Horizons magazine

The newsletter of The University of Texas System Office of Technology Commercialization Summer & Fall 2012

It’s About Time

H O R I Z O N SH O R I Z O N S

How revolutionary technology from a UT HSC–Houston spin-out is mitigating the negative effects of strokes.

UTweet15 UT System Institutions,

15 twitter feeds to follow

Better, Stronger, FasterCommercialization highlights from around UT System institutions over the past year

FundamentalsA new venture fund for UT System startups

A message from the Vice Chancellor

Welcome to the first edition of Horizons – a publication of The University of Texas System (UT System) Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC).

Big things are afoot at the UT System OTC. Beginning in the Fall of 2011, OTC was realigned to be a part of the Office of General Counsel. The new alignment increases efficiency by leveraging important working relationships across all staff levels and will create an even closer working relationship between myself as General Counsel and Bryan Allinson, Executive Director of Technology Commercialization and Advisory Services, to better serve the UT System’s commercialization goals.

Combined with the launch of the UT System Horizon Fund and establishment of the Chancellor’s Technology Commercialization Advisory Cabinet, the UT System is committing more resources and sharpening focus on elevating UT System commercialization to the very top of the market.

We hope you enjoy Horizons and will stay with us as we launch even more initiatives in this vital area, in the months to come.

– Barry Burgdorf

On The Horizon 1

In Brief 2It’s About Time 4Technology Showcase 6

Chancellor’s Technology Cabinet 9

Technology Transfer and Research Committee 12

T H E O F F I C E O F TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION

B A R RY B U R G D O R FVice Chancellor and General Counsel

F R A N C I S C O G . C I G A R R O AChancellor, UT System

B RYA N A L L I N S O NExecutive Director

ABOUT HORIZONS

Horizons is published by

the Office of Technology

Commercialization (OTC) at

the University of Texas System.

Horizons is dedicated to

showcasing the newest

developments in technology

commercialization at the

UT System, as well as detailing

new ventures coming from

within the OTC. For additional

information about Horizons or

its contents, contact us via

email at [email protected].

CONTENTS


1

The University of Texas System Horizon FundAn exclusive UT startup venture fund

seeks to expand entrepreneurial opportunities

and enhance the University’s stake in

its investments

The University of Texas System (UT System)

has the abundance of talent and brilliant

minds necessary to bring new and ground-

breaking innovations to the world. But

translating ideas into usable technologies

isn’t always easy, and for faculty and

students, with limitations on time necessary

to commercialize research, the challenges

can be daunting. The UT System’s Horizon

Fund aims bridge the gap between the

emerging technologies coming out of UT

and their real world applications.

A mutually beneficial, two-way street, the

Horizon Fund focuses on funding new and

existing ventures while striving to provide

the UT System with the potential for a return

on investment.

“The UT Horizon Fund is the strategic fund

of the UT System focusing on UT owned

technologies, assets, faculty and students,”

said Bryan Allinson, Executive Director of the

Office of Technology Commercialization. “A

startup that has not licensed a UT owned IP

is not eligible for investment.”

The Horizon Fund is comprised of both new

and existing venture development. This ensures

that the Fund will be able to reach ventures

at any stage in the development process.

The $10 million dollar Fund is evergreen,

meaning that generated returns are put back

into the Fund for contribution toward other

investments and to grow the Fund itself.

“Soon, I envision a larger fund focused on

serving all of the venture needs of the

UT System, including thematic partnership,

multi-institutional collaborations and staffed

by principals with experience in different

strategic fields,” said Allinson. “The fund will

also make use of entrepreneurs-in-residence

to help establish and grow new ventures.”

The Horizon Fund has already invested in

several companies, and with plans for

expanding its scope, it’s fast becoming the

centerpiece of the UT System’s efforts to

commercialize its institutions’ technologies

and deliver the ideas of its faculty and

researchers to the world.

Horizon Fund Competition supports student-led technology

While the UT Horizon Fund aims to improve

commercialization of UT technologies and

returns on previous investments, the Fund’s

Student Investment Competition (SIC) strives

to improve returns of our most valuable asset

—our students.

The SIC seeks promising technology-based

enterprise opportunities led by students

from all 15 UT System institutions. Only

students who are attending a UT System

institution or who have recently graduated

from one are eligible to participate. The SIC

integrates with and enhances existing

investment competitions, such as Texas

Venture Labs at UT Austin.

The SIC is not a challenge for students

with a new idea or plan for development or

implementation of an idea. Rather, it’s a

competition for proposals representing real

opportunities for real UT System investment

returns, but lacking the funding necessary

for proposal enactment.

The SIC top prize winner receives $50k in

seed investment funding with additional

co-investment opportunities available through

the Horizon Fund’s New Ventures program.

This past June, UT student Jordan Kaufmann’s

startup Cardiovate was named the Student

Investment Competition winner for 2012. A

recent biomedical engineering Ph.D. graduate

of the UTSA College of Engineering, Jordan is

helping Cardiovate develop a new stent-graft

that has been shown to prevent aneurysm

leakage following cardiovascular surgery.

Other finalists included Prinda Wanakule

(UT Austin, biomedical engineering), Daniel

Mendez (UTSA, mechanical engineering), and

a team of students from UT Dallas and UT

Austin: Alejandro Chapa (UTD), Johnathan

Plappert (UT Austin) and Landon Elfenbein (UTD).

