AN OVERVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH

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AN OVERVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF BATH

• Jenni Solbe Alison Evans
• Technology Transfer Managers,
• University of Bath
• June 2007

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Topics

• Overview of Research and Innovation Services
• Role of the Technology Transfer Team
• The commercialisation process- - evaluating
  inventions - Building the offering - attracting
  licensees or investors
• Current portfolio
• Examples of success
• Case Study
• Introduction to the IP Group

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Research and Innovation Services
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Consultancy
Research Support Unit
Innovation Centres
IP Group
Research, Development and Collaborations
Technology Transfer
Legal Services
Enterprise Development Fund
Patent Budget
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What is technology transfer?

• The transfer of technology (including IP,
  materials, know how) from the academic research
  base into commercial development
• Routes for technology transfer include licensing
  to an existing company or the creation of a
  spin-out company

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University IP Policy

• Inventions arising from the research base are
  owned by the University
• Revenues arising from commercialisation are
  shared equally between the Inventor, the
  Department and the University

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Commercial Process
FIND
EVALUATE
BUILDING THE OFFERING
ATTRACT LICENSEES OR INVESTORS
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
EXIT
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Find Evaluate

• Survey of research capabilities and intellectual
  property ongoing for life sciences
• Opportunities go through standard assessment
  process
• Market opportunity
• Route and time to market (development process,
  potential licensees)
• Commercial and Technical hurdles
• Competition analysis what is the competitive
  advantage?
• IP position
• Business model licence, spin-out, joint
  venture?

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Building the Offering

• Protection of the invention normally through a
  patent filing
• Access Development Funds
• Enterprise Development Funds (approx 150K per
  year)
• Sulis (Pathfinder awards, investment up to 250K)
• IP Group
• Assistance with writing applications for proof of
  concept funding eg BBSRC Follow On Funds,
  Wellcome Trust University Translation Awards,
  Cancer Research Technology Development Fund

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Attracting Licensees or Investors

• Compilation of marketing materials
• Survey of market (Windhover information, IMS
  Health)
• Circulation of marketing materials
• Assistance with writing business plan
• Circulation to IP Group and Sulis for seed funds
• Links with venture capital firms and angel
  investors eg SWAIN
• Putting together Life Science Databank which
  promotes IP and research capability across
  SetSquared

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Negotiation and conclusion of commercialisation
agreements

• Heads of Terms
• Negotiation with potential licensees or investors
  on behalf of inventor and University
• Drafting and conclusion of legal agreements

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Alliance Management

• Development process slow for pharmaceuticals,
  high attrition rate
• Critical to maintain relationship with licensee
  or spin-out and monitor progress
• Assist with technical hurdles, ensure partner
  conducting diligent development
• Audit sales, receive and distribute revenue from
  milestone payments and royalty on sales

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Levels of Activity (1)

• Our Project Portfolio- 50 Invention disclosures
  each year- Steady state portfolio of 60 live
  projects- Around 10 new (UK Priority) patent
  filings each year (in addition to maintaining
  existing patents) - Around 10 new EDF awards
  approved each year

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Levels of Activity (2)

• In Addition we target- 10 research
  collaborations deals each year (with options to
  licence, consultancies)- 2-6 licences with
  royalties each year- 2 new spin-out companies
  each year- 2-3 workshops to encourage
  collaborations with industry each year (drug
  discovery, tissue regeneration, cell signalling)

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Technologies of interest

• Validated gene or protein targets associated with
  a disease mechanism
• Therapeutics (small molecules, antibodies/recombin
  ant proteins, gene therapy)
• Diagnostics/Biomarkers
• Platform technologies (Drug delivery/formulation,
  screens, RNAi, Antisense, Imaging (eg MRI, ESR
  etc))
• Research tools (transgenic mice, cell lines,
  antibodies, vectors, promoters, research
  reagents, equipment)
• Transgenic plants (eg yield enhancement, insect
  resistance)
• Novel anti-parasitic agents (nematicides,
  insecticides etc)
• Medical devices (eg implants for orthopaedics,
  glucose sensors)
• Biomaterials (novel scaffolds for tissue
  engineering, bioreactors)

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Current Life Science portfolio things in our
pipeline.

• Novel protein therapeutic for Rheumatoid
  Arthritis
• Domain selective inhibitors of Angiotensin
  Converting Enzyme (ACE) - hypertension
• NAADP modulators for multiple sclerosis
• BIG Gene
• Ovarian cancer diagnostic

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Spin-out Successes
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A licensing case study

• The technology-
• Solution atomisation and crystallization by
  sonication SAX
• Novel method for controlled crystallization of
  drug particles
• Applications Inhaled drug formulations
• Advantages - Improved stability, improved batch
  to batch variation, controlled particle size
  all valuable improvements over existing
  technologies

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SAXs Case Study the process

• October 2002 - Initial disclosure of idea
• February 2003 Patent filing
• October 2003 EDF Award
• July 2004 Present business case to Sulis
• October 2004 Further review by Sulis
• February 2005 Approach by company
• September 2005 6 month evaluation agreement
• July 2006 Heads of Terms
• January 2007 Deal signed

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SAXs Case Study the outcome

• Technical and commercial development agreement
  and licence including
• Up front fee covering patent costs
• Royalty on revenues relating to products
  involving SAX
• Milestone payment on execution of first
  commercialisation contract
• Studentship agreement
• Contract service agreement

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Summary

• Universities are a rich source of potential
  commercializable ideas
• IP can be commercialised by a number of routes
  including licensing and spin-outs.
• At Bath we have an expert team, and resources
  within Research and Innovation Services (RIS) to
  help commercialise your ideas successfully
• Active portfolio of projects and impressive track
  record which we are keen to build upon

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IP GROUP PARTNERSHIP

• Who are the IP Group?
• What is the business model?
• IP Group partnerships
• Partnership with Bath- 25 Year partnership-
  5M fund- Onsite presence- Arising
  opportunities
• www.ipgroupplc.com

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Any Questions?

• Contact us
• Jenni Solbe - J.Solbe_at_bath.ac.uk
• Ext 5239
• Alison Evans - a.j.evans_at_bath.ac.uk
• Ext 3350
• Brad van Hooijdonk - Brad.Vanhooijdonk_at_ipgroupplc.
  com
• 07775 808076