Commercialisation

Intellectual property & patent applications

Research at the Centre for Vascular Research has generated intellectual property that has been protected by filing of patent applications. Patent applications are made predominantly through the commercial arm of UNSW, New South Innovations, Pty Ltd. The protection of CVR research outcomes has resulted in a number of collaborative research partnerships and alliances with industrial organisations with a view to licensing intellectual property.

A snapshot of selected CVR commercial partnerships is given below:

Beng Chong is involved in several international clinical studies which aim to improve the treatment of venous thromboembolism. Commercial partners for these studies include Aventis Pharma, Organon Australia and Sanofi Synthelabo.

Chris Parish and his group have designed sulfated oligosaccharide-based compounds as drug candidates, this research has been supported by Progen Industries. A synthetic sulfated oligosaccharide-based inhibitor of the heparanase enzyme is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and heparanase activity. This inhibitor, PI-88, inhibits primary tumour growth and metastasis of several cancer types.

Levon Khachigian has a strong record of translational research that has involved commercial funding of in-laboratory R&D by numerous local international pharmaceutical/biotech companies. This is built on a suite of patents. He is currently developing "molecular assassin" anti-gene technology which has therapeutic implications to common diseases such as cancer, eye disease, arthritis, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and restenosis. Phase I/IIa trials will commence in skin cancer patients in 2009. Commercial organisations interested in partnering with Khachigian on the development of he novel gene- and “anti-gene”-therapeutic technologies in vascular disease and cancer should contact NSi at UNSW.

Roland Stocker's team has designed novel compounds that inhibit restenosis. His group also has a lead compound for the non-invasive diagnostic of atherosclerosis. Roland has a long-standing record of commercial funding with major international pharmaceutical companies. At present, his team has several commercial contracts with Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd, which is running a Phase II clinical trial related to a novel anti-restenotic drug.