SIC Finalists included UTSA, UTHSCSA, UTD and UT Austin

The new venture development aspect

focuses on providing UT System startups with

experienced business leaders who will allow

the ventures to be successful, as well as

positioning the companies for success through

the proof of relevance stage of product

development. One of the most critical steps for

new companies is seasoned guidance during

the proof of concept stages of development.

Funding to attract skilled entrepreneurs affords

leadership and experience for new companies

that they would otherwise be without. Helping

startups through these steps by decreasing

the chance of failure equates to better returns

for the UT System.

The existing venture development aspect

concentrates on maintaining the UT System’s

equity in its investments. Diluting equity in

previous investments can cause the UT System

to miss out on returns that could otherwise

be put toward future research and ventures.

For example, Stanford’s co-investment in

Google prior to its IPO resulted in $336 million

going back to the university1. Ensuring that

previous investments are being followed up on

and protected will safeguard the UT System’s

stake in these startups and garner greater

returns for the System.

UT HORIZON FUND AT A GLANCE

1 http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/318480/ stanford_earns_336_million_off_google_stock/


2

In early 2012, the planned secure data and large

volume repository of the UT System’s Research

Cyberinfrastructure (UTRC) initiative came online,

marking a major milestone in UTRC’s progress.

The initiative is comprised of three components: a

high bandwidth inter-institution network, access to

top-of-the-line computing and visualization resources

at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at

UT Austin, and the recently completed secure data

repository. The shared data storage housed at UT

Arlington and UT Austin will give researchers from

different locations access to a single data source.

Chris Jordan, leader of the Data Management and

Collections group at TACC and chair of the storage

committee for the UTRC initiative, explains, “At five

petabytes of initial raw capacity, the data repository

component of the UTRC will provide a highly scalable

and reliable pool of storage to researchers at all

System institutions, providing a high performance

solution to address the data management challenges

of 21st century research.”

Part of Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa’s Framework

for Advancing Excellence Action Plan, the UTRC will

bring high-performance computer connectivity

across all 15 UT institutions. The upgraded network

will allow for transmission and reception of data of

up to 10 gigabits per second. Additionally, the TACC

now operates the Lonestar 4 super computing

system and has made it available to all researchers

within the UT System.

“Lonestar is one of the most powerful supercomput-

ing systems in the world dedicated to open science

research and thus provides researchers at System

institutions with a scientific— and competitive—

advantage,” said TACC Director Jay Boisseau. “Our

staff is supporting researchers with new projects in

science, engineering, and biomedical research that

will enable important new discoveries to be made

here in Texas.”

The three components are designed to work together

and enhance one another, giving all System institu-

tions access to a world-class computing system. The

projects were funded by a $23 million allocation by

the UT System Board of Regents.

IN B

RIEF

All Systems Go Next generation network gives UT System institutions the edge

Three UT System health institutions

were awarded over $13 million in

grants from the state to support

cancer prevention and research.

The awards amount to nearly half

of the $29 million distributed

annually by the Cancer Prevention

and Research Institute of Texas

(CPRIT). UT Southwestern Medical

Center received $5.6 million, UT

Health Science Center at Houston

received $4.7 million and UT Health

Science Center at San Antonio

received $2.7 million. The grants

will fund six research projects

aimed at prevention efforts for

several different types of cancer,

including breast, cervix and colon

cancers. CPRIT has awarded grants

to eleven UT System institutions

since its inception in 2007.

UT System awarded cancer prevention, research grants

UT Austin professor Dr. James W. McGinnity has developed a new oral

formulation of oxycontin with time-delay binding agents to circumvent abuse

by drug addicts. Marketed by Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the tamper-proof

formulation is expected to generate more than $1 billion in revenue with

UT Austin receiving significant royalties. In August 2011, UT Austin presented

preliminary results to the UT System Board of Regents, Technology Transfer and

Research Committee.

Dr. James W. McGinnity

UT Austin professor formulates tamper-proof oxycontin


3

HELPING CLINICIANS DELIVER BETTER CARE.

The Texas Medical Research Collaborative

(TxMRC), a research partnership between

several Texas-based health and engineering

institutions, has distributed funding for new

research projects across the state. The proj-

ects, presented by engineers and medical

researchers from North Texas, will receive

assistance by faculty from The University of

Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Founded in 2009, TxMRC has given $1.2 million

in grants. This year, they distributed $500,000.

Partners include UT Arlington, UT Dallas, The

University of North Texas Health Science

Center in Fort Worth, Texas Instruments and

Texas Health Research & Education Institute.

“This effort brings top minds from the University

of Texas System’s academic institutions

including engineering and computer technology

from UT Arlington and UT Dallas”, said Dale

Klein, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic

Affairs at UT Austin.

“TxMRC helps create and establish bedside

to bench to bedside collaborations. Clinicians

help identify problems that can be solved by

engineers and scientists at UT who can then

in turn work to deliver better products and

services back to the clinical bedside,” said

Patricia Hurn, Associate Vice Chancellor for

Health Affairs at the UT System.

Researchers that have received TxMRC

funding have high praise for the benefits

collaborations provide. Mehrdad Nourani,

Ph.D., professor of electrical engineering at

UTD and principal investigator for the “Smart

Bed” project affirms that collaboration allows

clinicians to explain needs to be addressed.

Engineers then offer solutions for implemen-

tation back to the real world.

The “Smart Bed” will be able to detect early

onset of a pressure ulcer and use technology

to analyze, monitor and redistribute pressure.

This proof-of-concept prototype will be a part

of a larger collaborative project to be submit-

ted to the National Science Foundation.

