News feed from UCLB 2012-05-18T06:32:14Z Site Admin info@www.uclb.com tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/rss.php?section=news tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-has-been-working-closely-with-professor-kerry-chester-and-her-colleagues-from-the-ucl-cancer-institute-to-support-the-development-of-new-humanised-antibodies-with-potential-to-treat--cancer 2012-05-09T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB has been working closely with Professor Kerry Chester and her colleagues from the UCL Cancer Institute to support the development of new humanised antibodies with potential to treat cancer.In a collaboration enabled by UCLB, Professor Chester will work with scientists from the Therapeutic Antibody Group at MRC Technology (MRCT) to develop humanised forms of antibodies against the promising cancer targets carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and thealpha-v-beta-6 integrin. CEA is present on a high proportion of colorectal cancers and other cancers of the gastrointestinal tract whilstalpha-v-beta-6 is present on various cancers, including pancreatic, oral, cervical and ovarian cancer, where it appears to have a role in the growth of malignant tumours. The project is benefitting from access to MRCT's considerable expertise and experience in antibody engineering where murine antibodies can be transformed into humanised drug-like molecules. Once humanised, the antibody is significantly less likely to be recognized by the patient's own immune system, preventing it from being cleared too quickly and maximising its therapeutic effect on cancer cells. Current work supported by the Debbie Fund aims to validate the therapeutic potential of these antibodies in cervical cancer."We are absolutely delighted with progress of this project," said Kerry Chester, the project's lead investigator. "This generation of humanised antibodies in collaboration with MRCT brings us a significant step closer to a new treatment for patients with cervical cancers". These antibodies are being commercialised in collaboration with Cancer Research Technology, the technology transfer organisation of Cancer Research UK. Image :Immunoflourescent staining of a cancer cells targeted with one of the antibodies developed for cervical cancer treatment. Antibody bound to cells is shown in red, nuclei of cells in blue.About UCLBUCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports and commercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market. UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challenges of increasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing. For further information, please visit www.uclb.comAbout The UCL Cancer InstituteThe UCL Cancer Institute was established in 2007 and is the hub for cancer research at UCL. The Institute is located in the heart of London, and part of UCL The Cancer Institute is part of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, within the School of Life- and Medical Sciences. This School comprises the largest concentration of biomedical researchers in Europe. The Cancer Institute hosts the majority of cancer research at UCL, whilst other cancer activities across the UCL campus form part of a new Cancer Domain. The overall remit of the Institute is to develop a cancer presence and excellence, which rival other major national and international hubs for cancer research. For further information, please visit www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/cancerAbout MRC TechnologyMRC Technology (www.mrctechnology.org) is a technology transfer company responsible for translating cutting edge scientific discoveries into commercial products. MRC Technology adds value to cutting edge scientific discoveries through strategic patent protection and creative licensing of intellectual property (IP), through partnered research or through further scientific development. MRC Technology also has small molecule drug discovery and therapeutic antibody facilities, providing lead stage therapeutic assets to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. About Debbie Fund Debbie Fund is set up in memory of Debbie Phillips, who died of Cervical Cancer on 11th February 2010. During the progression of Debbies disease, it became apparent that there was no dedicated research into a drug treatment specifically for Cervical Cancer. Debbie Fund was set up to raise sufficient funds to ensure that the necessary research could be carried out by a team of scientists at University College London. Due to the amazing efforts of Debbie Fund's supporters, research is already under way. For further information, please visit www.debbiefund.org

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-patented-technology-helps-to-improve-vision-in-rats-with-glaucoma-like-nerve-cell-damage 2012-03-08T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Scientists funded by the Medical Research Council have successfullyused adult human retinal stem cells to repair nerve cells damagedin glaucoma, partially restoring vision in rats. If the success can be replicated in humans it may eventuallylead to new treatments for glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversibleblindness in the world, and other degenerative eye conditions by slowing sightdeterioration, or reversing it altogether. The research is published in thejournal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.Glaucoma occurs when a build up of pressure in the eye leadsto the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which form the nerve fibres ofthe optic nerve and that transmit visual information from the eye to the brain.The condition can be treated in the early stages, but if diagnosis is late ortreatment doesn't work, damage to the eye cannot be reversed. The researchers looked at whether injecting a type of adulthuman stem cell, known as the Mller glia stem cell, could stimulate repair of damagedRGCs in an animal model. Mller glia are found in the retina of humans andother vertebrates and are multipotent, meaning they can grow into any of the differentnerve cells found in the retina. The researchers used chemicals to induce Mller glia to growinto precursors of RGCs, before transplanting them onto the retinas of ratswhich had damage to their own RGCs.After four weeks, the injected cells appeared to have formednew connections (synapses) with existing nerve cells and the rats hadsignificantly improved retinal function when their vision was tested under verylow light conditions. The scientists hope that, with further work, they will beable to develop new treatments to improve or restore vision in patients withuntreatable glaucoma.Dr Astrid Limb, who led the study at the UCL Institute ofOphthalmology, UCL, said: "Although this researchis still a long way from the clinic, it is a significant step towards ourultimate goal of finding a cure for glaucoma and other related conditions. Weare optimistic that after further work on animal models to perfect ourtransplantation technique we will be in a good position to start early-stageclinical trials on humans in around three to five years."The human eye isactually very efficient. We can still have fairly good vision with very fewfunctioning retinal nerve cells, which is why many glaucoma patients don't showsymptoms until it is too late to treat the underlying cause of their visionloss. If we can restore even a small number of RGCs through cell therapy, andachieve functioning vision, we could potentially delay or even reverseblindness caused by glaucoma."Professor Peng T Khaw, director of the NIHR BiomedicalResearch Centre at Moorfields and the Institute of Ophthalmologyand a co-author of the paper, said: "These results arevery exciting. We see patients with glaucoma whose lives would be transformedwith an improvement of only a small percentage of nerve cell function. Theresults of these experiments suggest that this may be possible in the futureusing cells we all have in our own eyes to achieve this. Translational researchlike this gives hope to the many millions of people who have lost vision due toglaucoma."Dr Rob Buckle, head of regenerative medicine at the MRC,said: "Regenerative medicineis a key priority for the MRC and it's wonderful to see another example of howour significant investment in stem cell research in recent years is beginningto deliver results. Repair of the eye is an area that is now at the forefrontof this field, and this study highlights a new route for delivering the promiseof regenerative medicine to treat disabling conditions such as glaucoma." Dr Rachel Hemsley, Senior Business Manager at UCLBsaid:"Glaucoma is thesecond largest cause of blindness in the world with an estimated 65 millionpeople suffering from it. The potential to create a therapy and recover visionfor patients is very exciting. We are working with the team to translate keyresearch findings into a product which addresses a clear, unmet medical needboth within the UK and worldwide."The research was carried out by scientists at the UCLInstitute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. It was fundedby the MRC, the Helen Hamlyn Trust, Fight for Sight, Moorfields Special Trustees, and the NIHR BRC at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCLInstitute of Ophthalmology. Patents to this technology are held by UCLB.LinksBBC storyMRC storyAbout the Medical research CouncilFor almost 100 years the Medical Research Council has improved the health of people in the UK and around the world by supporting the highest quality science. The MRC invests in world-class scientists. It has produced 29 Nobel Prize winners and sustains a flourishing environment for internationally recognised research. The MRC focuses on making an impact and provides the financial muscle and scientific expertise behind medical breakthroughs, including one of the first antibiotics penicillin, the structure of DNA and the lethal link between smoking and cancer. Today MRC funded scientists tackle research into the major health challenges of the 21st century. www.mrc.ac.ukAbout Moorfields Eye Hospital/UCL Institute of Ophthalmology Moorfields Eye Hospital/UCL Institute of Ophthalmology NIHR Biomedical Research Centre is a partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Established in April 2007, its purpose is to conduct 'translational research' that is designed to take advances in basic medical research from the laboratory to the clinic, enabling patients to benefit more quickly from new scientific breakthroughs. Our centre is currently one of 12 biomedical research centres that were awarded in 2007 to NHS/university partnerships with an outstanding international reputation for medical research and expertise, and experience of translating that research into the clinical setting. For further information, please visit www.brcophthalmology.org. About UCLB UCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports and commercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market. UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challenges of increasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing. For further information, please visit www.uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-spinout-company-endomagnetics-wins-a-life-sciences-award-by-the-science-business-innovation-board 2012-02-23T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The award - given as part of theScience Business Academic Excellence Awards (ACES) - was to recogniseEndomagnetics as one of the most promising European university life sciencesspin-out companies and was announced at the European Entrepreneurship Summit inBrussels on Tuesday. In selecting Endomagnetics asthe winner, the judges highlighted the novelty of the company's research, itsclear evidence of commercial success and the potential impact its productswould have on society. The company, using technologydeveloped jointly by UCL and the University of Houston and funded by aninvestment syndicate led by UCLB, is developing advanced magnetic sensingtechnology for use in breast-cancer screening, and can significantly extend theavailability of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), currently the standard ofcare in tracking the spread of breast cancer.The ACES, run by The ScienceBusiness Innovation Board and now in their fourth year, are the onlypan-European awards for enterprise from university and public researchinstitutes. They are intended to foster a culture of enterprise amongresearchers.Commenting on the award toEndomagnetics, Dr Steven Schooling, Director of Engineering and PhysicalSciences at UCLB, said: "UCL Business is rightlydelighted that the entrepreneurial efforts of Quentin Pankhurst in developingEndomagnetics have been recognised at the ACES awards - and we look forward tocontinuing to work with the Endomagnetics team on this exciting opportunity."Collecting the Life Sciences Award on behalf of Endomagnetics, ProfessorPankhurst, CTO, added: "We are naturally thrilled atour work being selected for this award. We are especially delighted atrecognition of the huge potential for magnetic nanotechnology to improveprocedures and outcomes for clinicians and patients alike."About EndomagneticsEndomagnetics was founded to solve cancer staging and healthcare challenges through the application of advanced magnetic sensing technology and nanotechnology. Endomagnetics is developing a portfolio of medical device products based on a patented ability to detect magnetic materials in the human body with exceptional sensitivity. The technology was originally developed at University College London and the University of Houston.For more information please visit www.endomagnetics.comAbout UCLBUCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports and commercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market. UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challenges of increasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing.For further information, please visit www.uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/the-carbon-trust-has-invested-in-a-novel-low-cost-fuel-cell-architecture-which-is-being-commercialised-by-ucl-business-and-imperial-innovations 2012-02-20T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

TheCarbon Trust is injecting over half a million pounds into a collaborationbetween UCL and Imperial College to accelerate the commercialisation of aninnovative fuel cell.Thenew technology could help the UK gain asignificant share of a fuel cell market estimated by the Carbon Trust to beworth up to $26bn in 2020.Fuelcells efficiently convert the chemical energy contained in a fuel directly intoelectricity - they produce electricity like a battery but are fuelled like anengine or a boiler. Although fuel cells are already emerging inspecific markets, they are currently too expensive for widespread commercialapplications, such as road vehicles and co-generatingheat and power. A reduction of a third inthe cost of mass-producing a fuel cell system could unlock a global fuel cellmarket worth billions of pounds annually. TheCarbon Trust is running the Polymer Fuel Cell Challenge (PFCC) to develop,prove and commercialise novel fuel cell technologies which have the potentialto deliver a step-change in overall system cost. TheUCL and Imperial College collaboration led by Dr Dan Brett (UCL Department ofChemical Engineering) and Professor Anthony Kucernak (Imperial CollegeDepartment of Chemistry) is developing a fuel cell stack that could offersignificant cost savings by using existing high-volume manufacturing techniquesemployed in the production of circuit boards. DrTim Fishlock, Senior Business Manager at UCLB, said: 'This novel fuel cellstack has huge commercial potential and the funding from the Carbon Trust comesat a critical point in its development. UCLB has also invested its own proof-of-concept funds into the project andwe continue to work with our colleagues at Imperial Innovations to help bringthis exciting technology to market'.About the Carbon TrustThe Carbon Trust is a not-for-profit company with themission to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy, providing specialistsupport to business and the public sector to help cut carbon emissions, saveenergy and commercialise low carbon technologies. By stimulating low carbonaction we contribute to key UK goals of lower carbon emissions, the developmentof low carbon businesses, increased energy security and associated jobs.For further information, please visit www.carbontrust.co.ukAbout UCLBUCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports and commercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-led universities.UCLB has a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market.UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challenges of increasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing.For further information, please visit www.uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-spinout-company-abcodia-collaborates-with-volition-rx-to-advance-the-discovery-of-blood-based-biomarkers-for-cancer 2012-02-17T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Abcodia, a biomarker validation company and aUCL spin out company, with investment from UCLB, has today announced acollaboration with life sciences company Volition Rx which will advance thedevelopment of biomarkers for the early detection of cancer.The partnership will discover and develop nucleosome-baseddiagnostic tests for lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancer by using the latestground breaking technology.Abcodia will work closely with Volition on thedesign of the programme and the identification of cohortsamples from its large prospective serum biobank and, VolitionRx will use its expertise in developing blood-based diagnostic tests to producethe very latest and innovative nucleosome-based diagnostic tests for cancer. Julie Barnes, Chief Executive for Abcodia, said: "We aredelighted to be able to partner with a company as dynamic as Volition on thisgroundbreaking technology and are looking forward to advancing their earlystage cancer biomarkers towards diagnostic products that will make a vitaldifference to people's lives and well being."Cameron Reynolds, Chief Executive of VolitionRx, said: "Thecollaboration with Abcodia is a key partnership for us. Access to Abcodia'ssamples will potentially expedite the development of our blood-based diagnostictechnology, Nucleosomics. We believe that data from validation of thousands ofsamples, across multiple cancer areas, will help us to reach our goal ofapplying for European CE Mark approval this year." ABOUT ABCODIA Abcodia is a specialist company engaged in the validation and discovery of biomarkers ofcancer and other age-related diseases. The company'sprospective biobank has over 5,000,000 serum samples derived from more than200,000 initially healthy volunteers, 50,000 of whom have provided samplesannually, making this an ideal resource for identifying biomarkers for diseasescreening. Abcodia was spun out from UCL with investment from UCLB. Abcodia hasbeen granted rights to commercialise IP from one of the largest biobanks in theUK which has been created by lead clinical scientists at UCL, one of theworld's leading research-led universities. For further information please seewww.abcodia.com ABOUT VOLITION RX Volition is a diagnostic specialist company based in the US, withoffices in Singapore and Belgium. Its goal is to make its non-invasive bloodtests for cancer as common and simple to use as existing diabetic andcholesterol tests on similar formats. Based on its proprietary NucleosomicsTM technology, thecompany has developed tests that detect the nucleosome patterns that arespecific to cancer in blood, and identify some of the major nucleosomevarieties that differ between cancer types. Development activities arecurrently centered in Belgium and will be augmented by commercialization work inSingapore with a focus on bringing its revolutionary diagnostic products tomarket first in Europe, then the US and worldwide.For further information please see http://www.volitionrx.com/about-us.html About UCLB UCLB is aleading technology transfer company that supports and commercialises researchand innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-leduniversities. UCLB has asuccessful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protectingpromising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It investsdirectly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research andmanages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory tomarket.UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challenges ofincreasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to Global Health,Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing. For further information, please visit www.uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-patented-technology-used-to-develop-a-potential-new-treatment-for-corneal-surface-disease 2012-02-14T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Researchers at UCL have made a significant advance towardsdeveloping a treatment for Corneal Surface Disease, using RAFTTM; aUCLB patented technology licensed to Tap Biosystems. The development was led by Professor Robert Brown at UCL's TissueRepair and Engineering Centre (TREC) and Professor Julie Daniels at the UCL'sInstitute of Ophthalmology, in collaboration with TAP Biosystems and fundingfrom the Technology Strategy Board.Professor Daniels used an innovative method of synthetic tissueproduction, known as RAFTTM, which uses collagen to create cornealtissue; closely mimicking that of actual human cornea. It has the potential tosignificantly improve the success rates of cornea repair surgery and will allowpeople with corneal surface disease to have replacements without waiting foreye donors. The patented RAFTTM technology has previously been usedto create a wide range of different artificial human tissues. This is the firsttime it has successfully been used to mimic that of human cornea tissue. "This project has advanced our understanding of what is requiredto engineer a tissue in the laboratory for patient transplantation," explainsJulie Daniels, Professor of Regenerative Medicine and Cellular Therapy at theInstitute of Ophthalmology. "It's exciting because it provides a real prospectfor treating patients with blinding corneal surface disease, using a stem cellpopulated tissue equivalent that is simply, quickly and reproducibly prepared."Dr Rachel Hemsley, Senior Business Manager at UCLB said "Thisproject is an exciting contribution of disciplines bringing togetherregenerative medicine and tissue engineering with the aim of meeting a keymedical need of restoring sight to patients. This advance has arisen throughthe long standing relationship between IoO at UCL, UCLB and Tap Biosystems". Image :stem cell colonies that have been stained with a dye to make them visible. About UCLB UCLB is a leading technology transfercompany that supports and commercialises research and innovations arising fromUCL, one of the UK's top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track recordand a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising newtechnologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly indevelopment projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages thecommercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market.UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challengesof increasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to Global Health,Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing. For further information, please visitwww.uclb.com AboutTap Biosytems TAP Biosystems (formerly The AutomationPartnership) provides advanced automation systems and services to improveproductivity in life science research, development and production.For further information, please visit www.tapbiosystems.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-supports-venture-capital-firm-mti-to-target-new-investment-fund 2012-02-09T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The Orion fund is being launched in a partnership between UCLB,MTI and the technology transfer offices of the Universities of Manchester andEdinburgh.UCLB will work alongside UMI3 of the University ofManchester and ERI from the University of Edinburgh to identify investmentopportunities in spin-outs, from the three universities.Commenting on the initiative, SirRichard Heygate of MTI said: "The United Kingdom has always beenone of the most innovative countries in the world, although sometimes it haslagged behind others in turning this creativity into world ranking businesses. "Today, we have some of the highestranked universities and business schools, a concentration of leading PrivateEquity, Venture Capital and other investment skills, a government committed toencouraging innovation and start-up businesses and a secure economy andcurrency. "The new fund is well positioned totake advantage of all of these opportunities and create significant new wealthfor our investors and our country."Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB said "UCLB looks forwardto working with MTI and is excited about this partnership which is set to bringin new money and established expertise to realise more spin-outs, from theworld class research carried out at UCL. The Orion fund will be a welcome addition tothe funding landscape". AboutUCLB UCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports andcommercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's topresearch-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and astrong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies andinnovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects tomaximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisationprocess of technologies from the laboratory to market.UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challenges ofincreasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to Global Health,Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing. For further information, please visit www.uclb.com AboutMTI MTI is a leader in the field of technologyventure capital, and one of the most successful and experienced technology fundmanagers in the UK. MTI has a sustained performance record across more than twodecades and five venture funds. MTI's latest fund, The UMIP Premier Fund wasraised in 2008 as Europe's largest institutional fund to have a singleuniversity focus, and works in partnership with the University of Manchester. MTI has recently announced its intention toraise the new ORION Fund, to expand upon its successful investment strategy inUK University Intellectual Property. Tofind out more information about MTI, please visit www.mtiventures.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/a-team-of-budding-student-entrepreneurs-have-won-a-500-cash-prize-provided-by-uclb-in-the-ucl-apprentice-challenge-2012 2012-01-26T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The competition, hosted by Ernst Young at its London headquarters, sawthe eight teams of students selected by the UCL Entrepreneurs Society battlingit out in a series of challenges to be crowned ultimate victor. The day saw the teams in a frantic dash around London completing threedifferent challenges: negotiation and haggling to get a list of items ascheaply as they could, including a Russian flag; starting up a business to makeas much profit as possible in an afternoon - with ideas ranging fromshoe-shining to a photo stall with a giant shark outside London Aquarium - andfinally, a pitch for a market-leading bag to UCL Business and Ernst Youngjudges. Competition was fierce - and all the teams put on a performance that LordSugar himself would have been proud of - but it was Team Alpha, the mostconsistent team throughout the challenge, who were the eventual winners."All the teams had a fantastic time, and have gained experience which shouldserve them really well in the future," said Zaki Ahmed, the President of theUCL Entrepreneurs Society. "The students who took part were studying loads ofdifferent subjects, not just Finance or Economics - which shows you can be fromany background and be entrepreneurial."Team Alpha will nowrepresent UCL at the London Apprentice Challenge, with the final taking placeon campus on 1st March. They'll be taking on teams from LSE, KingsCollege, Royal Holloway and Imperial College for the title of ultimate Londonchampion. Image: left to right, Wisdom Uzor, David Heasman, Sarina Gurung and Will Jones Links UCL Entrepreneurs Society - Twitter.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/pentraxin-therapeutics-founder-is-awarded-a-knighthood 2012-01-05T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB 2011 Award winner, ProfessorSir Mark Pepys was knighted for services to Biomedicine in this year's NewYears Honour 2012 list.Professor Pepysis the founder of Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd, a UCL spinout company whichfocuses on the treatment of amyloidosis and the Director of the Centre forAmyloidosis Acute Phase Proteins Division of Medicine; UCL's Royal FreeCampus.Professor Pepys was granted the 2011 UCLB Award for hisdetermination and perseverance in pursuing the development of three novel smallmolecule targets, securing significant translational research grant funding andsecuring two licence transactions with GSK. Earlier in 2011, pharmaceuticalgiant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced they were signing up 10 academic 'superstars'for long term partnership to develop medicines more cost effectively. They choseProfessor Pepys as their first academic 'superstar'.In May 2011,Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd licensed a second drug development programme to GSKto develop Professor Pepys invention of novel small molecules that stabilisetransthyretin (TTR), a blood protein which can cause a rare but fatal diseasecalled amyloidosis. About Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is acompany spun out from University College London (UCL) by UCL Business PLC(UCLB) to hold and develop the intellectual property of Professor Sir MarkPepys and his colleagues in the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute PhaseProteins. The company designs new treatments for systemic amyloidosis and the amyloid-relateddiseases, Alzheimer's disease and type II diabetes, as well as targeting thepathogenic effects of C-reactive protein in cardiovascular and inflammatorydiseases.For further information, please visit http://pentraxin.wordpress.com/ About UCLB UCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports andcommercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's topresearch-led universities. UCLB has asuccessful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protectingpromising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It investsdirectly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research andmanages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory tomarket.UCLBsupports UCL's Grand Challenges of increasing UCL's positive impact on andcontribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interactionand Human Wellbeing. For furtherinformation, please visit www.uclb.com Links UCL Awards for Enterprise Ceremony UCL ProfessorMark Pepys hailed as an 'academic superstar' by GlaxoSmithKline Pentraxin announces licensing deal with GSK to develop medicinefor rare disease Treatment for amyloidosis a step closer

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-spinout-company-endomagnetics-ltd-has-been-shortlisted-for-the-aces-final-in-2012 2011-12-20T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The ACES (Academic Enterprise Awards) programme, formed topromote innovation in Europe, is holding its fourth annual awards final inBrussels next year.Selected as one of three finalists in the Life Sciencesaward category, Endomagnetics Ltd is to participate in the two day "Start up! The European Entrepreneurship Summit"event.Professor Quentin Pankhurst, Chief Technology Officer ofEndomagnetics, who will be representing the company at the final, said "It's a real honour to be in the running forone of the ACES awards, and a welcome recognition of all the hard work that thewhole team has put in. In 2011 we passed the CE audit for our injectable Sienna+magnetic tracer which, coupled with our existing CE marked product, the SentiMagTM, is being prepared for a European launch in 2012. It is a veryexciting time." About Endomagnetics Endomagnetics was founded to addresscancer staging and healthcare challenges through the application of advancedmagnetic sensing technology. Endomagnetics is developing a portfolio of medicaldevice products based on a patented ability to detect magnetic materials in thehuman body with exceptional sensitivity. The technology was originallydeveloped at University College London and the University of Houston. Thecompany's first product, the SentiMagTM, is an ultrasensitive hand-held probefor detecting nanoscale magnetic materials in the human body. London-basedEndomagnetics is in the process of delivering its technology to global markets.For more information please visit www.endomagnetics.com. About UCLB UCLB is a leading technologytransfer company that supports and commercialises research and innovationsarising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful trackrecord and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising newtechnologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly indevelopment projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages thecommercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market.UCLB supports UCL's GrandChallenges of increasing UCL's positive impact on and contribution to GlobalHealth, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing. For further information, pleasevisit www.uclb.com LinksACES

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/gene-therapy-treatment-of-haemophilia 2011-12-16T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The recent publication by UCL (Professor Amit Nathwani), St Judes Childrens hospital and the Royal Free Hospital in the New England Journal of Medicine describes how a single infusion of this Factor IX treatment consistently leads to long-term expression of the missing protein. This missing protein is found at therapeutic levels, without acute or long-lasting toxicity in patients with severe haemophilia B. The gene-therapy approach, even with the associated risk of transient hepatic dysfunction, has the potential to convert the severe bleeding phenotype into a mild form of the disease or to reverse it entirely. Physicians have experienced hope that follow-up studies will fully define the benefits, risks and optimize dosing.UCLB, working with the team lead by Professor Nathwani is developing a gene therapy for Hemophilia A which utilises a novel promoter and a highly-expressed sequence for the clotting protein Factor VIII. Haemophilia A is caused by a deficiency of the clotting factor Factor VIII. This is the most frequent clotting disorder, and has an incidence of approximately 1 in 5,00010,000 male births. The direct (clotting factor therapeutics) and indirect (in-patient treatment) costs of treating haemophilia A are substantial.Building on expertise in haemophilia B treatment with a Factor IX gene therapeutic, the UCLB technology is currently in pre-clinical development. Planning is underway to take this technology into the clinic within the next few years.LinksNew England Journal of Medicine UCLs press releaseHeamophilia A technology on UCLB technology directory For further information, please contact Chris Loryman, Senior Business Manager: Email, c.loryman@uclb.com, Telephone 020 7679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-s-consultant-entrepreneur-finishes-top-30-in-global-entrepreneurship-competition 2011-12-09T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

ChesterMojay-Sinclare, UCLB's consultant entrepreneur and CEO of CharityCheckout.co.uk, participated inthe 2011 Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards in New York, last month.Chester's participation in NACUE's National Varsity Pitch earlier this year, earned him aplace as a Global Finalist and the UK's representative in thecompetition. He competed in the Global Final with students and recentgraduates from across the globe and finished in the top 30. As a youngentrepreneur, Chester went "head-to-head against the best studententrepreneurs in the world," according to the GSEA website.Chester said it was a privilege to compete in the Global Finals, "I was competingagainst 30 entrepreneurs from 24 different countries around the world, many ofwhom were running businesses with multi-million dollar revenue, some whilestill studying at university. It was an inspiring experience and a privilege tocompete with the other young entrepreneurs."Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB said "workingwith Chester is a pleasure, being the UK finalist in the National Varsity Pitch and representing the UK in this global competition is no mean task andtruly recognises Chester's entrepreneurial flair and business potential".LinksCharity CheckoutChester Mojay-Sinclare, UCLB's Consultant Entrepreneur

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-agrees-exclusive-licence-deal-with-the-linde-group 2011-11-15T00:00:00Z Douglas Thomson

UCLB has agreed an exclusive licence with the world-leading gases and engineering company The Linde Group for a process to separate and purify single-wall nanotubes. Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) offer excellent electronic and mechanical properties, making them suitable for a vast range of potential applications ranging from supercapacitors to touch-screen displays.Current methods of production result in SWNTs that are typically highly agglomerated and contain a mixture of metallic and semiconducting species. However, to be of most use in commercial applications the nanotubes need to be individualised and purified. Current techniques used to deliver the required level of purity and separation typically produce very low yields (micrograms) and also often result in damage to the nanotubes. A research team from the London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) consisting of Dr Chris Howard and Professor Neal Skipper (UCL) and Professor Milo Shaffer and Dr Sian Fogden (Imperial College) has developed a novel process to separate and purify SWNTs. This sonication-free enrichment process relies on the selective reduction of SWNTs in liquid ammonia. The SWNTs accept solvated electrons and spontaneously de-bundle. The process is high-yielding, cost-effective and commercially scalable, thus addressing a key gating factor in the successful commercialisation of these unique materials.The licence agreement negotiated by UCLB grants Linde exclusive rights to a portfolio of IP developed in the LCN relating to the carbon nanotube separation and purification process. Dr Tim Fishlock, Senior Business Manager at UCLB, said: This licence is the culmination of a programme of collaborative work between the LCN and Linde over the past few years. Its a fantastic example of successful technology transfer, taking a process developed in the university lab to full industrial scale-up. Linde is the perfect commercialisation partner for this technology and we wish them every success with their future plans.Graham McFarlane, Head of Linde Nanomaterials, said: We are excited about the potential of purified and separated carbon nanotubes for applications in microelectronics and other sectors. UCLB is an excellent technology partner. The technology transfer between UCLB and Linde was seamless. We have already scaled the technology at our research and development centre in San Marcos, CA. Products based on the technology will be available soon.About LindeThe Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 49,100 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2010 financial year, it achieved sales of 12.868 billion euro. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.comAbout LCNThe London Centre for Nanotechnology is a UK-based multidisciplinary enterprise operating at the forefront of science and technology. Our purpose is to solve global problems in information processing, healthcare, energy and environment through the application of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Founded in 2003, the LCN is a joint venture between University College London and Imperial College London and is based at the Bloomsbury and South Kensington sites.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/cella-energy-opens-new-facility-at-nasa-s-kennedy-space-center 2011-10-11T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

