company also believes its treatment approach may be effective against diseases of the central nervous system. Neuropathic pain is a chronic, debilitating condition affecting millions of people in the U.S., and is expected to grow into an $8.5B market by 2018.

Podcast: Universities Step Up to the Plate for Entrepreneurs
W3W3 radio chatted with Paul Jerde, Executive Director of CU-Boulder's Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, and Larry Jones, a member of the center's Executive Committee, about the center's operation and relationship with the CU Tech Transfer Office. Listen to the podcast, or view an archive of all TTO podcasts.

Update: Bioscience Discovery Evaluation Grant Program
In early October, TTO received 36 applications for the Colorado Bioscience Research and Evaluation Grant  (BDEG) program. After internal TTO review, 15 applications were forwarded to the external VC/business review panels, who will then decide which proposals will reach the final stage of live presentation to the panels. TTO expects to fund 9-11 proposals total for this round of grants. Additional information on the BDEG program is available online.

TTO Releases Updated Bioscience Technology Pipeline
TTO has released its 2009 updated Bioscience Technology Pipeline, providing an overview about CU therapeutic, diagnostic, and medical device technologies at all stages of development. To view the pipeline please visit our Tech Explorer site. (Look for an updated Physical Sciences pipeline soon.)

CU Technology and Licensee Companies in the News

MedShape Solutions Lands $10M Financing, FDA Clears First Device
CU licensee MedShape Solutions Inc. has closed on $10 million in equity backing from private investors and received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance to market its PEEK orthopedic shape memory material, the company announced in late September.

ION Engineering Named in GoingGreen 100 Top Private Companies
CU licensee ION Engineering has been named among the Top 100 Private Companies by GoingGreen, which assesses the breakthrough potential of companies' technologies, market size, management team, and investors.

Louisville's GlobeImmune Making Strides with Therapies for Cancers, Infectious Diseases
Louisville-based GlobeImmune, Inc. - a CU licensee which develops immunotherapies to treat some infectious diseases and cancers - has two products in later-stage clinical trials for hepatitis C and pancreatic cancer, and has another product for lung cancer in an early trial. The privately held 14-year-old company also has the backing of some of the biggest names in the bioscience industry.

Commercializing the Nobel-Winning Discovery of the Bose-Einstein Condensate
A start-up company, ColdQuanta Inc. of Boulder, is making it easier for interested groups to experiment with Bose-Einstein condensates. It has begun to deliver the RuBECi, a briefcase-size device containing the basic components and environment for creating Bose-Einstein condensates.

Reliable, Easy-To-Use Tests Could Aid Treatment
CU licensee InDevR plans to place its FluChip for identifying H1N1 and other influenza in 20 public health labs by the end of October or early November 2009.

UCCS Professor on Cutting Edge of Laser Nasal Surgery
A Colorado Springs professor is nearing animal trials for a laser device that could lessen the complications and expense for nasal surgery. Dr. Michael Larson, El Pomar Chair of Engineering and Innovation and associate vice chancellor for research at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, is working on the device, which would mark the first time a laser has been approved for nasal surgery.

People

UC Denver Researcher's 'Fever Molecule' Breakthroughs Earn Ehrlich Prize
UC Denver professor of medicine Charles Dinarello's search for the "fever molecule" began in 1965, the year he started Yale Medical School. Some scientists believed a human molecule existed that caused fever without infection. They wondered if the same molecule also caused other kinds of inflammation. Dinarello's research proved so important that in 2009, he has won three of the world's most prestigious medical science awards; the latest in October when German officials announced that Dinarello will receive one of that country's most revered medical awards, the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize.

CU-Boulder Engineering Professor Elected to Institute of Medicine
Kristi Anseth, a University of Colorado at Boulder distinguished professor and the Tisone Professor in chemical and biological engineering, has been elected to the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. Anseth, who also is an associate professor of surgery at the University of Colorado Denver and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, is among 65 new members and five foreign associates announced by the institute in October.