Without the collaboration facilitated by

TxMRC, brainstorming and identifying solutions

involved in the development of the “Smart

Bed” would be more difficult and less stream-

lined. Research and new funding sources for

further development are currently underway.

TxMRC Brings the Best in Texas Together

New search engine gives public easy access to patent information

Searching for research and patent

assets at any UT System institution

is about to get much easier. A new

search engine will soon allow visi-

tors to search data compiled from

research, news, facilities and laborato-

ries across the entire UT System.

“The launch of this technology and

research database with public search

capabilities is the culmination of a vi-

sion the UT System has had for quite

some time,” said Barry Burgdorf, UT

System Vice Chancellor and General

Counsel. “It serves two important goals

of the Board of Regents – transparency

and heightened efforts to improve

and extend the reach of our technology

transfer across the UT System. The

search engine makes it easy for

potential investors to find out every-

thing they need to know about any

patent or technology coming from the

UT System.”

Patent searches will also yield contact

information for technology commer-

cialization officers responsible for

overseeing developing technologies

at their respective institutions.

The new system streamlines the

process of searching through the vast

amount of UT System-produced

research. And by making this informa-

tion easily available to the public, it

will help facilitate the transformation

of research into commercially

feasible opportunities and help the

System to realize investment returns.

Mehrdad Nourani, Ph.D.,

and principal investigator of

the “Smart Bed” project

Human-Robot Interaction System for Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorders (RoDiCA)

Dan Popa, UTA

Nicoleta Burgnariu, UNTHSC

A Wireless Micro Gastro-Stimulator for Treatment of Severe Gastric Dysmotility

Jung-Chih Chiao, UTA

Dereje Agonafer, UTA

Hoi Lee, UTD

Jin Liu, UTD

Rajeev Jain, THPHD

Cerebrospinal FluidFlow Measurement and Monitoring for Ventricular Shunts

Mehrdad Nourani, UTD

Zeynep Celik-Butler, UTA

Donald Butler, UTA

Sabatino Bianco, THAMH

Non-Invasive Salivary Diagnostics of Diabetics Using Sensitive Nanoelectric Biosensor Strip

Walter Hu, UTD

Paul Bowman, UNTHSC

Nusrath Habiba, UNTHSC

Kimberly Fulda, UNTHSC

Embedding Passive Wireless Shear/Pressure Sensors in Shoes for Diabetic Foot Diagnostics and Ulcer Prevention

Haiying Huang, UTA

Bhaskar Banerjee, UTD

Matthew Pompeo, THPHD

Travis Motley, UNTHSCPast

TxM

RC G

rant

Rec

ipie

nts


4

It’s About Time

Cerevast’s new ultrasound stroke treatment

device may be the key to making up

for delayed treatment and the reason many

patients will be able to fully recover.


5

Cerevast’s new ultrasound stroke treatment

device may be the key to making up

for delayed treatment and the reason many

patients will be able to fully recover.

About 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic. These strokes occur when the arteries that carry blood to the brain become blocked and cannot deliver sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells. A lack of oxygen can cause these cells to die, resulting in permanent brain damage and eventually death. Ischemic strokes are commonly caused by blood clots that interrupt blood flow in an area of the brain. People suffering from this type of stroke stand a better chance of avoiding long-term disability when given clot-busing intravenous thrombolysis within three hours of the first symptom.

Unfortunately, due to patient and emergency staff delays, only a small fraction of ischemic stroke patients receive thrombo-lytic therapy when it matters most, leaving doctors in critical need of a faster, more precise and more reliable method of treatment.

With its revolutionary Clotbust ER™ stroke treatment device, Cerevast Therapeutics—a University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston spin-out and one of the first companies to receive funding from the UT Horizon Fund—hopes to give patients suffering from ischemic stroke a fighting chance at a full recovery.

With the introduction of the revolutionary Clotbust ER™, Cerevast is reducing barriers to critical stroke treatment.

Designed for rapid deployment in the emergency room setting, the Clotbust ER™ uses non-invasive techniques to deliver therapeutic levels of ultrasound energy to “lyse” or disrupt blood clots and dissipate occluded vessels affected by ischemic stroke, when used in combination with intravenous thrombolytic therapy.

Integrated software ensures delivery of consistent therapeutic levels of the ultrasound energy required to achieve acoustic streaming, i.e., transformation of ultrasound beam energy into energy of fluid motion, making Clotbust ER™ operator independent.

With proprietary software managing the treatment process, Clotbust ER™ removes the need for—and potential delays associated with—securing the assistance of a trained sonogra-pher or vascular technician in an already stressful emergency room setting. Because Clotbust ER™ requires the absolute minimum level of expertise for operation, emergency room

personnel, paramedics and other health care professionals will be empowered to help people in critical need of stroke treatment.

“The Clotbust ER™ significantly reduces the technical challenges associated with the administration of transcranial ultrasound for the treatment of ischemic stroke,” said Bradford A. Zakes, CEO of Cerevast. “Unlike conventional Doppler instruments that are designed and approved for diagnostic purposes only, the Clotbust ER™ delivers therapeutic ultra-sound energy to the region of the occlusion without the need to aim the transducer or hold it in place by hand for extended periods of time.” Recognized by the American Heart Association as one of the top three single most important contributions to the advance-ment of stroke treatment, the Clotbust ER™ clinical trial results support the use of ultrasound in reducing the harmful effects of stroke already in progress and in repairing some if not all of the damage done by the stroke.

Cerevast has already received approval to commercialize Clotbust ER™ in Europe, and with the pending success of current trials, hopes to bring it to the United States and other areas of the world soon.

