UNeMed
Encyclopedia
UNeMed Corporation is the technology transfer
entity of the University of Nebraska Medical Center
. Through licensing and other cooperative agreements, UNeMed builds relationships with industry partners to transfer UNMC intellectual property from the laboratory to the marketplace.
The process of bringing academic research to the marketplace has resulted in 40 invention disclosures per year; 400 active patents and patent applications; 33 active technology licenses to industry; 5 active start-up companies in Omaha; and approximately 300 intellectual property agreements per year with companies such as Amgen
, Novartis
, Baxter
, Santa Cruz, Boston Scientific
, Smith and Nephew and others.
In January 2007, the university's intellectual property office merged with UNeMed.
, a dietary supplement popular among athletes and bodybuilders to increase strength and performance, with ethyl ester, an alcohol derived from common sources such as corn oil
, would create a novel compound which lessens side effects, such as bloating and cramping, normally associated with creatine. The ethyl ester allows body tissues to absorb the creatine more efficiently, thereby reducing the amount needed to be ingested.
In 2001 UNeMed licensed the novel compound, known as creatine ethyl ester
, to ProNutrient Technologies, Inc., a Nebraska start-up company designed to exploit the market potential. Together, UNeMed and ProNutrient filed patents, went through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notification process, explored manufacturing options, and developed marketing and distribution plans.
In 2003 ProNutrient was acquired by Biovance Life Sciences, Inc. The state added value by awarding the city of Central City
a community development block grant to help fund Biovance. An agreement was later signed with GNC
to distribute the compound, known as CE2, online and through its retail stores.
, intracellular
delivery advancements, inhibitors to halt thinning of blood vessels
, solutions to mitigate tissue injury
in stroke victims, and a taste-masking agent for oral medications. Neurological drug delivery advancements allow for better understanding of permeating the blood brain barrier. One breakthrough led to partnership with Telomolecular Corp., which develops therapies for age-related conditions.
, alcohol liver disease
, advanced HIV-1
, encephalitis
, and human herpes viruses
. Peptide
treatments have been discovered which have been shown to prevent and remedy intestinal infections by acting as antimicrobial agents. In collaboration with the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases
, an imaging technology for cancer diagnosis and therapy has been developed. In cooperation with investment firm Allied Minds, a protein purification process has been developed that reduces the production costs of pharmaceuticals such as insulin.
seek to expand access to surgical procedures and to mitigate invasiveness. Innovative dental technologies, such as a dental implant drill guide, provide patients with both physiological and psychological benefits. UNeMed is working with UNMC scientists to develop new approaches to manage airways during medical procedures, especially in traumatic injury cases, ensuring adequate oxygen to patients.
development based on DNA research. A method for producing images of a single crystal structure was also developed. Obesity and diabetes are becoming major concerns for public health, and UNMC researchers are examining cellular pathways that regulate energy expediture which could unlock new treatments for myriads of health problems.
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
entity of the University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is a public academic health sciences center located on 42nd and Emile Streets in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. UNMC is the only public academic health science center in Nebraska.-Academics and rankings:...
. Through licensing and other cooperative agreements, UNeMed builds relationships with industry partners to transfer UNMC intellectual property from the laboratory to the marketplace.
History
Owned by the University of Nebraska's Board of Regents, doing business as University of Nebraska Medical Center, UNeMed was founded in 1991 as a for-profit company and it operates as an arm of the medical center's research division.The process of bringing academic research to the marketplace has resulted in 40 invention disclosures per year; 400 active patents and patent applications; 33 active technology licenses to industry; 5 active start-up companies in Omaha; and approximately 300 intellectual property agreements per year with companies such as Amgen
Amgen
Amgen Inc. is an international biotechnology company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. Located in the Conejo Valley, Amgen is the world's largest independent biotech firm. The company employs approximately 17,000 staff members. Its products include Epogen, Aranesp, Enbrel, Kineret,...
, Novartis
Novartis
Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...
, Baxter
Baxter International
Baxter International Inc. , is an American health care company with headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois. The company primarily focuses on products to treat hemophilia, kidney disease, immune disorders and other chronic and acute medical conditions...
, Santa Cruz, Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific
The Boston Scientific Corporation , is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a range of interventional medical specialties, including interventional cardiology, peripheral interventions, neuromodulation, neurovascular intervention,...
, Smith and Nephew and others.
In January 2007, the university's intellectual property office merged with UNeMed.
Case study
In the 1990s, researchers at UNMC discovered that combining creatineCreatine supplements
Creatine supplements are athletic aids used to increase high-intensity athletic performance. Though researchers have known of the use of creatine as an energy source by skeletal muscles since the beginning of the 20th century, they were popularized as a performance-enhancing supplement in...
, a dietary supplement popular among athletes and bodybuilders to increase strength and performance, with ethyl ester, an alcohol derived from common sources such as corn oil
Corn oil
Corn oil is oil extracted from the germ of corn . Its main use is in cooking, where its high smoke point makes refined corn oil a valuable frying oil. It is also a key ingredient in some margarines. Corn oil is generally less expensive than most other types of vegetable oils. One bushel of corn...
