Isis Insights 63
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The research commercialisation office of the University of Oxford, previously called Isis Innovation, has been renamed Oxford University Innovation All documents and other materials will be updated accordingly. In the meantime the remaining content of this Isis Innovation document is still valid. URLs beginning www.isis-innovation.com/... are automatically redirected to our new domain, www.innovation.ox.ac.uk/... Phone numbers and email addresses for individual members of staff are unchanged Email : [email protected] Ii 63 Spring 11 Issue Isis insights The latest innovations, collaborations and technology transfer Healthy futures Screening for discovery... IiContents Issue 63 Healthy futures Screening for discovery... Tackling Tuberculosis 10 Protein Superglue 26 Patient Reported Outcomes 28 03. Newsflash 18. Transformers The latest news from Isis Lightweight motor magnets 04. The Loop 20. Testing, Testing A news roundup from Oxford University Making test tube research more reliable Consulting and Isis Enterprise 22. Spring Clean 05. The Portfolio Showcasing clean-tech energy systems Investment and spin-out news 24. Fluid Thinking 06. Technology Steps Forward An acoustic separator for a wide audience The latest licence agreements 26. Protein Superglue Identifying proteins linked with diseases 08. Scouting for Success Oxford Innovation Society member Dow Chemical’s investment strategies 28. The PROs of Academic Consultancy Oxford University Consulting helping with 10. Tackling Tuberculosis healthcare A vaccine for the 21st Century 30. Above Sea Level 12. Oxford-Emergent Tuberculosis Isis Enterprise using submarine technology for Consortium Focus health screening Deeper insight into the TB vaccine partnership 16. Inside the Incubator A new initiative for Oxford software Ii is produced by Isis Innovation Ltd, the technology transfer company owned by the University of Oxford. To receive your free copy of Ii, email [email protected] www.isis-innovation.com Cover image: Ampoules, such as those used for packaging injectable medicines and vaccines. Isis Innovation: Information 2 Information Newsflash Technology Transfer – Spinning Out New Companies Building integrated photovoltaics Oxford Photovoltaics is the latest spin-out from Isis, based upon research in Oxford’s Physics Department. Isis is responsible for managing the formation of new spin-out companies from the University of Oxford with the academic founders, on behalf of the University of Oxford. Isis raises the first round of investment into these companies, and in the last ten years Isis has helped create 58 new spin-outs from Oxford, raising a first rounds total of £40m. The Isis Angels Network provides opportunities for investors to learn of new opportunities to invest. Isis manages the Oxford University Challenge Seed Fund and the Oxford Invention Fund, which co-invest in first rounds with angel and seed investors. (See page twenty two for full story.) Technology Transfer – Licensing Taste masking drug delivery technology Isis signed a licensing agreement with Oxford Nutrascience Group plc, the AIM listed medicine delivery systems developer. Oxford Nutrascience will develop and commercialise products utilising a taste-masking drug delivery technology developed by Professor Dermot O’Hare and colleagues in the University’s Chemistry Department. The licence gives Oxford Nutrascience significant firepower to innovate and extend the lifecycle of existing branded generic medicines and soon to be off-patent APIs. “The superior taste masking of ibuprofen and ease of formulation delivered by Isis Innovation’s drug delivery technology will enable us to develop next generation ibuprofen products for markets worldwide,” said Professor O’Hare. (See page seven for full story.) Oxford University Consulting & Nokia The secrets of online popularity Nokia commissioned Oxford University Consulting to put together a report into the secrets of online popularity. The Nokia Soci@lite Report, written by Dr. Bernie Hogan, investigates the secrets to the popularity of a new group of digital social media networkers named ‘Soci@lites’, defined as people with 5,000 friends. (See page seven for full story.) Isis Enterprise SQUIDs from Ukraine A technology once used to locate submarines has been redeveloped by scientists at the Science and Technology Centre in the Ukraine into a vital diagnostic tool, Cardiomox, for cardiac disorders such as arrhythmias and arterial blockages. Isis Enterprise has been working with the Ukrainian inventors for two years to advance the commercialisation of this uniquely valuable cardiac diagnostic technology, which is already in limited clinical use in the Ukraine. Isis is seeking partners and investors to