“The operator-independent design of the Clotbust ER™ enables safe, fast and reliable amplification of systemic thrombolytic treatment in the emergency room setting,” said Andrei Alexandrov, MD, Professor of Neurology and Director, UAB Comprehensive Stroke Research Center. “I look forward to the benefit this product will bring to those patients that suffer the debilitating effects of an ischemic stroke.”

Dr. Alexandrov, formerly with UTHSC-H at the time of the invention, is one of the inventors on the patents now licensed to Cerevast. To learn more about Cerevast and Clotbust ER,™ visit cerevast.com

Above: Graph showing results of the CLOTBUST clinical trial. Marked improvements in both short-term as

well as long-term treatments when the Clotbust ER was used in conjunction with traditional methods.All information and pictures courtesy of 2011 Cerevast Executive Summary

Above: Cerevast’s new Clotbust ER system

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and a

leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability. Reducing

delays in treatment can save lives and limit disabilities.


6

New primer will lead to stronger roads and a cleaner environment

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Terra-Prime

Terra-Prime is a carbonaceous material stabilizer

primer for the construction and maintaining of roads

and pavements developed by Dr. Yetkin Yildirim,

Director of Texas Pavement Preservation Center in the

UT Austin Cockrell School of Engineering.

Pursuit of an environmentally safe replacement to

MC-30 gave rise to a new technology for road

pavement primers known as Terra-Prime. Based on

superior performance tests, environmental benefits

and economic profile, Terra-Prime has the potential to

replace MC-30, a primer used globally to stabilize

roads and as an asphalt wearing surface.

The technology is licensed to TERRA PAVE International

and has been proven to perform at the same level as

MC-30 cutback asphalt in permeability and penetra tion,

but above all, is more environmentally friendly than

MC-30 and similar alternatives. While MC-30 coats

have a curing time of 6-7 days, Terra-Prime can be

cured in half of that time. Road coats prepared using

Terra Prime have an 8-9 times increase in strength

using penetrometer.

Moreover, a current testing program, sponsored by

UT Austin, revealed that modified formulations of

Terra-Prime, namely Top Seal Black and Terra Fog,

have the potential for other uses as well.

The University of Texas at Austin has patented technology behind

Terra-Prime, a new environmentally friendly primer for the construction

and maintanence of roads and pavements.

There are 18.4 million miles of road construction worldwide, 4 million in the US and 0.7 million in Texas.

The composition of soil found at these worksites varies greatly and often requires stabilization since changes in

composition affect road performance greatly.

The most widely used primer in the world today is MC-30, a flammable and toxic substance banned in many

areas and one which requires extra infrastructure to safe-gaurd, distribute and apply.

Considering the risks of existing products, a research project was performed at UT-Austin which resulted in the

invention of Terra-Prime. Tests show it has the highest strength among all tested prime coat materials, both

under dry and wet conditions, and surpassing, many times over, the threshold of MC-30.

As the world moves towards green technologies, the invention of Terra-Prime may bring about a revolution in

the use of prime coat layer. It’s an environmentally-friendly product with no VOC emissions, cures faster than

MC-30 and works with existing application equpiment, avoiding any extra financial burden to the industry.

Given these advantages, Terra Prime is well-positioned to replace MC-30 as the leading prime coat sealant in

the world.

T H E T E C H :

T H E TA R G E T:


7

UTEP startup recreates ancient Mayan pigments

After some 15 years of rigorous

research at UT El Paso (UTEP)

laboratories and in Central

America, Mayan Pigments, Inc.,

has unlocked the secret to

creating organic, brilliant

and enduring pigments like

those still brightly visible in

Mayan ruins.

Mayan Pigments, Inc., a UTEP

startup, has been working

closely with a West Coast

producer of all natural, non-toxic

and environmentally friendly

arts and crafts products. Red,

blue and yellow pigments are

being supplied by Mayan

and are key colorants in

the company’s paints

and crayons. Inspired

by Mayan frescoes,

the U.S.-manufac-

tured pigments

are free of heavy

metals and created

using an eco-friendly

process that produces

only water as the by-product.

Tapping the potential of embryo-free stem cells

StemBioSys, a biomedical

company led by Steven A. Davis,

M.D., chief executive officer,

and Xiao-Dong Chen, M.D.,

Ph.D., chief scientific officer and

an associate professor in the

Dental School at the UT Health

Science Center at San Antonio,

has entered into a licensing

agreement with South Texas

Technology Management to

commercialize a new system to

isolate and expand stem cells

from umbilical cord blood on a

global scale.

Stem cells are the cornerstone

of regenerative medicine, which

seeks to restore tissues

deteriorated by age, disease or

injury. Dr. Chen’s work focuses

on the isolation, expansion and

use of native, pluripotent

mesenchymal stem cells

(MSCs) isolated from umbilical

cord blood. Thanks to their

pluripotency— the ability to

differentiate into multiple types

of body cells and tissues —

these MSCs have the potential

for broad clinical applications.

While dubbed “embryonic-like”

MSCs, they are not from embryos.

“It has been widely assumed that

very small numbers of MSCs

exist in umbilical cord blood, but

StemBioSys’ novel extracellular

matrix (ECM) can isolate and

expand these in far greater

numbers,” Dr. Davis said.

One challenge with expanding

the stem cells is that they lose

their capacity to become differ-

ent types of cells. StemBioSys

solves this problem too.

