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Tokyo Medical and Dental University23.01.2009

© Alfred Schillert

Commercialization of inventions from a Provendis-point of view

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Basic principle for academic inventions since 2002:

Each invention made by a university´s employee must be reportedto the university (§ 5).

University can decide whether to claim the invention, protect it byIP and exploit it on its own behalf and costs(§§ 6 ff.) .

From Science to Industry.The German Approach to Commercialisation of Academic Inventions

1. Revision of § 42 of the Law on Employees´ Inventions (2002)

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2 . Federal Support Programme für the establishmentof a patent evaluation and marketing infrastructure.

Funding Scheme for publiclyfunded research institutions.

Support for commercialisation acitivitiesby patent marketing agencies (PVAn).

From Science to Industry.The German Approach to Commercialisation of Academic Inventions

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Co-operation in the Business of Patent Commercialisation.Success stories and facts.

Clear increase in number of inventions, patent applications and commercialization of universities:

More than 9,200 inventions reported to universities across Germany*Almost 3,000 patent applications*Universities amongst Top 10 applicants in DPMA rankingMore than 800 licensing contracts concluded*

Universities have become shareholders of theirpatent marketing agencies in almost all federalstates!

* Source: VWO for period 2002 to mid 2007.

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TechnologieAllianz and its Members. The Marketing Network forAcademic Inventions.

TechnologieAllianz currently unites 28 members, 22 of them working as patent marketing agencies for German universities.

The members of TechnologieAllianz attend tomore than 100,000 scientists in patent relevant fieldsin more than 200 researchinstitutionsacross Germany.

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Co-operation for Common Goals The Instruments of TechnologieAllianz.

Marketing database for inventions from 14 technology fields run by TechnologieAllianz at www.technologieallianz.de (de/en)

E-Mail service “InventionStore”

Reciprocal commissioning for the evaluation, patenting and marketing of inventions and for contract monitoring

Common marketing, in particular using portfolios

Exchange of information (technology, market, companies, etc.)

Common training and qualification acitivities

Co-operation with other national and international networks(Federal Association of German Industries BDI e.V.; Enterprise Europe Network EEN, etc.)

Representing technology transfer in public

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The E-Mail-Service „Invention Store“.Technology Offers for Industry.

Automatic e-mail service for academic inventions forindustry

Latest inventions from a portfolio of more than 2,000 IP protected inventions with strong commercial potential from almost all German universities

Demand-oriented: Selection of technology request bytechnology fields and key words

Free of charge, easy to use and up-to-date

Attended to by techtransfer experts

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Established in October 2001

Legal Form: GmbH ( equivalent to Ltd.)

Shareholder: 24 universities and polytechnics

Location: Muelheim / Ruhr

View from PROvendis office over Mülheim

PROvendis – Company Profile

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PROvendis – Company Profile

PROvendis is the patent marketing agency of the universities and polytechnics in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Responsible for 20.000 scientists from24 universities and polytechnics

One of the largest patent marketing agencies for universities in Europe

Mülheim

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Powerful Regional Life Science Economy

Biotechnology / Life Sciences – Key Figures

> 500 producers of pharmaceutical substances

> 550 OEMs in the field of medical technologies

> 170 OEMs of medical and orthopaedic devices

> 120 biotech companies

„Bioregion Rhineland“ homes relevant German key Biotech-players

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Mission of PROvendis

Searching for innovations to ensure competitiveness

Evaluation of innovations and technologies

Protection of innovations and technologies

Commercialization of protected innovations

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EvaluationCriteria

Market

Patentability

Status of Technology

Third Party Rights

Strategic Considerations

Inventor

-> An recommendation is generated and send to University.

No. of Invention Reports: > 2.100

Pos. Recommendations: ~ 1/3

Life Sciences: ~ 40-45 %

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In collaboration with pool of external patent attorneys

Typical strategy

Patenting

DE/EP PCT EP, US, JP,…

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Geographical DistributionNRW ~ 30%Germany (incl. NRW) ~ 70-75%Europe (incl. Germany) ~ 90-95%Other ~ 5-10%

Licensing / Transfer of Rights

Licensing

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Problems we face

The Inventor

Some inventors…

.. try to „bypass“ universities

.. try to influence universities

.. are not willing to cooperate

.. have a lack of knowledge of business aspects

…

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Problems we face

The Industry

Some companies…

.. try to get hold of the IP via R&D-projects (in particular in DE)

.. try to use „questionable“ methods

.. do not sufficiently understand the universities

…

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Problems we face

The Money

A lack of money in particular results in…

.. Insufficient resources/capacities in the Technology Transfer landscape

.. Insufficient patent coverage

.. Translational Gap

…

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The Translational Gap

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Problems we face

The Law

Consequences of § 42 ArbErfG

Unsuitable stipulations in grants, funding schemes etc.

…

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Problems we face

- And how to encounter them….

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w e m a r k e t i n n o v a t i o n

Eppinghofer Straße 50D-45468 Mülheim an der RuhrPhone : 0208 / 94105-0Fax : 0208 / 94105-50Email: info@provendis.infoInternet: www.provendis.info