bring Cardiomox equipment to the market, to secure funding for further clinical trials in the UK as well as equipment production. SQUIDs – superconducting quantum interference devices – were originally developed by two soviet weapons scientists for use in locating submarines deep in the ocean. Dr Volodymyr Sosnytskyy and Dr Illya Chaykovskyy realised that this technology could have potential uses in the diagnosis of cardiac conditions. The result is a system that has proved extremely effective for first level screening of patients at risk of heart disease, artery blockages and subtle heart arrhythmias that are often missed with the standard electrocardiogram (ECG) procedure. (See page thirty for full story.) Isis Innovation: Information 3 The latest news from Oxford University Consulting and The Isis Enterprise Loop Isis Enterprise agrees Mexico Social Sciences Division helps young people maximise their money research partnership Mexico has launched a major technology commercialisation project “The work done by involving four leading research insti- MyBnk … has the tutes. Funded by Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology potential to make a (CONACYT), Isis is partnering with the four institutes to assist them positive impact on the in structuring improved technology commercialisation operations. futures of young people in Lambeth by enabling The institutes involved are focussed Consultancy takes several forms on diverse technology and indus- and in Social Sciences this them to develop their trial segments including aerospace, creates many opportunities for automotive, consumer appliances academics to make a real impact financial expertise.” and aquaculture. Three of the insti- and contribution to society. tutes, CIATEQ, CIDESI and CIDETEQ are located in central Mexico. The Geoff Hayward – former Director We are delighted to be working fourth, CIBNOR, situated on the of Research at the Department of with them through this evaluation southern tip of Baja, conducts Education – and his team are doing programme.” research in aquaculture, fisheries, just that, appointed by Oxford agriculture and land regulation by University Consulting to work with A particularly high profile MyBnk promoting eco-efficiency as well as MyBnk to evaluate and advise on the scheme is their Money Works sustainability. effectiveness of their programmes. Programme, a financial education programme designed to empower Isis is advising the institutes on the MyBnk is an award-winning educa- young adults aged 16-24, not in optimum structure and procedures tional social enterprise based in education, employment or training, for the technology transfer offices, London, concerned with empowering to confront their money worries and training managers and technology young people to build the knowledge, gain financial control of their lives. transfer staff, and evaluating and skills and confidence to manage Meanwhile their ‘Uni Dosh Workshop’ prioritising invention disclosures their money effectively and make is aimed at students about to leave from the institutes. Robert Swerdlow enterprising choices throughout their school or college to move on to and Chris Moody are providing Isis’s lives. The organisation has worked university or independent living. consulting services in Mexico along with 25,000 young people in 150 with associate consultants retained schools and youth organisations over The study is being sponsored by for this project. the last three years. JP Morgan Chase Foundation. It is hoped that this will be the MyBnk run a number of educational beginning of a long term relationship programmes including MyBnk-in- between these institutes, the a-Box, the first ever FSA approved Mexican government and Isis. independent banking scheme run for young people, by young people. Another scheme, the Savvy Savings Assembly, is described as a high For more information, please energy informative assembly which For more information, please contact: gets teenagers thinking about contact: saving. Dr David Baghurst Susan Clark Head of Group “The work done by MyBnk is very Project Manager Isis Enterprise important,” says Geoff. “It has the Isis Innovation T +44 (0)1865 280858 potential to make a positive impact T +44 (0)1865 280825 E [email protected] E [email protected] on the futures of young people in Lambeth by enabling them to develop their financial expertise. Isis Innovation: Information 4 The latest spin-out and investment news The Portf lio Essential proteins in vaccine-related biomedical research Oxford Immunogens, a newly emerging company set to spin-out of the University of Oxford, produces envelope proteins essential in vaccine-related biomedical research. Its current product portfolio contains over 20 products specifically targeted towards the HIV/AIDS