SPORE Wins $11.5M Grant to Advance R&D on HPV Vaccines
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center has won an $11.5 million grant from the NCI to explore cervical cancer research, prevention, and treatment. The Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in cervical cancer also includes Johns Hopkins University and the University of Colorado at Boulder. The SPORE grant will focus on next-generation HPV vaccines for the prevention of cervical cancer. It will also test therapeutic agents that have shown promise in preventing, slowing, or effectively treating the disease.

$11M NIH Grant: Researching Molecular Roadmap of Lung Disease 
Researchers at five research centers have been awarded an $11 million, two-year grant from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute as part of the NIH Recovery Act that will allow a team of national scientists to delve deeply into the biology of two fatal lung diseases for which there are few therapeutic options. The multi-center Lung Genomics Research Consortium will use advanced genetic and molecular tools to characterize and better understand chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis. UC Denver's Mark Geraci is one of the five lead principal investigators on the project.

UC Denver Scientists Win $870K Head and Neck Cancer Grant
University of Colorado Cancer Center scientists have been awarded a coveted American Recovery and Rehabilitation Act (ARRA) Challenge Grant to find biomarkers for head and neck cancer stem cells. Xiao-Jing Wang, MD, PhD, Antonio Jimeno, MD, PhD, John Song, MD, and Stephen Malkoski MD PhD are the co-investigators on the grant, which will be funded at $870,000 over two years. ARRA Challenge Grants were developed to move innovative, high-impact science from the laboratory to the clinic quicker.

UCCS Computer Science Professor Earns $400,000 Junior Faculty Grant
Xiaobo (Joe) Zhou, an associate professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Science's department of computer science at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, recently was awarded a five-year, $400,000 grant from the NSF's Early CAREER Development Program. The award, NSF's most prestigious grant for junior faculty, will help support his research project "Building Resilient Internet Services With Learning and Control."

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

Entrepreneurs Unplugged: David Cohen, Executive Director of Techstars

October 19, CU-Boulder

Entrepreneurs Unplugged is a meeting place where faculty, students and community members with technical backgrounds learn about and get involved in entrepreneurship.

 

Third Annual CU-Boulder Energy Research Symposium

October 21, CU-Boulder

Hosted by the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI, formerly the CU-Boulder Energy Initiative), this symposium will begin with a keynote address by Professor Steve Rayner of Oxford University followed by a poster session in which faculty, research associates, graduate students and other scientists display research projects and ideas for tackling energy and related climate change or sustainability issues. Participants can learn about related research interests and expertise on the CU campus and at local federal laboratories. Additionally, a Seed Grant Competition with awards up to $50,000 will be held following the Symposium; only poster participants in the Symposium will be eligible to submit proposals to the Seed Grant Competition.

 

TTO Faculty Seminar: Resources for Preclinical Drug Development

October 22, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora

Hear about best practices, tips and pitfalls in preclinical drug development from Regulus Pharmaceutical Consulting, an industry leader in preclinical drug development, and discover new resources available to CU investigators through the new Colorado Institute for Drug, Device & Diagnostic Development (CID4), as well as funding and advisors available through the CU Technology Transfer Office. This event is free and open to CU faculty from all campuses. Breakfast will be provided - please RSVP by via email or at 303-724-1039.

 

RETool: Business Opportunities in Renewable Electricity

October 29, Denver

This one-day business workshop led by CU-Boulder faculty will tell you what you need to know about renewables and electricity, including key business opportunities and challenges for renewable electricity technologies.

 

Boulder/Denver New Technology Meetup Group
November 3, 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.

 

NIST Technology Showcase

November 9, NIST Laboratory, Boulder

Tour the NIST labs and talk with NIST scientists about commercialization of their innovations. Registration and information online - sponsored by CO-LABS.

 

2009 BioWest Conference

November 10, Grand Hyatt, Denver

Hosted by the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), this conference brings together bioscience executives from around the region. The conference program features keynote addresses and panel discussions, along with a venture competition. Full agenda and registration online.