“Our lab has developed a system

to rapidly expand [MSCs] and

slow down the loss of their stem

cell properties,” said Dr. Chen.

The StemBioSys’ system is

based on four pending patents,

all of which are licensed. The

first is for the ECM, the second

is for a method of isolating

stem cells from umbilical cord

blood and the remaining two

are focused on the use of the

cells themselves.

With its novel technologies,

StemBioSys is advancing ongoing

research and bringing the world

closer to realizing the stem cell

therapy promise.

Terapio tech combats radiation exposure

Founded in 2005 based on

intellectual property developed

at UT Arlington by Dr. Sanjay

Awasth, Terapio Corporation is

developing a pipeline of

therapeutic applications based

on the unique properties of

RLIP76, a transport protein that

moves large molecules across

cell membranes.

The first application of Terapio’s

technology is as a radiation

countermeasure, which studies

have shown to significantly

increase the overall survival rate

after exposure to lethal doses of

radiation. A second application is

for a promising drug delivery platform.

Noting the potential of these

and other applications, Santé

Ventures has provided Terapio

$5 million in equity financing.

Terapio previously received $3.2

million from the Texas Emerging

Technology Fund, the National

Institutes of Health and angel

investors.

“We have been following this

company’s scientific progress

since inception,” said Santé

Ventures Managing Director,

Kevin Lalande. “While keenly

aware of the challenging

fundraising environment for

early-stage biopharmaceutical

companies, we nevertheless

found in Terapio a compelling

combination of platform

technology with applications in

multiple large target markets.”

Chevron, UT Austin, addressing the demand for oil

The University of Texas at

Austin and the Chevron

Energy Technology Company

(a subsidiary of Chevron

Corporation) signed a

licensing agreement bringing

together two world-class

organizations to address the

growing demand for oil.

With more countries

industrializing and relying on

oil to run their economies,

mature oil fields are nearing

the end of their primary cycles

and previously discarded

methods for enhanced oil

recovery methods are being

re-evaluated. To address this

emerging issue, Dr. Gary A.

Pope, a researcher and the

director of the Center for

Petroleum and Geosystems

Engineering at UT Austin has

developed a new type of

surfactants to enable oil to

be obtained from areas with

too high of a water content to

be recovered using traditional

methods. Enhanced oil

recovery provides an opportu-

nity to produce more oil from

existing and sometimes nearly

depleted oil fields throughout

the world.

Find more information at

www.engr.utexas.edu.


8

Chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

(COPD), Alzheimer’s, cancer — the more intractable the disease

the greater the need for breakthrough medicines. Translating

innovative science into such medicine is what UT Southwestern

startup Reata Pharmaceuticals is on a mission to do.

Founded in 2002, Reata is developing a portfolio of oral drugs

that mimic the body’s natural mechanisms for regulating

inflammation. These new drugs, called antioxidant inflammation

modulators (AIMs), target the Nrf2 protein that protects against

inflammation and oxidative stress.

By activating Nrf2, AIMs help promote the production of a wide

range of antioxidant, detoxification and anti-inflammatory genes,

helping the body to more aggressively defend itself from a host

of difficult to treat chronic inflammatory diseases.

Reata’s most advanced AIM has proven extremely effective in

combating chronic kidney disease, a condition that affects over

26 million Americans. Now in a pivotal Phase III trial, the hope is

that the drug can be developed

into a therapeutic agent that can

reverse the effects of diabetic

kidney disease.

Since incorporation, Reata has

raised $215 million in private

financing, the majority of which

has come from investors in Texas.

In 2010, it secured business

development funding worth over

$1 billion, comprised in part of

funds from a co-development deal

with Abbott Laboratories, which

ranks as the largest agreement of

its kind in the history of the industry. A second agreement with

Abbott was announced in 2011.

Reata is a prime example how a University of Texas System

institution can transform discovery into major biotech advance-

ment, and ultimately help people suffering from debilitating

disease.

More information can be found at www.utsouthwestern.edu and

www.reatapharma.com.

UT Austin battery tech positive for economy and environment

UT Austin is partnering with

Hydro-Quebec, Canada’s largest

electricity generator and the

world’s largest hydroelectricity

generator, to commercialize new

lithium-ion rechargeable batteries

developed by Dr. John B.

Goodenough, Professor and

Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial

Chair in Engineering.

Recipient of the 2009 Enrico

Fermi Award and 2001 Japan Prize,

Goodenough’s research led to

lighter, longer-lasting batteries. In

addition to being inexpensive and

capable of thousands of charge

cycles without capacity loss,

Goodenough’s technology provides

a safe and environmentally

friendly solution for transportation

and storage applications, and is

expected to have an enormous

impact on the U.S. economy.

The partnership includes down-

stream royalties and represents

the UT Austin’s largest ever up

front payment.

UTMB grants worldwide license for cannula technology

The UT Medical Branch-Galveston

granted a worldwide exclusive

license to Avalon Laboratories for a

novel double lumen extracorporeal

life support (ECLS) cannula (i.e.,

medical tube) developed by

Joseph Zwischenberger, M.D.

and Dongfang Wang, M.D. The

new ECLS cannula can be placed

into a vessel without surgical

incision. It also provides total

respiratory support for ICU

patients when coupled with an

external pump and oxygenator.

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Above: Reata’s

bardoxolone methyl

AIM is in final stages

of testing while various

other AIM’s are still in

pre-clinical trials. Image

courtesy of Reata.