CellaEnergy Ltd is to set up a new facility at NASA's iconic Kennedy Space Center(NASA KSC) as a result of a $2.5million investment led by Space Florida. Theinvestment in Cella's new safe, low-cost hydrogen storage technologies willalso enable Cella Energy to set up a facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in the UK. The funds will see the number ofjobs at Cella Energy more than double. CellaEnergy's technology was developed by researchers at University College London(UCL) in collaboration with scientists from the RAL and the University ofOxford. It provides a cheap, safe and practical way of storing hydrogen,meaning that it is no longer necessary to use high-pressure tanks. Hydrogen,which produces only water when burned, is considered an ideal solution tocutting carbon emissions from road vehicles, the source of 25 per cent of thecarbon released in countries like the USA and the UK. Theinvestment led by Space Florida has been secured just eight months after Cellawas founded, and follows an initial investment from Thomas Swan Co Ltd, aspecialist UK chemical company established in 1926. DrTim Fishlock, Business Manager at UCLB, said: 'As a shareholder UCLB is delightedthat Cella Energy has secured this next round of investment from Space Floridain what is clearly a very challenging economic climate. We wish the team everysuccess with their future plans and look forward to seeing these exciting,innovative technologies reach market.'Moredetails on the technology can be found at www.cellaenergy.com Image : Replacement AC Adaptor Incorporates PEM Fuel Cell system About Cella Energy Ltd Cella Energy Limited has unique patented technology in safe,low-cost hydrogen storage materials. Cella is a spinout company from the RutherfordAppleton Laboratory at Harwell, Oxford, UK. RAL is a UK Government facility,equivalent to Argonne National Laboratory in the US. The company's leadinvestor is Space Florida, an Independent Special District of the State ofFlorida, created by Chapter 331, Part II, Florida Statutes, for the purposes offostering the growth and development of a sustainable and world-leading spaceindustry in Florida. Cella has facilities at RAL and the NASA Kennedy SpaceCentre in Florida.Work began on the technology in 2007 led by Professor Stephen Bennington and Dr Arthur Lovell at the 1,200 person STFC ISIS facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and at the London Centre for Nanotechnology at University College London (UCL). The work at UCL was led by EPSRC funded EngD student Zeynep Kurban and Professor Neal Skipper. In addition Professor Bill David from STFC and Dr Martin Owen Jones from Oxford University, have provided valuable insights into advanced complex hydride materialsCella Energy is a member of the UK Hydrogen and Fuel CellAssociation (UKHFCA). About Space Florida SpaceFlorida was created to strengthen Florida's position as the global leader inaerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce. As the State ofFlorida's aerospace economic development organisation, we are committed totripling the size of Florida's aerospace-related economy by 2020. With itshighly trained workforce, proven infrastructure and unparalleled record ofachievement, Florida is the ideal location for aerospace businesses to thrive -and Space Florida is the perfect partner to help them succeed. Forfurther information, please visit the website: www.spaceflorida.gov About UCLB UCLBis a leading technology transfer company that supports and commercialisesresearch and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-leduniversities. UCLBhas a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying andprotecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. Itinvests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the researchand manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratoryto market.UCLBsupports UCL's Grand Challenges of increasing UCL's positive impact on andcontribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interactionand Human Wellbeing. Forfurther information, please visit the website: www.uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclbs-antimicrobial-catheter-is-featured-in-the-times 2011-10-10T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The Times newspaper recently featured an article on UCLBs patented antimicrobial catheter. The catheter, which will help to prevent infections in catheterised patients, is being developed by a team led by Professors Mike Wilson and Ivan Parkin.The article, entitled Lasers triple whammy could stop hospital infections entering the body, describes the benefits of this technology over existing antimicrobial catheters, such as the rapid killing of bacteria and the inability of bacteria to develop resistance to this mode of killing. Professor Mike Wilson states in the article: Not only do these light-activated microbials prevent bacteria from attaching to the catheter, they also dislodge them and then kill them. Its like a triple whammy. Derek Reay, Senior Business Manager at UCLB, said: It is very satisfying to see The Times newspaper feature this UCLB technology. As well as internal UCLB proof of concept funding, this project has received a substantial grant from the Medical Research Council. We are very hopeful that the catheter will progress into the clinic and will provide further armament against hospital-acquired infections. About UCLBUCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports and commercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market.UCLB supports UCLs Grand Challenges of increasing UCLs positive impact on and contribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing. For further information, please visit the website: www.uclb.com (Article published in The Times Saturday 1 October 2011, Page 18)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-launches-english-grammar-app 2011-09-02T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business PLC (UCLB) and The UCL Survey of English Usage (SEU)have launched an innovative iPhone App (the interactive Grammar of English ,"iGE") which provides a complete interactive course in English grammar,enabling English language students to develop their knowledge and skills moreeffectively. The SEU/UCLB App is targeted at students studying the Englishlanguage at secondary school, high school or university, as well as those whoare studying English as a second or foreign language. Indeed, it is aimed at anyonewho is interested in clear, plain English.The SEU/UCLBApp distinguishes itself from other English grammar learning materials inseveral ways: iGE uses clear and bright colours to highlight grammatical points The course materials have been developed by UCL researchers who areestablished leaders in the area of English grammar and have significantexperience in developing English Language Training materials for use inschools, colleges and universities.The exercise materials are taken from the SEU's spoken and writtenEnglish language databases (corpora), which means that all the examples areauthentic. Importantly, in contrast with student textbooks, which often use fixed(i.e. 'hard-wired') and artificial examples, the examples used in the App arecontinually changed, providing users with a dynamic and exciting learningenvironment. Professor Bas Aarts comments "the SEU team have developed the App inresponse to students and teachers who say that many existing learning tools,whether they are paper-based or interactive, often fail to meet their Englishlanguage learning needs. Teachers and students are given advice about grammarthat is often dated, confusing and, in some cases, highly misleading. This Appoffers students the opportunity to practise their language skills and studyEnglish whenever they want and wherever they are. Further Apps for punctuationand spelling are planned for the near future." Dr Steven Schooling from UCLB notes that "the market for EnglishLanguage learning tools is worth hundreds of millions of pounds per annum, withsignificant growth in overseas markets such as South-East Asia, driven by mobilityand employment trends, and we expect the App to be a valuable resource for bothstudents and teachers across the world." Dr Schooling adds that "the releaseof the App demonstrates UCLB's commitment to knowledge transfer in UCLdepartments such as English, and will provide a bridgehead for furtherdevelopments across the Arts and Humanities."Users can test their grammar on the train. Exercises like this 'spotthe noun' test can be played against the clock (upper right). ABOUT THE APP The App is currently available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Click here for a free 'iGE Lite' version of the SEU/UCLB App which is available from theApple App StoreClick here for the full iGE version (4.99) of the SEU/UCLB App which is available from the Apple App Store Please contact Professor Aarts if you wish to have a review copy ofthe complete iGE App. ABOUT THE SEU The Survey of English Usage (SEU) is a world-leading English language researchunit at UCL founded by Professor The Lord Quirk in 1959. It iswidely recognised for its research on present-day English and has produced manypublications, including the ComprehensiveGrammar of the English Language, which is considered a standard referencework in the field. It is also well-known for its pioneering work in the area ofcorpus linguistics. A linguistic corpus is a specialised, searchabledatabase of written and spoken material, compiled for the purposes of languageresearch. The SEU houses three corpora amounting to over 1.4m words of fully parsed(grammatically analysed) English sentences, which span a wide range of genresand contexts, and include sound recordings. These corpora have been usedall over the world for scholarly research, and arestate-of-the art resources. For further information, please visit www.ucl.ac.uk/english-usage ABOUT UCLB UCLB is a leading technology transfer company which supports andcommercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's topresearch-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and strongreputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies andinnovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects tomaximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation processof technologies from the laboratory to the market. UCLB supports UCL's Grand Challenges by increasing UCL'spositive impact on, and contribution to, Global Health, Sustainable Cities,Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing.For further information, please visit: www.uclb.comFor more information contact Professor Bas Aarts , SEU Tel: +44 (0) 20 7679 3130Email: b.aarts@ucl.ac.uk Dr Steven Schooling , UCLB Tel: +44 (0) 20 7679 9793Email: s.schooling@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-helps-to-support-the-joint-ucl-health-research-centres-receive-165-million 2011-08-26T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB, UCLs technology transfer office has contributed to and supported and will continue to support the centres receiving the award in their translational strategy to turn basic science into market ready therapies, diagnostics and medical devices.Click here to read the full press release on UCL's website.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-supports-the-ucl-ear-institutes-work-with-gsk-spinout-company-autifony 2011-08-18T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The UCL Ear Institute, with support from UCLB, isdelighted to be working with Autifony Therapeutics Limited (Autifony) todevelop effective treatments for tinnitus and other hearing disorders. Autifony is a spin-out from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)with preclinical assets targeting voltage-gated ion channels, the modulation ofwhich is thought to have potential in the treatment of hearing disorders,including noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.Autifony's team will be working in collaboration with Professor David McAlpineand Dr Jennifer Linden, leading experts in auditory neuroscience at UCL's EarInstitute. As well as working withAutifony, UCL is also a founder shareholder in Autifony, along with GSK,Imperial Innovations and SV Life Sciences.About UCL Ear Institute In 2000 an 11m Joint Infrastructure Fundgrant from the Wellcome Foundation was awarded to build a Centre for AuditoryResearch to bring together auditory research scientists and clinicians fromacross UCL.The new centre was a companion to the long standing Instituteof Laryngology and Otology (ILO) and its incorporated School ofAudiology.This cross faculty, multidisciplinary group needed a new,unifying identity so the ILO was disestablished and the Ear Institutecreated.Professor David McAlpine became the new Director of the EarInstitute in June 2006, taking over from Prof Tony Wright. In partnership withthe RNTNEH, the Ear Institute now constitutes the largest single grouping ofbasic and clinical scientists interested in hearing and deafness in the UK. Forfurther information, please see the website: www.ucl.ac.uk/ear About AutifonyAutifony Therapeutics Limited is a newlycreated UK biotech company dedicated to discovering new medicines to treathearing disorders, such as hearing loss and tinnitus. Given the noveltyof this therapeutic area, Autifony is taking a novel approach, uniting in-house'big pharma' experience of discovering drugs for CNS (central nervous system)indications with an efficient, virtual network of discovery services providedby preferred contract research organisations, and coupling this to expertise inhearing within top academic institutions, including UCL's Ear Institute.Autifony has also forged strong links with the UK charity, Action on HearingLoss (formerly RNID) who provide an important insight into the needs of peoplewith hearing disorders, and thus help us to ensure that the new medicines thatwe discover will meet their needs.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-has-agreed-an-exclusive-licence-with-periowave-dental-technologies 2011-08-17T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB has agreed an exclusive licence for the disinfection andsterilisation of tissues, wounds and lesions in the oral cavity with PeriowaveDental Technologies (PDT Inc). The newlicence agreement will allow PDT Inc to expand the indications for itsphotodisinfection technology based on UCLB's intellectual property. PDT Inc. develops and commercialises antimicrobial photodynamic therapiesfor the treatment of a broad spectrum of bacterial, fungal and viral infectionsin the oral cavity. This therapy doesnot promote the formation and spread of antibiotic resistance and is thereforegaining interest as an alternative to antibiotics. Photodisinfection was pioneered by Professor Mike Wilson and colleagues at theEastman Dental Institute at University College London. ProfessorWilson stated that "the Periowave Photodisinfection System is a simple,pain-free, non-surgical and non-antibiotic approach for the treatment of gumdisease (periodontitis, endodontics, peri-implant disease) and other oralinfections". According to PDT Inc,photodisinfection is a powerful non-thermal antimicrobial technology proven inclinical trials to generate superior patient outcomes such as gains in clinicalattachment and reductions in pocket depth and bleeding, and does not requirepatient compliance. Derek Reay, Senior Business Manager at UCLB said 'thislicence agreement places all licence rights in PDT Inc and should allow thecompany to expand quickly into new markets previously not available to them'.Further informationAbout UCLBUCLB is a leading technology transfer company which supports and commercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK's leading research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to be market ready.UCLB supports UCLs Grand Challenges of increasing UCLs positive impact on and contribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing.For further information, please visit the website: www.uclb.com About Periowave Dental TechnologiesPeriowave Dental Technologies, Inc., is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For additional information and to learn more about Periowave and photodisinfection technology, please contact info@periowave.com or visit the Company's website at: www.periowave.comFor further information please contact Derek Reay, Senior Business Manager (BioPharm) at UCLB on 0207679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-spinout-company-endomagnetics-ltd-secures-funding-for-expansion-and-product-launch 2011-08-09T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLBspinout company Endomagnetics Ltd, whose magnetic sensing technology willextend the availability of best practice in cancer staging on a global basis, closeda 1.2 million investment round on 5th August 2011. Existinginvestors UCLB , Bloomsbury Bioseed Fund and Sussex Place Ventures allparticipated in the investment round and were joined by Sarum Investment SICAVplc , a recently launched oncology focused venture fund. Theproceeds from the investment round will be used to support team expansion andaccelerate the market introduction of the company's SentiMagTM product and itsassociated magnetic tracer. SentiMagTM isan ultrasensitive hand-held probe that is capable of detecting specialised,subcutaneously injected magnetic materials and is used to locate lymph nodes tosupport the diagnosis and treatment of cancer."We aredelighted to have Sarum joining this important funding round", said Dr EricMayes, CEO of Endomagnetics. "Sarum brings an impressive knowledge network and,alongside our existing investor base, has provided the capital we need torealise the regulatory approval of our magnetic tracer and expand ourcapabilities in advance of a product launch."Dr Steven Schooling from UCL BusinessPLC commented that "UCLB are pleased with recent progress that the company hasmade in tackling clinical, regulatory and business development challenges andwe look forward to continuing to work with the management team as Endomagneticsseeks to establish itself as a leading player in oncology markets". Image : SentiMagTM For further information UCL Business PLCUCL Business PLC (UCLB) is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at UCL, one of the UK's leading research-led universities. UCLB undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. For further information, please visit the website.EndomagneticsEndomagnetics was founded to solve cancer staging and healthcare challenges through the application of advanced magnetic sensing technology and nanotechnology. Endomagnetics is developing a portfolio of medical device products based on a patented ability to detect magnetic materials in the human body with exceptional sensitivity. The technology was originally developed at University College London and the University of Houston.The companys first product, the SentiMag, is an ultrasensitive hand-held probe for detecting nanoscale magnetic materials in the human body. London-based Endomagnetics is in the process of delivering its technology to global markets. For more information please visit www.endomagnetics.com.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-annual-summer-reception 2011-07-22T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

On Thursday 7 July UCLB hosted its annual Summer Reception tocelebrate a year of successes, with drinks, canaps and entertainment fromUCL's Jazz Society set against the backdrop of the neo-classical UCL Porticoand Flaxman Gallery. The event provided an informalnetworking opportunity for employees and guests of UCL, UCLB, UCLConsultants and others from the industry, in order to promote the value oftechnology and knowledge transfer.UCLB was delighted to welcome UCLs President and Provost Professor Malcolm Grant, who addressed the guests with a speech about the importance and value of enterprise to UCL. The event highlighted UCLs major strengths, including the biomedical sciences. Dr Anne Lane , Executive Director of UCLB outlined some of the major achievements over the last 12 months. The UCLB medical device spinout company, Endomagnetics, has achieved another round of financing to progress development of the intellectual property developed at UCL by Professor Quentin Pankhurst and at the University of Houston. This companys first product, SentiMag, assists surgeons during the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer, and will have many other applications in diagnostics and detection. Professor Mark Pepys, with whom we'veworked for many years, was this year named by GSK as the first of 10 academicsuperstars and also won the UCLB Prize in UCL's 2011 Enterprise Awards.Professor Pepys' groundbreaking research into amyloidosis continues to bedeveloped with support from UCLB and GSK. Professor Mark Pepys was this year named by GSK as the first of 10 academic superstars and also won the UCLB Prize in UCLs 2011 Enterprise Awards and his groundbreaking research into amyloidosis continues to be developed with support from UCLB and GSK. Abcodia Ltd a biomarker company focusing on diagnostics and personalised medicine, based on the work of Professors Ian Jacobs and Usha Menon ,was established with investment from UCLB and Albion Ventures. Abcodia has access, through UCL, to a unique resource of the samples from the more than 200,000 women who took part in the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS), founded in 2001 by Professor Jacobs.UCLB has also helped with the developmentof a device for addressing the problem of patient dehydration in hospitals andcare homes. Professors Hugh Montgomery and Monty Mythen have invented a devicethat ensures adequate hydration even for incapacitated patients, enabling themto drink safely whilst lying down. Professor Alex Seifalian appeared onthe BBC to talk about his team's latest work, demonstrating UCL as a leader inthe field of devices for reconstructive surgery. Professor Seifalian and histeam designed and built the windpipe 'scaffold' used in an operation on anIcelandic patient at the Karolinska University Hospital and KarolinskaInstitutet. This patient had late-stage trachealcancer and no suitable donor trachea was available. The patient's own stemcells were seeded onto Professor Seifalian's scaffold and a full biologicaltrachea was grown in a bioreactor before being implanted into the patient.Because the transplant used the patient's own cells, there was no rejection ofthe implant and the use of immunosuppressants was unnecessary. The operationwas a success and the patient has already been discharged from hospital. Dr. Lane also drew attention to the fact that UCLB has a much wider focus than just biomedical technologies. Reflecting the entrepreneurial spirit present at all levels of UCL, UCLB has recently established the company Thiologics, based around the work of UCLs own Vice-Provost of Enterprise, Professor Steve Caddick and his research group in the Department of Chemistry. UCLB has invested in Charity Checkout, the charity-based company of UCL student Chester Mojay-Sinclare, and is also helping in the development of an English app for the iPhone based on the work of Professor Bas Aarts, initially to improve grammar in secondary schools.The focus of this years reception was the Slade School of Fine Art. The Slade has a world-class reputation, both within and outside of the art world and although a school of fine art might not seem like the obvious place for enterprise and entrepreneurship, the Slade has been teaching these skills for ears throughout its undergraduate and graduate teaching programmes. Students at the Slade are taught not only how to develop their artistic skills but also how to present their work and how to prepare spaces in which to show their work to its best advantage. The Slade has produced numerous Turner Prize nominees and winners, and Tacita Dean , a Slade alumnus, will be the next artist to create a commission for Tate Moderns Turbine Hall this autumn. This year UCLB presented as gifts in aprize draw two original pieces of art from graduates of the UCL Slade School ofFine Art. The work of the Slades alumni is in demand throughout the world; its undergraduate and graduate art shows are popular and well attended, and result in many sales of the work on display. Slade students are equipped not only to create new forms, but to budget, produce, display and sell their artworks skills that are not only essential for a career as an artist, but also for all areas of business and enterprise, and this year we wanted to highlight those skills. This year UCLB presented as gifts in a prize draw two original pieces of art from graduates of the UCL Slade School of Fine Art; Kazumi Hyodo and Alejandro Cano Lasso . Dr Anne Lane, Executive Director of UCLB said 'This year has been a successful one for both UCL and UCL Business. Its a great pleasure to be able to welcome our guests, people and companies who have worked or are working with UCL and UCLB, to hear about the many diverse activites and opportunities UCL has to offer'. Images Top Left: UCLs President and Provost Professor Malcolm Grant and Professor Mark Thomas Bottom right: Keith Sargent with UCL Slade School of Fine Art, Kazumi Hyodo

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-and-ncype-announce-a-commercialisation-agreement-with-special-products-limited-for-epistatus 2011-07-22T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business PLC (UCLB) and the National Centre for Young Peoplewith Epilepsy (NCYPE), a specialist epilepsy charity, have signed a commercialisation agreement with Special Products Limited, a specialtypharmaceutical company focused on niche therapeutic areas, in preparation forthe marketing of the Special Product's proprietary epilepsy treatmentEpistatus as a licensed medicine. Professor Brian Neville and Dr Rod Scott from UCL's Institute ofChild Health (ICH) and NCYPE have been closely involved in the development of Epistatus since the inception of the product 10 years ago. Special Products is currently seeking UK marketing authorisationfor Epistatus, which has been distributed internationally as an unlicensedmedicine for more than 10 years on compassionate use. Epistatus, a proprietary buccalformulation of midazolam maleate, is used to stop an epileptic seizure fromdeveloping into status epilepticus, a life-threatening condition. Special Products filed for marketing approval from the UKMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) earlier this year.Once the product is approved in the UK, it is intended that the marketingauthorisation will be extended to other European countries and selected worldmarkets. Thenegotiation of this agreement was supported by Dr Chris Williams , UCLB BusinessManager (BioPharm), who is responsible for ICH's intellectual property. Dr Williams commented: 'We are pleased to have completed this agreement with Special Products, and look forward to seeingEpistatus become widely available for patientsas a licensed medicine.' For Further Information Special Products Limited Special Products Limited is a UK specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and distribution of medicines for patients with rare disorders and unmet medical needs. Our core skill is in the development of long shelf-life products, which we distribute from our headquarters in Weybridge, Surrey, throughout the UK and into export markets. For further information, please visit the website. UCL Business PLC UCL Business PLC (UCLB) is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at UCL, one of the UK's leading research-led universities. UCLB undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. For further information, please visit the website. National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy The National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy (NCYPE) is a national charity for children and young people with epilepsy and other neurological conditions. The NCYPE works in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust and the UCL's Institute of Child Health. It campaigns for improved epilepsy services for children and young people through its Champions for Childhood Epilepsy Campaign. The NCYPE'S campus in Lingfield, Surrey includes residential and day provision at St Piers School and the NCYPE Further Education College. Also on campus is the award-winning Neville Childhood Epilepsy Centre, which hosts a range of diagnostic, assessment and rehabilitation services, along with the Childhood Epilepsy Information Service (helpline 01342 831342 Mon-Fri 9am-1pm) and a SureStart Children's Centre for all local families. For further information, please visit the website.For further information please contact Dr Chris Williams, Business Manager (BioPharm) at UCLB on 0207679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-technology-used-in-windpipe-transplant 2011-07-08T00:00:00Z Douglas Thomson

A UCL scientist and his team designed and built the synthetic windpipe 'scaffold' used in an operation in Sweden announced by the Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet today.The windpipe (trachea) implanted in this patient was developed using nanocomposite materials which were developed and patented by Professor Alexander Seifalian (UCL Division of Surgery Interventional Science), whose labs are based at the Royal Free Hospital.Together with Professor Paolo Macchiarini at Karolinska, who also holds an Honorary appointment at UCL, Professor Seifalian designed and developed the trachea scaffold using a material known as a novel nanocomposite polymer.Professor Seifalian has worked closely with UCL Business (UCLB), responsible for technology development and commercial transactions at UCL, to patent these materials and develop their use in medical devices. As well as being used for tissue scaffolds, the materials have other potential uses such as coronary stents and grafts. A nanocomposite is a material containing some components that are less than 100 nanometres (nm) in size. To give a sense of scale, a human hair is about 60,000 nanometres in thickness. A polymer is a repeating chain of small, identical molecules (called monomers) which are linked together. Polymers are already used in medical devices, but the properties of these novel polymers reduce the risk of rejection, rupture, or the need for repeat surgery. They have better elasticity, strength and versatility and are formulated to encourage cell growth. A full size y-shaped trachea scaffold was manufactured in Professor Seifalians labs. This was accomplished using a CT (computerised tomography) scan of the patient as a guide, to create the exact shape and dimension needed. A mould was then made using glass.When the polymer scaffold had been made, it was taken to Karolinska where the patients stem cells were incorporated to it (or seeded) by Professor Paolo Macchiarinis team, and the full biological trachea was grown in a bioreactor - a device designed for the procedure by Harvard Bioscience which provides the correct environment for the tissue to grow. This process means the trachea very effectively simulates natural tissue and has the same properties as a real trachea.Professor Seifalian said: Professor Macchiarini has previously performed successful transplants of tissue engineered tracheas, but on those occasions the tracheas used were taken from organ donors and then reseeded with the patients own stem cells.What makes this procedure different is its the first time that a wholly tissue engineered synthetic windpipe has been made and successfully transplanted, making it an important milestone for regenerative medicine. We expect there to be many more exciting applications for the novel polymers we have developed.Images: (Top) Claire Crowley and Professor Seifalian with the synthetic windpipe. (Bottom) The windpipe after the stem cells have been incorporated, just before transplantation.For further information please contact Dr Alexa Smith, Senior Business Development Manager at UCLB on 0207679 9000 LinksKarolinska InstitutetUCL Division of Surgery Interventional ScienceUCL Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative MedicineRoyal Free Hampstead NHS Trust

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-research-team-is-presented-with-a-commendation-certificate-at-the-prestigious-medical-futures-event-for-their-work-on-a-uclb-patented-technology--synthetic-peptide-drugs-for-bone-blood-vessel-and- 2011-06-30T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLresearch team is presented with a commendation certificate at the prestigiousMedical Futures event for their work on a UCLB patented technology - syntheticpeptide drugs for bone, blood vessel and nerve regeneration ProfessorsNikos Donos and Irwin Olsen and Mr Harsh Amin from the Eastman DentalInstitute, UCL have recently discovered that two peptides derived from thedevelopmental protein amelogenin can modulate adult human stem cell development(UCLB patent no. PCT/GB2010/002310) and have manufactured small moleculeversions. One appears to strongly stimulate osteogenesis, while the otherstimulates blood vessel growth and possibly nerve cell development of adulthuman progenitor/stem cells in vitro. Proof of concept has been completed usinga range of adult human primary cells containing a progenitor/stem cell-likepopulation, and blood vessel regeneration has also been confirmed in an ex vivomodel. The research team will soon be testing the potential efficacy of thesenew drugs using in vivo models. Whilecurrent commercially available therapies such as autologous bone grafts andgrowth factors for tissue regeneration are expensive, often unpredictable andcan have a number of adverse consequences, the new UCL peptides are small insize, can be produced relatively inexpensively and could readily be modified totarget specific diseased or damaged tissues within the body. In addition, whilecertain safety issues have been raised about stem cell transplantationprocedures, the peptides discovered by the UCL team provide potentiallyvaluable and safe options for effective clinical therapy.DerekReay, Senior Business Manager (BioPharm) at UCLB, said: 'This UCLB technologyreached the final of the Medical Futures competition, underlining the excellenttechnologies that are emanating from research at UCL. UCLB has filed a patenton this work as well as investing significant proof of concept funding. It is,therefore, particularly pleasing to see this technology progress through thestages of the prestigious Medical Futures Innovation Awards.' Image:ProfessorsNikos Donos and Derek Reay at the Medical Furtures event. About UCLB UCLBis responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research baseat UCL, one of the UK's leading research-led universities. UCLB undertakes abroad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation ofconsultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technologytransfer, company incubation and investment. Formore information please visit the website. About Eastman Dental Institute TheUCL Eastman Dental Institute is recognised internationally as one of theleading centres of research and postgraduate education in the field of oralhealthcare. The Institute is a vibrant community of clinicians, scientists andallied staff focused on a central mission: to promote oral health and wellbeingby advancing knowledge of the causes of orofacial disease and the prevention,repair and regeneration of resultant tissue abnormalities, and to translatesuch findings into clinical practice. Through the accomplishment of thismission the Institute is committed to advancing oral health provision in theUK, Europe and worldwide.TheUnit of Periodontology at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, of which ProfessorDonos is the Head and Chair, focuses on preclinical and clinical research onwound healing related to tissue regeneration, as well as on the association ofperiodontal disease with other chronic diseases. to find out more, please visit the website.For further information please contact Derek Reay, Senior Business Manager at UCLB on 0207679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/launch-of-the-ucl-electrochemical-innovation-lab 2011-06-29T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Electrochemical technology underpins many energy generationand environmentally friendly processes that can reduce CO2 emissionsand improve global standards of living. It is also an area of significant commercialimportance; for example, the Carbon Trust estimates that the UK market forpolymer fuel cells could be worth up to $19bn by 2050.With universities having a key role to play in helping theUK retain and improve its economic competitiveness in this area, the UCLElectrochemical Innovation Lab (EIL) was officially launched on 16 June 2011 atan event attended by over 150 academics and industry representatives.TheEIL seeks to accelerate the commercialisation of electrochemical technologiesarising from UCL's world-class knowledge base in electrochemistry. It is acollaboration between UCL's Centre for CO2 Technology (led byProfessor Stef Simons and Dr Dan Brett), UCL Business PLC (UCLB) and a range ofindividuals with significant expertise in commercialising electrochemicaltechnologies, such as Dr David Hodgson (CEO, Vallontia) and Nick Milligan (CEO,South West Electrolysers).The EIL has been created to: Provide a recognisable conduit for industry andentrepreneurial individuals to connect with UCL's broad expertise inelectrochemical technologies. Develop collaboration mechanisms that incentiviseorganisations to feed their experience of commercialisation and productisationof electrochemical technologies into the UCL knowledge base. Seek to technically and commercially de-risk opportunitiesemerging from the UCL knowledge base at an early stage. Promote new forms of engagement between industry andacademia (e.g. flexible mechanisms for accessing space, expertise andfacilities).Dr Tim Fishlock, Business Manager at UCLB and member of theEIL management team, said: 'The EIL is about creating the right environment toconnect with industry to accelerate the commercialisation of UCL's world-classelectrochemical research. The recent "spin-in" of CMR Fuel Cells to the EIL isevidence of the flexible and innovative approach we're taking.' Images: Professor Steve Caddick, UCL's Vice Provostfor Enterprise, opening the event and Professor Xiao Guo and Dr Dave Hodgsonnetworking at the poster session. For further information please contact Dr Tim Fishlock, Business Manager at UCLB on 0207679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclbs-consultant-entrepreneur-launches-charity-checkout 2011-06-14T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL student and Consultant Entrepreneurat UCLB Chester Mojay-Sinclare has launched the Charity Checkout website, whichoffers a new payment service enabling small charities to benefit from online giving.UCLB is working with Chester and supporting the company.Chester said: 'From today, any charitywho signs up to Charity Checkout will receive an online account where they canmanage their donations and set up custom payment pages for specific campaigns.Charity Checkout will pay out all their donations in a single monthly payment,with Gift Aid included. Furthermore, to get each charity started, CharityCheckout will be giving away free advertising space on some of the UK's mostpopular websites.'Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB,stated: 'Working with Chester is particularly rewarding; the Charity Checkoutwebsite concept he has been working on is based on good business foundationsbut very importantly aims to promote and deliver benefits to many smallcharities.'To find out more information about thelaunch of Charity Checkout, please see the press release on the UK Fundraisingwebsite.About Chester Mojay-SinclareChester will be graduating from UCL thisyear with a BA in Philosophy. He has been heavily involved in entrepreneurshipat UCL for three years and is now working full-time as an entrepreneur. Hisfirst venture was AliveandGiving.com, launched in 2010, which won many UCLAdvances competitions. Chester is now focusing on Charity Checkout, inspired byhis work on AliveandGiving.com. Chester pitched Charity Checkout at the finalof the 2011 National Varsity Pitch Competition and went on to win the SocialEntrepreneurship category.LinksCharity Checkout NACUE National Varsity Pitch Competition Alive and GivingFor more information please contact Anna Zachariassen,Thrive Media Services Ltd, 07949 924303, anna@thrivemedia.co.uk

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/abcodia 2011-05-23T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Abcodia, a company engaged in the validation and discovery of molecular biomarkers for disease diagnosis and screening, is pleased to announce that it has secured funding of 1 million to develop its visionary plans which could transform the way that life-threatening diseases are diagnosed.The investment by Albion Ventures and UCL Business Plc (UCLB) will be used by Abcodia to invest in translational studies using its unique longitudinal serum collection that it has licensed from University College London (UCL), one of the world's leading research-led universities. Through global partnerships, Abcodia aims to make groundbreaking discoveries and improve the diagnosis of many common life-threatening and debilitating diseases, including the major cancers - colon, lung, pancreatic -as well as other conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Julie Barnes, CEO of Abcodia, welcomed the news:"We are delighted to be able to secure this latest investment. Albion Ventures has recognised the progress we have made since the company was launched earlier this year and the considerable value in our exclusive access to what is probably the world's largest longitudinal serum collection. The funding will be used to expand our team and build long term partnerships with both commercial and academic groups interested in working with us to advance the field." Andrew Elder , Partner, Albion Ventures said: "Abcodia is an attractive investment for us given its unique position in the global diagnostic market, which is seeing a rapid growth due to the demand for effective diagnostics for disease screening and personalised medicine." C engiz Tarhan , Managing Director of UCLB said: "We look forward to supporting Abcodia in realising its vision to help bring life changing discoveries in disease screening to market. Our joint investment alongside Albion is an important step to ensuring Abcodia is properly funded and has the necessary backing to succeed." ABOUT ABCODIA Abcodia is an innovative company engaged in the validation and discovery of molecular biomarkers. With its unique longitudinal serum biobank and partnerships with UCL, technology platform providers and leading commercial diagnostic companies, Abcodia is able to support the end-to-end diagnostic development process. For more information please visit the website. ABOUT ALBION VENTURES Albion Ventures LLP is a leading independent venture capital investor, managing approximately 230 million across nine Venture Capital Trusts. For more information please visit the website. ABOUT UCLB UCLBis responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at UCL, one of the UK's leading research-led universities. UCLB undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. For more information please visit the website.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/professor-mark-pepys-wins-uclb-2011-award 2011-05-20T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB awarded Professor Pepys the UCLB Award for 2011 at the UCL Enterprise Awards ceremony for his determination and perseverance in pursuing the development of three novel small molecule targets, securing significant translational research grant funding and securing two licence transactions with GSK.Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB said working with Professor Pepys over the last eleven years has been extremely productive. As a clinician with unreserved commitment and passion to pursue his ideas into clinic for the treatment of patients, he represents a true academic entrepreneur and we are proud to recognise his achievements with this award.Professor Pepys is the Head of the Division of Medicine at the Royal Free Campus of UCLs Medical School and the Director for the Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Protein.Pentraxin TherapeuticsPentraxin Therapeutics Ltd was founded in 2001 to act as the commercialisation vehicle for all of Professor Mark Pepys intellectual property, proprietary information and know how. Professor Pepys has been a director along with Cengiz Tarhan (also Managing Director of UCLB). The company has one employee and all of its research activities are and have previously been conducted within UCL, under Professor Pepys leadership Pentraxin has built a strong IP portfolio to target a number of unmet clinical needs including;1)SAP Inhibitors for the treatment of Amyloidosis. In 2008 Pentraxin entered into a licence agreement with GSK to develop a treatment for systemic amylodoisis using Pentraxins small molecule combined with an antibody.2)C-reactive protein (CRP) palindromic inhibitors for the treatment and prevention of tissue damage. In 2009 the CRP programme has attracted a Medical Research Council Developmental Clinical Studies grant of 3.9m. 3)Transthyretin depletion for treatment of hereditary systemic senile cardiac amyloidosis. This project was granted a 3.89M Wellcome Trust Seeding Drug Discovery award in 2007 and was licensed to GSK in November 2010.LinksUCL Awards for Enterprise Ceremony, now it's 4th yearPrevious UCLB winnersLinks to Professor Pepys workUCL Professor Mark Pepys hailed as an academic superstar by GlaxoSmithKlinePentraxin announces licensing deal with GSK to develop medicine for rare diseaseTreatment for amyloidosis a step closerAlzheimer's disease: a new small molecule approach to treatment from UCLUCL and GSK join forces to develop combined small molecule-antibody treatment for rare disease

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclbs-novel-phase-contrast-x-ray-technology-featured-in-nature 2011-05-11T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

RobertSpeller, Alessandro Olivo and colleagues from the department of Medical Physicsand Bioengineering at UCL have developed a novel phase-contrast x-raytechnology. Recently featured in the Research Highlights section of Nature,UCL's x-ray phase-contrast imaging represents a significant improvement fromconventional x-ray imaging due to the substantially increased visibility offine detail. UCL'srefraction-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging converts phase effects into imagecontrast by means of a system sensitive to deviations in the directions of thex-ray beam. A conventional x-ray source fitted with offset pre- and post-samplecoded masks can select the portions of the x-ray beam actively contributing tothe deviated signal, maximising signal detection and filtering out backgroundnoise.Imagesgenerated to date are strongly supportive of the use of this technology formaterials science, non-destructive testing, security inspection and medicalimaging. Inparticular, Professor Speller and the team have shown improved image qualityand enhanced diagnostic potential when the technology was applied tomammography. The team, currently the recipient of a Wellcome Trust TranslationAward, is currently collaborating with radiologists and pathologists fromBart's and the London NHS Trust to establish and quantify the technique'simproved diagnostic capabilities. Chris Williams, UCLB Business Manager on theproject, said: 'We are extremely excited about the mammography data currentlybeing generated and look forward to supporting the team in identifying suitablepartners to realise and deliver its benefits in the clinic.' Conventionalx-ray imaging technology relies upon the differential absorption of x-rays,however soft mammary tissue has poor absorption and so breast images sufferfrom bad contrast, resulting in low-quality images. Small changes in softtissue such as those that occur in breast cancer do however cause a significantphase change in the x-rays. UCL's system can detect this phase change, givingbetter image quality than is achievable in today's mammographic systems andhopefully leading to improved clinical diagnosis. Images An x-ray phase contrast image of a Beetle. A phantom containing a 2mm thick simulatedplastic explosive and 70 microns thick aluminium detonator wires. (a) and (b) showx-ray phase contrast and the conventional absorption image, respectively,obtained at the same photon statistics, i.e., at the same level of backgroundnoise. The wires are only visible using x-ray phase contrast. Links: 'Appliedphysics: Better X-ray vision', Nature, Vol. 472, p 392 (28 April 2011). AlessandroOlivo, Konstantin Ignatyev, Peter R. T. Munro, and Robert D. Speller,'Noninterferometric phase-contrast images obtained with incoherent x-raysources', Applied Optics, Vol. 50, Issue 12, pp. 1765-1769 (2011). Further information: Pleasecontact Dr Chris Williams, UCL Business PLC T +44(0)20 7679 9000 E c.williams@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/innovative-uclb-idea-scoops-uk-intellectual-property-office-prize 2011-04-04T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has announced UCL Business PLC (UCLB) as a winner of their Fast Forward 2011 competition, which aims to support the very best and innovative knowledge transfer practice, helping to translate the outputs of the countrys research base into economic or social benefit for the UK. UCLBs entry was selected from over 70 applications received by the IPO and the 60,000 prize will allow UCLB to further develop its innovative electronic licensing portal E-LUCID. This will include the provision of an automated solution to the processing of Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), an area that is also of interest to organisations such as Cancer Research Technology, which supported the UCLB bid. In addition, the monies will allow UCLB to adapt the E-LUCID portal for use by other UK universities to market their own software and materials, an area that partners including Cambridge University are keen to support. Dr Steven Schooling, Director of Physical Sciences, Engineering and Built Environment at UCLB, said: We are delighted to win this award. It will allow us to enhance our knowledge transfer activities in the software and materials areas at UCL (University College London), whilst also providing a further basis for collaboration with the technology transfer offices of other UK Higher Education Institutes. Dr Steven Schooling collecting the award from David Richards, recent Chair of the Intellectual Property Office Steering Board. Links:LinksE-LUCID websiteIPO website About E-LUCID In 2010 Dr Steven Schooling, Director of Physical Sciences, Engineering and Built Environment, and Marina Santilli, Business Manager of UCLB, launched E-LUCID, a web portal for the online licensing of university IP. E-LUCID provides a simple solution for handling the licensing of academic software and assists UCL academics in maximising the impact of their research. Uniquely, in comparison to other university technology promotion portals, software promoted on E-LUCID has clearly stated licence terms and a transparent pricing structure. E-LUCID also allows for dual licensing strategies, where the software may be offered free of charge under certain conditions and for a fee under a proprietary commercial value. Since the launch 12 months ago, 1000 software licences have been secured, with an initial portfolio of 10 software products drawn from across UCL. Originally created for the licensing of software, the E-LUCID system is being extended to cater for transacting MTAs across UCL. About UCLB UCLB is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at UCL, one of the UKs leading research-led universities. UCLB undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCLB can be found here