 

TTO Faculty Seminar: Patent Decisions and Technology Commercialization (a Case Study)

November 11, CU-Boulder

This "Patents 201" seminar will present a case study (based on a patent portfolio from [inventor]) illustrating how patent decisions affect commercial pathways for CU technologies. Find out how decisions made in the patenting process can increase the value of your technology, and how commercialization decisions may influence patent prosecution. Free and open to CU faculty from all campuses - RSVP to Debra Caamano via email or at 303-735-6645.

 

Colorado Green Tech Meetup

November 12, 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.

 

Call For Presenters: Angel Capital Summit

November 17, Denver

The Summit will feature the best and brightest financing strategies for the Rocky Mountain Region, with an anticipated audience of between 400-700 entrepreneurs, private investors and service professionals.

 

Save the Date: TTO Annual Awards Banquet

January 11, Tivoli Turnhalle, Denver

The 8th annual TTO awards dinner will be held on January 11, 2010 at the historic Tivoli Turnhalle in Denver. This event celebrates people and companies that exemplify the outstanding year experienced by technology transfer at CU. For information about purchasing a table, please contact Lynn Pae at [email protected] or 303-735-0550.


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

Specialized Training for Innovative Entrepreneurs Needed in Higher Ed, Study Finds
Given the important contribution of innovative entrepreneurs, it is essential for colleges and universities to adopt effective programs to educate and train prospective business founders who will introduce new products and new production processes, find new markets, or innovate in other ways, finds a study released by the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy: Toward Effective Education of Innovative Entrepreneurs in Small Business: Initial Results from a Survey of College Students and Graduates (PDF). 

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

Florida to Invest $250M in Tech Companies
Florida is investing $250 million in technology and science companies based in the Sunshine State, a move supporters say will solidify the state's place in the cutting-edge economy. The Florida Growth Fund has begun doling out money from the state pension fund, which will be invested in the technology, aerospace and science sectors in Florida.

Kansas Bioscience Group Grants $50M for Investment
The Kansas Bioscience Authority is providing $50M to increase the amount of investment dollars available for Kansas-based life science companies. The firms were chosen for their expertise in the bioscience sector, especially animal health, bioenergy and medical products. The money will be invested in Kansas companies are that just starting out and need capital to conduct research or make their scientific research marketable.

Quebec to Make $123M Biopharma Investment
Quebec Economic Development Minister Cl�ment Gignac revealed in early October that the province would be investing C$123 million in pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Roughly half of the country's pharma industry is based in Quebec and 42 percent of R&D is conducted in the province; officials hope that by providing additional funding, they can prevent life science companies from moving out of the province.


CU Resources

CU-Boulder's Deming Center for Entrepreneurship Releases Annual Report
The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the CU-Boulder LEEDS School of Business, a long-time TTO partner, has released its annual report highlighting its recent accomplishments, as well as its "Vision 2014." If you would like to receive a hard copy of this report please or require further information please contact [email protected] or 303-735-5415.

External Resources

Economic Recovery Remakes U.S. Venture Capital Map
While the U.S. venture capital (VC) industry struggles to recover from the last year's sudden collapse in fundraising and investment, several regions are successfully rebuilding their venture environment. Venture investment remained far below 2008 levels in the second quarter of 2009, with venture centers such as Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, New York City and Texas falling farther from their lackluster numbers in the first quarter. Other key regions however, such as Philadelphia, and states in the Southwest and Southeast performed at, or near, the level of investment they experienced at the same time last year. Though the industry remains highly volatile, these changes have the potential to narrow the venture funding gap between Silicon Valley and the rest of the country.

Royalty-Based Venture Financing, Born in Boston, Could Shake Up VCs and Startups
Every once in a while, an investment model comes along that turns the innovation community on its head. The venture capital industry, still less than 50 years old, is one example. Now an emerging paradigm called royalty-based financing, applied to early-stage startups, may be another.

The Valuation High Ground
Holding the valuation high ground allows a biotech company to get the most value from potential partners. Here is how to establish and defend financial valuation (via Bioentrepreneur).

Parting Quote

"The outcome of any serious research can only be to make two questions grow where only one grew before."

Thorstein Veblen, Norwegian-American economist and sociologist.

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