by Jeff Bendix

Case Western Reserve University has reported increases in every aspect of its technology transfer program in fiscal year 2003, including invention disclosures received, licenses and options executed and income generated.

During the past 12 months, the University's Technology Transfer Office received 107 invention disclosures from CWRU faculty, compared to 88 during the 2002 fiscal year and 60 in 2001. In addition, the office executed 15 licenses and option agreements, 96 non-disclosure agreements, 147 material transfer agreements and assisted in the creation of two companies, Interventional Imaging Inc. (I3) and NDI Medical.

The technology transfer office received $10 million in revenues from licensed technology, almost half of which came from a new license. CWRU received $3 million in licensing revenues in fiscal year 2002 and $2 million in 2001.

"We are extremely pleased with our results for the year," said Casey Porto, associate vice president for technology transfer. "Not only do they demonstrate substantial growth over our previous year, but they are positive indicators of increasing interest and participation in technology transfer by our faculty and researchers."

Mark Coticchia, CWRU vice president for research and technology management, said the benefits to the Northeast Ohio economy are the primary reason why the University's technology transfer results for fiscal year 2003 are so significant.

"These results are important in and of themselves, but just as important they indicate the substantial progress the University has made in getting CWRU technology out into the marketplace, where it can benefit society," Coticchia said.

Porto added that the technology transfer staff has been working to increase the number of invention disclosures and license agreements by holding more than 25 educational seminars for CWRU faculty and staff this year, as well as upgrading its Web site to include basic documents needed for technology transfer.

"We want to do everything we can to simplify and demystify the process," she said.

Other technology transfer highlights during the year included the creation of Case Technology Ventures (CTV) a University-operated pre-seed fund that invests in very early stage companies based on university intellectual property. CTV received a grant of almost $1 million in the latest round of funding from Ohio's Third Frontier Project.

"CTV gives our technology transfer office an enormous advantage relative to traditional university technology transfer because we have the resources available to advance our own early stage companies to the point where they can attract substantial outside investment," said Nick Frollini, managing director of CTV.

The fund made its first investment in fiscal year 2003, with a $250,000 investment in Interventional Imaging Inc.

Porto said the technology transfer office is continuing to build a strong infrastructure. In the coming weeks, the University expects to add two new licensing professionals in the fields of engineering and life sciences, as well as an assistant vice president for biomedical sciences.

In addition, the office will move into new space on the sixth floor of the Sears building, sharing space with the CWRU Office of Research Administration, which oversees the University's research funding.

"By putting our offices of research and tech transfer together, we hope to provide our faculty with a ëone-stop shopping' experience," Porto said.

Return to the online edition of the 7-24-03 Campus News.

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