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-spin-out-company-canbex-therapeutics-receives-175-million-translation-award-from-the-wellcome-trust 2011-03-23T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB spin-out company, Canbex Therapeutics Ltd. (Canbex) announced today that it has received a Translation Award of up to 1.75 million ($2.8 million) from the Wellcome Trust to support development of a drug for the treatment of the debilitating muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis and potentially other disorders.The award will facilitate further preclinical development of Canbexs VSN series of compounds and the progression into clinical trials. It is anticipated that a Phase I trial of lead compound VSN16R could begin in December 2012.We are delighted that Canbex can move their lead compound VSN16R forward towards clinical trials, said Dr Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager at UCLB.Preclinical studies have shown that VSN16R treatment reduces muscle spasms in an animal model of MS spasticity, with a far lower burden of side effects than the decades-old compounds that are currently in clinical use. Even at high doses, animals treated with of VSN16R did not show the limpness and muscle flaccidity, know as the rag doll effect, that is a characteristic of existing compounds.Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients urgently need more tolerable treatments for the painful and debilitating muscle spasms that many of them suffer, and we believe that VSN16R has the potential to meet that need, and enhance the quality of life for people living with MS Dr Watts added. MS is a serious and progressive chronic disease for which no satisfactory cure is in sight. Spasticity, characterised by sudden and uncontrollable movements of limb and torso musculature, is among the most painful, damaging and debilitating symptoms of the disease. It can manifest itself in the form of gait disorders, fatigue, spasms and pain. Spasticity can also occur in other conditions, including bladder dysfunction and spinal cord injury. Current forms of treatment for spasticity are unsatisfactory, and a drug against spasticity that is well tolerated and effective could make a substantial difference to quality of life for MS patients and potentially many others. Canbex has been developing its VSN series of compounds with the support of investors including Fast Forward LLC, a not for profit organization established by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, USA, to accelerate the development of treatments for MS. Fast Forwards support has been a uniquely powerful endorsement of our efforts, one which has encouraged other funders and the MS community to engage with us, Dr Watts said. About Canbex Therapeutics Ltd. Founded in 2005, Canbex Therapeutics Ltd is a spinout company from The Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at UCL (University College London) that is focused on the development of novel small molecule treatments for spasticity in MS and other neurological disorders. The novel orally active lead compound, VSN16R, is effective against spasticity in the Chronic Relapsing EAE mouse model of MS and has the potential to be substantially more tolerable than existing anti-spastic agents. The original work on this compound was conducted in the labs of the founders Professor David Selwood and Professor David Baker (now at Queen Mary University of London) by Dr Cristina Visintin, Dr Masahiro Okuyama and Dr Gareth Pryce. http://www.uclb.com/ Canbex is a virtual, low-burn company that was set up as a vehicle for the development of the VSN compounds. Building on the expertise of its founders Canbex has assembled a highly experienced team with expertise in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, preclinical and clinical development, finance and business development. In addition to the Wellcome Trust investment, other shareholders and investors include Fast Forward LLC (an affiliate of the US National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation), the Bloomsbury Bioseed Fund; Esperante Ventures; and UCL Business PLC (UCLB). Operational and business development activities are managed by UCLB, the technology transfer office of UCL. About the Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. It supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. The Trusts breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. It is independent of both political and commercial interests. www.wellcome.ac.ukAbout Fast Forward LLC Fast Forward, LLC is a nonprofit organization established by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in order to accelerate the development of treatments for MS. Fast Forward will accomplish its mission by connecting university-based MS research with private-sector drug development and by funding small biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies to develop innovative new MS therapies and repurpose FDA-approved drugs as new treatments for MS. The National MS Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, collaborating with MS organizations around the world, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. www.fastforward.orgFor further information please contact Dr Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager at UCLB on 0207679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/collaborative-partners-sought-for-abcodia-a-newly-launched-modular-diagnostic-company 2011-03-10T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

Abcodia, an innovative company engaged in the validation and discovery of molecular biomarkers for disease diagnosis and screening, was formally launched today. At the helm of the company is a team of Cambridge biotech entrepreneurs who are now seeking new collaborative partners.Abcodia has been granted rights to commercialise IP from one of the largest biobanks in the UK. The biobank has been created by lead clinical scientists at UCL (University College London), one of the worlds leading research-led universities. The company aims to make groundbreaking discoveries and improve the diagnosis of many common life-threatening and debilitating diseases, including the major cancers - colon, lung, pancreatic - as well as other conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.The biobank comprises serum derived from over 200,000, initially healthy volunteers. The biobank now comprises 500,000 samples, many from volunteers who have provided samples annually. The availability of such large numbers of longitudinal prospective samples, together with data that allows the identification of all major age-related diseases in this cohort, makes this an ideal resource for investigations relating to screening diagnostics.Abcodia is seeking collaborative partners to achieve the best outcomes and is keen to harness a network of molecular technology collaborators and commercial diagnostic partners, as well as collaborations with academia and not-for-profit organisations. Julie Barnes, the Chief Executive Officer said: "With the rapid advances in molecular technologies, this is a very exciting area to be working in right now. I am delighted to be able to lead the company through the early stages of its formation and look forward to working collaboratively with others who share our passion in discovering new molecular biomarkers for many of our common diseases.Professor Ian Jacobs, Dean of Biomedical Sciences at UCL and Principle Investigator of the UKCTOCS trial from where the serum biobank is derived, said: "The establishment of Abcodia provides exciting opportunities to derive health benefit for large numbers of people at risk from the many potentially life threatening conditions that affect us with increasing age. The established serum biobank is uniquely placed for screening diagnostics and I look forward to working with Abcodia."Cengiz Tarhan, UCLB's Managing Director, said "We are delighted to have formed Abcodia which follows our recent license to Becton Dickinson, a medical technology company, to have access to the biobank for ovarian and breast cancer indications. Abcodia will now extend on that relationship and seek new partners for other indications. This is a great example of how high quality research at UCL can ultimately lead to commercial endeavours, delivering patient benefits.LinksAbcodiaAbcodia is an innovative company engaged in the validation and discovery of molecular biomarkers. With its unique longitudinal serum biobank and partnerships with UCL, technology platform providers and leading commercial diagnostic companies, Abcodia is able to support the whole diagnostic discovery process. Its Chief Executive, Julie Barnes and Operations Officer, Chris Hodkinson have over 45 years experience within the Life Science RD and Biotechnology industry. Their mix of scientific, commercial and operational experience in industry together with strong academic links with UCL and other major universities brings a strong understanding of what is required to successfully lead Abcodia as an ethical and collaborative organisation.www.abcodia.comUCL BusinessUCL Business plc is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at University College London, one of the UKs leading research-led universities. UCL Business undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCL Business can be found atwww.uclb.comUKCTOCSThe United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS) is the world's largest trial for the screening of ovarian cancer. Started in 2001, it recruited over 200,000 post menopausal women between the ages of 50 and 74. It aims to establish the impact of ovarian cancer screening on ovarian cancer mortality, assessing the feasibility of population screening and to establish a serum bank for future assessment of novel tumour markers.Please contact Press Officer, Ellee Seymour on 07939 811961 or by email info@abcodia.com.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/cella-energy-a-step-closer-to-zero-carbon-emissions 2011-03-02T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

Cella Energy Ltd has been named the national winner of the 2011 Shell Springboard Awards for developing a novel hydrogen storage technology. Cella Energys technology was developed by University College London (UCL) researchers Zeynep Kurban and Professor Neal Skipper, in collaboration with scientists from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the University of Oxford. The technology enables hydrogen to be stored in a cost-effective and practical way, making it promising for widespread use as a carbon-free alternative to petrol.The team has developed a new nano-structuring technique called co-electrospinning to produce tiny plastic micro-fibres 30 times smaller than a human hair. These hollow micro-fibres have then been used to encapsulate hydrogen-rich chemicals known as hydrides, in a way that allows the hydrogen to be released at much faster rates and at lower temperatures than was previously possible. The encapsulation also protects the hydrides from oxygen and water, prolonging their life and making it possible to handle them safely in air.This new nano-material contains as much hydrogen for a given weight as the high-pressure tanks currently used in prototype hydrogen vehicles, and can also be made in the form of micro beads that can be poured and pumped like a liquid. These properties mean that the beads could be used to fill up tanks in cars and aeroplanes in a very similar way to current fuels, but crucially would not produce carbon emissions.This technology is being taken to market by the spinout company Cella Energy Ltd, which is based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire. Cella Energy has already secured Series A investment from Thomas Swan Co. Ltd., a specialist UK chemical company. Shareholders in Cella Energy include UCL Business PLC, STFC Innovations Ltd, and the Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford.Dr Tim Fishlock, Business Manager at UCL Business, said: Cella Energy is capitalising on an innovative technology developed within the research labs of three world-class research centres at UCL, RAL and Oxford, which brings the large-scale adoption of hydrogen-powered vehicles closer to reality. Winning the Shell Springboard Award is a significant achievement for Cella Energy and we wish the team every success with their future plans.LinksCella EnergyShell SpringboardThomas Swan Co

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-professor-mark-pepys-hailed-as-an-academic-superstar-by-glaxosmithklineucl-professor-mark-pepys-hailed-as-an-academic-superstar-by-glaxosmithkline 2011-02-24T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

As reported in the Financial Times today, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced it aims to sign up 10 academic superstars for long term partnerships to develop medicines more cost effectively.UCL Business is delighted to announce that the first academic superstar to be chosen is Professor Mark Pepys, head of medicine at the Royal Free and University College Medical School in London.Professor Pepys started up the UCL-spin out Pentraxin Therapeutics, which is developing a treatment for a rare form of amyloidosis.Professor Pepys said:Its a wonderful idea and we are delighted to be working with GSK to develop new medicines for patients.GSK aims to work closely with leading external medical researchers until the launch of a new drug. This will allow GSK to tap their expertise while providing them with facilities, funding and incentives to be paid if a treatment proves successful. Links Professor Pepys GSK collaborations:Pentraxin announces licensing deal with GSK to develop medicine for rare diseaseTreatment for amyloidosis a step closerUCL and GSK join forces to devlop combined small molecule-antibody treatment for rare disease. About Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is a company spun out of UCL by UCL Business (UCLB). Formed in 2001, it holds all the intellectual property and proprietary knowledge emanating from the research of Professor Mark Pepys at UCL. Major IP within Pentraxin covers treatments for amyloidosis and amyloid-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and type II diabetes, as well as targeting the pathogenic effects of C?reactive protein in cardiovascular disease and inflammatory diseases. About GlaxoSmithKline GlaxoSmithKline - one of the worlds leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline at www.gsk.com. About UCLB UCL Business plc is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at University College London, one of the UKs leading research-led universities. UCL Business undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCL Business can be found at www.uclb.com.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/1-million-of-translational-funding-to-develop-a-novel-antimicrobial-catheter 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

The Medical Research Council (MRC), together with Ondine Biomedical, is funding the development of a novel antimicrobial catheter to address the increasing problem of catheter-associated infections. UCL Professors Ivan Parkin and Michael Wilson have been awarded an MRC Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme award of circa 1 million to develop a light-activated antimicrobial application for the prevention of catheter-associated infections (CAIs) such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs are the most common type of healthcare-associated infection (HAI), accounting for more than 30% of all reported cases of HAIs. This 30-month project will be managed by Professor Ivan Parkin, Head of the Department of Chemistry, and Professor Michael Wilson of the Eastman Dental Institute, with the aim of taking existing fundamental and clinical research findings towards the clinic. We consider this initiative to be a major step towards the development of a major class of new medical devices that have the potential to reduce the number of UTIs acquired in hospital, thereby significantly reducing healthcare costs, stated Professor Parkin. Furthermore, proof of concept for application to urinary catheters will demonstrate a step-change in the prevention of CAIs and lead to the application of this novel approach to other catheter types, including cardiovascular, intravenous and neurovascular catheters. Professor Wilson, Professor of Microbiology and Pro-Provost for Europe at UCL, stated: What makes this undertaking unique is that the development work will be carried out by a multi-disciplinary team of chemists, bacteriologists, photobiologists, medical laser physicists and clinicians experienced in the management of CAIs, based in clinics, academia and industry. This level of collaboration across a number of disciplines is clearly of tremendous benefit to the project and builds on many years of independent research, clinical experience and historic product development efforts.Ondine and UCL have a successful partnership spanning over ten years, said Mr Derek Reay, Senior Business Manager of UCL Business (UCLB), the technology transfer company of UCL. Together we are recognised as global leaders in developing applications based on photodisinfection, Jointly, Ondine and UCL have developed the Periowave Photodisinfection System, a light-activated antimicrobial technology that is widely used in dental practices across the world. The development of the anti-microbial catheter has resulted from UCLBs proof-of-concept funding, along with sponsorship from Ondine. UCLB has filed two patents protecting this work and further filings are anticipated. Combining applied research with industry experience has proven to be a very effective strategy for successful product development, Mr Reay said. We look forward to working with Ondine on the catheter project, as well as on future projects that address antibiotic-resistant pathogens. About Healthcare-Associated Infections HAIs occur when a patient acquires an infection during the course of treatment at, or a visit to, a healthcare facility. The World Health Organisation has called HAIs one of the biggest causes of avoidable harm and unnecessary deaths in the developed world. Every year in the UK, hundreds of thousands patients develop HAIs that prolong hospital treatment, increase morbidity and mortality, and add an estimated 1 billion to healthcare costs. More than 5,000 people die every year as a result of these infections. In the US, 1.7 million HAIs occur annually, resulting in more than 99,000 deaths. On average, HAIs add 19 days to a patients hospital stay, and increase medical expenses by more than $45,000. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that HAIs add $3545 billion in costs to the healthcare system every year. About Urinary Tract Infections UTIs are the most common type of HAI, accounting for more than 30% of all reported cases. More than five million patients each year in the US use urinary catheters, placing them at a higher risk of developing a UTI. Long term urinary catheterisation is used on patients who are immobile. As a result of catheterisation, UTIs affect 1012% of all urinary catheter users, adding billions of dollarsin additional costs to the healthcare system and killing over 13,000 patients in the US every year. About Ondine Biomedical Inc. Ondine is developing non-antibiotic therapies for treating a broad spectrum of bacterial, fungal and viral infections. The company is focused on developing leading-edge products utilising its patented light-activated technology, primarily for the HAI market. Photodisinfection provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy without encouraging the formation and spread of antibiotic resistance. Ondine is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with a research and development laboratory in Bothell, Washington, USA. For additional information, please visit the company's website at www.ondinebio.com About UCLB UCL Business plc is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at University College London, one of the UKs leading research-led universities. UCL Business undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCL Business can be found at www.uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/endomagnetics-cited-as-one-of-the-uks-most-promising-healthcare-technology-businesses 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

Endomagnetics Limited, the UCL spinout company pioneering the use of magnetic sensors for cancer staging and treatment, has recently beenhighlighted as one of the UKs most promising healthcare technology businesses by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB).In selecting Endomagnetics as one of only twenty UK companies that are being invited to participate in the UKTI-supported Future Health Mission 2011, which takes place in January 2011, Iain Gray, the Chief Executive of the TSB, commented: Each of these 20 companies is a pioneer and the TSB are working with them because we want to see these businesses find their place in what looks set to become a fast-growing international market.Endomagnetics is also making significant progress on the regulatory front, having recently achieved CE Mark approval for its SentiMag product a new surgical instrument used to locate lymph nodes in the treatment of cancer. The use of the SentiMag in conjunction with magnetic tracers eliminates the need for radioactive materials and dramatically extends the availability of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer staging. This approval certifies that the product has met EU safety, health and environmental requirements, and clears the way for its adoption by clinicians across Europe. Endomagnetics is excited to achieve CE approval for the SentiMag, said Dr Eric Mayes, CEO of Endomagnetics Ltd, adding: This approval makes this system available across the EU, which is good news for clinicians and patients alike.UCL Business PLC is the lead investor in Endomagnetics Ltd and having recently returned from the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), where Endomagnetics was showcasing its SentiMag solution to an audience of 8000 breast cancer surgeons and oncologists, Dr Steven Schooling commented that: the feedback from delegates at SABCS was that SentiMag will allow best practice SLNB to be performed anywhere, by any practitioner, without substantially changing their working practice. UCL Business looks forward to working with the Endomagnetics management team in the months ahead in order to capitalise on this exciting opportunity. Endomagnetics Endomagnetics Ltd. is a medical devices company that was spun-out from UCL to capitalise upon research work in the area of magnetic sensing led by Professor Quentin Pankhurst. More information on Endomagnetics can be found at www.endomagnetics.com. UCL Business UCL Business plc is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at University College London, one of the UKs leading research-led universities. UCL Business undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCL Business can be found at www.uclb.com. Further Information Dr Eric Mayes, CEO Endomagnetics Telephone: +44 207 491 6538 Email: emayes@endomagnetics.comDr Steven Schooling, Director of Engineering Physical Sciences, UCL Business Telephone:+44 207 679 900, Email:s.schooling@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/pentraxin-announces-licensing-deal-with-gsk-to-develop-medicine-for-rare-disease 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

University College London spin-out company Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd has licensed a second drug development programme to pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).Pentraxin was established by Professor Mark Pepys FRS, Director of the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, to hold all the IP arising from his research.In this latest licensing agreement, Pentraxin has entered into a collaboration with GSK to develop Prof Pepyss invention of novel small molecules that stabilise transthyretin (TTR), a blood protein which can cause a rare but fatal disease called amyloidosis.The TTR protein is a normal component of blood. As people age, or when there are mutations in the TTR gene, the protein can become unstable and develop into an abnormal insoluble form known as amyloid fibrils. These fibres accumulate in the organs and tissues as amyloid deposits, damaging their structure and function, and causing TTR amyloidosis, a fatal and currently untreatable condition.One of the novel molecules created by the UCL team is mds84, which is bound irreversibly by TTR and prevents the protein from forming amyloid..This research was published on 23 November 2010 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (USA) (link).Pepys and his colleagues received a Seeding Drug Discovery Initiative award from the Wellcome Trust in 2007 to work on strategies for targeting TTR to treat and prevent TTR amyloidosis.The 2.5 million award supported some of the research which led to this recent licensing deal.Prof Pepys, who led the research at UCL, commented: The creation of mds84 involved cutting edge science and some serendipity.The subsequent generous support of the Wellcome Trust for this early phase drug design programme created the opportunity for further progression and evaluation. Now GSK will bring its drug discovery and development expertise to work with the team on developing the potential of these small molecules.Dr Rick Davis, Business Development Manager at the Wellcome Trust, commented: We are pleased that the promising findings of Mark Pepys and his team towards tackling this rare but untreatable disease will be accelerated with the support of this latest deal with GSK.Work at GSK, in close collaboration with Professor Pepys research team at UCL, is commencing immediately, to develop a compound to the point where it can be tested for the first time in patients.In an earlier deal, Pepyss first in class, dual small molecule and antibody combination treatment for amyloidosis was licensed to GSK by Pentraxin in February 2009 and is now progressing towards clinical trials. This approach should be complementary to treatment with the TTR stabiliser compound for patients with TTR amyloidosis. Reference Simon E. Kolstoe et al. Trapping of palindromic ligands within native transthyretin prevents amyloid formation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science,23 November 2010. Vol. 107 (47); pp 20483-20488. Click here to read in full. About Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is a company spun out of UCL by UCL Business (UCLB). Formed in 2001, it holds all the intellectual property and proprietary knowledge emanating from the research of Professor Mark Pepys at UCL. Major IP within Pentraxin covers treatments for amyloidosis and amyloid-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and type II diabetes, as well as targeting the pathogenic effects of C?reactive protein in cardiovascular disease and inflammatory diseases. About the Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. It supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. The Trusts breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. It is independent of both political and commercial interests. Click here for further information.Further InformationDr Joanna Davidge, RD Programme Manager, Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd. Email:j.davidge@medsch.ucl.ac.uk

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/spirogen-ltd-announces-a-research-collaboration-and-licence-agreement-with-genentech 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

UCLBs spin-out company, Spirogen Ltd., announces a research collaboration and licence agreement with Genentech for the discovery and development of antibody drug conjugates.We are hopeful that this collaboration with Genentech will allow us to accelerate the development of ADCs based on our potent PBD drugs with one of the leading companies in the ADC field, said Christopher Martin, CEO of Spirogen.LinksSpirogen LtdUCL Cancer Institute

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-launches-new-snakegrid®-transformer-engineering-surveying-technology 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

UCL Business is pleased to announce the launch of a new engineering surveying solution, SnakeGrid Transformer. This new product is a plug-in module for the Bentley MicroStation CAD package. It enables engineers and surveyors to convert Bentley MicroStation design files on the fly between different SnakeGrids, London Survey Grid, British National Grid settings and local grids such as the Reading Grid. SnakeGrid, a registered trademark of UCL Business, includes a range of bespoke and over-the-counter surveying solutions based on technologies developed in UCLs Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering Department. SnakeGrid products provide an innovative solution to a significant problem in engineering surveying, namely the design of a coordinate system that has minimal scale factor and height distortion even when projects extend for many hundreds of kilometres.Dr Jonathan Iliffe, inventor of SnakeGrid, said: SnakeGrid has made tremendous progress in the recent past. The latest product, SnakeGrid Transformer, developed in partnership with dhp11 Ltd, is a very useful tool for survey engineers using CAD design packages. It also handles raster data and provides the additional facility of batch processing.Mr Sandeep Singh, Business Manager at UCL Business, commented: SnakeGrid Transformer has been developed with the surveying industrys needs in mind. The product has already been licensed to a major British Rail company, and UCL Business has received expressions of interest from other civil engineering surveying companies.Mr Derek Hunter, Director of dhp-11 Ltd, said: The knowledge and experience of UCLs Dr Jonathan Iliffe, combined with legal and marketing support from UCL Business, allowed us to concentrate our software development skills on creating SnakeGrid Transformer an innovative world-class solution to the problem of linear projections. Working with UCL and UCL Business has been a great experience for dhp11. About SnakeGrid SnakeGrid was originally conceived in 2005 as a result of a project between Dr Jonathan Iliffe and Network Rail linked to the development of the West Coast Main Line. The success of Dr Iliffes work has led to further licence agreements and the development of SnakeGrids for a number of rail projects.Having undergone a number of enhancements over the last five years, significantly improving its performance, the SnakeGrid technology has a much broader application than simply railways. Dr Jonathan Iliffe approached UCL Business to investigate the options available for developing the programme further and to consider the commercial opportunities that might exist for the technology. www.snakegrid.org About dhp-11 Ltd dhp11 Ltd, is SnakeGrid Transformer's commercial development partner. dhp11 is a professional software development company that provides an inclusive service for the developmentof software for infrastructure and utility organisations. They are experts in the development of mapping and GIS applications for Bentley MicroStation. dhp11 development team have a proven track record spanning fifteen years in business together.They have worked on nearly a thousand technical projects.www.dhp11.com Further Information For further information contact Mr Sandeep Singh, Business Manager, UCL Business plc on 020 7679 9000, s.singh@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb---bd-reach-exclusive-license-agreement 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

UCL Business (UCLB), a wholly owned subsidiary of University College London (UCL), and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, announced today an agreement aimed at improving the early detection of ovarian and breast cancers to ultimately enable earlier and more effective treatment.This agreement demonstrates how UCL and the Institute for Womens Health have become an international center of excellence for research, clinical care and training in the areas of womens health and cancer, said Professor Ian Jacobs, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Biomedical Science.We are delighted by our collaboration with BD and proud that our track record of excellence in cancer research, including laboratory science and major studies, such as the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS), will aid in the research and development of new, more powerful diagnostics for ovarian and breast cancer.The agreement negotiated by UCLB grants BD exclusive access to UCLs world-class biobanks, containing more than 200,000 human patient samples collected over multiple years in prospective screening clinical trials for the detection and management of epithelial ovarian cancer.BD will use these samples to develop and validate new biomarker assays. Financial terms were not disclosed.The key to defeating ovarian and breast cancers is detecting the diseases early and managing them effectively.This hinges on diagnostic tests that provide clinicians with timely and accurate information, said Wayne Brinster, Vice President and General Manager, Womens Health and Cancer, BD Diagnostics. To develop new tests, you need to first validate them against a robust set of samples that very few institutions possess to assure the test is performing as planned.The ability to access UCLs samples and work with its leading researchers represents a major step toward BDs goal of developing and commercializing tests that significantly improve the detection and management of these deadly cancers.Our goal for this collaboration with BD is to enable a number of diagnostics to be developed sooner that benefit many who currently suffer from these life-threatening conditions, said Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB.Ovarian and breast cancer are among the two most deadly cancers for women. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women today, after lung cancer.It also is the most common cancer among women, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers. According to 2007 American Cancer Society statistics (the most recent available), about 1.3 million new cases of breast cancer among women were expected to be diagnosed annually worldwide and about 465,000 were projected to die from the disease.In the case of ovarian cancer, more than 204,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide each year, and an estimated 125,000 women die from the disease annually.In the United Kingdom and United States ovarian cancer is the fourth and fifth leading cause of cancer death among women respectively.If diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is more than 90 percent.However, less than 20 percent of all cases are diagnosed at this localized stage. About UCLB UCL Business plc is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at University College London, one of the UKs leading research-led universities. UCL Business undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCL Business can be found at www.uclb.com. About BD BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.This press release may, contain certain estimates and other forward-looking statements (as defined under Federal securities laws) regarding BD's performance, including future revenues and earnings per share. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. With respect to forward-looking statements contained herein, a number of factors could cause actual results to vary materially from any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to: the unknown consequences of the recently-enacted healthcare reform in the United States, including the impact of the reduction in Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other customers, which could reduce demand for our products and increase downward pricing pressure; adverse changes in regional, national or foreign economic conditions, including any impact that may result from the current global economic downturn on our ability to access credit markets and finance our operations, the demand for our products and services, or our suppliers' ability to provide products needed for our operations; changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates; competitive factors; pricing and market share pressures; difficulties inherent in product development and delays in product introductions; increases in energy costs and their effect on, among other things, the cost of producing BD's products; fluctuations in costs and availability of raw materials and in BD's ability to maintain favorable supplier arrangements and relationships; new or changing laws impacting our business or changes in enforcement practices with respect to such laws; uncertainties of litigation (as described in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission); future healthcare reform, including changes in government pricing and reimbursement policies or other cost containment reforms; the effects of potential pandemic diseases; our ability to successfully integrate any businesses we acquire; and issuance of new or revised accounting standards, as well as other factors discussed in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof except as required by applicable laws or regulation.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-highlighted-as-model-for-american-universities-in-the-chronicle-of-higher-education-publication 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

UCL Business was covered in The Chronicle of Higher Education publication, In Britain, a Tech-Transfer Operation Where Profits Aren't the Only Goal. Socks designed by a vascular surgeon at University College London that improve circulation for hospital patients and professional soccer players make money for the university. A gene-therapy drug to treat a rare form of inherited blindness very likely will not. A 15-year research project that involves banking and analyzing blood-serum samples and health records of 200,000 women across the British Isles doesn't generate a return now, but someday it probably will.University College London Business, the institution's technology-transfer company, plays a role in those and hundreds of other projects. And the mix of the financially profitable and socially relevant in its portfolio is no accidentClick here to read the full article.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-spin-out-company-biovex-has-been-sold-for-1-billion 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

UCLB are delighted to announce that US biotechnology giant Amgen have brought Biovex, a cancer vaccine developer for $1 billion. Biovex was founded a decade ago by Robert Coffin, a former UCL researcher who is now its Chief Technology Officer.For the full press release, click here

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-supports-imperial-innovations 2011-02-23T00:00:00Z Holly Wright

"Imperial Innovations, a leading technology commercialisation and investment group, has today announced that, it proposes raising up to 140 million to accelerate the making of, and increase the size of, investments in companies established under its existing intellectual property pipeline agreement with Imperial College London, and to invest in companies founded by or based on technology from the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and University College London".Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB says We support the Imperial Innovation proposal to raise 140m and look forward to continuing to work with them to enable some of those funds to support spin outs from UCLB. Further InformationImperial Innovations

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/treatment-for-amyloidosis-a-step-closer 2010-11-21T00:00:00Z Toby Godfrey

UCL spin out company, Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd, has hit the first milestone in its collaboration with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. Pentraxin owns the IP and proprietary knowledge of Professor Mark Pepys FRS, including his invention of a new therapy for systemic amyloidosis. Systemic amyloidosis is a serious and usually fatal disease that can affect virtually any organ in the body. It is the cause of death in one per thousand of the population in developed countries and effective treatments are urgently needed. In 2009 GSK licensed Professor Pepyss new therapy and is developing it in collaboration with Pentraxin for early clinical trials. The first published description of the underlying research appeared online last week and will be in print in the prestigious scientific journal Nature on 4 November 2010. The paper demonstrates efficacy of this first in class, dual small molecule?antibody therapy in an experimental model. Amyloid is composed of abnormal protein fibres that are deposited in the bodys tissues, damaging their structure and function. Diagnosis is often difficult and delayed so that, by the time the disease is recognised, most patients already have irreversible organ damage. The SAP protein from the blood accumulates in amyloid deposits and contributes to their formation and persistence. In work supported by the MRC spanning 30 years, Professor Pepys and his team from UCL discovered the role of SAP in amyloidosis and have been developing new treatments aimed at it. Initially they partnered with Roche to develop a small molecule drug, called CPHPC, which removes SAP from the blood but only partly clears it from amyloid deposits. This treatment stopped the accumulation of new amyloid but did not clear the existing deposits. The latest development uses CPHPC to first remove SAP from the blood so that antibodies to SAP can then be safely given to target the residual SAP in the amyloid deposits. In experimental models closely resembling human disease, this treatment swiftly eliminated all the amyloid. The next stage will be to test the treatment in patients and, as mentioned above, work towards clinical trials is proceeding well in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline. Professor Pepys, Director of the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, said: Our findings open up the prospect of a successful treatment for patients with amyloidosis and we are looking forward to continuing the development of the drugs for testing in the first human studies with our commercial partner GSK. About Pentraxin Therapeutics Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is a company spun out from University College London (UCL) by UCL Business PLC (UCLB) to hold and develop the intellectual property of Professor Mark Pepys and his colleagues in the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins. This clinical and basic science research centre houses the UK NHS National Amyloidosis Centre and it leads the world in research and clinical management of amyloidosis (www.ucl.ac.uk/medicine/amyloidosis). About GlaxoSmithKline GlaxoSmithKline - one of the worlds leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline at www.gsk.com. Links UCL and GSK join forces to develop combined small molecule-antibody treatment for rare disease Alzheimer's disease: a new small molecule approach to treatment from University College London Further Information Professor Mark Pepys FRS , UCL/Pentraxin, 020 7433 2786

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/astrazeneca-and-ucl-join-forces-in-sight-related-stem-cell-medicine 2010-09-24T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

AstraZeneca and UCL have entered into a collaboration to develop regenerative medicines for diabetic retinopathy (DR). DRis now the most common cause of vision impairment among people ofworking age in Western society. The majority of patients with type 1diabetes will develop retinopathy and about 20-30% will become blind. Moreover,a large number of patients with type 2 diabetes will developretinopathy as their underlying disease progresses. With the globalepidemic of type 2 diabetes, this predicament is set to worsen as over438 million people are projected to suffer from diabetes and itscomplications by 2030.Underthe terms of the three-year agreement, AstraZeneca and scientists atthe UCL Institute of Ophthalmology will collaborate to identify newtherapeutic tools that can modulate the regenerative capacity of stemcells. Dr Rachel Hemsley, Senior Business Manager (BioPharm) ofUCLB said "weare very excited at the prospect of Astra Zeneca combining their drugdevelopment knowledge with the regenerative medicine expertise at theInstitute of Ophthalmology, in order to develop a therapy for diabeticretinopathy. This is an excellent example of Industry and a Universitycollaborating with the aim of delivering an impact in the form ofpatient benefit. The Institute of Ophthalmology is highly active in thearea of technology transfer and industrial collaboration. UCLB worksvery closely with the Institute in order to facilitate industrialinteractions and develop new technologies aimed at diagnosing andtreating eye diseases". DrMarcus Fruttiger of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is leading theproject. He explained: "These tools could be used either to manufacturetransplantable material or to directly stimulate new cell growth in theeye to help restore or improve the vision of those with DR." AlanLamont, Director of Sciences and Technology Alliances at AstraZeneca ,said: "AstraZeneca believes that regenerative medicine offers newopportunities to develop innovative, more effective and safer therapiesto benefit patient health. Over the next few years, stem celltechnology is likely to contribute to a measurable improvement in ourability to discover and develop candidate drugs, and to target thosedrugs to the right patient population through a better understanding ofthe disease process. We are delighted to be combining our drug huntingexpertise with the pioneering research ongoing at UCL." ProfessorPete Coffey, of UCL's Institute of Ophthalmology , added: "This is agreat collaborative opportunity and we're delighted to be working withAstraZeneca to explore the potential of harnessing the regenerativecapacity of stem cells to develop a cellular therapy for diabeticretinopathy, which is a major cause of visual impairment and blindnessworldwide. AstraZeneca has a proven track record in developingmedicines and their involvement in this type of research is veryexciting."About the UCL Institute of OpthalmologyThe UCL Institute of Ophthalmology aims to develop new treatments for eye disease out of a large and varied foundation of basic research. Its researchers work very closely with Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and are part of UCL Biomedicine, one of the largest aggregates of biomedical expertise in the world.The range of diseases studied extends from inherited retinal degenerations affecting young children to age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, the most common causes of blindness in the elderly. Currently groups are investigating every stage of the visual process from the mechanics of rods and cones to the brains interpretation of complex visual scenes. The institutes researchers are making progress in understanding the basic mechanisms of blinding disease and investigating new methods of treatment by conventional pharmacology, gene therapy and cellular therapy including stem cells.Moorfields Eye Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, UCLH, the Royal Free and UCL together form UCL Partners, Europes largest academic health science partnership. LinksUCL Institute of OphthalmologyUCL NewsGuardianFurther informationFor further inofrmation, please contact Dr Rachel Hemsley, Senior Business Manager (BioPharm) 0207 679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/endomagnetics-announces-investment-and-new-ceo-appointment 2010-09-08T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Edomagnetics Limited, the medical device company that helps surgeons to track the spread of breast cancer, has raised 770,000 from a syndicate led by UCL Business PLC and Sussex Place Ventures. The financing coincides with the appointment of Dr Eric Mayes as CEO of this recent spin-out from University College London and builds upon a previous seed round of 350,000, secured in June 2009.Endomagnetics uses magnetic tracers and a highly sensitive magnetic sensing device to help breast cancer surgeons detect the extent to which breast cancer has spread during an operation. The SentiMag solution allows surgeons in many more countries and in a wider range of hospitals to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy, bringing the potential benefits of selective breast cancer surgery to many more women and cost savings to hospitals, said Mayes. Endomagnetics has a great team and exceptional promise and I look forward to making this solution globally available. Dr Mayes joins Endomagnetics from Cambridge Display Technology, where he was Director of Commercial Development. He has more than 10 years experience in advanced materials and devices businesses and a strong track record in leading early stage ventures. Steven Schooling from UCL Business PLC commented that: The investment syndicate are delighted to have an individual of Erics calibre leading the Endomagnetics team and we look forward to Eric piloting the company through upcoming technical, regulatory and business development challenges, as Endomagnetics seeks to establish itself as a leading player in oncology markets. Endomagnetics has made tremendous progress over the past 12 months in developing a commercial product, said Richard Gourlay, Managing Director of Sussex Place Ventures. We were impressed by the enthusiastic response of surgeons to Endomagnetics production prototypes at the end of 2009, and by their desire to reduce hospital reliance on nuclear medicine. Endomagnetics first product is the intra-operative medical device the SentiMag, designed for use in the treatment of breast cancer and melanoma. Globally, around 1.25 million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, and the rate is increasing by nearly 20,000 cases year on year. In practically all of these cases, surgery is required to remove the tumour. The accepted best practice is to concurrently excise the sentinel lymph nodes to ascertain whether cancer has spread from the tumour to other sites in the body, but this practice is not globally available. The SentiMag overcomes the disadvantages of the availability, cost and palatability of the currently available procedure by using a detection system based on magnetic rather than radioactive tracers, to identify the sentinel lymph nodes. With this solution, Endomagnetics provides peace of mind by allowing informed decisions to be taken regarding post-operative care, sparing the patient unnecessary pain and the hospital unnecessary expense in both developed and developing countries. Endomagnetics Endomagnetics Ltd. is a medical devices company that was spun-out from UCL to capitalize upon research work in the area of magnetic sensing led by Professor Quentin Pankhurst. Endomagnetics has developed and clinically tested the SentiMag a new surgical instrument for use in the treatment of breast cancer and melanoma. The SentiMag helps surgeons to identify the sentinel lymph node for excision and subsequent histology to determine whether cancer has spread from a nearby tumour site. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a clinical procedure that has been recognised globally as best practice for the staging of cancer treatment, and the SentiMag has been developed to deliver this procedure widely and at a lower cost than existing techniques. More information on Endomagnetics can be found at www.endomagnetics.com. UCL Business UCL Business plc is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at University College London, one of the UKs leading research-led universities. UCL Business undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCL Business can be found at www.uclb.com. Sussex Place Ventures Sussex Place Ventures Ltd. is owned by the London Business School and is positioned to leverage the Business School's alumni base and associated entrepreneurial cluster. Sussex Place Ventures invests from two funds Regents Park Partners LP, a private investor fund raised in August 2007 that invests in venture capital and smaller private equity deals, and the Combined London Colleges University Challenge Fund, a University-based seed fund. More information on Sussex Place Ventures can be found at www.spventures.co.uk. Further Information For further information contact: Dr Eric Mayes, CEO Endomagnetics +44 207 491 6538, emayes@endomagnetics.comDr Steven Schooling, Director of Engineering Physical Sciences, UCL Business +44 207 679 9793, s.schooling@uclb.com Richard Gourlay, Managing Director Sussex Place Ventures +44 207 7000 0022, r.gourlay@spventures.co.uk

