Last month from January 13-16, 2014, the JP Morgan 32nd Annual Healthcare Conference was held in San Francisco, California. For many years, Emory’s Office of Technology has attended; represented this year by Executive Director, Todd Sherer and Director, Kevin Lei. With approximately 300 companies presenting and over 4,000 investors present, the conference is one of the largest healthcare investment symposia in the industry. It brings together global industry leaders, emerging companies, innovators, technology transfer offices, and members of the investment community all in one place. “JP Morgan is an important meeting in our strategy to build relationships with the business community and showcase the University’s innovations,” said Sherer.
Over the course of four days Sherer and Lei met with over a dozen venture firms to discuss some of Emory’s most exciting opportunities, which were
-
AbbyMed, LLC: a company focused on a class of small molecules aimed at treating certain types of intractable cancers such as brain, liver, and melanoma. The company’s initial clinical target is glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
-
Accuitis, Inc.: a company focused on dermatological and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals targeting underserved indications. The company’s initial clinical target is rosacea.
-
Cambium Medical Technologies, LLC: a company focused on the development of a proprietary method to manufacture a standardized allogenic platelet lysate preparation from human platelets commonly discarded. The company’s initial clinical target is an artificial tear/eye drop for dry eye syndrome.
-
Metaclipse Therapeutics: a company focused on developing a personalized cancer therapy for triple negative breast cancer using tumor membrane vesicles prepared from the patient’s own tumor and combined with proven immunostimulatory molecules.
-
QUE Oncology Inc.: a company focused on the development of a portfolio of novel drug candidates to treat cancer and its consequences, from an early development stage to the end of Phase 2.
-
SkelRegen: a company focused on identifying multiple small molecule families that are osteoinductive, or building bone from scratch in a non-bone location. These molecule families leverage repurposed drugs and novel chemical entities. The company is focused on spine fusion, skeletal trauma, oral surgery, ortho implant integration, musculoskeletal soft tissue regeneration, scaffolds and bone void fillers, and osteoporosis.
Sherer adds, “I think the successful meetings we had really speak to the importance of tech transfer attending these sorts of conferences.” Reaching out to the business and funding communities at conferences like JP Morgan, continues to be a standing goal of the Office of Technology Transfer, part of a larger more complete communications and marketing strategy aimed at connecting our innovations with the business community with the goal of further commercial development. Up next for our team will the AUTM annual meeting.
Note: For additional information on any of these opportunities contact Kevin Lei, klei [at] emory [dot] edu, 404-727-7241.