, would create a novel compound which lessens side effects, such as bloating and cramping, normally associated with creatine. The ethyl ester allows body tissues to absorb the creatine more efficiently, thereby reducing the amount needed to be ingested.
In 2001 UNeMed licensed the novel compound, known as creatine ethyl ester
Creatine ethyl ester
Creatine ethyl ester, also known as creatine ester, cre-ester and CEE, is a substance sold as an aid for athletic performance and for muscle development in bodybuilding. It is an ethyl ester derivative of creatine, from which it is made. In the body, CEE is converted back into creatine...
, to ProNutrient Technologies, Inc., a Nebraska start-up company designed to exploit the market potential. Together, UNeMed and ProNutrient filed patents, went through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notification process, explored manufacturing options, and developed marketing and distribution plans.
In 2003 ProNutrient was acquired by Biovance Life Sciences, Inc. The state added value by awarding the city of Central City
Central City, Nebraska
Central City is a city in Merrick County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Grand Island, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,998 at the 2000 census...
a community development block grant to help fund Biovance. An agreement was later signed with GNC
General Nutrition Centers
General Nutrition Centers is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based American commercial enterprise focused on the retail sale of health and nutrition related products, including vitamins, supplements, minerals, herbs, sports nutrition, diet & energy products.-History:In 1935, David Shakarian opened a...
to distribute the compound, known as CE2, online and through its retail stores.
UNeMed today
The president of UNeMed is Michael Dixon, Ph.D.; the CEO is James Linder, M.D.. UNeMed specializes in drug delivery, diagnostics and therapeutics, medical devices, research tools, and software for the commercial marketplace, and these technologies have been showcased at various conferences, including BIO2006 and BIO2007.Drug delivery
UNeMed's drug delivery technologies aid the body's acceptance of drugs or ease administration of drugs. These include nanotechnologyNanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
, intracellular
Intracellular
Not to be confused with intercellular, meaning "between cells".In cell biology, molecular biology and related fields, the word intracellular means "inside the cell".It is used in contrast to extracellular...
delivery advancements, inhibitors to halt thinning of blood vessels
Restenosis
Restenosis literally means the reoccurrence of stenosis, a narrowing of a blood vessel, leading to restricted blood flow. Restenosis usually pertains to an artery or other large blood vessel that has become narrowed, received treatment to clear the blockage and subsequently become renarrowed...
, solutions to mitigate tissue injury
Reperfusion injury
Reperfusion injury is the tissue damage caused when blood supply returns to the tissue after a period of ischemia or lack of oxygen. The absence of oxygen and nutrients from blood during the ischemic period creates a condition in which the restoration of circulation results in inflammation and...
in stroke victims, and a taste-masking agent for oral medications. Neurological drug delivery advancements allow for better understanding of permeating the blood brain barrier. One breakthrough led to partnership with Telomolecular Corp., which develops therapies for age-related conditions.
Diagnostics and therapeutics
A number of medical tests to detect disease have been created by UNeMed scientists and include indicators for pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
, alcohol liver disease
Alcoholic liver disease
Alcoholic liver disease is a term that encompasses the hepatic manifestations of alcohol overconsumption, including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and chronic hepatitis with hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis. It is the major cause of liver disease in Western countries...
, advanced HIV-1
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, encephalitis
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain. Encephalitis with meningitis is known as meningoencephalitis. Symptoms include headache, fever, confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue...
, and human herpes viruses
Herpes simplex
Herpes simplex is a viral disease caused by both Herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 . Infection with the herpes virus is categorized into one of several distinct disorders based on the site of infection. Oral herpes, the visible symptoms of which are colloquially called cold sores or fever...
. Peptide
Peptide
Peptides are short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds. They are distinguished from proteins on the basis of size, typically containing less than 50 monomer units. The shortest peptides are dipeptides, consisting of two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond...
treatments have been discovered which have been shown to prevent and remedy intestinal infections by acting as antimicrobial agents. In collaboration with the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases
Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases
The Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases is a research institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A....
, an imaging technology for cancer diagnosis and therapy has been developed. In cooperation with investment firm Allied Minds, a protein purification process has been developed that reduces the production costs of pharmaceuticals such as insulin.
Medical devices
UNeMed is developing solutions to make medical procedures less invasive and easier to perform, often in conjunction with existing surgical systems. Mini robotic surgical toolsRobotic surgery
Robotic surgery, computer-assisted surgery, and robotically-assisted surgery are terms for technological developments that use robotic systems to aid in surgical procedures....
seek to expand access to surgical procedures and to mitigate invasiveness. Innovative dental technologies, such as a dental implant drill guide, provide patients with both physiological and psychological benefits. UNeMed is working with UNMC scientists to develop new approaches to manage airways during medical procedures, especially in traumatic injury cases, ensuring adequate oxygen to patients.
Research tools
To stimulate academic research, UNeMed cultivates resources to aid medical and scientific research. Biochemical methodologies include improvement in antibioticAntibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
development based on DNA research. A method for producing images of a single crystal structure was also developed. Obesity and diabetes are becoming major concerns for public health, and UNMC researchers are examining cellular pathways that regulate energy expediture which could unlock new treatments for myriads of health problems.