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/short-courses-for-small-companies-and-entrepreneurs 2010-08-06T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Short Courses for Small Companies and Entrepreneurs Do you want to develop and refine key business and technical skills?Do you want to learn more about how to manager a business more effectively? The short courses on offer at UCL Advances, University College London, will help you to develop fundamental business knowledge for improving small company direction and management.The courses are aimed at senior management within SME's who want to refine their skills in specific topics, including Leadership Management, Finance, Marketing and Law.Autumn courses are now listed on the UCL Advances websiteThe training is designed to improve your business skills and enhance your professional development. All courses have been accredited by the CPD Certification Service which supports Continuous Professional Development and learning activities.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-s-summer-reception 2010-07-23T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB was delighted to host our annual Summer Reception on Thursday 22 July to celebrate a year of successes with drinks, canaps and entertainment from UCLs Jazz society and magician Robin Fox, against the backdrop of the neo-classical UCL Portico and Flaxman Gallery. In an informal setting, the event provided a networking opportunity for UCL, UCLB, UCL Consultants, and industry to promote the value of technology and knowledge transfer.UCLB was delighted to welcome UCLs President and Provost Malcolm Grant who addressed the guests with a speech about the importance and value ofenterprise to UCL. Guests were entered into a raffle to win an iPod Touch which was preloaded with information about UCL and UCLBCengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business said "I am delighted to see so many guests join UCL Business tocelebrate our Summer Reception. Many of these guests have been our partners for numerous years; we look forward to working with them for many more, as well as new partners as our portfolio of activity grows.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/official-visit-to-moorfields-eye-hospital-by-the-new-health-minister 2010-06-23T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The newly appointed health minister, Earl Howe, chose to visit Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology as one of his first official visits.During the visit, Earl Howe found out more about a range of technologies which are supported by UCL Business that are taking place at Moorfields and the institute.Health minister Earl Howe said: It is exciting to see first hand how innovative technology will give NHS patients the very best treatments and also furthers the UKs standing in the biomedical research industry.Basing decisions for treatment on the latest research evidence helps NHS doctors, nurses, GPs and health professionals to provide patients with the most effective and appropriate care.We want to give more patients the opportunity to take part in clinical trials wherever they live in the country, and we therefore need to encourage pharmaceutical, biotech and medical devices industries to conduct trials in England rather than abroad.Earl Howe was informed about the following technologies which are currently being developed by UCL and UCLB: The development of a novel anti-scarring tablet which has the potential to prevent the need for numerous operations following surgical treatment for glaucoma, one of the most common eye conditions and the worlds leading cause of preventable blindness The award-winning computer based test, Moorfields motion displacement test, offers a portable, affordable and easy-to-use alternative to traditional glaucoma detection tests The London Project to Cure Blindness, which is exploring the use of stem cell technology to replace eye cells affected by age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60 in the western world Corneal stem cell transplantation, a new technique to restore function to a damaged cornea in patients who have suffered an eye injury or disease system for detecting glaucoma in the community Gene therapy for the treatment of inherited retinal disorders, which was first performed at Moorfields in 2007 and has since been used to treat eight adults and children suffering from RPE65 deficiency, a rare genetic disorderProfessor Peng Khaw, Moorfields director of research and development said We were delighted to have the opportunity to tell the new minister about a few of the important research initiatives going on here at Moorfields and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Our partnership with the institute and our joint status as the only specialist ophthalmic National Institute for Health Research biomedical research centre means that we are able to develop innovative treatments for a range of eye diseases and make a real difference to our patients lives not just now, but in the future too. Links MoorfieldsEyeHospitalFurther InformationPhotograph shows health minister Earl Howe with Moorfields glaucoma patient Julia Margetts and Professor Steven Brocchini, who is working on a new anti-scarring treatment.Please contact Dr Rachel Hemsley r.hemsley@uclb.com,T+44 (0)207 679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/groundbreaking-3d-2-photon-microscope-technology-published-by-scientists-at-ucl 2010-06-18T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Scientists from the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology Pharmacology at UCL have recently published details of their groundbreaking 3D 2-photon microscope technology, which has many potential applications in biology. Many important biological processes, such as electrical signalling in neural circuits, occur rapidly (1100 ms) and are distributed in 3D space. Such processes are difficult to measure with conventional optical microscopes. Dr Paul Kirkby, Dr K. M. Naga Srinivas Nadella and Prof. R. Angus Silver have developed a new type of 2-photon microscope that uses an acousto-optic lens (AOL), allowing high-speed imaging and optical measurements of biological processes in 3D space.Conventional optical microscopes, including 2-photon laser scanning microscopes, are designed for imaging in a single focal plane (X-Y). Focusing is slow because it involves physically moving the objective lens.To overcome this limitation, researchers at UCL have developed a novelAOL that uses four acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) to both focus and scan the laser beam. As this is achieved by ultrasonic sound waves crossing the AOD crystals and does not involve moving a mass, focusing is 300-fold faster than current piezoelectric-based methods. The design and performance of a prototype acousto-optic lens 2-photon microscope are described for the first time in Optics Express (Vol. 18, Issue 13, pp. 13720-13744, 2010).This new generic technology, which allows rapid interrogation of any series of points within a 3D volume, or rapid raster scanning in any plane in XYZ, has the potential for use in a wide range of applications.Professor Silver and his team intend to use this technology to investigate brain function at synaptic, neuronal and network levels. Other applications potentially include laser photolysis of caged compounds, optical tweezers, data storage and high-speed 3D 2-photon lithography. Prof. Silver, who is leading the technology development, said: "This new imaging technology will allow us to measure rapid physiological processes distributed in 3D space with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. We are keen to use this new technology to investigate how networks of neurons in the brain encode and process information, an area of neuroscience that is currently poorly understood. We are grateful to the MRC, EPSRC, UCL-CIF, UCLB and the Wellcome Trust for providing the support to reach this stage." UCLB considers this to be a significant advance in the field of 2-photon microscopy and has made a substantial investment, with several patent filings and a large Proof of Concept (PoC) award. Chris Williams, Business Manager on the project, said: We are very excited by the interest we have had in this technology and we are working to identify suitable partners to realise and deliver its benefits to the research community. Links Optics Express: A compact acousto-optic lens for 2D and 3D femtosecond based 2-photon microscopy Further information: Please contact Dr Chris Williams, UCL Business PLC T +44 (0)20 7679 9000 E c.williams@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/canbex-therapeutics-ltd-receives-new-investment-from-fast-forward 2010-05-26T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Canbex Therapeutics Ltd and Fast Forward LLC are joining forces to develop VSN16R, an oral small molecule therapy with superior tolerability, for spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Canbex Therapeutics Ltd, a spin-off company from University College London (UCL), and Fast Forward LLC, the National Multiple Sclerosis Societys subsidiary, today announced a partnership to fund pivotal studies that will support an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Canbexs VSN16R compound.The agreement with Canbex is the first collaboration between Fast Forward and an early stage biotechnology company to advance a specific symptom treatment for MS. Many people with MS experience spasticity, muscle spasms and stiffness that may be associated with pain or tightness in muscles and joints, often resulting in difficulty walking or carrying out everyday activities. Current treatments for spasticity can often cause significant side effects, such as muscle weakness, fatigue and drowsiness, which can limit their effectiveness for MS patients.Fast Forward will provide funds for studies that will accelerate the testing of VSN16R in clinical trials. VSN16R is a small molecule compound that has shown good evidence of anti-spastic effects in laboratory models of MS and spasticity. VSN16R works through a novel mechanism of action that does not appear to cause unwanted side effects, and therefore has the potential to develop into a well-tolerated, effective therapy that could substantially improve the quality of life for patients suffering from this chronic and crippling disease. We are absolutely delighted to have secured Fast Forward's support for our new experimental MS drug, said Professor David Selwood, Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Canbex. This project has been a great collaborative effort, with many research labs contributing to the hard science behind the new medicine. With Fast Forward's support we will continue the safety studies needed to evaluate this drug in MS patients. We are pleased to partner with Canbex to accelerate the development of an innovative new approach to address a key unmet need for treating MS, said Dr Timothy Coetzee, Fast Forwards President. VSN16R has the potential to add a new tool for the treatment of spasticity found in MS. Fast Forwards partnership with Canbex reflects our overall commitment to seek out and fund young biotech companies with products that might fill critical unmet needs for treating MS that could lead to improved quality of life for people living with MS. About Canbex Therapeutics LtdFounded in 2005, Canbex Therapeutics Ltd is a spin-out company from The Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at University College London that is focused on the development of novel small molecule treatments for spasticity in MS and other neurological disorders. The novel orally active lead compound VSN16R is effective against spasticity in the Chronic Relapsing EAE mouse model of MS and has the potential to be substantially more tolerable than existing anti-spastic agents. The original work on this compound was conducted in the labs of the founders, Professor David Selwood and Professor David Baker (now at Queen Mary, University of London), by Dr Cristina Visintin, Dr Masahiro Okuyama and Dr Gareth Pryce.Canbex is a virtual, low-burn company that was set up as a vehicle for the development of VSN compounds. Building on the expertise of its founders, Canbex has assembled a highly experienced team of experts in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, preclinical and clinical development, finance and business development. In addition to Fast Forwards recent investment, other shareholders and investors include the Bloomsbury Bioseed Fund; Esperante Ventures, the family investment fund of the owners of Ferring Pharmaceuticals; UCL Business PLC; and The Wellcome Trust. Operational and business development activities are managed by UCL Business PLC, the commercialisation company for University College London.About Fast Forward LLCFast Forward LLC is a non-profit-making organisation established by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in order to accelerate the development of treatments for MS. Fast Forward will accomplish its mission by connecting university-based MS research with private-sector drug development, as well as by funding small biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies to develop innovative new MS therapies and repurpose FDA-approved drugs as new treatments for MS. www.fastforward.org About the National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyMS is a chronic, unpredictable neurological disease that affects the central nervous system. It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the immune system incorrectly attacks healthy tissue. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. These problems may be permanent or may come and go. The National MS Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, collaborating with MS organisations around the world, and providing programmes and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. The National MS Society wants to do something about MS now, and is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS. Join the movement at www.nationalMSsociety.org.Links NationalMS SocietyNewsFurther InformationFor further information please contact Dr. Chris Williams, Business Manager, UCL Business on 020 7679 9000, (c.williams@uclb.com).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-awards-prizes-at-the-first-ucl-neuroscience-symposium 2010-05-07T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB were delighted to awardprizes to winners of a poster competition at the first UCL Neuroscience Symposium. Prizes of 500, 300 and 200 were awarded to the three winners: Hermann Cuntz from the UCL Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research; Laura Mantoan from the UCL Institute of Neurology; and Carola Zimmermann from the Laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology. "Receiving the prize for the best poster here was a special honour for me, particularly considering the high quality and number of contributions from my colleagues at UCL. I think everybody was really impressed by the incredible size and diversity of the Neuroscience community at UCL, which was highlighted by this first local Neuroscience Symposium," said prize-winner Hermann Cuntz.The UCL Neuroscience Symposium was opened by Professor Sir John Tooke, Vice Provost (Health), and was attended by 500 neuroscientists from across UCL who had assembled to hear a diverse range of exceptional talks and to see 150 posters held at Senate House.Jon Driver, Royal Society Research Professor at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and the Wellcome Centre for Neuroimaging at UCL, said: "The event fulfilled our hopes in bringing different parts of the wide-ranging UCL Neuroscience community together, generating new momentum and creating a collective awareness of the unrivalled strengths and opportunities we have here." Derek Reay, Senior Business Manager at UCLB, said: The event showcased the breadth of neuroscience research across UCL, together with the translational opportunities that exist in this field. Links UCL Neuroscience UCL News

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-marks-the-retirement-of-professor-mike-spyer 2010-05-04T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

After a long and successful career, UCLB is happy to wish Professor Mike Spyer the very best as he formally retires as Vice-Provost of Enterprise on 1 May 2010. Professor Spyer has been instrumental in raising the profile of entrepreneurial activities at UCL and everyone at UCLB will be sad to say goodbye.Professor Spyer became UCLs first Vice-Provost (Enterprise) in 2006 with a mission to develop UCLs Knowledge Transfer strategy. As a neuroscientist Professor Spyer has extensive research accomplishments in the field of the central nervous control of the heart, circulation and ventilation. He has provided novel information on the mechanisms by which the nervous system controls heart rate and other indices of cardiac function, and how vascular resistance is regulated. His research has been supported generously by the Wellcome Trust, the British Heart Foundation, the MRC and the BBSRC.In 1980 Professor Spyer was appointed the Sophia Jex-Blake Chair of Physiology and Headship of the Department of Physiology at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. In 1993 he was named Head of the joint Department of Physiology of UCL and the Royal Free and, upon the merger of the Royal Free with University College Medical School, was made Dean of the Royal Free Campus. On 1 October 2001 he took up the post of Dean of the Royal Free University College Medical School and on 1 November 2002, in addition to his role as Dean, he was appointed Vice-Provost (Biomedicine) of UCL. As a consequence he was involved in managing for UCL the interface between the University and NHS. He currently serves as a Non-Executive Director of the London NHS.Faced with new challenges in his capacity as the first Vice-Provost of Enterprise, Professor Spyer became involved in the exploitation of IP generated in UCL through his Directorship of UCL Business plc. He also chairs the Bloomsbury Bioseed Fund, a venture fund supporting several research institutes in London in addition to UCL, and has been a Non-Executive Director of several biomedical start-up companies.Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB, said: Mike has been great to work with; his personal involvement and support for our activities has been immense. He has been on the Board since our early days as Freemedic, through the UCL BioMedica period and, more recently, as UCL Business. His knowledge and expertise will be greatly missed. Professor Mike Spyer commented: I have been at UCL for 17 years and it has been an amazing experience. There have been opportunities to develop my research activities and I have also had major administrative roles at UCL, all of which has been complex and time-consuming, but incredible and enjoyable in many ways." I am proud to be associated with Freemedic through to UCL BioMedica, which has now developed in to UCLB, and which I believe is a major player of technology transfer in the UK and the world. I look forward to observing UCLBs performance over the next few years and I hope that the company will continue to deliver excellent returns, translating the research at UCL into products for society. In December 2009 UCL President and Provost Professor Malcolm Grant announced that Professor Stephen Caddick, Head of UCL Chemistry, will succeed Professor Mike Spyer as Vice-Provost (Enterprise) upon Professor Spyers retirement.Professor Steve Caddick said: Mike Spyer has been an inspiration to many of us at UCL and as Vice-Provost he has stimulated very considerable growth in Enterprise. As the new Vice-Provost, my aims will be to build on Mikes achievements and to promote the Enterprise agenda for the benefit of UCL and the wider community. We know that in the coming years there will be significant challenges faced by UK Universities. However I am confident that, with the depth of talent of our students and staff, we are ideally placed to make a major contribution to the economic recovery of the UK. I will seek to stimulate further growth in a wide range of areas, such as student businesses, industrial research contracts, consultancy, licensing and social enterprise. There is an extraordinary breadth of exciting Enterprise activities at UCL and this is consistent with our standing as an internationally leading university. I look forward to working with the UCL community to deliver a world-class Enterprise agenda. Link New appointments to UCLs senior management team Listen to podcast's by Professor Spyer and Professor Caddick about the takeover at UCL Enterprise

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/eurotempest-features-on--the-naked-scientists--radio-show 2010-04-30T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

EuroTempest Operations Director, Frank Roberts, speaks to Meera Senthilingam on how their weather forecasting software collects data and helps insurers prepare their resources more accurately for large payouts. Managed and supported by UCL Business PLC, EuroTempest has grown considerably in 2008. Dr Mike Arnott of UCL Business said Interest in and awareness of EuroTempest is growing rapidly throughout Europe. The team are developing and delivering new products for major players in weather sensitive industries and it is great to see their expertise being recognized. Click here to listen to the full interview EuroTempest Ltd EuroTempest Ltd is a commercial venture spun out with the help of UCL Business PLC in 2007 using a unique piece of software which provides re-insurers and risk managers with forecasts for European windstorms and their localised potential wind damage to two digit postcode resolution. The software tool provides quantitative and probabilistic forecast for maximum wind gusts and potential wind damage, high precipitation and extreme temperatures across 26 European countries. Actively managed by UCL Business PLC, the venture has attracted several high-profile insurance clients and since 2009, Eurotempest has provided data for more than a third of UK policy claims. About the ABUHRC The ABUHRC is dedicated to both strategic, curiosity-driven academic research into natural hazards and disaster reduction, and to facilitating and encouraging the sharing of information and knowledge among stakeholders in these fields. Through the development of a range of intellectual products and services, the Centre has established a reputation for being at the forefront of natural hazards and disaster prediction research. Links www.benfieldhrc.org www.eurotempest.com www.tropicalstormrisk.comFurther InformationFor further information contact Dr Mike Arnott, Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (m.arnott@uclb.com).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/novel-imaging-technology-supported-by-finance-south-east-collaboration-fund 2010-03-23T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

A scientist from UCLs department of Medical Physics has received a major award from a new scheme to develop commercial returns from early-stage scientific research. Dr Paul Beard has developed novel imaging technologies, which has been patented and supported by UCLB. The Finance South East Collaboration Fund has backed Dr Paul Beard by awarding 100k to develop a prototype ultrasound imaging tool for use in industry and medicine. Having demonstrated scientific proof of concept, funded by UCLB, the UCL team and their partners at Precision Acoustics Ltd believe the technology is ripe for commercial exploitation.Chris Loryman, Business Manager at UCL Business PLC said we are delighted at having the support of the Finance South East Collaboration Fund. We look forward to seeing the products from this research, and to delivering these exciting technologies into the market.CEO of Finance South East, Sally Goodsell added:The UK is full of scientific innovation and entrepreneurial talent but too often ambitious projects fall by the wayside due to insufficient funding at crucial points in their development. At Finance South East we manage a range of funds to address this gap in early stage finance and we are delighted to have made [these] investments on behalf of EPSRC. The teams involved will face some challenging times in turning their inventions into commercial success, but their Finance South East fund manager will equip them to achieve this alongside an external business mentor. Links financesoutheast epsrc Further information Please contact Chris Loryman, Business Manager at UCL Business, on: +44 (0)20 7679 9000 or email: c.loryman@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-proof-of-concept-funds-help-establish-ucl-drug-target-and-screening-facility 2010-03-09T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Jointly funded by UCLB and the Capital Infrastructure Fund (CIF), the recently established ChemiBank facility in the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at UCL is a fantastic new resource for identifying small molecule ligands for proteins. The facility provides a range of chemoinformatic and biological assay services for early drug discovery projects with the potential to progress existing projects in lead selection and library design .Tens of thousands of compounds selected by medicinal chemists are available for screening. ChemiBank is already assisting a number of high profile projects within the UCL research community and is also available to support external clients in industry or academia.Professor David Selwood said: Small molecule drug discovery has been thought to be the province of industry, but with the setting up of UCL ChemiBank we are bringing it within reach of UCL scientists. With CIF and UCLB funding weve established a virtual and real screening facility. We use a new way of finding leads called fragment based screening. These leads can then be optimized into potent inhibitors. The advantage for academic groups is that the process is cheap, quick and efficient. Its well within the budgets of project and program grants. Its also a good fit with UCLs strategy for translational research. We know that UCLs researchers identify great drug targets- now we can do something about it. This brand new facility is one of a number initiatives at UCL in translational research, aimed at increasing the impact of research ultimately for the benefit of society. Link Visit ChemiBank at the Wolfson Institute Further information For further information please contact Dr. Carol Harty, Business Manager, UCL Business on 020 7679 9000, (c.harty@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-scientists-develop-powerful-new-class-of-reagents-for-the-modification-of-proteins 2010-03-01T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Scientists from the Department of Chemistry at UCL have recently published details of their ground-breaking technology to reversibly conjugate proteins. This is a major technical target, with broad utility in biotherapeutics, drug development, assays, and manufacturing.This technology has garnered considerable interest from the scientific community and the pharmaceutical industry following its publication.The Bromomaleimide work by Dr Jamie Baker, Prof Steve Caddick, Dr Mark Smith, and others, has recently been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), as reported in the March edition of Nature Chemical Biology.The low natural abundance of Cysteine residues, means the bioconjugation of this amino acid is a very effective method to access modified proteins. The UCL research demonstrates that protein labelling with N-substituted bromomaleimide derivatives overcomes many of the limitations associated with the irreversible chemical modification of cysteine residues in proteins. In addition these reagents also provide opportunities for further attachment of functional groups.UCLB considers this to be a significant field of discoveries and has made a substantial investment with three patent filings, and a large PoC award. In addition a recent BBSRC follow on fund of 123,608 was awarded to aid exemplification of the patents and further demonstrate key areas of industrial utility.Professor Steve Caddick, one of the inventors of the technology, and incoming Vice-Provost forEnterprise at UCL said: "I am delighted that this work has received such a positive response. We think that there are many exciting opportunities for using this new methodology from basic science through to commercial applications in healthcare and nanotechnology. We are grateful to EPSRC, BBSRC and UCLB for support of the work at this early stage." Chris Loryman, Business Manager on the project said: we recognise the significance of these discoveries, and we are working to identify suitable partners to develop the application of this technology in specific areas. ULCB is currently inviting proposals from potential partners, targeted towards delivering the benefits of this technology in key markets. Links Abstract:Protein Modification, Bioconjugation, and Disulfide Bridging Technology database: A new Field of Chemical Reagents New 'hook' for reversibly binding molecules to proteins New appointments to UCLs senior management team Further Information Please contact Chris Loryman, Business Manager at UCL Business, on: +44 (0)20 7679 9000 or email: c.loryman@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/domainex,-secures-funding-from-takeda-research-investment 2010-02-22T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The biotechnology company Domainex has secured further financing to develop its Combinatorial Domain Hunting (CDH) technology, and to advance its internal pipeline of oncology targets. The patented CDH technology puts Domainex in a unique position to clone and express challenging protein drug targets. This funding will be used to take forward the companys small-molecule drug research portfolio consisting of the kinase IKKe, and a number of methyltransferase enzymes. The two-stage funding round will bring in a significant investment from Longbow, The Capital Fund, and Takeda Research Investment, Inc. (TRI).This funding should take the company through to a point where Domainex can close a number of corporate collaborations and deals on its novel targets for cancer. Eddy Littler, CEO of Domainex said: This investment in Domainex is the next step in our long-term relationship with both Longbow and The Capital Fund, and is a clear indication of their satisfaction with, and commitment to, Domainex. We are also very happy to welcome new investment from Bury Fitzwilliam-Lay Partners LLP. The involvement of TRI represents an important recognition of the value of Domainexs unique CDH technology, and its novel oncology pipeline. We are eagerly looking forward to the next few months during which we anticipate advancing our targets and pipeline to an exciting position. We will of course continue to develop our CDH technology, and will collaborate with Takeda on a number of innovative drug discovery targets. Graeme Martin, President CEO of TRI said CDH is a truly innovative technology and highly complimentary to Takedas existing structural biology initiatives. Our investment in Domainex is intended to help the company further develop this platform, and typifies TRIs commitment to supporting therapeutic innovation in creative, early stage companies. The funding follows the recent strategic alliance between Domainex and drug discovery services company, Pharmidex. The partnership combines their expertise and innovative technologies to provide the market with an integrated, high-quality drug discovery services platform. The joint service offering amalgamates Domainexs LeadBuilder technology for cost-effective hit-finding, as well as its highly-experienced medicinal chemistry team, with Pharmidexs renowned expertise and in vitro and in vivo capabilities in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK).Concordant with the established track records of both partners, the alliance will have a particular emphasis on tackling the most challenging of scientific problems, including novel or difficult drug targets. Examples of this proficiency include Domainexs proven capabilities in peptidomimetic drugs, and Pharmidexs recognised expertise in the study of DMPK within the central nervous system (NeuroPK and NeuroPD).About Domainex Ltd Founded in 2002, Domainex is a spin-out company from University College London, Birkbeck College London and the Institute of Cancer Research that specializes in the provision of combinatorial domain hunting and medicinal chemistry services to large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and is also developing a pipeline of pre-clinical drugs and targets. Domainex uses unique and proprietary technologies to resolve common bottlenecks facing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in the post-genomic era. Major discovery 'gaps' exist between the vast amount of genomic information that is now available, the accessibility of the corresponding proteins for use in target validation and drug discovery, and the identification of robust hits in a cost effective manner.Founded in 2002, Domainex is a privately owned company with laboratories in Cambridge, England, and offices in the London Bioscience Innovation Centre. Domainex has developed a number of platform technologies specifically aimed at enabling biotech or university groups who have exciting new drug targets. Its Combinatorial Domain Hunting (CDH) technology will deliver protein constructs that are soluble, stable, and produced in high-yield - thereby opening up the path to high throughput screening, structural biology, or antibody production. The CDH technology is based on research conducted by Professor Paul Driscoll, Professor Laurence Pearl, Dr Chris Prodromou and Dr Renos Savva, at the Institute for Cancer Research, University College and Birkbeck College, University of London.Domainex has also developed LeadBuilder - a virtual screening approach for targets which is specifically aimed at identifying hit molecules that are ideally suited for further development. The experienced medicinal chemistry team has a proven track record in supporting biotech or university groups by providing expertise to take hit compounds through lead optimisation and on to candidate selection.Several compounds arising from these collaborations are currently in clinical evaluation.For more information: www.domainex.co.uk Links Click for the full news story from Domainex UCL Biopharmaceutical spin-out, Domainex, secures 1 million

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-announces-new-partnership-with-kurma-biofund 2010-01-21T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB is delighted to announce a partnership with Kurma Biofund, a recently formed venture capital fund based in Paris and dedicated to innovations in life sciences and healthcare. Kurma recently announced the closing of a first round of financing totalling 50 million. In picture, left to right: Dr Louis Nisbet, Kurma Biofund Venture Partner, Mr Cengiz Tarhan, UCLB Managing Director, Alain Maiore, Kurma Biofund Managing Partner, Dr Anne Lane, UCLB Executive Director and Mr Thierry Laugel, Kurma Biofund Managing Partner.An objective of the Fund is to extend selectively its relationships with leading institutions in other parts of Europe. Kurma has therefore established a close working relationship with UCLB to support the commercialisation of the intellectual property assets of UCL (University College London) at its Institute of Child Health. The partnership with UCL Business has an initial focus in child health, with the possibility of extending to other areas in the future. We selected child health because of the strength of UCLs Institute of Child Health, which is associated and works closely with Great Ormond Street Hospital, one of the worlds leading centres for treating childhood illnesses. We have a dual goal: to help UCL Business to commercialise the intellectual assets of UCL and to realise breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases of children, said Louis Nisbet, the UK Venture Partner for Kurma." We are delighted to be working with the Kurma team. UCLs Institute of Child Health has some very exciting research and this partnership will ensure that together we will identify projects with the most promising potential to deliver solutions to treat childhood diseases, said Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business."About Kurma BiofundKurma Biofund is a new venture capital fund based in Paris and dedicated to innovations in Life Sciences and Healthcare. The fund has a unique positioning based on financing assets with near term realisations (3 to 5 years) for both technology transfer projects and mature projects. Kurma relies on very high quality investment opportunities, generated through a network of partnerships in France and abroad, with leading research institutes and a strong experienced team combining managing partners, venture partners and a strong network of scientific experts. Kurma Biofund I has closed a first round of financing of 50 million euros on the 24th November 2009.http://www.kurmabiofund.com/ Further Information For further information contact Dr. Rick Fagan, Director-BioPharm, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000 (r.fagan@uclb.com).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/seeing-a-diagnosis-how-an-eye-test-could-aid-alzheimer-s-detection 2010-01-14T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

A simple and inexpensive eye test could aid detection and diagnosis of major neurological diseases such as Alzheimers at an earlier stage than is currently possible, according to new research by UCL scientists Professors Francesca Cordeiro Stephen Moss. The research, published today in Cell Death Disease, demonstrates a new technique that enables retinal, and therefore brain cell death, to be directly measured in real time. The method, demonstrated in an animal model, could not only refine diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders and help track disease progress; it could also aid the assessment and development of new treatments.The technique uses fluorescent markers that attach themselves to the relevant cells and indicate the stage of cell death. The retina is then observed using a customised laser ophthalmoscope. Until now, this kind of technique has only been used in cells in the lab, rather than in live animals. This research is therefore the first ever in vivo demonstration of retinal nerve cell death in Alzheimer's Disease.Professor Cordeiro at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, said: The death of nerve cells is the key event in all neurodegenerative disorders but until now it has not been possible to study cell death in real time. This technique means we should be able to directly observe retinal nerve cell death in patients, which has a number of advantages in terms of effective diagnosis. This could be critically important since identification of the early stages could lead to successful reversal of the disease progression with treatment. Currently, the biggest obstacle to research into new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases is the lack of a technique where the brains response to new treatments can be directly assessed this technique could potentially help overcome that. Although this paper outlines the technique in animal models, Professor Cordeiros team are further along with work using the same technique to detect and assess glaucoma, and will be conducting their first patient trials later this year.She added: The equipment used for this research was customised to suit animal models but is essentially the same as is used in hospitals and clinics worldwide. It is also inexpensive and non-invasive, which makes us fairly confident that we can progress quickly to its use in patients. " Few people realise that the retina is a direct, albeit thin, extension of the brain. It is entirely possible that in the future a visit to a high-street optician to check on your eyesight will also be a check on the state of your brain. The research was supported by funding from The Wellcome Trust and The Foundation Fighting Blindness. The project has also been supported by UCL Business proof of concept funds and two patents have been filed around this technology. Further Information The paper, Imaging multiple phases of neurodegeneration: a novel approach to assessing cell death in vivo, is published today in Cell Death Disease. For copies of the paper, please contact UCL Media Relations. This new journal is published by the Nature Publishing Group.For more informationplease contact:Please contact Dr. R. Fagan, Director-BioPharm, UCL Business PLC T +44 (0)20 7679 9000 E r.fagan@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-spinout-showcases-pioneering-device-to-breast-cancer-surgeons 2010-01-05T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

