Two New Case Studies on Successful Tech Transfer Journeys Driving Innovation Against Cancer

Joining forces with the European IP Helpdesk team, the European Patent Office (EPO) has published two new case studies illustrating the role of intellectual property (IP) for successful technology transfer processes. The new set of innovation case studies, covering three cases in total, specifically highlights the importance of good IP management and smart IP strategies to facilitate the exploitation and commercialisation of novel technologies to fight cancer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that cancer is one of the leading causes of death under the age of 70 in more than 100 countries. Globally, about 20 million people will be newly diagnosed with cancer and about 10 million will die from cancer in 2020 alone, and the burden of cancer is expected to continue to increase in the coming decades. Not surprisingly, the global cancer treatment market is expected to exceed $150 billion in 2020, and this is expected to double by the end of the decade. 

Since the start-ups and universities are often the first to develop new diagnostic approaches, new drugs, and treatments, and collaborate closely in conducting research and clinical trials, they solidly play an important role in this market. For that reason, EPO has developed this new set of innovation case studies.

The first case, OncoQR, draws our attention to technology platform “Specific Total Immune

Remodulation (S-TIR)”, created by two entrepreneurial scientists with business experience, for immunology vaccines that make cancer and allergy treatment possible. IP was essential not only for generating income early on through licensing, but also for attracting investors.

The story of OncoMark, a spin out from the University College Dublin (UCD), is based on a patented technology, new multi-parameter prognostic test for early-stage breast cancer that helps clinicians to confidently determine best treatment options.

Along with the case study OncoQR, a new episode of the EPO's “Talk Innovation” podcast, hosted by Stephanie Weber from the European IP Helpdesk, has been released. Furthermore, the upcoming Kick-off event “From Lab to Market: Successful Tech Transfer Journeys Driving Innovation Against Cancer” will spotlight two of the new cases as well as set the scene for the upcoming training sessions, which will deal with each of the studies in more detail.

The entire technology transfer case study series (including past podcast episodes) can be found here. In addition, all the case studies and podcast episodes are also available in the European IP Helpdesk library.