UT Southwestern Medical Center startup

AIMs for success


9

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The newly formed Chancellor’s Technology

Commercialization Advisory Cabinet is

dedicated to transforming research and

discoveries into technologies that will fulfill

the University of Texas System mission

while benefitting society.

“The [Cabinet] is extremely important because

it allows UT System leadership to receive

constructive input from the private sector

and learn first hand from both successes and

failures in the commercialization arena,” said

UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa.

“The Cabinet will be pivotal in enhancing

[our] effectiveness in translating discover-

ies and inventions from our faculty to the

benefit of humanity.”

David G. BoothChairman, Co-CEO

Dimensional Fund Advisors

Clint W. BybeeCo-founder, Managing Director

ARCH Venture Partners

Ernest H. Cockrell President, Director

The Cockrell Foundation

Jonathan J. FlemingManaging General Partner Oxford Bioscience Partners

Thomas J. MeredithCo-founder, General Partner

Meritage Capital, LP

James J. MulvaChairman, CEO ConocoPhillips

Ron NixonCo-founding Principal

The Catalyst Group, Inc.

Robert B. RowlingOwner, ChairmanTRT Holdings, Inc.

Dr. Joseph C. SalamoneCo-founder

Polymer Technology Corporation

Charles W. TateChairman, Founding Partner

Capital Royalty

Ralph B. ThomasSenior VP, Portfolio Manager

Fayez Sarofim & Co.

John D. ThorntonGeneral Partner Austin Ventures

Rex W. TillersonChairman, CEO

ExxonMobil

“When the technology reaches the market, we expect it to become the product of choice for orthopedic and neurosurgeons who recognize the need for better bone graft materials.”- Daniel Oh President, GenOsteo

BONE SCAFFOLD TECHNOLOGY PUTS UTSA CLOSER TO TIER 1

GenOsteo—UTSA’s first faculty startup, first company to receive an IP license and first New Venture incubator company —joined with Austin-based SpineSmith Partners to bring new synthetic scaffold technology to market.

The UTSA-developed scaffold uses adult stem cells (ASCs) to produce highly effective bone graft material for use in spinal fusion operations and to restore bone loss due to trauma or disease.

“Our scaffold offers surgeons a new and better way to deliver ASCs to promote bone formation,” said Daniel Oh, President and CSO of GenOsteo and a member of the development team. “Delivering the right type of cells on the right scaffold will improve clinical results in or-thopedic bone grafting procedures.”

What was formerly a teaching university is slowly becoming a source of cutting edge biomedical technologies.

“This is the first example of UTSA bringing together the right environment of faculty research, university policy, IP management and collaboration with the business community to launch faculty-initiated technology ventures from the university,” said Cory Hallam, Director of the UTSA Center for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship.

“[It’s] truly an example of UTSA’s continued climb toward being a Tier One research university.”

THE CHANCELLOR’S TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION ADVISORY CABINET

New group brings commercialization expertise to the UT System


10

Decades of research at UTHSCT yields potential treatment for lung disease

TECH

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SalvapaseTM

scuPA, also known as SalvapaseTM, is a new therapeutic

approach to treating loculation and scar formation in

the lung pleural space.

A new, non-surgical technology, scuPA’s advantages

include resistance to inhibition/inactivation, a high

degree of dosing latitude and bioavailability in 24 hrs

(normally an impediment for a successful druggable

compound).

To date, the project is funded by the Fisch Foundation,

the Riter Foundation, the Genecov Foundation and

previously the UT System Texas Ignition Fund (TIF).

scuPA technology also represents the first ever

funded project by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood

Institute through the SMARTT program (Science

Moving towArds Research Translation and Therapy),

supporting the transition of potential new therapies

for heart, lung, and blood diseases from the lab to the

testing needed to establish their safety and effectiveness

in people.

Clinical trials, expected in the next 2-3 years, will study

whether or not scuPA may decrease morbidity and

shorten time spent in the hospital.

The Center for Biomedical Research at the University of Texas Health

Science Center at Tyler is developing SalvapaseTM —a treatment for

plueral disease in the lungs commonly caused by pneumonia, cancer

and tuberculosis—to replace expensive and invasive existing treatments.

Pleural disease and infection affects 80,000 people in the US and UK

annually. The disease encompasses many different conditions including

the scarring of tissue, the accumulation of fluid in membranes and the

escape of air from the lungs into the chest cavity. Although pleural

disease does not actually, at first, infect the lungs themselves, it does

damage the lining of the lungs, called pleura, and impair lung function.

Patients suffering from ventricular failure, cirrhosis, bacterial

pneumonia, cancer and tuberculosis— just some of the leading causes

of pleural infection—are expected to benefit greatly by the advances

made by UTHSCT and scuPA technology by attempting to deliver a

therapeutic (druggable) intervention to replace a costly and harmful

surgical treatment.

T H E T E C H :

T H E TA R G E T:


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UTSA grad student develops one-of-a-kind stent

A new stent-graft named TESAR has been shown to prevent aneurysm

leakage following cardiovascular surgery and has the potential to prevent

tens of thousands of aortic aneurysm ruptures, ultimately reducing

health care costs and complications for patients.

About 1.2 million people in the U.S. suffer from an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Aneurysm rupture is the nation’s

13th leading cause of death with surgeons performing about 65,000 abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs

annually. However, one out of every six patients experiences stent-graft leakage from traditional stent-grafts in

the month following surgery and additionally, 20 to 30 percent of patients require corrective surgery as much as

six to eight years later.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is when the large blood vessel that supplies blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and

legs becomes abnormally large or balloons outward. The exact cause is unknown, but risk factors for

developing an aortic aneurysm include: Smoking, High blood pressure, High cholesterol, Male gender, Emphy-

sema, Genetic factors, Obesity. An abdominal aortic aneurysm can develop in anyone, but is most often seen

in males over 60 who have one or more risk factors. The larger the aneurysm, the more likely it is to rupture

and break open.