A UCL spinout company has given a global audience of surgeons and oncologists a glimpse of a pioneering breast cancer treatment device. Endomagnetics Ltd is commercialising a magnetic sensing platform developed at the London Centre for Nanotechnology at UCL and the Texas Centre for Superconductivity at the University of Houston.The company launched its first product, the SentiMag an intra-operative device to locate the breasts sentinel lymph node in front of 8,500 surgeons and oncologists at the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas in mid-December 2009.Professor Quentin Pankhurst, who co-founded the company, said the response from the audience had been overwhelmingly positive and validated the core Endomagnetics proposition of offering a surgeon-friendly and cost-effective alternative to radioactive materials for the treatment of breast cancer.Globally, 1.25 million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. With lifestyle changes, this figure is increasing by around 20,000 cases year on year across the developed and developing world. In nearly all cases, surgery is required to remove the tumour. During the surgical procedure it is desirable to locate and remove the sentinel lymph nodes by keyhole surgery and to then inspect them to determine whether the cancer has spread to other sites in the body.The current method of sentinel node detection involves injecting a radioactive dye into the lymph around the tumour, which passes through the lymphatic system and collects in the sentinel nodes; the surgeon then uses a hand-held gamma probe to locate the node.However, the use of a nuclear medicine-based solution one that involves radioactivity presents hospitals with a significant and expensive logistical burden. In addition to this, patients have frequently found the injection of a radioactive dye to be painful.Endomagnetics has developed an innovative detection system based on magnetics rather than radiation, where the dye is replaced by a Food and Drug Administration-approved magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent and a novel hand-held magnetic sensor replaces the gamma probe.The Endomagnetics solution simplifies the pre- and post-operative hospital procedures for sentinel lymph node biopsy, as surgeons are freed from the constraints imposed by the use of radioactive materials.The underlying technology could also be applied to other medical markets including the staging of lung, prostate and colon cancer, of which there was a total of 2.63 million cases per annum in North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australasia in 2007.During the summer of 2009, UCL Business PLC led an initial investment round of 350,000 into Endomagnetics Ltd, securing financial support from, among others, the Combined London Colleges University Challenge Seed Fund and the Bloomsbury Bioseed Fund.Dr Steven Schooling, Director of Engineering Physical Sciences at UCL Business, said: The Endomagnetics team have worked incredibly hard to ensure that a working system could be showcased at San Antonio. Further effort will be needed to ensure a successful commercialisation outcome, however I am most encouraged by the feedback from leading breast cancer surgeons who stopped by the Endomagnetics stand.Links: Endomagnetics Investment in Endomagnetics Limited Further InformationFor further information contact:Dr Steven Schooling, Director Engineering and Physical Sciences, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (s.schooling@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-technology-solutions-for-managing-climate-change 2009-12-15T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The UN Climate change Summit in Copenhagen is the biggest environmental meeting in history- so what is UCLBs contribution? Dr Steven Schooling, Director of Engineering and Physical Sciences at UCLB, highlights some examples of how the intellectual property emerging from UCLs diverse knowledge base is being utilised in relation to climate change and sustainability.Image: Space Syntax's London Pedestrian Routemap One of UCLBs key areas of focus for its technology transfer activities is the development and commercialisation of low-carbon technologies. At a recent UCLB Investor Breakfast event, an audience drawn from industry and the investment communities were briefed on a selection of developments in the area of materials technologies." Professor Xiao Guo from UCL Chemistry showcased his recent work on metal-hydride based materials which offer the potential to provide a safe, high-capacity and affordable source of hydrogen to fuel-cell devices one of many low-carbon related innovations within the UCLB portfolio.UCLB has been involved in the creation of a diverse range of spinout companies, a number of whom are working in areas relating to climate change and sustainability. The first example is Space Syntax Ltd, a spinout from the Bartlett School of Architecture whose mission is to assist in the creation of urban environments that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.One example of their work is the development of a London Pedestrian Routemap. The map arose from Space Syntaxs detailed knowledge of people movement in urban environment and aims to encourage walking in London by providing a simple, memorable picture of key walking routes in the capital.A second example is Eurotempest Ltd, a spinout from UCL Space Climate Physics which provides reinsurers and risk managers with forecasts for European windstorms and their localised potential wind damage to two-digit postcode resolution. With climate change generating ever-changing patterns of weather, the companys Properties at Risk service provides managers in the insurance industry with up-to-date estimates of likely claims volumes in the days leading up to a weather event.UCLB also assists in the stimulation of research collaborations and consultancy activities between UCL and the private and public sectors. For example, with support from a dedicated UCLB Business Manager, the universitys recently formed Energy Institute has been actively engaging with industry in consultancy and collaborative research projects covering issues ranging from the carbon intensity of energy to micro-combined heat and power field trials and regulations for building thermal efficiency. Links: UCL and Climate Change November 2009 Investor Breakfast UCL Energy Institute Space Syntax Eurotempest UCL School of Energy and Resources, AustraliaFurther InformationFor further information contact:Dr Steven Schooling, Director Engineering and Physical Sciences, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (s.schooling@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/call-for-applications-for-the-ucl-and-j-j-proof-of-concept-fund 2009-12-08T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Johnson Johnson and UCL have recently jointly established a co-managed270,000 proof of concept fund. The fund will be managed through UCLB and the aim of the fund is to improve the research pipeline in early stage healthcare research and to generate benefit for patients, the healthcare system and the life science industry. The maximum award for any one application is 30,000.The first call for applications is concentrated in the areas of obesity diabetes, heart failure CVD and neurodegenerative diseases. Applications should be submitted in the form of a short non-confidential abstract with a description and keywords for the project of no longer than 2 A4 pages.A brief researcher biography, stage of development and intellectual property status of proposed project and proposed healthcare application/relevance should also be included.The abstracts will be selected by UCLB for submission to JJ. If the abstract is successful, the researcher/researchers will be required to submit a full application in the form of a proof of concept application using the UCLB standard PoC form for review by a joint JJ UCL PoC committee.The closing date for submission of abstracts is 5pm 15thJanuary2010 , and applications should be submitted to Mr. Alex Weedon, Legal Manager, UCLB (a.weedon@uclb.com).UCLB Business Managers will be able to provide help and advice for submission of abstracts. Please visitthe UCLB contacts pageto find your UCLB Business Manager.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/new-appointments-to-ucl-s-senior-management-team 2009-12-04T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL President and Provost Professor Malcolm Grant today announced two new appointments to the universitys senior management team. Professor Stephen Caddick, Head of UCL Chemistry, will succeed Professor Mike Spyer as Vice-Provost (Enterprise) upon Professor Spyers retirement on 1 May 2010.In the role of Vice-Provost (Enterprise), Professor Caddick will be responsible for leading UCLs enterprise agenda, which specifically entails raising the profile of entrepreneurial activities; promoting academic and industry liaison; maximising revenue from the commercialisation of research technology; the capitalisation of intellectual property; and establishing and developing spin-out companies and clinical trial activities, among other duties. Further Information To read the full article and find out about the Provost's second new appointment please click here.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/pfizer-secures-assets-from-intercytex-to-support-ucl-collaborative-research-project 2009-11-27T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Intercytex Group recently announced that it has completed the sale of certain assets related to stem cell therapies from its wholly owned subsidiary Axordia Limited to Pfizer Limited for a total cash consideration of $750,000. In January 2009 UCLB entered an agreement for the exclusive supply of GMP cells manufactured by Axordia Ltd in order to support The London Project to Cure Blindness, a pioneering programme based at UCLs Institute of Ophthalmology in connection with research into the treatment and cure of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).In April 2009 UCLB announced an exclusive licence and research collaboration agreement with Pfizer to develop the GMP cells supplied by Axordia into the clinic and to market for the treatment of certain ophthalmic conditions.Pfizers acquisition of the assets from Intercytex with the intention of supplying them to the Institute of Ophthalmology demonstrates its belief in, and commitment to the collaborative research project it signed with UCL in April 2009. Cengiz Tarhan, UCLB Managing Director said, We have an excellent relationship with Pfizer and we are delighted to see that with this acquisition our research into stem cell-based therapies for the treatment of AMD at UCL and our partnership with Pfizer now enters into a much stronger and more positive stage of development. Links www.thelondonproject.org.uk UCLB and Pfizer announce collaboration to advance development of Stem cell-based therapies UCL Business announces a collaborative research programme with Axordia Ltd Further Information For further information contact Dr Rick Fagan, BioPharm, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (r.fagan@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/novel-polymer-supported-by-uclb-wins-business-innovation-award 2009-11-18T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Alexander Seifalian, Professor of Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine and his research team received a Business Innovation Award in the Life Sciences and Healthcare category at this years UK Nano Forum and Emerging Technologies event. In picture: Prof Seifalian (middle) receivedthe award. Dr Burriesci and MSc student in Nanotechnology regenerative Medicine, Miss Crowley.The award is in recognition of the development of a revolutionary polymer material, for use as a heart valve. Professor Seifalian accepted the award on behalf of hisresearch team.The platform technology which has the potential to be used in a wide spectrum of medical devices follows a recent 100,000 grant from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to carry out a feasibility study to develop a revolutionary polymer-coated stent for the treatment of coronary heart disease.In the UK uncoated bare metal stents and coated drug-eluting stents are licensed for clinical use. However bare metal stents have a higher rate of in-stent restenosis (the re-narrowing of the vessel wall after treatment) and drug-eluting stents have a tendency towards late-stage thrombosis (clot formation). Evidence from many sources including The Lancet suggests that drug eluting stents have the adverse effect of actively inhibiting blood vessel endothelialisation (the natural healing process of tissue re-growth over the stent to prevent thrombosis) and thus preventing normal cellular repair in and around the stent which is important in preventing thrombosis and restenosis. The teams polymer has been developed with the unique property of attracting and circulating endothelial cells. These provide a natural lining which actively promotes vessel wall healing which, unlike bare metal or drug eluting stents, will reduce the risk of thrombosis and restenosis. We believe the use of the polymer to coat stents will address the problems associated with current stents and may lead to a reduction in stent failure rates said Professor Seifalian. According to Professor Hamilton This promises to have a positive effect on patient morbidity and mortality and will alleviate some of the cost burden on the NHS due to repeat procedures. Professor Seifalian and Professor Hamiltons team are supported by UCLB who are providing vital regulatory, business and project management support to ensure the route to clinical trials is as efficient as possible. UCLB is also identifying industry partners to commercialise the technology.About the awardIn its fourth year, the UK NanoForum Emerging Technologies 2009 event comprises a two-day conference and exhibition bringing over 100 senior international delegates and 350 UK delegates together to network and identify potential business and collaboration opportunities. The Business Innovation Awards hosted at the event showcases the very best of British innovation. In addition to Life Science and Healthcare, other award categories included Energy Environment and Materials Devices.The award is in recognition of the development of a revolutionary polymer material, for use as a heart valve. Professor Seifalian accepted the award on behalf of his team including Arnold Darbyshire, polymer chemist, Gaetano Burriesci, lecturer in engineering, who worked on design of percutaneous heart valve and Prof Bonhoeffer, consultant paediatric cardiologist investigating clinical application of heart valve, Link: 500,000 grant to develop synthetic artery Further information For further information contact Ms. Karen Cheetham,Director-Projects, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (k.cheetham@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-liver-failure-group-present-two-studies-at-the-american-association-for-liver-disease 2009-11-02T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The UCL Liver Failure Group presented data from two studies with OCR-002 (L-ornithine phenylacetate) to the annual American Association for Liver Disease( AASLD) meeting in Boston that suggest the potential for this novel therapeutic agent to impact multiple aspects of liver disease and its complications. Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. of San Diego, California licensed exclusive, worldwide rights for the development and commercialisation of OCR-002 (L-ornithine phenylacetate) from UCLB in April 2009. UCLB initially supported the hepatic encephalopathy project with Proof of Concept funds and a strategic investment from its own investment funds to perform studies to support a clinical trial, authorisation to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. A further 750,000 was awarded from an MRC Experimental Medicine grant to fund the investigator-led Phase I/IIa study.Ocera Therapeutics is now developing OCR-002 as a novel injectable medication for the treatment of Acute Liver Failure and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Disease also known as Acute Hepatic Encephalopathy.The data, presented at the 60th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, is comprised of a set of studies evaluating the potential for OCR-002 treatment to reduce ammonia, down-regulate inflammation, lower oxidative stress and reduce portal hypertension in a preclinical model of cirrhosis.Treatment with OCR-002 resulted in a significant reduction in ammonia, normalisation of brain edema, reduction in inflammatory cytokines, and a normalisation of eNOS activity in both the brain and the liver of cirrhotic animals. These effects were associated with a significant reduction in portal pressure. These findings suggest a possible role for OCR-002 and ammonia reduction in the mitigation of portal hypertensive complications, including hepatic encephalopathy and variceal bleeding. With OCR-002, for the first time, we are able to reduce circulating ammonia levels in a consistent and controlled way which gives us the ability to treat complications of liver disease as well as the ability to better understand the pathophysiology of liver disease and its complications, stated Professor Rajiv Jalan M.D. at the Institute of Hepatology, UCL. This study exploring the role of ammonia on portal hypertension and nitric oxide signaling pathway involved close collaboration with the liver hemodynamics group at UCL led by Dr Raj Mookerjee. OCR-002 demonstrates significant potential as a new treatment for liver disease, and addresses an area of significant unmet medical need that is growing at epidemic rates. We are very pleased to be involved in the development of OCR-002 in collaboration with our partners at UCL , added Scott Harris, M.D. Oceras Chief Medical Officer.60th Annual AASLD Meeting The two studies presented are titled: Reduction in hyperammonemia with L-ornithine phenylacetate (OCR-002) in bile-duct-ligated (BDL) cirrhotic rats restores brain eNOS activity by modulating the DDAH-ADMA pathway and Treatment of hyperammonemia with L-ornithine phenylacetate (OCR-002) reduces portal pressure by modulating hepatic NF?B and hepatic eNOS activity in cirrhotic rats.About Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. Ocera Therapeutics, based in San Diego, California, USA, is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of proprietary compounds to treat acute and chronic liver diseases and a broad range of gastrointestinal disorders. In addition to OCR-002, Ocera is developing AST-120 in mild hepatic encephalopathy (Phase 2b), and irritable bowel syndrome. Ocera has raised $62 million dollars in venture financing from Domain Associates, Sofinnova Ventures, Thomas, McNerney Partners, Montagu Newhall and InterWest Partners. Additional information on the company can be found at www.oceratherapeutics.com. Links Ocera Therapeutics Exclusively Licenses Novel Treatment for Acute Hepatic Encephalopathy from UCLB Further Information For further information contact:Dr. Chris Williams, Business Manager, UCL Business PLC+44 20 7679 9000, c.williams@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/investment-in-endomagnetics-limited 2009-09-30T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business PLC announces that it has led an initial investment round of 350,000 into Endomagnetics Limited, a spinout company which is commercialising magnetic sensing technology arising from research within the London Centre for Nanotechnology at UCL and the Texas Centre for Superconductivity at the University of Houston. Co-investors in the investment round were the Combined London Colleges University Challenge Seed Fund (CLCUC), Bloomsbury Bioseed Fund (BBSF), together with the founders and their friends and families.The companys first product is an intra-operative medical device for use in the treatment of breast cancer. Globally, 1.25 million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, whilst lifestyle changes and the availability of healthcare mean that this figure is increasing by around 20,000 cases year on year, in both the developed and the developing world. In practically all of these cases, surgery is required to remove the tumour. During the surgical procedure it is desirable to excise the sentinel lymph nodes and inspect them microscopically (i.e. perform histology) to determine whether the cancer has spread from the tumour to other sites in the body.However, current methods of sentinel node detection present inherent and significant barriers to widespread adoption of the procedure. A key reason is that the current method is based on radiation. Locating the sentinel nodes involves injecting a radioactive dye into the lymph around the tumour. This then passes through the lymphatic system and collects in the sentinel nodes; the surgeon then uses a hand-held gamma probe to locate the node. However the use of radioisotopes presents the hospital administration with significant, and expensive, logistical burden and there is also reluctance on the part of patients to receive a radioactive injection.Endomagnetics Ltds approach to lymph node location radically alters the sentinel lymph node biopsy protocol. It uses a detection system based on magnetics rather than radiation, with the radioactive dye being replaced by an MRI contrast agent and a novel hand-held magnetic sensor replacing the gamma probe. This considerably simplifies the pre- and post-operative hospital procedures for sentinel lymph node biopsy, as hospitals and surgeons are freed from the constraints imposed by the use of radioactive materials during the staging procedure.Professor Quentin Pankhurst, Founder of Endomagnetics commented, Endomagnetics vision is to transform the way that the staging of breast cancer is undertaken and ensure that patients across the world have access to a vital component of the breast cancer staging process. This investment will enable us to accelerate our development activity and engage with clinical adopters across the US and Europe. Dr Steven Schooling, Director of Engineering and Physical Sciences at UCL Business said Endomagnetics is capitalising on a innovative technology developed within the research labs of two world class research centres at UCL and Houston, which has the potential for use across a wide range of clinical conditions. UCL Business has worked closely with Professor Pankhurst and his colleagues from the initial proof of concept activities through to the raising of investment finance and we wish the team every success with their future plans. Further Information For further information contact:Dr Steven Schooling,Director Engineering and Physical Sciences,UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (s.schooling@uclb.com)Prof. Quentin Pankhurst, Endomagnetics Ltd, 07962 232 340.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-branded-graduated-compression-socks-are-premier-league 2009-08-25T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB was delighted to support the UCL Advances recent Future of Sport event. Showcasing UCLs contribution in this field the event highlighted the importance of the advancement of sport for competitive advantage, health and well-being. Evexar elite sports socksUCLBs subsidiary company Evexar Medical Ltd recently established Evexar Compression Advisory Ltd focusing on the distribution of its premium range sports graduatedcompression socks designed to aid performance, lessen muscle fatigue and provide ankle support.The socks are now worn by athletes in premier league football clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea andFulham as well as being supplied to a variety of other sports including cricket and rugby. Distribution is expanding and the socks will soon bereleasedfor saleto the wider public. Pictured: The white Evexar compression socksworn byNick Easterduring training with the British and Irish Lions. Mike Davison,Commercial Director of Evexar Compression Advisory Ltd said The socks are proving to be very popular among the British sporting elite. They should be worn before, during and after any sporting activity to improve blood circulation and aid recovery from muscle fatigue. The products association with UCLB, UCLs technology transfer office has in my view played a significant part in the successful distribution of the socks to big name clients. Saphena medical socksIn addition, the UCL-branded Saphena medicalsock range, hasdelivered considerable benefits to patients in the clinical environment. Manufactured by Pretty Legs Hosiery Ltd and distributed by Griffith and Neilson Ltd,Saphena is sold into 31NHS Trusts in England (representing 90 hospitals) and58 BMI Healthcare Hospitals.Sales have recently exceeded 1.5 million pairswith55 thousand pairs being soldevery month.The Saphena sock is the only UK designed and manufactured support sock on the market which is otherwise dominated by American competitors. The high volume of sales is a significant achievement for UCL and UCLB. Links Evexar sports socks Saphena medical socks Further Information Forinformation on the Evexar socks send an enquiry to info@evexcomp.com or contact Mr MichaelDavison,Commercial Director,Evexar Compression Advisory Ltdon 020 7326 0900, ( mdavison@evexcomp.com )For information on the Saphena socks contact Dr Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( a.watts@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/500,000-grant-to-develop-synthetic-artery 2009-08-11T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

A team of researchers from UCL has won a 500,000 grant to develop a synthetic artery that mimics a natural artery and could revolutionise the treatment of coronary heart disease. Professor Alexander Seifalian (UCL Surgery and Interventional Science) and Professor George Hamilton (Royal Free Hospital) and their team will use the Wellcome Trust grant to take their work from the laboratory to a pre-clinical trial.The team has been developing a new nanomaterial with mechanical properties similar to that of human arteries.The nanomaterials inner surface has been modified to attract stem cells from blood circulating inside the body.It converts these primary cells to endothelial cells, a type of cell that covers the interior of the natural blood vessel and protects it from blockage.The breakthrough offers hope for sufferers of heart disease who are unable to donate suitable substitute blood vessels for bypass surgery.Professor Seifalian, a leading expert in nanotechnology and regenerative medicine, explained: Coronary heart disease is a condition where one or more blood vessels of the heart become narrowed or blocked. This causes the heart muscle to be starved of oxygen causing damage often leading to a heart attack and muscle death. This interferes with the hearts ability to pump blood around the body, leading to infirmity and possibly death" The current treatment of the disease is to create a new route for blood to circulate, most often by balloon dilatation and stent (stent angioplasty). In many patients however this intervention cannot be performed and in this situation an operation called bypass surgery is needed which can either use substitute blood vessels from another part of the patient or made from a plastic material." Unfortunately, up to 30% of patients cannot supply their own vessels and the plastic vessels currently available are not suitable for the small diameter vessels in the heart; because of this most surgeons will not use them. The prognosis for the patient under these circumstances is at best a reduced quality of life." We have developed an alternative using a new nanocomposite polymer with similar mechanical properties to that of human arteries. The result for the patient will be a synthetic vessel which we believe will function as well as the patients own blood vessels allowing surgeons to successfully operate on patients who cannot donate their own blood vessels. If the nanomaterial performs as well as or better than a natural vessel, it could be used for all patients, removing the need for an additional operation.Professor Seifalians team are working closely with UCL Business (UCLB) who are providing vital regulatory support to ensure pre-clinical milestones are reached smoothly and the route to clinical trials is as efficient as possible. UCLB is also identifying industry partners to commercialise the technology.UCLB Executive Director Anne Lane said: The UCLB business managers andthe project manangement team have accelerated the time to market for Professor Seifalians polymer. Our unique approach most importantly allows the benefits of the product to reach patients more quickly while significantly increasing revenues to UCL. Depending on the success of the preclinical trial, the team aim to take their work to clinical trial in early 2011. UCL context UCL Surgery and Interventional Science is one of the most prestigious medical schools in Europe, with a team of nearly 400 people, from surgeons and oncologists to clinical trials specialists and researchers. It spans four London campuses (Royal Free, Bloomsbury, Whittington, and Stanmore) and brings together three major research departments Surgical Research, Urology, and the Institute of Orthopedics and Musculoskeletal Science. Within these departments are world-class research centres specialising in tissue repair, oncology, biomedical engineering, laser medicine, anaesthetics and more. Links: UCL Surgery and Interventional ScienceWellcome Trust Further Information For further information contactMs.Karen Cheetham,Programme Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (k.cheetham@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-hosts-summer-reception 2009-07-28T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCLB was delighted to host the annual Summer Reception event on 16th July to celebrate a year of successes with drinks, canaps and entertainment against the backdrop of the neo-classical UCL Portico and Flaxman Gallery. In an informal setting, the event provided a networking opportunity for UCLB, UCL and industry to promote the value of technology and knowledge transfer activity. Guests included venture capitalists, industry partners, potential industry partners, funding bodies and UCL colleagues and friends.UCLB was especially delightedto welcome UCL's President and Provost, Professor Malcolm Grantwho addressed theguests with aspeech about the importance and value technology transfer brings to UCL.In addition to entertainment in the form of a Latin band and a professional magician guests were entered into a raffle to win iPod touch media players to promoteUCLiTunes U, a new initiative introduced to UCLwith UCLB'Ssupportwhere users can download lectures, interviews, seminars and news, and play audio and video.Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business, said It's greatto see so many guests join UCL Business in such a delightful setting as the UCL Portico.....UCLB has achieved such a great deal in the last few years and many of those attending have been our partners through this period. We look forward to working with them in the future and many others as our portfolio of activity grows Related News UCL First Major University in Europe to be available on Apple's iTunes U Links UCL on iTunes U Further Information For further information contact Tim Yates, Marketing Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (t.yates@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-s-cutting-edge-technologies-get-design-to-speed-up-route-to-market 2009-06-03T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The Design Council has launched a new initiative using designers to help speed up the commercialisation of new technologies from some of the UKs leading universities and UCL is one of the six participating universities to win a place through a competitive entry process. The Design Councils Innovate for Universities will bring teams of designers into the technology transfer offices of universities to help scientists and technologists accelerate the development of astonishing new applications for their research.UCL nominated four technologies that will be supported by intensive design mentoring for 12 months.UCL technologies to be supported are: Crime mapping software A self-sterilising catheter A heart valve that can be implanted without surgery A hydrogen storage cartridge for a mobile fuel cellDavid Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council, said: In the UK we have a world-class science base with researchers working at the forefront of new thinking, plus an equally potent design capability with the skills to translate ideas into products and services that meet the needs of tomorrows consumer. Innovate for Universities is about combining both these elements early and smartly so we commercialise our technologies around the needs of real people and create enduring new solutions and businesses. David Secher, Chairman of Unico, the professional body for commercialising research, said: Until now, technology transfer offices have not routinely employed designers to help develop their ideas. Innovate for Universities will allow designers, through their strategic advice and ability to understand user needs, to enhance the economic and social impact derived from translating research into public benefit. Lord Drayson, Minister for Innovation, said: This exciting Design Council project will offer innovators in universities really practical advice to help bring their innovations to market. Innovate for Universities is based on a successful Design Council support service for high-tech start-ups that is part of its national Designing Demand business programme. It has proved that when designers are involved at the early stages of science and technology-based product development, commercial propositions that meet a market need emerge more rapidly. It is funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).Innovate for Universities will culminate in a showcase of the resulting innovations and products in June next year. Links www.designcouncil.org.ukFor more information please contact Saskia Sissons at the Design Council on 020 7420 5248 or saskia.sissons@designcouncil.org.uk

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-supports-the-ucl-enterprise-awards-2009 2009-05-26T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business and UCL Consultants were delighted to sponsor two key awards at the Enterprise Awards 2009 held on May 14th. Hosted by UCL Advances on behalf of UCL, this was the second annual Enterprise Awards to honour the spirit of entrepreneurship and the achievements of business innovators at UCL. The event marked the accomplishments of a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators with UCL's Enterprise Awards Presentation, held in the UCL Bloomsbury Theatre.Prizes were presented to students and staff honoured for their work in the development of businesses based on research carried out at UCL. The idea behind the awards is to recognise the successes of UCL's academics and students, and encourage others to get involved in the future. The UCL Business Award for 2009 went to Professor Rajiv Jalan (Institute of Hepatology) for his many years of research into the treatment of acute hepatic encephalopathy which led to the exclusive licence agreement with Ocera Therapeutics Inc. in December 2008. The UCL Consultants Award 2009 went to Mr Spencer Chainey for his outstanding contribution to the work carried out in the UCL Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science (JDI). The JDI now manages the National Community Safety Information Sharing Systems Network for the Home Office.Dr Ian Tomlinson VP for Biopharm RD from GSK attended to receive the UCL Enterprise Partner of the Year Award 2009 on behalf of GSK. Further awards were received by NP Complete a recent UCLB supported spin out and by many UCL students with promising business opportunities. Professor Anthony Finkelstein (UCL Computer Sciences) was awarded the UCL Advances Entrepreneurial Spirit Award 2009 for consistently demonstrating an appreciation and support for the role of enterprise and entrepreneurship with staff and students in Computer Sciences.The evening also became a memorable occasion for UCLB's own Mr Cengiz Tarhan, who received the evenings inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award , for his outstanding contribution to the development of UCL businesses and subsidiaries.Professor Mike Spyer, UCL Vice-Provost (Enterprise), said: Throughout his time at the university, Cengiz has done more to develop commercial activity at UCL than any other person currently here and were delighted to be able to recognise that achievement. Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business, said, "UCL Business is delighted to be a part of such an event. It is important to recognise the entrepreneurial achievements of UCL staff and students in order to encourage others to get involved. I was very surprised and humbled to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. The transactions we conclude at UCLB are always a team effort and I owe much to others who have worked with me over the years and the solid support and dedication of my colleagues at UCLB and across UCL. I am grateful to them and look forward to supporting more fantastic projects emerging from UCL's excellent research base." RELATED NEWS Ocera Therapeutics Exclusively Licenses Novel Treatment for Acute Hepatic Encephalopathy from UCLBFor full details of all awards and winners, including short films about each of the projects, visit UCL Advances .

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-global-health-research-showcased-in--better-world-report 2009-05-15T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Research from UCL features in the 2009 Better World Report, which showcases examples of the most powerful research and technology to come out of universities that have had a positive impact on global health. UCLs spin-out Eurotempest Ltd and Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) were selected because of their groundbreaking capabilities in the prediction of severe weather conditions. The ventures were developed from work by Professor Mark Saunders and his fellow climate researchers at the universitys Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL).Using sophisticated computer models, the team can assess the strength and pathway of storms, when they will arrive at geographical locations and how much damage they could cause. TSRtracks hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones worldwide and offers unrivalled accuracy in mapping their impacts. Eurotempest focuses on the destructive wind storms that often sweep across the European continent. We are delighted that our innovative storm warning and storm impact products are of benefit to global health and have saved many lives, said Professor Saunders.UCL is one of only two UK universities to feature in the report. Its inclusion reinforces the universitys commitment to carrying out research that has an impact on the health of communities around the world.The Better World Report is published by the Association of University Technology Managers, with a view to promoting public understanding of how academic research and technology transfer have changed our way of life and made the world a better place.The Mullard Space Science LaboratoryMSSL is the UK's largest university-based space science research group. MSSL delivers a cutting-edge science programme, underpinned by a capability in space science instrumentation, systems engineering and project management. Links: Mullard Space Science Laboratory 2009 Better World Report UCL Aon Benfield Hazard Research Centre UCL Grand Challenges: Global Health Related stories UCL podcast: Professor Bill McGuire, Director of the ABUHRChttp://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0902/09021301Climate change: The biggest global-health threat of the 21st centuryhttp://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0905/09051501/UCL podcast: What businesses can learn from Ovidhttp://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0905/09050101

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/uclb-and-pfizer-announce-collaboration-to-advance-development-of-stem-cell-based-therapies 2009-04-24T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business PLC (UCLB) and Pfizer Regenerative Medicine today announced thatthey have entered into a collaboration and licence agreement focused on gaining better understanding into how to develop stem cell-based therapies for certain ophthalmic conditions. The Pfizer/UCL collaboration brings together the pioneering work of university researchers in the field of cell-based therapies and Pfizers expertise in the design and delivery of therapeutics. Pfizers contributions will include expertise in the design and execution of clinical studies and interaction with global regulators as well as in product manufacturing techniques. The collaboration will examine how human embryonic stem (hES) cells differentiate into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) with the goal of developing stem cell-based therapies primarily for wet and dry macular degeneration (AMD). We are excited to be working with pioneers in the field of stem cell ophthalmology from UCL, said Ruth McKernan, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Pfizer Regenerative Medicine. While we have much to learn about how stem cells can be used therapeutically, we are confident that this relationship will increase that understanding and help us advance to a time when our work may benefit patients worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will provide funding to UCL to enable research into the development of stem cell-based therapies for AMD as well as other retinal diseases. Pfizer is granted exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialise an RPE stem cell-based therapeutic in the ophthalmology field. After the completion of preclinical safety studies, Pfizer will have the option to conduct clinical trials to determine efficacy of treatment and commercialise any resulting product.Pfizer is a leader in the development and marketing of medical therapies for ophthalmologic disease and has active efforts in retinal diseases, glaucoma and dry eye syndrome. The alliance with UCL will help Pfizer to remain at the leading edge of research into new therapies for ophthalmic disease. We have not only the benefit of Pfizers experience of the regulatory process and their expertise in stem cell technology but the ability, if this works, to produce on a much larger scale. It has huge implications, not only for our project, but for the field of regenerative medicine as a whole. And it is great that Britain is at the forefront of this research, said Professor Pete Coffey, UCL Institute for Ophthalmology and Director of the London Project.In November 2008, Pfizer launched the Pfizer Regenerative Medicine research unit. This independent research organisation will build on Pfizer's years of experience in this field and recent scientific progress in understanding the biology of stem cells and the opportunity it provides to discover and develop a new generation of medicines for major medical needs. Initial research in this area by Pfizer was focused on the development in drug discovery tools and now expands into developing a new generation of regenerative medicines for major medical needs that could benefit millions of patients worldwide.The collaboration with UCL helps to place Pfizer at the cutting edge of efforts in the field of regenerative medicines and support the companys goal to be a leader in the discovery and development of biotherapeutics and in bringing life-changing medicines to patients in need.The London ProjectThe London Project to Cure Blindness aims to make the most of human embryonic stem cells to prevent blindness and restore sight in patients with AMD by 2011. The goal is to replace cells essential for seeing lost by disease at the back of the eye. The aim is to repair and regenerate the aged diseased eye using human embryonic stem cells which have been transformed into the cells affected in AMD - the support cells for the photoreceptors (retinal pigment epithelium)and the photoreceptors. The cells will be surgically implanted into a clinical population of AMD patients.About PfizerFounded in 1849, Pfizer is the world's premier biopharmaceutical company taking new approaches to better health. We discover, develop, manufacture and deliver quality, safe and effective prescription medicines to treat and help prevent disease for both people and animals. We also partner with healthcare providers, governments and local communities around the world to expand access to our medicines and to provide better quality health care and health system support. At Pfizer, more than 80,000 colleagues in more than 90 countries work every day to help people stay happier and healthier longer and to reduce the human and economic burden of disease worldwide. www.pfizer.co.uk Links UCL Business announces a collaborative research programme with Axordia Ltd Professor Pete Coffey appears on the 'Today' programme The London Project to Cure Blindness Further Information For further information contact Dr Sophie Khanna, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (s.khanna@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/alzheimer-s-disease-a-new-small-molecule-approach-to-treatment-from-university-college-london 2009-04-15T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

New therapeutic approaches in Alzheimers disease are urgently needed. Work led by Professor Mark Pepys FRS over more than 20 years has identified a protein known as serum amyloid P component (SAP) as a possible therapeutic target in Alzheimers disease. In collaboration with Roche he developed a new small molecule drug, CPHPC, which specifically targets SAP and removes it from the blood. In the exciting new work reported now in the PNAS, the Pepys team together with Professor Martin Rossor and colleagues from the Dementia Research Centre of UCLs Institute of Neurology, have shown that the drug also removes SAP from the brains of patients with Alzheimers disease.In this first study of the drug in patients with Alzheimers disease, CPHPC was given to 5 individuals for 3 months. There was the usual depletion of SAP from the blood, seen in all subjects receiving this treatment, but also remarkable disappearance of SAP from the brain. Laboratory tests revealed the molecular mechanism responsible for this unique effect and also disclosed for the first time the way in which SAP accumulates in the brain in Alzheimers disease.Administration of CPHPC and the removal of SAP had no side effects in the patients with Alzheimers disease. CPHPC has also been given for several years to patients with other diseases without any adverse effects. The safety of CPHPC, together with the novel action of the drug in removing SAP from the brain, is very encouraging , said Professor Rossor.Although the 3 month treatment period was too short to show any clinical benefit there was no obvious deterioration. Longer and larger scale clinical studies are being planned to confirm safety and seek evidence of benefit to the patients. The complete disappearance of SAP from the brain during treatment with CPHPC could not have been confidently predicted said Professor Pepys, and the drug, also to our surprise, entered the brain. Coupled with the absence of any side effects, these new findings strongly support further clinical studies to see whether longer term treatment with CPHPC protects against the inexorable mental decline in patients with Alzheimers disease. In December 2008 Roche divested CPHPC entirely to Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd, a UCL spin out company founded by Professor Pepys. In February 2009 Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd licensed CPHPC to GlaxoSmithKline for treatment of systemic amyloidosis, a rare fatal disease. Pentraxin retains the rights to CPHPC for all other indications.About Pentraxin TherapeuticsPentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is a company spun out from University College London (UCL) by UCL Business PLC (UCLB) to hold and develop the intellectual property of Professor Mark Pepys and his colleagues in the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins. This clinical and basic science research centre houses the UK NHS National Amyloidosis Centre and it leads the world in research and clinical management of amyloidosis (www.ucl.ac.uk/medicine/amyloidosis). Links related news Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd acquires full rights to develop a drug treatment in systemic amyloidosis Further Information Professor Mark Pepys, UCL/Pentraxin, 020 7433 2786Publication by Kolstoe et al Pepys in the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Science: preprint available from Wednesday 8 April 2009 on the PNAS secure reporters-only website ( www.pnas.org ) Publication: Molecular dissection of Alzheimer disease neuropathology by depletion of serum amyloid P component

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ocera-therapeutics-exclusively-licenses-novel-treatment-for-acute-hepatic-encephalopathy-from-uclb 2009-04-01T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

LONDON and SAN DIEGO, April 1, 2009 University College London Business PLC (UCLB) and Ocera Therapeutics Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company, announced the signing of an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement for UCL-L1V and all assets and technologies related to the compound for the treatment of acute hepatic encephalopathy (AHE). The compound recently demonstrated that it directly reduces blood levels of ammonia, a highly toxic chemical that builds up during attacks of AHE. Ocera will develop the licensed compound as its second pipeline compound and refer to it as OCR-002. OCR-002 is a novel injectable for the treatment of AHE in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis and acute liver failure. The licensing agreement is based on research conducted by the collaborative global research project led by Professor Rajiv Jalan and the Liver Failure Group at the Institute of Hepatology, UCL (University College London). The research includes a study which demonstrated an acute and sustained reduction of systemic ammonia levels as well as decreased intracranial pressure in models of AHE in acute liver failure and cirrhosis. The data was published online in Hepatology in February 2009.Clinical trials in patients with AHE due to cirrhosis and acute liver failure will be carried out at University College Hospital as well as other centres in 2009 under funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) in the U.K. Ocera is planning to file an IND in late 2009 and U.S. trials will begin in early 2010.AHE is a reversible neuropsychiatric abnormality frequently seen as a complication of acute liver failure and cirrhosis. With severe liver impairment, toxic substances such as ammonia that are normally removed by the liver accumulate in the blood and impair the function of brain cells. Signs of AHE include impaired cognition, uncontrolled movements and decreased levels of consciousness leading to coma.Cirrhosis, which can cause AHE, occurs due to a variety of causes such as hepatitis B and C infection, alcohol, and fatty liver associated with obesity and diabetes. It is estimated that there are up to 1 million cirrhosis patients in the U.S. Acute liver failure is a life threatening condition in otherwise healthy patients and is most commonly caused by an overdose of paracetamol (acetaminophen in the U.S.). Other causes include reactions to other drugs, herbs, or acute hepatitis. AHE is one of the common complications of cirrhosis and acute liver failure, and up to150,000 patients are hospitalised in the U.S. each year. We are pleased to have licensed this breakthrough treatment for patients hospitalised with acute hepatic encephalopathy , said Dr. Laurent Fischer, President and CEO of Ocera Therapeutics. By directly reducing blood levels of ammonia, OCR-002 has the potential not only to improve symptoms of encephalopathy but may also help to reverse this life-threatening condition and reduce healthcare costs by minimising a patients time in intensive care. There is a significant unmet clinical need to treat hepatic encephalopathy which affects 40-60 percent of patients with established liver disease, stated Professor Rajiv Jalan M.D. Unlike UCL-L1V, none of the currently available treatments directly lowers circulating levels of ammonia. The partnership with Ocera is a significant step towards bringing this potentially lifesaving discovery to patients. Mr. Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB said, This is a significant deal for UCL Business. I am delighted that Ocera is licensing the technology from us. In Ocera, we have found the perfect development and commercialisation partner. They specialise in liver and gastrointestinal drug development and have a demonstrated track record. I am excited to enter this relationship to tap into their extensive experience to bring this technology to market. About the Liver Failure GroupThe Liver Failure Group, headed by Professor Rajiv Jalan, is based at the Institute of Hepatology, UCL. The research conducted by this group covers many aspects of acute and chronic liver disease. The focus of the Liver Failure Group is to better understand the mechanisms of liver failure and use this knowledge to develop disease biomarkers and design novel therapeutic strategies. The group includes clinicians and scientists.About Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.Ocera Therapeutics, based in San Diego, California, USA, is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of proprietary compounds to treat acute and chronic liver diseases and a broad range of gastrointestinal disorders. In addition to OCR-002, Ocera is developing AST-120 in mild hepatic encephalopathy (Phase 2b), pouchitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Ocera has raised $62.5 million dollars in venture financing from Domain Associates, Sofinnova Ventures, Thomas, McNerney Partners, Montagu Newhall and InterWest Partners. Additional information on the company can be found at www.oceratherapeutics.com. Further information Dr. Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC, +44 20 7679 9000a.watts@uclb.comAkiko Shibata, VP Business Operations,Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. + 1 858-436-3901ashibata@ocerainc.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-partnership-develops-world-leading-virtual-exhibitions 2009-03-31T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL has just signed three partnership agreements,which will enable the university to take a leading role in the development of world class Virtual Exhibitions in the arts and heritage sector. Demonstrating the value the university puts on establishing long term business partnerships, UCL has extended its successful three-year loan equipment agreement with the Canadian company Arius3D for use of the 3D colour laser based in The UCL Chorley Institute and negotiated new agreements with Arius3D and with the Irish-funded company omhnna igipteach Teoranta (IET), for licensing 3D images and for the development of Virtual Exhibitions.Sally MacDonald, Head of UCL Collections, commented that "this collaboration provides a wonderful opportunity to create innovative 3D virtual exhibitions based on the Petrie Museum's world class collections, and to bring UCL's work to audiences worldwide". Prof. Stuart Robson of UCL CEGE, who has been leading the universitys 3D scanning research emphasised the benefits to UCLs imaging and Digital Humanities research, Brian Mori, President of Arius3D paid tribute to "UCL's continued innovation and leadership thinking and Dr Mike Spearman, Director of IET drew attention to the unique opportunity to combine ground breaking 3D technology with one of the great Egyptology collections. The new agreements bring a number of additional benefits to UCL, including latest generation 3D colour scanning technology (with a new mobile scanner), associated software, funding of scanning and curatorial staff and refurbishment. Transacted through UCL Business the Petrie Museum will also derive income from licensing of individual 3D images and royalties from virtual exhibitions.The Chorley Institute Arius3D colour laser was installed at UCL in 2006. Based on National Research Council Canada (NRC) technology, and licensed to Arius3D, it was the first of its kind in Europe, and has already generated more than 2.5 million of research funding proposals, as well as numerous workshops and seminars. Prof. Stuart Robson has worked with Sally MacDonald on UCL interdisciplinary initiatives, using the new technology to further relationships with external institutions including the British Museum and The National Trust. UCL Business Partnerships Further Information For further information contact Dr Anna Clarke, Director of Business Partnerships, on 020 7679 9822 (anna.clark@ucl.ac.uk)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-and-gsk-join-forces-to-develop-combined-small-molecule-antibody-treatment-for-rare-disease 2009-03-24T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

