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U.T. System Partners with the State of Texas to Expand Opportunities to Texans

From breakthrough cancer imaging and drug delivery systems to alternative energies and freight tracking technology, new discoveries that result from the vast research and development activities at the fifteen U. T. System universities are helping to accelerate opportunities for Texans and changing lives around the globe.  The ETF’s financial support is boosting the U. T. System’s resources to expand and accelerate the commercialization of these activities.

• Nearly $33 million in total ETF commercialization awards has been approved for 31 companies with collaborative activities from ten U. T. System institutions. Here are a few company snapshots:
• The ETF great success story of CardioSpectra started with a fiber-optic cardiac catheter developed in a collaboration between U. T. Austin and U. T. Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSC-SA).
• Molecular Imprintsis “building the tools that build the nano-world®” with Step and Flash® imprint lithography (S-FIL®) developed at U. T. Austin for semiconductor device and other industry manufacturers.
• Endothelix, Inc.’smonitoring technology for cardiovascular health, developed at U. T. Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H), incorporates non-invasive, non-imaging vascular function monitoring technologies in risk factor assessments to help doctors more accurately monitor patients’ cardiovascular health and choose therapies to prevent and treat heart attacks and strokes.
• PLx Pharma, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company developing the next generation of safer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). IP was developed in collaboration among UTHSC-H, U. T. Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB), and MD Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC). Phase III Clinical Trials are completed for several drugs, and preclinical trials are underway for other medications used for pain, inflammation, and cardiovascular treatment.
• NanoSpectra Biosciences, Inc.is commercializing AuroLase™ Therapy, a breakthrough “Smart Drug” delivery system, the IP for which was developed at UTMDACC, UTMB, Texas A&M, and Rice. The company plans to start clinical trials with head and neck cancer patients in 2008 using AuroLase™ Therapy to selectively and precisely destroy solid tumors while minimizing damage to healthy adjacent tissue and preserving critical structures. 

• Five ETF Research Superiority Acquisition of Talent awards totaling more than $23 million and involving six U. T. System institutions have been approved, and approximately $10 million has been funded ($5 million in December ‘07 and January ‘08). Already these awards boast results as follows:

• Two New Companies formed with licensed IP (Leonardo Biosystems and Nanomedical Systems)
• 10 New Patents filed (4 international) and 15 New Technology invention disclosures
• 48 New Hires, with 100 Employees conducting or supporting the research
• $15M non state-of-Texas grants and other funds (Excludes U. T. System and other matching funds and multi-million dollar DARPA grants.)
• Nanoelectronics Initiative created to recruit world class experts at three U. T. universities (U. T. Austin, U. T. Dallas, and U. T. Arlington); to establish collaborative research among them; and to jointly develop and commercialize their discoveries. Four experts have been hired to date.

 

• ETF Research Matching funds totaling $21.5 million have been awarded to three U. T. System institutions for five nanotech, semiconductor, and IT projects.

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