T H E TA R G E T:

TESAR (Cardiovate)

Tissue Engineering Scaffold for Aneurysm Repair

(TESAR) creates a tissue barrier between the blood

and the aneurysm after it is implanted. The scaffold

promotes healthy tissue formation to repave the

aneurysm wall. Once the scaffold is in place, the

aneurysm stops expanding and the risk of rupture

decreases. After new tissue is in place, the scaffold

degrades and is safely reabsorbed by the body.

The technology has been shown in the laboratory to

reduce post-operative complications during aneurysm

repair surgery such as the need for additional

corrective surgeries following the initial procedure.

Also, the natural tissue is a better match for biological

healing than the materials found in traditional stent-grafts.

Developed jointly between UTHSCSA and UTSA,

graduate student Jordan Kaufmann, working with

Dr. Mauli Agrawal (Dean of Engineering at UTSA) and

Steven Bailey (division chief for cardiology at UTHSCSA),

designed the unique stent-graft as part of her doctoral

research in biomedical engineering. The stent represents

the only one of its kind in the $507 million cardiovas-

cular stent-graft market.

T H E T E C H :

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BY PROVIDING an exemplary and transformative education experience, the University of Texas System is preparing the next generation of innovators, problem solvers, educators and leaders. It’s what the University of Texas (UT) System is known for and why we’re one of the top university systems in the country. Less obvious but imperative to our high-level of success are the behind-the-scenes resources afforded by UT System business activities. In a struggling economy where state funding is less and less reliable, ensuring the greatest return on our most valuable assets—the innovations of our staff and students–is more important than ever.

Enter the Technology Transfer and Research (TTR) Committee. Established in 2011, the TTR Committee is dedicated to the effective management of UT System resources and commer-cialization of its world-class research and technologies. In addition to ensuring the UT System with greater financial returns, the Committee is helping the UT System to improve Texas communities, industries and economies as well as those of the entire world. James Dannenbaum, Chairman of the committee, said “the TTR committee has its sights set on improving commercialization at the UT System and its member institutions.”

FROM OBSTACLES TO OPPORTUNITIES

Before engaging in new efforts, the UT System needed to identify roadblocks standing in the way. The Changing Landscape of Technology Commercialization Symposium, dedicated to the sharing of ideas, insights and best practices that drive success in the commercialization of intellectual property, provided the perfect opportunity.

Upon closer examination, two key issues rose to the top:

While the UT System was brimming with talent and innovation, it wasn’t fully protecting its assets nor pursuing opportunities. By refining and reinvesting into the commercialization processes, the UT System can position itself for improved returns on patents, licensing and startups.

From evergreen funding to enhanced intelligence, the newly formed Technology Transfer and Research Committee is set on putting the UT System at the top of the nation for research commercialization and ROI.

By focusing on sustainability, the UT System can more effectively commercialize technologies without relying on short-term, one-time successes.

By connecting better with investors and entrepreneurs, the UT System had a greater chance of getting startups off the ground.

Focus on sustainable commercialization

Lack of early stage capital, limited awareness

1

2

FYI

In 2011, the

Association

of University

Technology

Managers

ranked US

universities

in several

different

categories.

At right is

how the

UT System

fared.

TOTAL RESEARCH FUNDING

2nd

ISSUED PATENTS

STARTUPS

LICENSES

3rd

4th

5th

successOne Committee, UNLIMITED


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STRIDES TOWARD GREATER RETURNS

• Horizon Fund• Research and Technology search engine • Increased technology commercialization intelligence and education

To fulfill its mission, the TTR Com-mittee approved several different initiatives laid out by the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) including the Horizon Fund, a new

Research and Technology search engine, and increased intelligence and education around UT System’s technology commercialization.

The Horizon Fund* — a strategic evergreen fund used to invest in ideas and scientific breakthroughs developed at UT institutions — is up and running and has already started investing in UT startups.

“The University of Texas secures very valuable investment rights from the success of its enormous capacity for innovation and invention,” said Regent Alex Cranberg. “Until now, our otherwise highly capable System has had little ability to take advantage of these potentially lucrative opportunities.”

The hope is that the Fund’s Existing Ventures Program will bring the UT System’s license income up to par with the nation’s other leading universities.

Likewise, the Research and Technology search engine, which debuted in March 2012, allows the public and potential investors to get a better look at what the UT System has to offer in terms of assets and investment opportunities.

“I’m excited about the potential of the Research and Technology search engine to connect scientists and funders working on related problems in cross disciplinary ways,” said Cranberg.

“Better information infrastructure such as this will help tax-payers and students who fund much UT research to better understand the value of their important investment.”

Additionally, the UT System has taken steps to fulfill its objectives of gaining intelligence and education.

Hard at work since the 2011 Symposium, TTR Committee initiatives are starting to yield results, signaling a new era of discovery and promise of future success.

*For more information on the UT Horizon Fund, visit

www.utsystem.edu/technology-commercialization/funds.html

Meet the Comm i t t ee“The TTR committee has its sights set on improving commercialization at the UT System and its member institutions.”