A collaboration to develop a world first drug-antibody dual treatment for the rare and often fatal condition amyloidosis has been formed between the University College London spinout company Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Amyloidosis is a disease caused by build up of abnormal proteins (amyloid) in body tissues, leading to organ failure. The heart, kidneys, liver and almost any other organ can be affected. Around 500 new cases are diagnosed each year in the UK. Despite the best available therapy, the prognosis for patients with amyloidosis is poor and new treatments are urgently needed. We initially developed the small molecule drug, CPHPC, and while we had promising early results, they were not enough to benefit patients with advanced disease. Something more dramatic is needed, explained Professor Mark Pepys FRS, the head of Pentraxin and the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins which includes the UK National Amyloidosis Centre. We then combined CPHPC treatment with an antibody that seeks out the amyloid deposits in the organs in mice. This combination triggered a rapid clearance of the deposits. With this new agreement, the research teams from UCL and GSK will work together to convert the mouse antibody into one that can be used in humans in combination with CPHPC. The aim is to find out if the benefits seen in the animal model can be replicated in patients with amyloidosis.The collaboration brings together UCLs clinical and science expertise and the development expertise of GSKs Academic Discovery Performance and Biopharm Units. We are delighted to enter into this alliance, said Mike Owen, Senior Vice President, Biopharmaceutical Research, GSK. Our biopharmaceutical and clinical development capabilities and Prof Pepyss teams knowledge of the disease provide a synergistic collaboration that will greatly enhance our chances of success. Under the terms of the agreement, Pentraxin will receive undisclosed early stage success-based milestones plus drug development milestones and royalties.About Pentraxin TherapeuticsPentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is a company spun out from University College London (UCL) by UCL Business PLC (UCLB) to hold and develop the intellectual property of Professor Mark Pepys and his colleagues in the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins. This clinical and basic science research centre houses the UK NHS National Amyloidosis Centre and it leads the world in both research and clinical management of amyloidosis (www.ucl.ac.uk/medicine/amyloidosis)About GlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline - one of the worlds leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline at www.gsk.com. Links The Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins GlaxoSmithKline To view a video aboutsystemic amyloidosis please visit http://vimeo.com/3358025 Further Information Professor Mark Pepys, UCL/Pentraxin,020 7433 2786

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/new-alliance-sees-glaxosmithkline-and-institute-of-ophthalmology-share-compound-research 2009-02-26T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and University College Londons Institute of Ophthalmology have entered into a three year strategic collaboration to investigate new compounds to treat potentially sight-threatening disorders. The alliance will apply the expertise and research facilities at UCLs Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO) to investigate the potential of compounds provided by GSKs ophthalmic drug development unit Ophthiris.The collaboration will provide IoO with dedicated staff and funding as well as a range of pharmaceutical compounds, biopharmaceuticals and reagents with which to probe ophthalmic disease mechanisms, while GSK will gain access to the world class ophthalmic experience, facilities and investigators. In addition the arrangement provides for undisclosed royalty payments to UCL Business should the research be successful in identifying a future medicine.Professor Philip Luthert, Director of IoO, said This exciting and innovatory partnership aligns perfectly with our goal to harness academic excellence for the benefit of patients. The compounds provided by GSK will allow Institute researchers to further their investigations into the underlying mechanisms of eye disease and to validate novel therapies in ophthalmology. Professor David Shima, previously Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Eyetech Pharmaceuticals Inc, will now lead the research collaboration at the Institute, working with GSK and IoO investigators with diverse expertise to explore fundamental questions in basic vision research and exploit the multi-disciplinary environment to turn new innovations into medical treatments.Professor Mike Spyer, Vice-Provost (Enterprise) with a mission to further develop the universitys knowledge transfer strategy said The IoO is conducting research of the highest calibre, and I am delighted that GSK will be working with UCL. Our research interests are closely aligned and I am confident that the results of this project will open up other opportunities for further collaboration. About the Institute of OphthalmologyOphthalmology is the study of the eye and its diseases. The mission at the Institute of Ophthalmology is to further the understanding of the processes of vision and to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the benefit of patients worldwide. The Institute became part of University College London nearly 10 years ago and is now part of UCL Biomedicine which, with its associated specialist hospitals, comprises a unique powerhouse of biomedical expertise and offers extensive opportunity for collaboration and innovation.About GlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline - one of the worlds leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline at www.gsk.com. Links Article in FierceBiotech Institute of Ophthalmology Further Information Dr Sophie Khanna, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC 020 7679 9000, (s.khanna@uclb.com)Janet Morgan, GSK communications, 020 8966 2417

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/pentraxin-therapeutics-ltd-acquires-full-rights-to-develop-a-drug-treatment-in-systemic-amyloidosis 2009-01-27T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd, has acquired the full rights to (R)-1-[6-[(R)-2-Carboxy-pyrrolidin-1-yl]-6-oxo-hexanoyl]pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid (CPHPC), a small molecule drug which targets serum amyloid P component (SAP) for treatment of systemic amyloidosis and other diseases associated with local amyloid deposits, notably Alzheimers disease and type 2 diabetes. This approach was devised by Professor Mark Pepys FRS of UCL and he developed CPHPC in collaboration with Roche in Basel, Switzerland. Roche has agreed to fully divest its portfolio of patents on CPHPC and its know how on the compound, to allow Pentraxin to proceed with further development of CPHPC alone or in collaboration with other partners. Pentraxin is currently in discussions on partnering certain aspects of the programme and has plans for conducting its own trials with CPHPC in Alzheimers disease.Prof Pepys comments Following the Roche decision to halt the development of CPHPC because of internal reprioritisation, we are delighted to be able to progress the project ourselves. We have very promising clinical results with CPHPC in patients with systemic amyloidosis, and the combination of CPHPC with a specific antibody we have lately developed unprecedentedly clears amyloid deposits in experimental models of the disease. Amyloidosis is a disorder of protein folding in which normally soluble proteins accumulate in the tissues as abnormal insoluble fibrils. These deposits damage the structure and function of the tissues and cause serious disease which is usually fatal if it affects major organs. Amyloid deposits are always present in the brain in Alzheimers disease, and in the pancreas in type 2 diabetes but their role in these diseases is not known. CPHPC alone or in combination with our new antibody treatment holds great promise for halting amyloid deposition and clearing existing deposits, which will have powerful clinical benefits in systemic amyloidosis and will also be highly informative in the amyloid-associated diseases.About Pentraxin Therapeutics LtdPentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is a UCL spin out company formed in 2001 to hold the intellectual property and proprietary knowledge created by the research of Professor Mark Pepys. The portfolio includes novel therapeutic approaches to amyloidosis and amyloid-related diseases as well as targeting the pathogenic effects of C-reactive protein in cardiovascular disease and inflammatory diseases.Further InformationFor further information contact Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( c.tarhan@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-announces-a-collaborative-research-programme-with-axordia-ltd 2009-01-22T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The London Project to Cure Blindness moves a step closer to achieving its aim as UCL Business announces the completion of an exclusive in-licence and collaborative research programme with Axordia Ltd. UCL Business have entered into an agreement for the exclusive supply of GMP cells manufactured by Axordia Ltd (recently acquired by the Intercytex Group plc) in order to support The London Project, a pioneering programme based at UCLs Institute of Ophthalmology in connection with research into the treatment and cure of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The Axordia cells will be developed by UCL researchers working on The London project to carry out clinical trials with a view to developing a commercial product. UCLB is in discussions with interested commercial partners.Mr Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business said In Axordia we have found the necessary expertise to unlock the stem cell research programme being carried out at UCLs Institute of Ophthalmology. This partnership is expected to deliver results and get us closer to finding a cure for AMD. Nick Higgins, CEO of Intercytex commented We are delighted to be working with UCL and their world-leading Institute of Opthalmology. Our recent acquisition of Axordia clearly demonstrates our enthusiasm for this very exciting project and the huge potential of stem cells to cure intractable diseases. The London Project The London Project to Cure Blindness aims to make the most of human embryonic stem cells to prevent blindness and restore sight in patients with AMD by 2011. The goal is to replace cells essential for seeing lost by disease at the back of the eye. The aim is to repair and regenerate the aged diseased eye using human embryonic stem cells (exclusively provided by Axordia) which have been transformed into the cells affected in AMD - the support cells for the photoreceptors (retinal pigment epithelium) and the photoreceptors. The cells will be surgically implanted into a clinical population of AMD patients.Professor Pete Coffey, director of the London Project said "The London Project to Cure Blindness team is well on its way towards developing a cure for the largest cause of blindness in the West, AMD. A project of this size, spanning 5 years, involves multiple partnerships with the required expertise to collaborate at various stages of development. The collaboration with Axordia will provide us with a cell bank to carry out crucial research and UCL Business has been instrumental in finding the perfect partnership. About Intercytex Intercytex isa leading developer of regenerative medicineproducts. Intercytexuses its fullyintegrated cell technologyplatformto develop living, human cell-basedproducts, at commercially viable scale in attractive markets.Intercytex commenced operations in 2000. In addition to its head office in Cambridge, UK, it has a GMP clinical production facility with research and development laboratories in Manchester, UK. Additional laboratories are located in Boston, USA.In December 2008 Intercytex acquired the entire share capital of Axordia Ltd. Axordia is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Intercytex Group plc.Intercytex' shares trade on AIM, a market of the London Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol ICX.L. Links The London Projectto Cure Blindness intercytex Further Information For further information contact Dr Sophie Khanna, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (s.khanna@uclb.com)

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-concludes-exclusive-licence-deal-with-cerebricon 2009-01-09T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business is delighted to announce that Cerebricon Ltd, a pre-clinical contract research company that provides models of CNS disease have acquired the exclusive rights to commercialise a new model of Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Several putative animal models of ADHD have been developed but until now, none express all of ADHDs core features. The new ADHD disease model developed at UCL displays all the core symptoms of the disease in behaviour (hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattentiveness, clumsiness) as well as physiological indicators such as the paradoxical effect of amphetamines like Ritalin and changes in neurochemistry. Our findings in the mouse model have been further validated in large human populations. Dr Abbie Watts, UCL Business commented In partnership with Cerebricon we think that our model of ADHD will become the gold standard for assessing the efficacy of new ADHD drugs. We know that ADHD is a complex pathology but we think we have found the best validated and best in class model of the disease. Dr Clare Stanford, (Department of Pharmacology) and Professor Stephen Hunt (Molecular Neuroscience) at UCL, made an exciting discovery that NK1R -/- mice expresses all the core features of ADHD. Professor Hugh Gurling, (Molecular Psychiatry) went on to link NK1 with ADHD in humans by analysing SNPs in large databases. The work has recently received funding from the MRC.Cerebricon Ltd, based in Kuopio, Finland, have considerable expertise in CNS pre-clinical disease modeling and have been providers of superior cost-effective solutions for proof of concept and proof of principle studies since the inception of the company in 2000.Dr. Juha Yrjanheikki Cerebricons Chief Executive Officer said In conjunction with Cerebricons strategy of increasing our portfolio of pre-clinical models by extending from neurology to psychiatry we are very pleased to have the opportunity to in- license what we believe will prove to be the best and most fully validated mouse model of ADHD for our drug development clientele. Acting on behalf of Cerebricon, Dr Michael F O'Neill of Eolas Biosciences Ltd said "I am delighted to have found Cerebricon as a partner. They are leaders in the area of CNS research services. They have excellent facilities and enviable expertise to carry out pre-clinical trials Studies have shown that ADHD afflicts between 6 and 16%% of children in the UK and is twice as common in boys. This debilitating behavioral condition commonly causes hyperactivity, inattentiveness, impulsivity and symptoms of Dyspraxia. While there are effective drugs available such as Ritalin there is reluctance about prescribing these drugs to children because of their potential misuse and psychotropic and anorectic actions. In order to find effective alternative drug treatments scientists in the field have been searching for realistic animal model. About Cerebricon Cerebricon Ltd. is a collaborative and contract research organisation, specialising in pre-clinical models of Neurological and Psychiatric diseases for drug discovery and pharmacological research. Located in Kuopio, Finland with sales and marketing offices in London, UK and Los Angeles, USA. Cerebricon serves small, medium and large pharmaceutical companies as well as independent researchers and academic institutions around the globe. Cerebricon Ltd. is a completely privately owned company with proprietal staff and laboratories. Eolas Biosciences Ltd Eolas Biosciences is a business development consultancy for the bioscience sector. They help companies with the development and implementation of strategic development plans. They do this development work not only on individual projects, but also entire portfolios and at company level. Eolas recently opened an office in Boston, Mass. To extend its services in the US.Further InformationFor further information contact Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( a.watts@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/everywhere-you-go,-always-take-the-weather-with-you 2008-12-18T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Eurotempest Ltd and Tropical Storm Risk (TSR), both UCL projects in the Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre (ABUHRC) and The Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL)andled by Professor Mark Saunders,are making waves in the Reinsurance Market. Managed and supported by UCL Business PLC, Eurotempest has grown considerably in 2008 and TSR has already acquired 5 major insurance clients for a new software subscription service launched in August 2008.Dr Mike Arnott, Senior Business Manager said UCL Business has the contacts and commercial expertise to ensure the continued growth of both TSR and Eurotempest, we have attracted the attention of several major industry players, negotiated licensing agreements and continue to provide vital strategic leadership. Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) TSR, 2006 winner of the British Insurance Award for Risk Management provides a leading resource for forecasting the risk from tropical storms worldwide. The research team has produced new software for mapping in real-time the past and forecast impacts of active tropical storms worldwide. These innovative models assist reinsurance companies in predicting and assessing the risk and potential damage to their portfolios from active tropical storms.Professor Mark Saunders said TSR has developed systems that can forecast the intensity of the coming hurricane season, display the path of tropical storms as they develop and move, and anticipate the likelihood of damage they may cause before and after they make landfall. Dr Mike Arnott continued TSR consistently has an advantage in lead time. We can usually give an extra days notice over other systems. It is also easy to appreciate the humanitarian value of such a service. Governments can be alerted much earlier and procedures for evacuation and relief put in place sooner. For example, the TSR forecasts for cyclone Sidr which struck Bangladesh in November 2007 helped to save thousands of lives through early evacuations. Eurotempest Ltd Eurotempest Ltd, is a commercial venture spun out with the help of UCL Business in 2007 using a unique piece of software which provides reinsurers and risk managers with forecasts for European windstorms and their localised potential wind damage to 2 digit postcode resolution. The software tool provides quantitative and probabilistic forecast for maximum wind gusts and potential wind damage, high precipitation and extreme temperatures across 26 European countries. Actively managed by UCL Business, The venture has attracted several high-profile insurance clients and by 2009 is it is expected that Eurotempest will be providing forecasts on for Reinsurers covering 1/3rd of UK homes. Dr Mike Arnott, said The greatest insurance losses are due to wind storms. Because the continent is so densely populated, even a mild storm can cause millions of dollars in damages. And, since weather zones vary enormously throughout Europe, the forecasts need to be as localized as possible. If we have an understanding of a clients assets, we can develop a vulnerability curve that predicts its risk from a given event." He added Prior to approaching Eurotempest, a company was being told to raise a huge amount of funding to cover losses following a big windstorm. We were able to advise accurately that only a tenth of that amount needed to be tied up. This capability can mean significant savings for the companies and more rapidly settled claims and repaired property for their customers. About the ABUHRC The ABUHRC is dedicated to both strategic, curiosity-driven academic research into natural hazards and disaster reduction and to facilitating and encouraging the sharing of information and knowledge among stakeholders in these fields. Through the development of a range of intellectual products and services the Centre has established a reputation for being at the forefront of natural hazards and disaster prediction research. Links The Benfield Hazard Research Centre Eurotempest Tropical Storm Risk Further Information For further information contact Dr Mike Arnott, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( m.arnott@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-wins--commercial-deal-of-the-year--award 2008-12-12T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Following the sale of Stanmore Implants Worldwide Ltd (SIW) in February 2008 UCL Business PLC Managing Director, Mr Cengiz Tarhan was delighted to accept the award for Commercial Deal of the Year at the 2009 London Knowledge Transfer awards, held at The Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington on 5 December. SIW, a successful spin-off company from UCLs Centre for Biomedical Engineering, is an innovative orthopaedic business focused on saving and restoring the function of limbs and joints. Prior to the sale in February 2008 to a syndicate led by Abingworth Management and MDY Healthcare plc in a deal worth 12.5m, UCL Business actively managed the company.SIW has also recently garnered attention from the wider press, and was reported in The Times, 9th December, for pioneering technology, known asintraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthesis ITAP enabling the attachment of clip-on prostheses to ones skeleton and skin without causing infection. For further information about the technology please click on the links at the foot of this page.UCL gained further recognition at the awards as Dr Jeff Skinner won the Knowledge Transfer Champion award, which was voted for by the public. Dr Skinner has been central to knowledge transfer and commercialisation activities at UCL for sixteen years but recently moved to the London Business School as Executive Director for the Foundation of Entrepreneurial Management.Mr Cengiz Tarhan commented I and the UCL Business team are delighted to have won this award and it was great to see Jeff Skinner win the award for Knowledge Transfer Champion. It is important to see university knowledge transfer activities in London being showcased at an event like this and the fact that UCL came away with two awards this year is an added bonus. About the awardsThe UK is recognised as one of the strongest countries in the world for basic research and scientific discovery and London has a world-leading knowledge base, comprising educational establishments and research organisations, together with the structures to transfer that knowledge. Organised by the London Development Agency, the London Knowledge Transfer Awards will showcase the very best collaborations between London-based businesses and the knowledge base. To find out more about these awards, please click on one of the links at the foot of the page.Links Stanmore Implants Worldwide Cybergran, the 7/7 survivor who came back from the dead, pioneers the clip-on arm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7773012.stm UCL Centre for Biomedical Engineering The London Knowledge Transfer Awards The London Development Agency UCL Business concludes multi-million sale of Stanmore Implants Two UCL winners at Knowledge Transfer Awards

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-supports-development-of-innovative-snakegrid-software 2008-11-26T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

A local co-ordinates mapping solution developed by UCLs Dr Jonathan Iliffe, Civil, Environmental Geomatic Engineering, and awarded 9,500 proof of concept (POC) funding from UCL Business is expanding into new markets following considerable success with Network Rail. The software provides an innovative solution to a significant problem in engineering surveying, namely the design of a coordinate system that has minimal scale factor and height distortion even when projects extend for many hundreds of kilometres. SnakeGrid was originally conceived in 2005 as a result of a consultancy project between Dr Jonathan Iliffe and Network Rail in connection with the development of the West Coast main line. The success of his work has led to further licence agreements to develop SnakeGrids for a number of rail projects.Having undergone a number of enhancements over 3 years, significantly improving performance, the SnakeGrid technology has a much broader application than just railways. Dr Jonathan Iliffe approached UCL Business to investigate the options available to develop the program further and consider the commercial opportunities that might exist for the technology.Dr Jonathan Iliffe said I am delighted with the success of SnakeGrid; what started as a challenging consultancy project with Network rail has developed into a product with real commercial potential. The support provided by UCL Business has been instrumental in helping to develop the software further and explore other markets. Stephen Hiscock, Business Development Manager responsible for Civil, Environmental Geomatic Engineering provided POC funds to implement changes in design and program structure of SnakeGrid and is actively seeking commercial applications in highways and pipelines.Stephen Hiscock said SnakeGrid is an impressive solution to a frustrating problem in surveying. The latest version of the software has already been used in the surveying of the Dublin to Cork railway line in the Republic of Ireland, which is currently being upgraded to permit high speed trains, and negotiations are underway for the use of the software in major infrastructure development projects in the UK and around the world. In recognition of Dr Jonathan Iliffes outstanding contributions to the civil engineering surveying industry and to the science of geospatial engineering, he was awarded The Richard Carter Prize (Geospatial Engineer Award) 2008 from the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors at their annual dinner at the House of Commons, October 2008. Links snakegrid Further Information For further information contact Stephen Hiscock, Business Development Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000 ( s.hiscock@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/a-radical-approach-for-an-hiv-vaccine 2008-10-31T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Using technology developed by Professor Benjamin Chain and patented by UCL Business, a team within UCL Immunology is conducting research that aims to develop an alternative strategy to develop a vaccine which can prevent HIV infection. To support this ground breaking research UCL Business provided 25,000 Proof of Concept funding, supporting the science since inception. UCL has now received $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations Grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to further support this exciting research.In contrast to the conventional vaccine approach of stimulating an antibody response against the virus, Professor Chains team intends to stimulate a response against CCR5, a molecule used by the virus to enter the cells of infected individuals.Professor Chain said instead of focusing on paralysing the HIV pathogens themselves, we are investigating whether we can paralyse the mechanisms in our very own cells that allow HIV access to the human body, known as anti-self response. He continued I am delighted that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation have recognised the importance of this research which will have impact on a global scale. UCL Business have also been instrumental in supporting the new technology, securing the patent and are devoted to getting this treatment into clinic as soon as possible Mr Chris Loryman, Business Manager at UCLBusiness commented" Prof Chain is leading the development of a new class of compounds targeting HIV / AIDS, and other conditions. He continued... These compounds represent work at the forefront of science, and may be a significant development in the treatment of HIV infection. We appreciate how important it is to develop new classes of compounds against HIV, and we will continue to work on developing these medicines as efficiently as possible. Links Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations UCL Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health UCL Department of Immunologys Division of Infection and Immunity Further Information:For further information contact Chris Loryman, Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( c.loryman@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/technology-strategy-board-funds-development-of-novel-tissue-fabrication 2008-09-28T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business is delighted to announce that breakthrough workcoming fromUCL's Tissue Repair and Engineering Centre at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital has won 1.7million translational funding from the Technology Strategy Board. Thanks to key funding from the Technology Strategy Board (part of the UK Government's Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) a collaboration has been established with The Automation Partnership (TAP) .Based in Royston, UK, TAPare the perfect partners to exploit this novel technology, which aims to revolutionise the rapid automated fabrication of tissues.The technology is based on breakthrough work by Professor Robert Brown,Director of TREC (Tissue Repair Engineering Centre) on biomimetic connective tissue engineering, collagen architecture and translating basic cyto-mechanics to functional neotissues.Prof Brown has developed a prototype machine that can rapidly fabricate tissues on demand.The grant from the TSB will now allow Prof. Brown's team to work with TAP to develop a high speed machine that can be used as a platform for any application; cornea, skin bone, nerves.Prof Brown, who is also co-ordinator of the British Tissue Engineering Network (BRITE Net), commented:"I am extremely pleased, TAPare perfect partners and the TSB grant will allow usto take this exciting technology through to thenext phase of product development".UCL Business are delighted that the TSB has seen the potential benefit of the technology and the significant commercial opportunities that it opens up, and that TAP have shown such enthusiasm to be involved in developing the engineering elements of the project to production standard. "I am delighted to have found the perfect fit for this technology in TAP," said Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager at UCL Business About The Automation Partnership. The Automation Partnership (TAP) is a world leader in the design, development and implementation of advanced large-scale automation systems for the life science research industry.TAP specialises in automation for cell culture, sample management (compounds and biological samples) and ultra high throughput screening applications. TAP also offers custom engineering and strategic consultancy services to customers requiring unique solutions for complex and challenging problems.web: www.automationpartnership.com About the Technology Strategy Board The Technology Strategy Board promotes innovation in many ways. As well as investing in programmes and projects, much of our work is in spreading knowledge, understanding policy, spotting opportunities and bringing people together to solve problems or make new advances. The Technology Strategy Board currently manages a range of programmes and delivery mechanisms to drive innovation. We invest in projects involving business and researchers working together to deliver successful new technology-based products and services. Over 700 CRD projects have received investment since 2004, amounting to over 1 billion (about half from ourselves and half from the businesses involved). We are developing an international strategy which will look at how we benchmark, collaborate and participate in innovation internationally.web: www.innovateuk.org Further Information For further information contact Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( a.watts@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/mrc-grants-720,00000-for-ucl-phase-1-study-in-hepatic-encephalopathy 2008-09-26T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Further to key discoveries byProfessor Rajiv Jalan andThe Liver Failure Groupat UCL, the Medical Research Council has awarded a grant of 720,000.00 to support breakthrough work in finding an effective treatment for hepatic encephalopathy. Professor Jalan and his co-investigators have made considerable progress in the fight against this little understood complication of liver disease, where a failure of the liver to effectively detoxify the blood can lead tobrain dysfunction, the manifestation of which ranges from subtle derangement's in everyday functioning, attention, driving ability and fatigue to advanced stages of coma and potentially fatal brain swelling (encephalopathy).Members of the Liver Failure Group, Institute of Hepatology, UCL.Standing from left: Professor Rajiv Jalan. Dr Raj Mookerjee, Dr Giovanni Tritto, Dr Bala Vairappan, Dr Vikram Sharma Sitting from left: Dr Naina Shah, Dr Nathan Davies, M/s Abeba Habtesion, M/s Pamela LeckieThe main focus of the Liver Failure Group, is to better understand the mechanisms of liver failure and use the knowledge to develop new biomarkers of disease and design novel therapeutic strategies. The research group includes clinicians and scientists who work closely at the Institute of Hepatology and UCH.Four Patents have been filed in the last two years covering the following: Diagnostic biomarkersfor liver failure and alcoholic hepatitis A liver dialysis machine focusing on reversing altered albumin biology and inflammatory response in liver failureProfessor Jalan's team has developed a potential therapeutic drug that targets multiple organs such as the muscle, gut and kidneys to detoxify ammonia, which is thought to be central in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. Supported by successes in animal models and positive preliminary human data, this grant from the MRC will allow the team to undertake clinical studies that willconstitute the first study in man ofthis newtherapeutic drug.The team is understandably delighted with news of the grant, which will allow them to push forward towards an effective treatment for the syndrome. " Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy is an unmet clinical need affecting up to 50% of patients with established liver disease. The research funded by the MRC is a collaborative study involving The New Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, which will provide valuable data to further develop this unique concept and potentially provide solutions to this devastating and yet unsolved problem", said Professor Jalan.UCL Business are especially pleased to see such a positive response from the MRC, following a great deal of focused effort to secure the support this project deserves. "this is a great new therapeutic drug for which there is an unmet clinical need", said Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager at UCLB. Further Information For further information contact Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( a.watts@uclb.com ) or Dr Rajiv Jalan ( r.jalan@ucl.ac.uk ).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-technology-helps-space-syntax-reveal-human-impact-on-urban-planning 2008-09-24T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business have successfully negotiated a renewal of Space Syntaxs licence of Depthmap, a unique software tool that allows the company to model movement and usage patterns within proposed developments, highlighting peak activity areas and movement paths. With a number of high-profile projects already benefiting from this analytical technology, such as the redevelopment of Trafalgar Square in London and the World Trade Centre in New York, this renewal is a resounding endorsement of Depthmap and the research that lies behind it.In addition, a new UCL development called EVAS, for which Space Syntax have negotiated an exclusive licence, will allow even greater interrogation of the proposed designs. EVAS introduces virtual agents who can be set specific tasks to complete within the design, acting with free-will just as people do. By monitoring millions of agents performing individual tasks, virtually any usage scenario can be tested. This represents a step-change in the breadth and detail of analysis that can be generated.With an already enviable list of public and private sector clients, the adoption of EVAS looks set to drive even more major project developers to seek out Space Syntaxs unique quantitative approach to design assessment.Of the new technology licences, Space Syntax Director, Chris Stutz commented, Depthmap has already allowed us to create compelling evidence for design decisions at key stages of major private and civic developments and we are delighted to have renewed our licence with UCL Business. Now, with the additional data generated by EVAS, clients can be assured that specific scenarios and usage patterns can be measured in depth, guaranteeing their money is being spent in the right areas and not wasted on costly design mistakes, and that their projects will realise the social and economic ambitions they have set.Space Syntax Ltd.Space Syntax provides a unique, evidence based approach to the planning and design of buildings and cities. Our focus is the creation of environments that are socially and economically successful. We use world-leading technologies developed within UCL to generate knowledge and make proposals. Our evidence and ideas empower people and help them make key decisions about the world around them. Web: www.spacesyntax.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/new-facility-for-testing-orthopaedic-treatments 2008-09-18T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The Stanmore Clinical Research Facility has opened, offering state-of-the-art clinical research facilities in a partnership between UCL Business and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. Research will focus on areas such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. (L to R) Donald Hoodless, OBE, opens the facility; Mark Flemming, Director Service Companies, UCLB; Professor David Marsh, Head of Centre for Academic Clinical Orthapaedics; Professor Martin Ferguson-Pell, Director RD, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital; Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director, UCLB; Dr Jeff Trickett, Senior Business Development Manager, UCLB; and Dr Anne Lane, Executive Director, UCLB.The Stanmore Clinical Research Facility was opened by Donald Hoodless, OBE, Chairman of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital where the facility is based. Its specialist imaging system can detect when implants such as hip and knee replacements are loosening long before the patient starts to notice a deterioriation, enabling new implant designs to be evaluated quickly, and improved designs to be introduced into clinical practice. The facility is also equipped to measure bone mineral density and three dimensional structural parameters in bone in a non-invasive way.UCL Business PLC funded the establishment of the facility, and the specialist imaging system was financed by Dr Jim Marshall, the designer of Marshall Amplifiers used by The Who and Jimi Hendrix, and featured in the seminal film This Is Spinal Tap.Professor Martin Ferguson-Pell, Director of Research and Development at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, welcomed the opening of the facility: The clinical research planned for this new facility will ensure that clinicians and patients have reliable information about the effectiveness of new orthopaedic treatments for the management of major healthcare challenges, such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Celebrating the opening of the Stanmore Clinical Research Facility Mr Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business PLC, said The Stanmore Clinical Research Facility is the result of an ongoing relationship between UCL Business, UCL and their associated NHS Trusts. The unique combination of clinical and academic expertise in the field of musculoskeletal research that is available at Stanmore provides a world-class resource for pharmaceutical and medical device companies to fulfil their clinical research requirements.The Stanmore Clinical Research Facility is closely associated with the Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science at UCL, which is also based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and undertakes world-renowned translational research in neuromusculoskeletal indications with clinicians at the hospital.The facility is the latest to join the network of clinical trial facilities operated by UCL Business PLC in partnership with NHS Trusts in London offering state-of-the-art equipment for conducting specialist academic clinical research and commercial clinical trials.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-concludes-an-exclusive-licence-deal-with-ondine 2008-08-05T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Further to the news article onOctober 10th 2007 about Ondine and UCL's collaborative breakthrough Staphyloccocal Photodisinfection Technology, UCL Business is delighted to have concluded an exclusive licence with Ondine for the human therapeutic use of a gold-nanoparticle photosensitizer from UCL. In conjunction with the important ongoing collaborative effort, this compound could herald a major new development in the struggle against MRSA.In vitro studies have shown that this advanced compound is one of the most potent photodisinfection agents ever developed. The compound has proven highly efficacious in killing Methicillin/multi-drug Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, (MRSA), a prominent hospital-acquired pathogen, states Dr. Nicolas Loebel, Ondines Chief Technology Officer. We intend to further develop this new agent for integration into our Photodisinfection System for various medical applications such as in-situ catheter disinfection and the eradication of microorganisms in burns, wounds and surgical site incisions.About Ondine Biopharma CorporationOndine is developing non-antibiotic therapies for the treatment of a broad spectrum of bacterial, fungal and viral infections. The Company is focused on creating and commercializing leading edge products utilizing its patented light-activated technology. Photodisinfection provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy without encouraging the formation and spread of antibiotic resistance. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with a research laboratory in Bothell, Washington, USA, and an international office in St. Michael, Barbados. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at: www.ondinebiopharma.comFurther InformationFor further information contact Derek Reay, Snr Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, d.reay@uclb.com.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-first-major-university-in-europe-to-be-available-on-apple-s-itunes-u 2008-06-05T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business is delighted to announce a landmark agreement with Apple Computer's iTunes service which will deliver a significant step forward in opening up UCL's educational impact to the world with the launch of UCL on iTunes U, through which users can download lectures, interviews, seminars and news, and play audio and video materials on their iPod or computer. Until now, only North American institutions have featured on iTunes U. Brokered with the assistance of UCL Business, the new partnership between UCL and Apple makes UCL the first mainstream UK university (and one of only three European universities, with Trinity College Dublin and the Open University) to pioneer global participation in iTunes U.UCL on iTunes U broadcasts talks and lectures by UCL academics, interviews and news of UCL research, and information for prospective staff and students. Two priority areas for UCL are in the spotlight first: Enterprise, bringing innovations in research to the marketplace, and Global Health, rallying the universitys breadth of intellectual capital to provide solutions to one of the worlds major problems. Highlights of UCL on iTunes U include: a virtual tour of this years UCL Slade School of Fine Art Summer Show recent lectures by high-profile speakers, such as Dr Tadataka Yamada of the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation first-hand expert accounts of the history of neuroscience, produced by the Wellcome Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL a weekly audio round-up of news from UCL UCLs hugely popular Lunch Hour Lectures, providing the public with a behind-the-scenes look at cutting-edge research an interview with UCL President and Provost Professor Malcolm Grant, who explains UCLs mission as Londons global university and our vision for the future.UCL will use the service to engage with key audiences both at home and abroad, building our profile as a leading research-intensive university offering innovative teaching.Although the initial content is focused on publicly available material, the platform offers opportunities to enhance teaching, in the form of lectures and other innovative approaches. Professor Peter Mobbs, as chair of ESCILTA, is leading on the development of pedagogic approaches.In addition, the platform will be developed to give staff and students the chance to generate and share their own content - discovery, analysis, imaginings - through audio and visual media. Further information: Mark Fleming, Director, Service Companies, UCL BusinessTel: 020 7679 9000Email: m.flemming@uclb.com Useful Links: to launch UCL on iTunes U see: http://itunes.ucl.ac.uk/ to download or update the iTunes application, see: www.itunes.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-supports-the-ucl-enterprise-awards-2008 2008-05-12T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business and UCL Consultants were delighted to sponsor key awards at the UCL Enterprise Awards 2008 on May 1st. Hosted by UCL Advances on behalf of UCL, this was the first annual Enterprise Awards to honour the spirit of entrepreneurship and the achievements of business innovators at UCL. The event marked the accomplishments of a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators with UCL's inaugural Enterprise Awards Presentation, held in the UCL Bloomsbury Theatre.Prizes were presented to students and staff honoured for their work in the development of businesses based on research carried out at UCL. A wide range of departments were represented, from Philosophy to Biochemistry and Computer Science.The idea behind the awards is to recognise the successes of UCL's academics and students, and encourage others to get involved in the future. The UCL Business and UCL Consultants Awards were especially exciting, showcasing some of the best spin-out activity and explaining how UCL Consultants can have profound benefits on clients' research. The UCL Business 2007 Award went to Professor Owen Epstein (Royal Free and University College Medical School) for his breakthrough work on Medic-to-Medic , an innovative idea that has revolutionised clinical Best Practice in the NHS and has generated millions of pounds in revenue. The UCL Business 2008 Award was given to Professor Gordon Blunn (Institute of Orthopedics Musculoskeletal Science) for his breakthrough work at Stanmore Implants Worldwide , where revolutionary solutions to orthopedic implants has developed into a multimillion pound business. The UCL Consultants Award 2008 went to Professor Stefaan Simons (UCL Chemical Engineering) for his outstanding work in helping a major pharmaceutical / FMCG company resolve a longstanding technical headache with a high volume product line, saving the client time and resources and helping them maintain their competitive position in the market.The evening showcased several student projects that have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial flair, early stage projects with promise, and a special honour, Entrepreneurial Spirit Award 2008 for Professor Alan Penn, (Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment) for his exceptional entrepreneurial spirit in establishing Space Syntax, his help in establishing UCL Consultants Ltd . and his enormous effort in securing the 5m Urban Buzz programme for Building sustainable communities under the HEFCE Higher Education Innovation Fund competitive bid amongst others.The Provost and President of UCL, Professor Malcom Grant, was delighted: " Innovation and entrepreneurship are integral to universities. Since UCL's inception, it has been unafraid to foster new, and sometimes radical, ideas. It is this spirit that has led to the many achievements of UCL's academics, students and alumni. Entrepreneurship involves risk and UCL is unique among UK institutions in its understanding of this ."Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business, said, " UCL Business is delighted to recognise entrepreneurship at UCL. The spirit of entrepreneurship at UCL has a long track record and we encourage all UCL staff and students to contact UCL Business to discuss commercial potentials for their ideas or inventions." For full details of all awards and winners, including short films about each of the projects, visit UCL Advances.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-supports-a-marathon-effort 2008-04-25T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business is delighted that two of its staff have put their best foot forward and scored a victory in the fight against cancer and in support of mental health. Ellie Bertram, Contracts Manager for UCL Consultants Ltd. and Vicki Gwilliam, Patent and Agreement Adminsitrator for UCLB's Patent Portfolio team, both successfully crossed the finishing line at the end of the gruelling 26 miles of the Flora London Marathon last week.Their success signifies almost 4000.00 raised for their chosen charities, a remarkable feat and a fitting reward for their dedication and training. For Ellie, a marathon novice, the feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming:" I was running for Mind, the mental health charity because of the great work they do in supporting 20,000 people a year regarding mental health issues. Completing the marathon and raising 1,800 in the process is my greatest achievement so far and Im immensely proud of my medal ."Ellie decided to run the marathon because she felt drawn to the atmosphere that sees thousands of people selflessly give their all for others: "I wanted to run the marathon, perhaps because it such an emotional event to watch (with lots of people running in memory of loved ones) and I wanted to be a part of that. Also, the crowds just carry you along and the further you run, the better the buzz at the end."So, will that be the first and last marathon for Ellie? "I wouldnt say no to doing another one and I would definitely encourage anyone to give it a try at least once." She may have picked up the marathon bug from colleague Vicki, who is a seasoned marathon veteran:" This wasnt my first marathon I did one in Norway last year for Cancer Research UK (which was a lot quieter than London!), but decided to do this one for Macmillan Cancer Support after a close family friend died of stomach cancer last summer. Ive so far raised 2042, which I am really happy about, and it definitely made running the marathon more emotional knowing that I was raising money for such a worthwhile cause ." So, how did Vicki catch the marathion bug? "Ive been running since school and so it was just a natural progression to do a marathon! I would definitely do another, although not for a few months! I think this is something that everyone can do and should do, just to say that theyve done it! The London Marathon is a great one to do too the crowds are great, and the support coming along the embankment just carries you to the finish!"Now the challenge is out there - keep watching UCLB news items to learn how many of the UCLB team apply for the Flora London Marathon 2009

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-biopharmaceutical-spin-out,-domainex,-secures-1million 2008-04-25T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Domainex Ltd. (Domainex), an innovative biopharmaceutical company supported and marketed by UCL Business and spun-out from University College London, in collaboration with Birkbeck College University of London and the Institute of Cancer Research, today announced that it has raised 1 million. The funding came from Longbow Capital LLP, which specializes in healthcare and technology investments, and The Capital Fund, the 50 million regional venture capital fund for London. Longbow invested 790,000, bringing their total invested in the Company to 1.15m, and The Capital Fund invested 250,000.Headquartered in London, Domainex is a contract research company specialising in the provision of structural biology and chemistry services to major pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. The Company is also developing a pipeline of pre-clinical drugs and targets.The vast amount of information available in the post-genomic era means that many highly attractive protein targets are now known to the pharmaceutical industry but lack of protein prevents their use in drug discovery. Domainex has closed this discovery gap with its unique Combinatorial Domain Hunting (CDH) technology which enables the cloning and expression of proteins, or parts of proteins (domains), from challenging molecular targets. The proteins are then screened to select soluble, stable protein domains that are ideal reagents for use in drug discovery programmes.Domainex has already used its CDH protein expression platform to successfully tackle a series of difficult target proteins and has fulfilled commercial contracts with a number of major pharmaceutical companies, such as leading global firm, UCB.Domainex also provides comprehensive chemistry services to biotech and pharmaceutical firms involved in drug discovery through its subsidiary NCE Discovery (another UCL subsidiary which was merged with Domainex in 2007) , with laboratories on the Cambridge Science Park, and is managed by Research Director, Dr Trevor Perrior, a highly experienced scientist who has been responsible for the discovery of several medicines.The Company plans to use the new funding to develop its CDH technology and NCE Discovery chemistry services businesses. It will also seek to commercialise its drug discovery projects by forging alliances with pharmaceutical partners to develop novel drugs and by early out-licensing of key discoveries such as X-ray structures.Dr Eddy Littler, Chief Executive Officer of Domainex, said: We are delighted to have attracted this investment, particularly in a challenging fundraising environment. Our objective now is to realize the full value of our unique biology and build a portfolio of targets that we will out-license to clients - at an early stage, in the case of key reagents and X-ray crystal structures, and at a later stage with our associated lead series of inhibitors .Domainexs portfolio will have an initial focus on targets for cancer treatments and the Company has started to discuss these targets with pharmaceutical companies with a view to future out-licensing.Commenting on the fundraising, Dr Littler added: We have worked closely with Edward Rudd and the Longbow team since their initial investment and it is a great endorsement to have them re-investing on this round. We also welcome The Capital Fund on board as new investors - Ian Cameron has been very supportive of our plans as we move into our next stage of development .Edward Rudd, Co-founder and Partner at Longbow Capital, said: T he combination of unique CDH technology and its NCE Discovery chemistry expertise gives Domainex a strong competitive advantage and this is further supplemented by the Companys highly skilled management team. We are delighted with the progress achieved by Eddy Littler and his team and pleased to support Domainex with the additional funding needed to expand the contract services business and progress commercialization of the drug discovery projects. Ian Cameron, Investment Director at The Capital Fund, said: We are pleased to have the opportunity to invest in Domainex. The application of the Companys CDH platform and strengths in medicinal chemistry could play a key role in reducing drug discovery timelines .Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business, commented, " Following our integration of NCE Discovery Limited into Domainex in 2007 and the strategic investment from Longbow and The Capital Fund, Domainex is very well positioned to move from strength to strength. We wish Dr Littler and his team every success as they enter this new phase of their growth ."About Domainex LtdFounded in 2002, Domainex is a spin-out company from University College London, Birkbeck College London and the Institute of Cancer Research that specializes in the provision of combinatorial domain hunting and medicinal chemistry services to large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and is also developing a pipeline of pre-clinical drugs and targets. Domainex generates protein domains from challenging molecular targets using a patented technology known as Combinatorial Domain Hunting (CDH) so that they may be expressed in a form suitable for use in drug discovery programmes. The CDH technology is based on research conducted by Professor Paul Driscoll, Professor Laurence Pearl, Dr Chris Prodromou and Dr Renos Savva, at the Institute for Cancer Research, University College and Birkbeck College, University of London. For more information: www.domainex.ltd.uk About Longbow Capital LLPLongbow Capital was established in 2004 to bring to early stage unquoted companies the skills and capital required in order to generate significant returns for investors over a three to five year period. The partners of Longbow include individuals with a range of experience that has enabled them to build and operate successful private companies for the mutual benefit of investors and management. For its investors, Longbow identifies investment opportunities with the potential for considerable and sustainable growth. This class of investment can also offer private investors income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax reliefs. Longbows primary objective is to deliver substantial returns for its investors. Longbow has offices in the City of London and central Edinburgh, is regulated by the FSA and is a member of the British Venture Capital Association. For more information: www.longbow.co.uk About The Capital FundLaunched in 2002, The Capital Fund is a 50 million venture capital fund that backs fast-growing, small and medium-sized enterprises in Greater London. To date, the Fund has made over 55 investments in London-based companies. Initial investments can be up to 250,000 and the Fund can invest a further 250,000 after six months or more. In some circumstances, alongside other new investors, the Fund can follow on its investments with up to 5 million in total in a single company. The Capital Fund is the largest of the nine Regional Venture Capital Funds and has a mixture of public and private sector investors. For more information: www.thecapitalfund.co.ukThe Capital Fund is managed by YFM Venture Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and part of the YFM Group. The YFM Group provides investment capital and business development services to SMEs throughout the UK. It currently has over 280 million in funds under management, with over 90 employees. For more information: www.yfmgroup.co.uk

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-is-awarded-4m-from-the-wellcome-trust-to-fight-sepsis 2008-03-11T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The Wellcome Trust has announced it will invest 4 million over three years from its Seeding Drug Discovery Initiative into a programme to develop UCLs patented series of selective DDAH inhibitors for use in treating sepsis. Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase1 (DDAH1) is an enzyme involved in the regulation of nitric oxide (NO) signalling. Researchers at UCL have developed small molecule inhibitors of DDAH1, which may provide novel therapeutics for the treatment of diseases involving excess NO synthesis, including sepsis. With the treatment of sepsis an area barely impacted upon by pharmaceutical companies, this award has recognised both the urgent need for effective therapies for this condition, and the strong potential of the project teams unique approach.The most severe form of sepsis, septic shock, occurs following infection and affects a high proportion of critically ill patients. The mortality rate for this condition exceeds 50%. There is clearly an urgent need for effective and affordable treatments, with currently only one drug specifically targeted at sepsis on the market. Building on a primary series of chemical inhibitors designed and developed at UCL in part under awards from the British Heart Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and UCL Business PLC, Dr. James Leiper has assembled a uniquely cross-disciplined team from within UCL and Birkbeck College, spanning chemical, biological and clinical expertise, in order to fully engage with every aspect of the drug development cycle. The project team is led by the principal applicant Dr. James Leiper (UCL, Medicine) and is comprised of Professors Mervyn Singer (UCL, Medicine), Stephen Caddick (UCL, Chemistry) and Neil McDonald (Birkbeck, Crystallography). The Wellcome Trust award and this proactive collaboration of disciplines has allowed the team to develop a detailed three-year project plan for developing UCLs selective DDAH inhibitors into the clinic as an effective treatment for sepsis. Dr. Leiper said, We are all very excited by the award from Wellcome Trust to support the translation of our basic interdisciplinary programme into the development of therapeutics. I think UCL is ideally placed to foster this sort of programme and brings together expertise in small molecule chemistry, structural and molecular biology and clinical science .As Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business remarked, UCL Business has put significant funding into this high priority project, and we are very pleased to work with the Trust to bring our mutual investment closer to market and to benefiting public health .Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said, With this exciting award, Dr. Leiper will be able to take a significant step in developing the findings from his fundamental BHF-funded research towards a new medicine to control the life threatening fall in blood pressure associated with sepsis . Dr. Ted Bianco, of the Wellcome Trust, commented, When doctors are fighting to save a life, they need all the support they can get. With so few treatment options for sepsis, it's great to back a team like that assembled by Dr Leiper in a bid to turn novel thinking into novel medicine ."About Birkbeck CollegeBirkbeck is a world-class research and teaching institution, a vibrant centre of academic excellence in the heart of London. Birkbeck has sustained and enhanced its standing as a world-class research institution - both nationally and internationally, and all the Schools and Departments in the College are research-active. www.bbk.ac.ukAbout the British Heart FoundationThe vision of the British heart Foundation is of a world in which people do not die prematurely of heart disease. We'll achieve this through pioneering research, vital prevention activity and ensuring quality care and support for everyone living with heart disease. The BHF invests over 100 a minute on research to keep the nations hearts healthy. www.bhf.org.ukAbout The Wellcome TrustThe Wellcome Trust is the largest charity in the UK. It funds innovative biomedical research, in the UK and internationally, spending around 650 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Wellcome Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing. The Wellcome Trust's 91 million Seeding Drug Discovery Initiative aims to assist researchers and companies, small and large, to take forward early-stage drug discovery projects in small-molecule therapeutics. www.wellcome.ac.uk.Further InformationFor further information contact Dr. Carol Harty, Business Manager,UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, c.harty@uclb.com.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-concludes-multi-million-sale-of-stanmore-implants 2008-02-21T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business has today announced the sale of Stanmore Implants Worldwide for around 10 million. The company, owned by UCL and managed through UCL Business is being sold to a syndicate led by Abingworth Management and MDY Healthcare plc. Stanmore Implants Worldwide is an innovative orthopaedic business focused on saving and restoring the function of limbs and joints. It designs, manufactures and markets a custom implant service with a portfolio of orthopaedic implants for limb salvage and complex joint replacement, and is known for creating some of the worlds most successful implants, including the Stanmore Hip. The Company was spun out from UCLs Centre for Biomedical Engineering, based at its Institute of Orthopaedics, and has been actively managed through UCL Business over the last 12 months. It currently has annual sales in excess of 4 million.The syndicate will invest a total of 12.5 million to acquire the Company and provide funds for future growth of both the core business and the clinical development of ITAP, its key new product.Following the completion of the deal, Brian Steer will act as Executive Chairman of Stanmore Implants Worldwide. Brian has over 40 years experience and was most recently Chairman of Gyrus Group plc, which was acquired for 935 million by Olympus UK Acquisitions Limited in late 2007. Brian Steer, Executive Chairman of Stanmore Implants Worldwide, said: In my many years in the industry, I have seen few products as innovative as the ITAP implant. The ability to attach prosthetic devices directly to the skeleton of amputees is truly ground-breaking and has already benefited patients. I look forward to working with the team to roll out the existing business internationally while completing the clinical development and commercial launch of ITAP. Charles Spicer, CEO of MDY Healthcare, added: Stanmore is a key strategic investment for MDY: a profitable company that has been an international centre of excellence in its field for nearly 60 years. With its world class range of marketed products and development projects, SIW has significant growth potential which should therefore generate a healthy return for MDY shareholders. Mr Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business, added, SIW is a great example of academia and technology transfer working together within an academic and NHS environment delivering benefits to society. The sale of SIW to MDY and Abingworth will accelerate the development of ITAP which will benefit both patients and the continuing academic research at UCL. Stanmores key new product in development is ITAP (Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthesis), an innovative device for directly attaching prostheses to the skeleton of amputees. It is being developed for a wide-range of applications including upper and lower limb, digits and craniofacial prostheses. ITAP builds on ground-breaking research undertaken by UCL with a design that, by mimicking successful skin-penetrating natural structures (such as deer antler) smoothly integrating with the skin. This provides an effective barrier against infection, which has previously limited the application of percutaneous implants to dental implants and craniofacial applications. Surgeons working closely with the company have implanted a number of craniofacial ITAP devices over the last three years with encouraging clinical results. In late 2007, the first upper limb ITAP device was implanted in a 7/7 bomb victim. The patient is progressing well, and Stanmore plans to implant further upper and the first lower limb ITAP implants during this year.About Stanmore Implants WorldwideStanmore Implants Worldwide is an innovative orthopaedic business focused on saving and restoring the function of limbs and joints. The Company designs, manufactures and markets a custom implant service with a portfolio of orthopaedic implants for limb salvage and complex joint replacement, and is known for creating some of the worlds most successful implants, including the Stanmore Hip. The company, based in a specialised facility at the world-renowned Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, Middlesex, and in Lyon, France, is a market leader in the UK and has a rapidly expanding presence in export markets. It currently has a workforce of 42.About the investment syndicateThe syndicate is co-led by MDY Healthcare and Abingworth and also includes Ivy Capital Partners, LLC (Ivy Capital). Abingworth is an investment firm dedicated to the life sciences sector investing across all stages of development from early-stage through to public companies. MDY Healthcare is a strategic investing company, quoted on AIM, specialising in the healthcare sector. Ivy Capital is a US private equity firm specialised in investing in companies operating in the musculoskeletal sector of the healthcare industry. Further InformationFor further information contact Dr. Anne Lane, Executive Director,UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, a.lane@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-leads-key-collaboration-to-enhance-gene-discovery-findings-in-schizophrenia 2008-02-12T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL has entered into a research collaboration to replicate the findings of a genome-wide association study carried out by Genizon Inc. of Quebec, under an agreement between the Canadian company and London Genetics Ltd. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling disease of the central nervous system affecting between 0.5% and 1% of the adult population worldwide. The causes involve both genetic and environmental factors. Treatment generally involves the use of antipsychotic medication, which is effective in treating some disease symptoms, but can also produce significant side effects.Genizon is dedicated to accelerating the development of diagnostic and therapeutic solutions to schizophrenia and has conducted eight genome-wide association studies to date, covering a range of therapeutic areas. Under the new agreement, Genizon will collaborate with UCL to replicate their initial discoveries in a genome-wide association study of schizophrenia. Genizons study identified multiple genes associated with the disease using DNA samples from the Quebec founder population. All studies have used samples from this population, which, because of its high level of genetic homogeneity, is considered among the best populations worldwide for disease gene discovery. We are delighted to be working with London Genetics and UCL said Dr. John Hooper, President and CEO of Genizon. They have access to advanced expertise in schizophrenia research, and this collaboration will help replicate our discoveries in this disease. UCL Business has been key in supporting the active involvement of UCL in the collaborative enterprise of London Genetics Ltd, and is delighted that UCL experts have been chosen for this important and exciting work. Professor Mike Spyer (Vice-Provost Enterprise UCL) commented: London Genetics is proving both good for UCL and for developing partnerships between the major research centres in London . Genizon BioSciences Inc. Genizon BioSciences Inc., founded in 1999, is the only source for GeneMaps - omprehensive maps of genes, genetic markers, biochemical pathways and drug targets that are unequivocally involved in causing human disease-accelerating the development of safer, more effective, personalized medicines. Genizon's proprietary, automated gene discovery platform using genome-wide association studies involving thousands of members of the Quebec Founder Population provides unprecedented understanding of the genetic origins and mechanisms of common diseases, resulting in the best possible drug targets and genetic markers. Genizon is conducting gene discovery programs in more than 25 common diseases. Genizon also provides high throughput, high quality SNP genotyping, genetic analysis, gene expression and pharmacogenomics services to academic institutions, research organizations and the biopharmaceutical industry. For more information visit: www.genizon.com London Genetics Ltd. London Genetics Ltd is funded by the London Development Agency, which provides the healthcare industry with access to world-class clinical and academic excellence in genomics-based medicine, bringing together the expertise and resources of seven of Londons top biomedical research Institutions. Using its specialist subject knowledge and extensive networks, London Genetics provides access to well phenotyped, clinical cohorts for biomarker discovery and validation through investigator-led collaborative research programmes. For more information visit: www.londongenetics.com Further Information Contact Dr Jeff Trickett, Senior Business Development Manager, j.trickett@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/globe-theatre-hosts-the-london-project-to-cure-blindness 2008-02-05T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

On the 16th January, visitors to the Globe Theatre had a chance to experience some of the daily difficulties faced by blind people in an event that highlighted the problems with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), and the exciting work of the London Project to Cure Blindness, that is aiming to provide a cure for many of its sufferers. This event was designed to draw attention to the work of The London Project to Cure Blindness, headed by Professor Pete Coffey of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. UCL is actively looking for funding opportunities to develop this potentially life-changing treatment, and needs 4m to develop the promising research into a widely available treatment within 5 years. The London Project to Cure Blindness is an initiative launched last year by the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University of Sheffield to develop a stem cell therapy that will restore vision in people who suffer blindness through AMD. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over 60, and affects 25 per cent of people over 60 in the UK. There is currently no treatment for the dry form of the disease and limited treatments for wet AMD.Professor Coffey presented the latest results from the project, which uses patients own cells to replace those that have died. Scientists involved in the project were on hand to discuss the methods and implications of the research.Guests took part in a range of activities to gain an appreciation of what it is like to lose sight and the impact of this loss on other senses. For example, some were guided through a completely dark room where they were asked to identify different sounds and flavours.Professor Coffey said: We dont believe that science like this, that has the potential to transform lives, should operate in labs behind closed doors; we want everyone to know what were doing and to understand how important it is to the millions of people who suffer from this devastating condition, which could affect up to one third of the worlds population by 2070.Since the project launch weve received hundreds of enquiries from patients and others with an interest in this disease wanting to find out more. We hope that this event will educate people about the project and, most importantly, inspire them to help. The treatment developed by the project will use cells derived from human embryonic stem cells to replace the faulty support cells at the back of the eye that degenerate in AMD. Surgical procedures already trialled by the group in a number of patients using the patients own cells have illustrated that a cell-replacement therapy can work, demonstrating a significant improvement in sight and preventing blindness.However, the London Project requires a further 4 million to meet its goal of getting the therapy to clinic within five years.The event coincided with a launch of The London Project website , which provides information on AMD, general information and advice for people with sight loss, and a means to donate money towards the London Project.Further Information:Visit The London Project To Cure Blindness Visit The UCL Institute of Opthalmology Listen to Professor Coffey on Radio 4s In Touch Contact Karen Cheetham, Project Liaison Manager k.cheetham@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-biomedical-breakthroughs-draw-crowds-at-genesis-vii 2008-01-08T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

This years Genesis Conference witnessed a first-of-its-kind UCL Biomedical Innovation Showcase presenting a number of novel, life-changing technologies available for collaboration or license. The Genesis Conference, one of the biggest dates on the UK biotech calendar, played host to the first UCL Biomedical Innovation Showcase, where 15 breakthrough innovations in biomedicine were presented to hundreds of biotech professionals and potential investors.The showcase was devised and sponsored by UCL Business to bring attention to the unique potential of these novel developments, and therapeutic areas ranged from oncology to vision loss, from Multiple Sclerosis to Variant CJD, taking in high speed tissue fabrication, stem cell techniques, drug visualisation in vivo, small molecule carriers to deliver cargo into targeted cells, novel nanopolymers and much more.Review the complete programme .The Showcase offered visitors an opportunity to ask specific technical questions to the academics behind the discoveries, while at the same time discussing the business potential and opportunities with UCL Business professionals. Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business explained, We wanted to create an environment where the technologies and their impact come to life, and the technical essentials are communicated by the people behind the idea. At the same time, we wanted visitors to be able to engage with our enterprise professionals to understand the investment and collaboration opportunities available. We feel the Showcase provided just that environment.With 15 presentations covered in one afternoon, there was something of interest no matter what your background or field of work, and with a Networking Drinks Reception at the end of the session, initial feedback was of a very practical, informative and engaging event. One visitor said, I have known that there is a lot of interesting work continually emanating from UCL, but to see a snapshot of the breadth of biomedical research in this kind of forum really helps me to get a handle on where future research is heading and where our investments should be focusing.This is the first of many engagement events planned by UCL Business for the coming years, so be sure to visit www.uclb.com to find out about future events.Visit the Genesis website .

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-brings-future-technology-to-genesis 2007-12-05T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business is sponsoring a technology stream at the Genesis Conference, the seventh annual conference of the London Biotechnology Network, set to take place in London on 13th December.The yearly Genesis conference is a successful biomedical industry networking event, attracting more than 800 delegates from a variety of sectors. Around 450 companies were represented last year, including many major and mid-sized pharmaceutical companies, as well as investors, and a large number of smaller companies. The conference provides a cost-effective networking opportunity, giving companies of all sizes the opportunity to develop their partnering and investment plans for the coming year.UCLB is sponsoring the UCL Biomedical Innovation Showcase technology stream at this years conference. The three-hour session will consist of over a dozen ten-minute talks highlighting some of University College Londons (UCLs) most promising spinout companies and licensing opportunities. Topics will include novel therapeutics (such as a treatment for hepatic encephalopathy), drug delivery technologies, medical devices (for example, for tissue fabrication), diagnostics approaches (for example, for breast cancer) and bioimaging technologies.Additionally, there will be banners showcasing research innovations that have been developed for a commercial market by UCL academics. These will be attended by the inventors after the speakers session, creating networking opportunities and providing good representation of UCLs extensive commercial output.Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business PLC, said UCL Business is extremely pleased to have been invited to host a session at this important event in Londons biotechnology calendar, and to showcase the world class research that is being performed here at UCL. It will be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the remarkable innovation of UCL scientists and ensure that we continue to work with and build new relationships with innovative companies in London and beyond.This high-profile event promises to be an interesting and useful occasion, from both an academic and a business prospective. It will be a chance to both review the recent advances made by UCL researchers, and to establish new business connections.The Genesis Conference will take place in the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster, London, on the 13th and 14th December 2007.Visit the Genesis website and register to attend.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-work-in-liver-disease-wins-mrc-grant-and-industry-partnership 2007-12-05T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Innovative work into biomarkers for liver disease at UCL/UCLH has been recognized by the Medical Research Council, and has secured a major MRC development grant thanks to industry endorsement from market leading Hepatology therapeutics company, Vital Therapies Inc. Dr Rajiv Jalan, a clinical academic at UCL who heads up the Liver Failure Group, has carried out key research that builds our understanding of the pathophysiological basis of liver failure and hepatic encephalopathy. He has, through key programmes at University College Hospital and the Royal Free hospital, established the unique ability to study inter-organ metabolism in patients with liver failure. His investigations have led to the discovery of novel therapies for encephalopathy, diagnostic biomarkers and a liver dialysis machine resulting in the filing of four patents and the emergence of a new clinical entity, referred to as acute-on-chronic liver failure.The pioneering work of Dr. Jalan and his co-investigators, Dr Mookerjee and Dr Davies and his team at UCL has identified a novel biomarker (referred to as DASIMAR) that has the potential to identify which patients with liver disease are likely to proceed to developing liver failure. Earlier identification of patients would allow intensification of current therapies, determine eligibility for liver support strategies and allow a suitable organ to be found for transplantation. This invention has been recognized by the leading commercial player in the field of bio-artificial liver treatment, Vital Therapies Inc., based in California. Vital Therapies are currently carrying out the first clinical trials of their new ELAD (Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device) blood conditioning treatment in China, a country with some of the highest rates of liver failure in the world, with remarkable results.Vital Therapies Inc. is supporting Dr. Jalans work with a major investment of 250,000, which in turn has unlocked a prestigious 670,000 grant from the MRC, who have agreed to a major award to further this exciting and potentially life-changing research. Vital Therapies Inc. Vital Therapies Inc. (VTI) is a private San Diego-based liver therapies company. VTI is developing the first human-liver cell-based system, ELAD (Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device), which provides important metabolic support for patients with severe liver failure. For more information, please visit the Vital Therapies Website Further Information For further information contact Abbie Watts, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( a.watts@uclb.com ) or Dr Rajiv Jalan ( r.jalan@ucl.ac.uk ).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/the-appliance-of-science 2007-11-24T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Biotechnology is just one area where Londons universities are leading innovation by working alongside business. (From the Sunday Times, October 21, 2007) The biotechnology and life science sector is at the heart of the capitals knowledge economy, according to financiers, technology companies and academics. London First, a business campaign group, says the city is home to more than 100 companies in the field and that its higher education institutions and healthcare sector generate 1.1 billion of income from grants, awards and industry contracts.Mark McBride, vice-president of technology transfer company Utek, says a handful of life science companies started by academics and supported by university incubators serve as role models for researchers looking to start their own companies: Groups such as the London Development Agency have very wisely focused on life science as a means of attracting other sectors.Arrow Therapeutics, which specialises in developing antiviral drugs for conditions such as hepatitis C, was founded by its CEO, Ken Powell. It grew out of research he was involved with at University College London (UCL) and was recently bought by AstraZeneca for $150m (73m), but is still operating as an independent company, in Southwark.Proximagen was founded by another academic, Professor Peter Jenner, a specialist in neurodegenerative diseases at Kings College London. The AIM-listed company, with a market capitalisation of 19.4m, provides laboratory services to other companies while its research programmes develop drugs to tackle Parkinsons disease and Alzheimers. The sectors success is in large part down to the strength of universities such as Imperial College, UCL, Queen Marys and Kings College as well as specialist institutions including the Institute of Cancer Research. These attract high-calibre UK and international students and thereby a pool of skilled labour. Once you have built a skilled and loyal staff in greater London, you want to hang on to them for dear life, says McBride.Life science is by no means the only game in town. UCLs school of architecture, for instance, has engendered Space Syntax, an urban planning and architectural consultancy based on theories and software developed by Professor Bill Hillier. The software predicts how people will move around developments or within buildings. Architects, planners and police forces use it to predict how safe those environments will be.The 2m consultancy, based in Spitalfields, is run by Tim Stonor, a former masters student of Hilliers. There is still a strong relationship: research students take up part-time positions at Space Syntax and staff lecture at UCL.Telecoms, media and other creative sector companies also have a firm footing in the capitals knowledge economy. Doug Richard, entrepreneur and chairman of research organisation Library House, says simply that London is hot one of the worlds most vibrant media and creative centres. Theres real strength in the underlying traditional media industry as well as in new areas such as intranet TV, web 2.0 and mobile telephone businesses.According to Library House, London-based firms attracted half of all European venture capital funding for media technology in the first half of last year. Richard says most of the innovation comes not directly from universities but from traditional media companies: Its a myth that innovation comes out of universities. Much of it is coming out of the industry itself.Mind over matterFounded by two brothers, deltaDOT illustrates Londons strength as a breeding ground for life science companies. The pair started mulling over a key problem for biologists the time it takes to analyse viruses, proteins and other biological material during their Christmas dinner in 1996.By combining their expertise, Dr John Hassard, 51, a particle physicist and reader at Imperial College London (ICL), and Dr Stuart Hassard, 46, a biologist based at Cambridge University at the time, came up with a device that enables technicians to analyse biological matter without attaching coloured or radioactive tags. Materials can be analysed and vaccines and drugs developed much more quickly. The Pentagons research arm is interested in the speed with which the biotool, called Peregrine, can help vaccine development.DeltaDOT is the first investment for the London Technology Fund, a government-backed equity fund, and is generating revenues of 1.7m with a projected turnover of 5.6m for 2008.The firms CEO is Dr Anthony Baxter, 48, a scientist and serial entrepreneur, who says its success is a measure of how London has become a hub for science-based business. With laboratory and office space provided by ICL, deltaDOT can take advantage of highly skilled scientists based in the capital. We have 26 staff and 24 of them live in central London. This company simply wouldnt exist without them, says Baxter.Further Information:For further information about the exploitation of innovation and technology licensing opportunities available from UCL, contact UCL Business on 0207 679 9000

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/grand-prix-winners-and-record-breakers---lotus-legends-celebrate-at-ucl 2007-11-09T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Legends from the world of motor racing and championship cars gathered at UCL on October 29th to celebrate the life and work of Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars and alumnus of UCL, and to announce the creation of the Colin Chapman Lotus Engineering Scholarship. In partnership with Group Lotus, the event signalled a new level of collaboration between Lotus and UCL, and was timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the death of Chapman.A UCL alumnus, Colin Chapman was a visionary designer and engineer, and a driving force behind Formula One racing. Throughout his career at Lotus, he fostered a close relationship with UCL, continued today by his son Clive, who was also a UCL Engineering alumnus.The event demonstrated how partnerships between UCL and industry can be mutually beneficial. Anna Clark, Director of Business Partnerships at UCL, commented, This event helped to deepen an already very strong relationship, and we believe it sends a clear message to wider industry that UCL is keen to build effective partnerships that bring tangible benefits to all involved.The focal point of the event was a collection of over 30 Lotus vehicles spanning the road and track history of the marque from pioneering days up to the present.The line-up embraced world-famous racing models and cutting-edge development cars showcasing new fuel and motor technologies, as well as priceless development sketches and early technical drawings.An exhibition of innovative engineering under development at UCL showcased the Solar Fox project, which has just successfully competed in a gruelling 3000km race across Australia, as well as a number of technologies currently available for commercialisation, such as next-generation hydrogen storage for fuel cells, an intuitive traffic-signal phasing software product, a novel flexible material with unique properties, intelligent materials, an urban planning and traffic management consultancy, video-enhanced rear-view technology, an intelligent coating for glass, and more. The day concluded with a cocktail reception and commemorative dinner, attended by many famous faces from the world of motor racing, including Damon Hill, Sir Stirling Moss, John Surtees, Patrick Head, Sir John Whitmore, Eric Broadley and many more from such legendary companies as Cosworth, Bentley, Jaguar. The evening commemorated a great British engineering innovator, a legend in British Motorsport, the successful company that he founded, and the new scholarship that will help to guarantee the next generation of great automotive entrepreneurs.Cengiz Tarhan, Chief Executive of UCL Business added, As well as a great day for all Lotus aficionados, the event has also been a great success for UCL Business in terms of the commercialisation of UCL innovations, offering an opportunity to present key new technologies to decision makers within the automotive sector. The enabling of industry pioneers with breakthrough technologies is what UCL Business is all about!Listen to UCL academics interviewed about Lotus and UCL innovation hereGroup LotusFind out more about the history of Lotus and the company and its products today at: www.grouplotus.comFurther InformationFor further information about the UCL Lotus Engineering Innovation event contact Dr Anna Clark, Director of Business Partnerships, UCL on 020 7679 9000, a.clark@uclb.comFor information about UCLB Knowledge Transfer contact Steven Schooling, Director, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, s.schooling@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-advances--first-technology-forum 2007-10-22T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