- James Dannenbaum Chairman, TTR Committee

James D. Dannenbaum A UT Austin alumnus with a degree in civil engineering, Regent Dannenbaum was named “Engineer of the Year for 2004” by the Greater Houston Chapter of Texas Society of Professional Engineers, and “2004 TSPE Outstanding Engineer of the Year for the State of Texas” by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. Regent Dannenbaum is active in various UT organizations including the Chancellor’s Council, the President’s Associates, the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Development Board, and the Medical School Advisory Committee. Mr. Dannenbaum has also served as a member of the board of the Society for the Performing Arts, the Sam Houston Council Boy Scouts of America, and the March of Dimes.

R. Steven HicksA veteran of the radio industry, Regent Hicks founded and

served as chief executive officer of Capstar Broadcasting Corporation. In 1996, he was honored as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and was recognized as Broadcaster of the Year by the Texas Association of Broadcasters. Mr. Hicks serves on numerous charitable and professional boards including Harden Healthcare, DMX, Andrew Harper, CPO Commerce, Healthtronics, Inc., and Austin Recovery.

Alex M. CranbergMr. Cranberg is Chairman of Aspect Holdings, LLC., which

has drilled over 500 exploration wells and made many oil and gas discoveries in Texas and Louisiana, Belize, Hungary, and Kurdistan. Aspect has also founded numerous venture technology-driven oil field service companies. Mr. Cranberg has been active in education philanthropy; he founded the Alliance for Choice in Education, which has provided tens of millions of dollars in scholarship support for children from low-income families to attend private schools.

Brenda PejovichMs. Pejovich is CEO of BFG Management Company LLC and Brenda Pejovich Group LLC, a North Texas based operations consulting and executive search firm. Her public service record includes gubernatorial appointments to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Building & Procurement Commission, and Texas Mutual Insurance Company. Ms. Pejovich is cofounder of the Professor Svetozar Pejovich Future Leaders Award and a prime sponsor of the World War II Memorial located on the capitol grounds in Austin, Texas.

Printice L. GaryMr. Gary founded Carleton Residential Properties in 1991 and serves as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner. He has served on the Boards of the Dallas Citizens Council, the North Texas Tollway Authority, Pro-line Corporation and the Texas Tax Reform Commission. He currently serves on the board of the Southwestern Medical Foundation and the National Equity Fund in Chicago, Illinois. He earned his Master’s of Business degree from Harvard University.

Office of Technology Commercializationwww.utsystem.edu/technology-commercialization

Engaging our community

UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT TYLER ON TWITTER: @UTSCT

A cardiologist at UTHSCT claims that losing

an hour due to daylight savings can lead to an

increased risk for health-related issues

UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER–HOUSTONON TWITTER: @UThealth

Doctors at UT Health discover that listening to

Mozart while performing colonoscopies raised the

detection rate of adenomas from 30% to 67%

UT PERMIAN BASINON TWITTER: @utpb

UTPB hosts the 2012 West Texas Guitar Festival

which featured world class talent as well as a

guitar competition for high school students

UT MD ANDERSONON TWITTER: @MDAndersonNews

A $1 million donation from AT&T helps MDA’s tele-

surgery venture that aims to provide specialized

care to underserved communities in Texas

UT EL PASOON TWITTER: @utepnews

UTEP’s School of Nursing has double the national

average of male nursing students with 22% of its

nursing students being male, 370 in total

UT BROWNSVILLEON TWITTER: @UTBrownsville

It will be up to UT Brownsville students to choose

a new mascot after UTB ends its two decade

long partnership with Texas Southmost College

UT AUSTINON TWITTER: @UTAustin

Thomas Smith, visual effects producer for Star Wars,

Star Trek,and Indiana Jones movies has donated his

archives to the Harry Ransom Center

UT SAN ANTONIOON TWITTER: @UTSanantonio

UTSA becomes only the second university in the

nation to train PhD level psychologists who will

specialize in military health care

UT ARLINGTONON TWITTER: @UTArlington

UTA advances to the “Environmental Eight” in

national environmental tournament. The tournament

evaluates schools’ environmental studies programs

UT MEDICAL BRANCH–GALVESTONON TWITTER: @UTMB_news

After Hurricane Ike, UTMB Galveston completes

its $36 million mondernization project to update

John Sealy Hospital

UT TYLER ON TWITTER: @UTTyler

Ranks in the top 10 in Texas for graduating its

students in 4 years (at a rate of 24.8%) while offering

the lowest tuition of the 10

UT DALLAS ON TWITTER: @UT_Dallas

A recent $3 million gift from Texas Instruments

brings UT Dallas to over $110 million of its $200

million goal for being a Tier 1 university

UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER–SAN ANTONIO ON TWITTER: @uthscsa

Researchers find that seratonin, the chemical

that produces pleasure, is absorbed too efficiently

to be transmitted by children with autism

UT PAN AMERICANON TWITTER: @UTPA

UTPA sees 4th and 5th graders from schools in

both Texas and Mexico meet on campus for the

Festival of International Books and Arts

UT SOUTHWESTERNON TWITTER: @UTSWnews

UTSW was named the #1 medical school in

Texas by U.S. News. It ranks 21st and 20th in the

nation for primary care and research respectively

Keeping the UT System community

and followers around the world

current on the exciting developments

and research coming out of the

UT System is easy, thanks to Twitter.

In 140 characters or less, all 15

UT System institutions are using

the Twittersphere to communicate

everything from clinical trial progression

and new venture funding to academic

recognition and events.

The UT System on twitter.com/UTInnovations

Horizons magazine

Documents

Transcript of Horizons magazine