'The Future of Imaging: Markets, Technology and Innovative Companies': UCL Advances hosted their first event on the 'Future of Imaging' on 16th October 2007 Imaging technologies are critical to a wide variety of businesses, from medical diagnostics to film visual effects. Too often, however, critical new developments are not shared across industries.UCL Advances first Technology Innovation Forum took place on the 16th October, and presented a unique opportunity to witness the most recent developments in imaging from business and academia, offering a truly inter-disciplinary insight to inform and challenge current debate on "The Future of Imaging."The 'Future of Imaging' event was endorsed by UCL Business, presented by UCL Advances and supported by NESTA.Find out more about this event and see some images here.Keep up to date with UCL Advances events here.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-and-ondine-biopharma-announce-breakthrough-staphyloccocal-photodisinfection-technology 2007-10-10T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business PLC, and Ondine Biopharma Corporation (TSX: OBP; AIM: OBP) today announced an important advance in photo-disinfection technology used to kill staphylococci such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) - creating the most potent photodisinfection agent known today. In a multi-year collaborative research effort, scientists developed a nanotechnology-based photosensitizer that dramatically enhanced antimicrobial lethality at very small unit doses. The results of the research were published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2007, 17, 3739-3746 and, because of the importance of the advancement, this publication has been selected for inclusion in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Chemical Biology Research Articles."The new nanoparticle photosensitizer is the most potent light-activated antimicrobial agent known to date," said Dr. Cale Street, Director of Research, Ondine Biopharma. "By covalently attaching gold nanoclusters to an existing photosensitizer, we were able to dramatically boost bacterial killing efficacy. We can now use very low concentrations of photosensitizer to achieve greater than 99.99% eradication of bacteria in seconds to minutes, improving our ability to develop photodisinfection-based products for the clinical treatment of infections in wounds, burns, and other conditions.""This development is the culmination of an intensive, cross-functional research effort to develop next-generation anti-MRSA photodisinfection agents," said Professor Michael Wilson, Division of Microbial Diseases, University College London. "As resistance to antibiotics continues to increase in most of the major human pathogens, this powerful technology has great potential in the struggle against the growing prevalence of hospital-acquired infections."Ondine Biopharma owns exclusive rights to worldwide patent applications covering this photodisinfection technology. With widespread antimicrobial indications including eradication of MRSA from the nose and other areas, treatment of conditions such as periodontal diseases, otitis externa, nailbed fungus and the disinfection of burns and wounds.About Periowave(TM) and PhotodisinfectionPeriowave(TM) is a Photodisinfection system developed by Ondine that utilizes low-intensity lasers and wavelength-specific, light-activated photosensitive compounds to specifically target and destroy microbial pathogens and reduce the symptoms of disease. The compounds are topically applied and lasers of appropriate wavelength and intensity are used to disinfect the treatment site. The Company's Periowave(TM) photodisinfection system is currently approved in Canada for nasal eradication of pathogenic bacteria such as MRSA and the oral treatment of periodontitis, gingivitis, peri-implantitis, peri-mucositis, endodontics, and in the European Union for nasal eradication of MRSA, adult periodontitis, endodontics and peri-implantitis. The photodynamic disinfection technologies were developed by Professor Michael Wilson and colleagues at the Eastman Dental Institute, UCL, and licensed to Ondine by UCL Business PLC. Full text of the research publication described above can be found at J. Mater. Chem., 2007, 17, 3739-3746. Additional information about Periowave(TM) is available at www.periowave.com.About Ondine Biopharma CorporationOndine is developing non-antibiotic therapies for the treatment of a broad spectrum of bacterial, fungal and viral infections. The Company is focused on creating and commercializing leading edge products utilizing its patented light-activated technology. Photodisinfection provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy without encouraging the formation and spread of antibiotic resistance. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with a research laboratory in Bothell, Washington, USA, and an international office in St. Michael, Barbados. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at: www.ondinebiopharma.comFurther InformationFor further information contact Derek Reay, Snr Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, (d.reay@uclb.com).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-spin-out-pentraxin-therapeutics-awarded-grant-from-the-wellcome-trust-seeding-drug-disc 2007-10-03T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Professor Mark Pepys FRS FMedSci, a leading University College London (UCL) scientist, Head of Medicine at the Hampstead Campus (Royal Free), Director of the UCL Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, and Director of Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd, has secured a major grant to develop breakthrough therapeutics in the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis. Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd, a spin-out company created by UCL Business and headed by Professor Pepys, has been awarded a grant of 3.89 million in conjunction with UCL to develop a drug to target a protein called transthyretin for the treatment and prevention of hereditary systemic transthyretin amyloidosis, otherwise known as familial amyloid polyneuropathy, and senile cardiac amyloidosis, which is also caused by transthyretin. The company was founded in 2001 with the aim of commercialising the intellectual property and proprietary knowledge emanating from Professor Pepyss research work at UCL. Building on the pioneering research conducted by Professor Pepys and his collaborators, the research team will be working on the development of drugs which could offer real hope in the fight against these largely untreatable and usually fatal diseases.Under the Wellcome Trusts Seeding Drug Discovery Initiative , UCL and Pentraxin have been tasked with the development of a novel drug, building on the work already carried out by Professor Pepyss team. The funding will be used to develop the drug to clinical trial stage.We are greatly encouraged by the rigorous scientific endorsement of our novel strategy which has been provided by the Wellcome Trust says Professor Pepys. Their generous funding will enable our multi-skilled team to make rapid progress with the promising leads and original ideas which we have already created. We hope that the outcome will be an effective treatment for a very significant unmet medical need.The award is another resounding endorsement for Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd, which has separate drug development programmes in progress for treatment of systemic amyloidosis, Alzheimers disease, osteoarthritis, myocardial infarction and stroke.We are delighted to be able to facilitate the development of this important and much needed research, says Dr. Ted Bianco , Director of Technology Transfer at the Wellcome Trust. "New treatments for amyloid diseases are urgently needed and the group lead by Professor Pepys has an impressive record of achievement in this area. Pentraxin Therapeutics is a UCL spin out company formed in 2001. It holds all the intellectual property and proprietary knowledge emanating from Professor Pepyss research at UCL. Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd is concerned with the research and development of drugs for the treatment of amyloidosis and amyloid-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and type II diabetes, as well as targeting the pathogenic effects of C-reactive protein in cardiovascular disease and inflammatory diseases. For further information, visit: www.ucl.ac.uk/medicine/amyloidosisThe Wellcome Trust is the largest independent charity in the UK and the second largest medical research charity in the world. It funds innovative biomedical research, both in the UK and internationally, spending around 500 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Wellcome Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing. The Wellcome Trust's 91 million Seeding Drug Discovery initiative aims to assist researchers and companies, small and large, to take forward early-stage drug discovery projects in small-molecule therapeutics. The Wellcome Trust is currently accepting applications for the next round of funding under the Seeding Drug Discovery initiative. Preliminary applications submitted by 9 November 2007 will be shortlisted for consideration by the committee in May 2008. For further information go to www.wellcome.ac.uk.For further information contact Dr. Richard Fagan, Director of BioPharm,UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, r.fagan@uclb.com.Pentraxin Therapeutics Ltd.About The Wellcome TrustFurther Information

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-enhances-london-genetics--partnering-capabilities 2007-08-22T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Leading experts in genetics and genomics from UCL and six other academic institutions will provide insight into available expertise and resources in London and advise on project design. London Genetics Limited, formed by the London Development Agency with major input and investment by UCL Business and other stakeholders, is a commercial company that facilitates and manages partnerships between the healthcare industry and London centres of excellence in genetics and genomics-based medical research.Today, London Genetics has announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board consisting of leading authorities at the forefront of genetics and genomics research from UCL and six other of Londons top academic institutions. This new Scientific Advisory Board will provide expert advice on industrial partnerships that make use of UCL and other institutions unique resources. With their combined experience in basic, clinical and translational research and their insight into the facilities and expertise available within their institutions, the members of the Scientific Advisory Board are ideally placed to advise London Genetics on available partnership opportunities and optimum study design. Mark Caulfield, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Queen Mary, University of London will Chair the Scientific Advisory Board, which will include the following leaders from London Genetics other partner institutions: Dr Aroon Hingorani, British Heart Foundation Senior Research Fellow, Division of Medicine, University College London Tim Aitman, Professor of Clincal and Molecular Genetics, Imperial College London Professor Alan Ashworth, Director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research Professor Ellen Solomon, Head, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Kings College London Professor Brendan Wren, Head of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Professor Nick Carter, Head, Clinical Developmental Sciences, St Georges, University of London Shirley Hodgson, Professor of Cancer Genetics, St Georges, University of LondonCommenting on todays appointments, Professor Stephen Smith, Chairman of the Board of Directors of London Genetics and Principal of the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London said: We are delighted to be working with such a distinguished and talented panel of individuals. Their contribution and advice will be crucial for London Genetics success and will help the company attain its ambition to establish London as the leading centre for genetics medicine.About London Genetics London Genetics is a commercial company, funded by the London Development Agency, UCL Business and other key stakeholders, that facilitates and manages partnerships between the healthcare industry and London centres of excellence in genetics and genomics-based medical research. London Genetics provides access to an extensive range of facilities and resources through a consortium of seven of Londons top science and medical Institutions: University College London; The Institute of Cancer Research; Kings College London; The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Queen Mary University of London; St Georges University of London; and Imperial College London. More information on London Genetics is available at: www.londongenetics.co.uk For further information contact Dr. Jeff TrickettSnr. Business Manager (Service Companies), UCL Business PLC. tel: 020 7679 9000.Further Information

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-takes-to-the-grid-at-formula-student-2007 2007-08-15T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

A team of mechanical engineering students from UCL, backed by UCL Business sponsorship, and led by senior lecturer Dr Kevin Drake and technician Neil Collings, has created a Class One entry in the Formula Student motor sport competition. The UCL Formula Student 2007 entry car Preparations in the workshopBuilding on the success of last years Class One and a previous years Class Two entry, this years effort was more ambitious than ever. A fully fitted-out car, the vehicle was assessed for design, presentation, cost analysis, sprint and endurance. In addition, teams were only permitted to drive their car on the circuit when the vehicle had passed a tough scrutineering stage and been judged safe.Dr Kevin Drake said, The UCL car passed static tests and scrutineering, and managed to complete the sprint and participate in the endurance dynamic events. He went on to add, To get that far is a considerable achievement, as the attrition rate was very high. 21 entries failed to complete any of the dynamic events, and as for the endurance event, only 23 out of 69 qualifying teams managed to complete the 24km course.The UCL car features a Honda CBR 600 motorcycle engine and is driven by a chain. The team swapped the carburettor for a fuel injection system, optimised through testing and controlled by an on-board engine control unit. The tubular space frame chassis meets stringent safety requirements and is clad in smooth bodywork panels, which feature the UCL and UCLB logos. With about 80bhp, the vehicle can reach speeds of about 80mph, but its key strengths are acceleration and manoeuvrability.The UCL team was the smallest to compete at Formula Student, with just seven people present. One team had a mobile workshop on an articulated truck and a team coach. The educational experience was key for UCL students, as a small team, each member was able to gain a great deal from the event. UCLs entry emerged from a collaborative project that formed part of the integral course requirements for fourth-year MEng studentsand also stood out because it was part-course-based, part-extracurricular, most other teams being solely extracurricular.,UCL Mechanical Engineering sees Formula Student as an opportunity to complement its participation in the London Engineering project, a pilot programme to encourage under-represented groups, such as women and ethnic minorities, to get involved in engineering. UCL, South Bank and Sussex are the three universities involved in these early stages, but it is hoped that the project will roll out nationally in the near future.Professor Nicos Ladommatos, Head of UCL Engineering, said: UCL Mechanical Engineering is participating in the London Engineering project, led by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The department is revising several of its courses so that engineering theory can be followed seamlessly by design-and-make projects, where the student can experience the excitement of seeing engineering theory put to practical applications in subjects such as fluid mechanics, bio-medical engineering, robotics and control engineering.Mr Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB said, Supporting the Department and students through this event was a pleasure. Having seen the car develop from drawings and concepts into reality in such a short period and then to Silverstone competing was a real achievement and a credit to the Department and the UCL students About Formula Student Formula Student began life in the USA, where a competition was set up by the Society for Automotive Engineers. It came to Europe in 1998 and is now a multinational event. Teams from universities across Europe, North America and even India competed at this years competition. In the UK, the event is managed by the Institution of Mechanical Engineering. For further details, visit: www.formulastudent.com Further Information For further information contact Anna Clark, Director of Business Partnerships,UCL on 020 7679 9000, ( a.clark@uclb.com ).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/artificial-artery-that-keeps-your-blood-pumping 2007-08-08T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

"A man-made artery that behaves just like the real thing could transform heart bypass surgery. The British invention looks like a piece of spaghetti and is coated with a space-age that stops it from becoming blocked once it has been implanted." "Previous attempts to manufacture synthetic arteries have been hampered by the fact that they quickly became clogged. The body recognises them as foreign and and, thinking it has suffered an injury, dispatches special blood cells called platelets. Their job is to trigger the clotting process to halt bleeding. As platelets clump together inside the implant, blood fails to flow properly, increasing pressure on the heart. But the high-tech, man-made artery gets around that problem thanks to its unique coating."The inside of the device is layered with tiny 'cages' made up of millions of tiny molecules. These cages are so small they cannot be felt or seen by the naked eye. But under the microscope they look like tiny spikes sticking out into the man-made graft. The entire structure is coated with chemicals that attract stem cells in the blood and stimulate them to start growing into exactly the same kind of cells that form the lining of the healthy human blood vessels. Within a few days, enough stem cells are caught to start covering the whole inside of the man-made artery with a smooth, healthy lining, called the endothelium. The beauty of the technique, a winner in the recent Medical Futures Innovation awards, is that this makes the artificial blood vessels elastic and stretchy, just like the ones we are born with, and the smooth new lining stops clots from forming. "So far it has been tested only on animals, but two years after being implanted into a sheep, it is still functioning perfectly well. Human trials on the implant, developed by scientists at University College London, are expected to begin within the next year. Dozens of patients whose coronary arteries are more than 70 per cent blocked because of heart disease will be fitted with the new 'spaghetti' implant."Patients with severely diseased arteries often undergo a procedure called a coronary artery bypass graft. About 28,000 bypasses are carried out in the UK each year - here, blockages in the heart are 'bypassed', usually using a vein from another part of the body. Professor Alexander Seifalian, who pioneered the new man-made artery, said up to 30 per cent of bypass patients do not have a suitable vein they can use: 'In these cases, there's not much doctors can do and patients often die. So we have developed an artificial artery using nanotechnology. Once the stem cells are attracted into it, they cover the whole inside of it and turn into endothelial cells. The job of the endothelium is to stop things sticking to the inside of the artery. We hope this will eventually replace the need to take veins from other parts of the body," he says.Article reproduced courtesy of The Daily Mail newspaper. Original publication date 31st July 2007Further InformationFor further information contact Mrs.Karen Cheetham, Project Liaison Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000.

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/business-sense-from-universities-,-prof-mike-spyer, 2007-07-23T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL is Londons research powerhouse, with more than 3,500 academic and research staff in its science, technology, engineering and biomedical departments. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, 40 of our departments in these fields were rated 5, 5* and best 5*. Our academics focus on the translation of research into solutions to the worlds major problems. To help them do so, in 2006 UCL reconfigured UCL Business PLC (UCLB), its wholly owned subsidiary, which now consolidates and integrates our previous technology- and knowledge-transfer activities. UCLB exemplifies how universities can harness exceptional research for positive social and economic benefit, bringing groundbreaking science and technologies to the people who need them. UCL Business PLC UCLB seamlessly covers the complete commercialisation process, from invention disclosure and patent registration through to the drafting of licences, support for the creation of new businesses, and negotiation on sales of technologies and licences to industry partners.Subject-specialist staff at UCLB focus on specific client and sector needs, while being able to offer the whole spectrum of our universitys business services. They have access to substantial investment funds and a large infrastructure of management, staff and advisors, further supported by an established pool of experts in intellectual property and corporate law, as well as commercial advisors and consultants.A few examples will reflect the effectiveness and varied nature of the UCLB model. Incubation UCLB supports and encourages the incubation of new businesses through the provision of support personnel and modern office facilities in close proximity to our university, ensuring the strong academic or clinical linkage that was the original source of the invention.UCLB both owns and manages these facilities, in order that the embryonic company can focus its energies on exploiting the technological discovery and commence commercial operations without delay. Taking ideas to market UCLB and its predecessors have launched in excess of 50 spin-out companies, transferring innovative research initiated at UCL into the commercial sector. Ark Therapeutics, for example, has a broad range of treatments for vascular disease and cancer in late stage clinical development. Ark successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2004.Arrow Therapeutics focuses on the research and development of novel antiviral drugs. The company has developed a broad pipeline of projects at various stages between early research and clinical development. This led to it being acquired by AstraZeneca for circa $150 million. SensorNet Works, a spin-out from UCL Electronic Electrical Engineering, is set to commercialise an innovative approach to the problem of monitoring distributed industrial environments such as railway infrastructures and underground mines. By utilising a number of small, intelligent devices that communicate through meshed radio networks, the company is able to offer an autonomous monitoring solution that is easy for non-experts to install, maintain and use, with Network Rail among its early customers.Medic to Medic, with its Map of Medicine, is now available for rollout across 85% of the NHS in England and is working closely with NHS Connecting for Health. Separately, NHS Wales and the Nuffield Hospitals and a number of users across the world are already benefiting from the use of the Map, which provides best practice for the complete patient journey from diagnosis to discharge. Consultancy Through UCL Consultants Ltd, UCL Business PLC provides clients including governments, global corporations, public bodies, and small- and medium-sized enterprises with direct links to academic staff across our university.UCLs breadth of expertise allows for consultancy in areas as diverse as: analytical and testing services; expert witnesses for litigation and patent infringement, instrumentation design, prototype design and testing; computer modelling; clinical and drug evaluations; risk assessment; and novel applications for communication and language.The application of new technologies to the arts and humanities sector includes, for example, authentication technology for the identification of pigments in paintings, drawings and maps. Raman spectroscopy expertise in UCL Chemistry and UCL History of Art was used to authenticate the pigments in Young Woman Seated at the Virginals, by Johannes Vermeer. The painting was subsequently sold at Sothebys for more than 16 million. Licensing Licensing through UCLB puts novel techniques in the hands of practitioners.Advanced Design Technology, established in 1998 as a joint venture with Ebara Corporation of Japan, commercialises turbo design software developed by Professor Mehrdad Zangeneh at UCL. The companys products, which are based on intellectual property licences from UCL, help not only to shorten development time for turbo-machinery but will also improve the performance of turbo-machinery components.Building on breakthrough technology licensed from UCL, Space Syntax has developed revolutionary practical user-testing of buildings and public spaces while they are still on the drawing board, allowing architects and planners to solve problems before they arise. UCLB recently negotiated an exclusive licence to allow proposed designs to be interrogated by millions of virtual agents, who can be set specific tasks to complete. By monitoring agents performing individual tasks, virtually any usage scenario can be tested. Clinical trials facilities UCLB arranges specialist academic clinical research and commercial clinical trials in a variety of facilities.The new Stanmore Clinical Research Facility is a partnership between UCLB and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH). Its specialist imaging system can detect when implants such as hip and knee replacements are loosening long before the patient starts to notice a deterioration in function. The facility is also equipped to measure bone mineral density and 3D structural parameters non-invasively.UCL Advanced Diagnostics Ltd has one of the largest collections of antibodies for use on tissue sections, allowing pathologists and pathology laboratories to augment their own immunocytochemical analyses.The UCL Analgesia Centre Ltd focuses on the organisation and management of clinical trials in different acute and chronic pain indications such as neuropathic pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and lower back pain. Entrepreneurial culture UCLB, in association with UCL Advances, helps to infuse the research culture of UCL with entrepreneurial perspectives.The UCL Business Award was established to reward entrepreneurial achievement. Three UCL scientists recently won the inaugural award for their work in developing Simulect, which acts to prevent the rejection of organs following transplantation, drawing on the researchers work on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Simulect has been used to treat over 150,000 patients worldwide.Along with UCL Advances, UCLB also contributes to the annual London Entrepreneurs Challenge, which aims to encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs at UCL and the London Business School by helping students and staff to think about how their ideas can be applied commercially and demonstrating the basic concepts needed to communicate a new business idea. Partnering UCLB initiated and led the negotiations with Arius3D to bring to UCL the latest generation Arius3D colour laser scanner, worth 500,000 and the first of its kind in Europe. The new scanners applications will serve a range of sectors, including but not limited to heritage, engineering, medicine, dentistry, anthropology, archaeology, art and architecture. It is creating opportunities for the universitys researchers and conservators, as well as other institutions, such as the British Museum, the Victoria Albert Museum, the Museum of London and the National Trust, to scan collections in 3D and to make them accessible for all to see over the internet.UCLB and the RNOH have recently agreed heads of terms to initiate a collaboration with Sewon Cellontech of South Korea to develop new laboratories to undertake therapeutic treatments for cartilage repair and bone fracture healing. The treatments are expected to use stem cells derived from the patients own bone marrow and cartilage tissue, with the potential to alleviate the need for radical surgery. Find out more If you would like to know more about how UCL translates its excellent research into applicable solutions, please contact UCL Business on 020 7679 9000 or info@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-nanotechnologist,-alex-seifalian,-wins-prestigious-medical-futures-innovation-award 2007-06-22T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

In a ceremony in London on June 18th, UCL Professor Alex Seifalians breakthrough work in bypass grafts for cardiovascular treatment was recognized by the highly prestigious Medical Futures Innovation Awards panel, as the Professor was awarded as Winner of The Overall Cardiovascular Innovation Award'.Professor Seifalians work on harnessing nanotechnology for implanted devices has resulted in the development of 'NASA style' nanotechnology coatings for bypass grafts used in heart and blood vessel surgery. His team has developed a novel nanomaterial that can be used to development a new generation of cardiovascular medical devices such as blood vessels and heart valves.It is common in patients with vascular disease for their blood vessels to become blocked, and one of the surgical treatments is to bypass the blocked vessel using a vein taken from the patients own leg. Many patients do not have suitable veins for this purpose and the currently used artificial materials have poor results. Professor Seifalians team of scientists from University College London have developed an artificial coronary artery bypass graft using this novel polymer. By incorporating bioactive molecules that encourage endothelialisation of the graft from circulating stem cells, the material promises outstanding results, and offers new hope to thousands of sufferers of cardiovascular disease. The graft has been extensively tested in vitro and in vivo and has been shown to have a high success rate. UCL Business is delighted at the Professors award, and is confident that this innovation could revolutionise cardiac surgery and may have a wider application in preventing organ rejection. Project Liaison Manager at UCLB, Karen Cheetham, commented, This is a very exciting technology which we envisage having applications in many different fields and it is a pleasure to work with such an innovative team of scientists. The Medical Futures Innovation Awards A Medical Futures Innovation Award is the UK's most sought after healthcare accolade. The Awards, supported by the Prime Minister, have achieved coverage in over 300 publications. They have been featured on the BBC, ITV Sky News, and are referred to by the national press as the Healthcare Oscars'. Read more about this years awards at: www.medicalfutures.co.uk Further Information For further information contact Mrs.Karen Cheetham, Project Liaison Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( k.cheetham@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-on-top-of-the-world 2007-06-13T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL Business joined UCLs medical team in Nepal to push scientific research to the absolute limit, ultimately carrying out experiments at extreme altitude on the roof of the world.(L to R) David Cobb flies the UCLB flag; the UCL Medical Team; and Everest landscapeThe Caudwell Xtreme Everest team, incorporating some of UCLs top medical researchers has successfully undertaken the largest human physiology study ever performed at extreme altitude. In purpose built exercise laboratories from Kathmandu and up the Khumbu Valley to Everest Base Camp, over two hundred volunteers were studied as they trekked progressively higher into the thinning atmosphere. Additional research, including muscle biopsies and the taking of arterial blood above 8,000m, was carried out on UCLs summiteers forming the elite climbing part of this expedition.The researchers, many working as Intensive Care doctors and nurses, hope to make links between the human body at its limits during critical illness and changes that occur to healthy individuals at high altitude. In common with intensive care patients, extreme altitude climbers have to adapt to low levels of oxygen in their blood. It is this similarity that inspired a closer examination of the changes that occur to people as they ascend to extreme altitude.The research is focused on four critical areas: oxygen, brain, lungs and breathing systems, and it is hoped the research findings will lead to significant understandings and breakthrough improvements in critical patient care.With HRH the Duke of Edinburgh as Patron, John Caudwell as title sponsor, and support from UCL Business, BOC Medical, Honda, Panasonic, Lilly Critical Care and many others, the expedition has caught the attention of scientists and business alike.David Cobb, UCL Business, commented, For me this trek was a privilege, not a chore, and I hope the data will really help the UCL medics realise their aspirations for improved understanding of how and why people cope differently in oxygen-deprived situationsA team from the BBC 2 documentary series Horizon has been following both Davids trek group and the summit team to witness and record the triumph of securing cutting edge data in the face of adverse conditions and extreme technical difficulties over the past three months. ,The documentary will describe the scientific aspirations for this expedition and how such difficulties were overcome through personal stories and the implementation of superb logistical and scientific leadership not forgetting the critical supporting role played by local sherpas. The programme, it may comprise two-parts, is expected to be transmitted in the autumn on BBC 2.The BBC crew blogs can be found at the BBC website Caudwell Extreme Everest Full details on the project, including a mailing list and latest headlines, can be found at the Everest Xtreme Webiste Further InformationFor further information contact Mr. David Cobb, Snr. Business Manager,UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( d.cobb@uclb.com ).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/ucl-business-works-closely-with-professor-pete-coffey-at-the-ucl-institute-of-ophthalmology-and-dire 2007-06-06T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The London Project to Cure AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) will develop a surgical therapy to stabilise and restore vision in people who go blind due to faulty retinal cells. AMD affects around a quarter of people over the age of 60 in the UK, and 14 million people across Europe. A groundbreaking surgical therapy capable of stabilising and restoring vision in the vast majority of patients who currently suffer blindness through Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is to be taken to clinical trial by scientists and clinicians at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University of Sheffield. The therapy, using cells derived from human embryonic stem cells to replace the faulty retinal cells that cause AMD, will be developed by the London Project to Cure AMD, a collaborative project launched today bringing together some of the leading specialists in the fieldFor the full story please see the UCL website

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/breakthrough-clinical-pathway-software,-developed-by-ucl-and-the-royal-free-hospital 2007-04-18T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

In a ceremony in London on April 11th 2007, UCL and the Royal Free Hospital received a cheque for 4,086,000 being the final earnout payment for the sale of Medic-to-Medic, a breakthrough software tool for medical practitioners, that has been endorsed by Fujitsu, Accenture, CSC and the NHS Connecting for Health programme. LEFT : (L to R) David Dutton, Chairman, UCL Business PLC, Mark Flemming, Director of Service Companies UCL Business PLC, Dr Anne Lane, Executive Director, UCL Business PLC, Prof Malcolm Grant, President Provost, UCL, Prof Owen Epstein, Professor of Gastroenterology, RFH, David Gilbertson, Group Managing Director, Informa Plc, Jon Conibear, CEO Medic-to-Medic Ltd, Prof Mike Spyer, Vice-Provost (Enterprise), UCL, Andrew Way, Chief Executive, Royal Free Hospital, Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director, UCL Business PLC RIGHT : (L to R) David Dutton Chairman, UCL Business PLC, Prof Malcolm Grant President Provost, UCL, David Gilbertson Group Managing Director, Informa Ltd, Andrew Way - Chief Executive, Royal Free HospitalThe sale to Informa in 2005 was the culmination of five years of development in conjunction with health care practitioners, software developers, and investment partners, and is a vindication of the vision and creativity of Prof. Owen Epstein who originally developed the concept that led to the Map of Medicine.The Map is based around a core collection of pathways for each of the major hospital specialities, with each clinical pathway being represented by an algorithm known as a decision tree. The algorithms are colour coded to clearly indicate disease management roles, in primary (green) and secondary care (red), with a seamless convergence of GP and hospital practice guidelines to help improve the administrative processes, empower GPs to manage patients and avoid unnecessary referrals to hospitals.The potential of Prof. Epsteins pioneering work was maximised by UCL Business, who from the outset, and throughout its development, sought to put in place all the resources and funding required to deliver the fully functioning application.Development was continued by Dr Mike Stein, who, together with UCL Business, developed a programme at UCL and the Royal Free Hospital in London, encouraging practitioners to develop their clinical pathways and present them in the graphical format adopted by Medic-to-Medic. With an original target of more than 340 pathways to cover all major specialities at the Royal Free, the system continued to grow beyond these boundaries and, in conjunction with Oyster Partners, was developed specifically to match the needs of the NHS Connecting for Health programme.Contracts with Fujitsu and Accenture followed. UCL Business, working closely with the Medic-to-Medic Board, realised that the company required further investment to deliver its full offering within the NHS Connecting for Health programme and a partnership with Taylor Francis (now Informa Ltd.) was negotiated. This partnership came to fruition in May 2005, when Informa moved to acquire the company.Mr. Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business, commented, it is extremely gratifying when a project such as this, which developed from an idea in Owens mind in 2000, became a reality with the potential to transform the way the NHS delivers healthcare in the UK and possibly worldwide.Further InformationFor further information contact Dr. Anne Lane, Executive Director, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000, ( a.lane@uclb.com )

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/an-answer-to-bbc-calls-for-better-testing-of-skin-protection-products 2007-04-02T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

Following the BBCs calls for accurate labeling and testing of skincare products, UCL Business is able to announce the first verifiable, quantitative assessment of the effects of UVA, UVB and visible light on the skin, allowing more accurate testing of products protecting against the suns ageing and carcinogenic effects. Against the background of increased media focus, an exponential growth in fatal skin cancers, increasing calls for harmonised standards in the grading of skin-protection products, and a new initiative by the EU to introduce more stringent product labelling, this breakthrough product testing process comes at exactly the right moment.RAFT, a medical research charity, has developed a testing process that measures UV-induced free radicals in skin, providing quantifiable, comparative data, based on highly-controlled laboratory-condition tests, and moving far beyond the current user-testing standards that prevail within the cosmetics industry. Utilising skin samples, the RAFT technique provides accurate data that allows meaningful grading of product efficacy.In particular, RAFTs technique has revealed that current filters, labelling and even usage of skin protection creams, often minimise their practical protection against free-radicals induced by UVA, a factor that was not understood even by product manufacturers. The technique also brings into sharp focus the very damaging potential of UVA exposure, not readily acknowledged within current skincare labelling, where SPF factors refer only to UVB protection.It is thought that this new testing process will continue to reveal valuable data that will increase our understanding of the effects of prolonged sun exposure, and be instrumental in the development of a new generation of more effective sun creams.RAFT is now participating in the development of new EU standards for sun protection product labelling, and welcomes enquiries through UCL Business (who has partnered with RAFT to commercialise this breakthrough) from companies that would like to find out more about the process.RAFTThe Restoration of Appearance and Function Trust (RAFT) is a medical research charity established in 1988 by a small group of Consultant Plastic Surgeons based in Middlesex, UK, with a desire to produce 'translational research' i.e. designed to marry clinical need with scientific research thus moving from scientific theory to the clinical setting and giving hope to countless patients whose lives have been devastated by burns, accidents, cancers, trauma or birth defects. Visit the RAFT website here Further InformationFor further information contact Alexa Smith, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business PLC on 020 7679 9000 ( a.smith@uclb.com ).

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/novel-3d-colour-laser-scanner-facility-officially-opened-at-ucl-chorley-institute 2007-03-19T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

The latest generation, 500,000 Arius3D colour laser scanner, the first of its kind in Europe, was formally opened today at UCL. (L to R) Dr Reg Hinkley, CEO BP Pensions and Alain Marcetteau, CEO Arup Europe, Limestone Shabti, scanned by the Arius3D scanner, Professor Bernard Buxton, Dr Anna Clark and Dr Reg Hinkley at the opening event.First installed in October 2006, ongoing seminars and training programmes have attracted UCL experts in engineering, biomedicine, architecture and social sciences, as well as visitors from the British Museum, the Victoria Albert Museum, the Museum of London and the National Trust. Further delegates from Sharp, Arup, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Courtauld Institute, the UCL Anatomy Developmental Biology, the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, UCL Computer Science and the UCL National Medical Laser Centre will also attend this month.Formally opening the facility, Professor Malcolm Grant, Provost and President of UCL, thanked Arius3D and Dr Anna Clark (UCL Business PLC), who initiated and led the negotiations.Speakers at the event, including Professor Bernard Buxton (Dean of UCL Engineering Sciences), Brian Mori (President of Arius3D, a Canadian company) and Dr Clark, praised the development of one of the highest-quality 3D scanners in the world and thanked all involved.The new scanners applications will serve a range of sectors, including but not limitedto heritage, engineering, medicine, dentistry, anthropology, archaeology, art and architecture. Collaborative projects to date include the scanning of artefacts in the UCL Petrie Museum, which will have the opportunity to display and to support 3D imaging of its collection, while retaining copyright of the images.In the heritage sector, UCL aims to set international standards and best practice for 3D laser technology and visualisation, as well as developing significant new technologies for authentication, registration and measurement of decay.Attendees to the event included three external members of the new UCL Research Challenges Board: Dr Reg Hinkley (CEO of BPs main UK pension fund), Alain Marcetteau (COO, Arup Europe) and Dr Malcolm Cooper (Head of Research, City of London). Other attendees included Jim McGlone (CFO, Arius3D) and representatives from Centrica, Bonhams, the British Museum, the Museum of London, Invest in Denmark, the Canadian High Commission, the BBC and the National Trust. Further Information: To find out more about Arius3D or UCL Business PLC, contact Dr. Anna Clark, Director of Business Partnerships, at: a.clark@uclb.com

tag:uclb.com,2010-10-12:http://www.uclb.com/news/london-entrepreneur-challenge-awards-inspires-next-generation-of-innovators 2007-03-18T00:00:00Z Emma Alam

UCL hosted the UCL Enterprise Showcase, an event that marks the culmination of the London Entrepreneurs Challenge 07. The event showcased new and emerging IP, technologies and companies, attracting some of the best new business brains and technology innovations from both UCL and the London Business School. (L to R) Student presents their business idea; Tim Barnes with the winners of the competition; the UCL Provost, Malcolm Grant opens the procedingsNow in its 5th year, The London Entrepreneurs Challenge (E-Challenge) is a series of workshops and a business plan competition designed to introduce participants to fundamental business and technology concepts. The aim is to help students and staff to think about how their ideas can be applied commercially and demonstrate the basic concepts needed to communicate a new business idea.This initiative brings together technology and commercial skills from UCL and the London Business School , combining the technical and entrepreneurial talents of both institutions to help forge the next generation of world-class entrepreneurs in London.The Challenge is highly regarded by the enterprise community. It is really encouraging that universities are launching initiatives such as the E-Challenge that will help build a more entrepreneurial culture in the UK, commented Dr. Mike Lynch, CEO and Founder, Autonomy , on news that the Challenge was being launched.The Awards ceremony was set against the backdrop of the UCL Enterprise Showcase, an event that has become a must-do fixture in the diaries of many venture funders and technology entrepreneurs, who understand that the best time to find new opportunities is at the very earliest stages of commercial development.This year, the event provided a showcase for some of the most exciting new companies, technologies and IP emanating from UCL, and covered areas as diverse as non-invasive cancer detection, smart materials solutions, bio-imaging and a range of nanotechnology applications.With research academics and entrepreneurs on hand to provide practical explanations of the technologies, the event offers one of the few truly interactive forums for potential investors to get under the skin of new developments and understand the enormous market potential for these innovations.Keynote speakers included UCL alumni Patrick Sheehan of the Environmental Technologies Fund , and Ben Reynolds, CEO of Fixtures Live Title, a highly successful internet business. These speakers were able to offer some sound advice to the young entrepreneurs who had reached the finals of the London Entrepreneurs Challenge, including Audio3, a new company that has created a revolutionary portable audio speaker system, and eventually walked away with the top two prizes. All winners were awarded their certificates and cash prizes by the President and Provost of UCL, Professor Malcolm Grant.Of the event, the Provost commented, It is always exciting to see the inspired and fresh approach that Challengers take to creating new business ideas. It is very encouraging for me to see that, year on year the entrepreneurial spark seems to burn ever brighter in our studentsThe event was sponsored by Camden Innovation Central , and organised by the UCL Centre for Enterprise and the Management of Innovation together with UCL Business PLC. Jacquie Mather, project manager for Camden Innovation Central, an LDA funded initiative, was delighted with the success of the evening. The Entrepreneurs Challenge has once again provided an exciting showcase for UCL and London Business School talent. We are delighted to have been able to sponsor this event and provide two of the finalists with the opportunity for one years virtual business space at Centa Business Services, she commented.