Technology transfer

The mission of Technology transfer office (TTO) is to strengthen the economy from collaborations with private by moving results of translational research into societal use.

We perform scouting of the scientific production to identify innovative results and we provide support for researchers in the way down to protection of the intellectual property (IP), in synergy with patent consultants.

We do also IP valorization activities, through technology licensing or support on start-up creation.

In 2016 we were the first Italian IRCCS to be granted funding by the Ministry of Economic Development to boost the TTO: the ongoing project helped pursue new opportunities for growth.

If you are a Company or a Research Center, feel free to send us licensing requests or partnership proposals. Prompt answer under strict confidentiality.

Spotlight

LifeArc-AUTM Technology Transfer Fellows 2020-21
With other 9 participants from the UK and France, Lucia Coral while at CRO TTO was the first in Italy to take part in the LifeArc AUTM programme.

IP Booster
We obtained 5 services funded by the European Commission. IP Booster supports PROs looking to realise value from results with specialised IP guidance.

ASTP Fall Meeting 2019 - Moving Forward Together, Leiden (November 6-8^th, 2019)
From a TTO proposal for novel session, CRO and IRCCS Ca' Granda were asked by the leading association for knowledge transfer professionals in Europe to moderate the workshop "Research Hospitals' Contribution to Knowledge Transfer in Life Sciences".

Technology transfer opportunities

Inventions developed at CRO are mainly related to biomolecules, procedures, instrumentation, research tools, and apps in oncology sector.

A selection of the technologies developed at CRO was presented to companies and investors during the Global Cluster Partnering Healthcare 2020 for commercial use and/or for further development.

More technologies and information can be found at the EU-JAPAN Technology Transfer Helpdesk.

Please note that our researchers are available to consider/share ideas concerning projects to be submitted to external funding agencies.

Partnerships and collaborations

Present and passed collaborations with companies for the development of CRO research derived inventions were established with AB Analitica, Areta International, BioValley, Diatech, EMD Millipore, IGA Technologies, IRS, Menarini, Nealys, NextStep Engineering, Porzio, ReliaTech, Scripps Research Institute, Solari, Supergen, Uniquest PTY Limited, Ximbio, and within programs such as Digital Health Europe.

The TTO attends brokerage events: Meet in Italy for Life Sciences (2019-2022), Euro BioHighTech (2020), Global Cluster Partnering Healthcare (2020), Tech Share Days (2020) and BioVaria (2021).

Spin-off companies

Start-up activity is key in promoting regional economic development. CRO coordinates the working group promoted by the Ministry of Health that developed Spin-off guidelines for IRCCS published in February 2020. The group is now active on the definition of IRCCS Spin-off regulations.

The Technology Park of Pordenone hosts entrepreneurial initiatives based on CRO Aviano novel technologies.

BioFuture Medicine
Start-up focused on developing new molecular kits for research and diagnostic application in the field of age-related diseases and food. Expertise in molecular and cellular biology, medicinal chemistry and nanomedicine. In 2017 BFM became a spin-off of Ca’ Foscari.

Pharmadiagen
Born in 2009 as first Italian spin-off addressed to fight cancer through pharmacogenetics with the aim to provide molecular biology services, both standard and custom, focused especially on genomic profiling.

SediciDodici
Founded by CRO researchers and local entrepreneurs to bring advanced technologies for the assessment of haemostasis on the market, Patents in the field of diagnosis and pharmacological monitoring of thrombotic, ischemic and hemorragic pathology. Supported by Italian Angels for Growth.

Isitec Innovation
Founded in 2005 as a start-up company dedicated to find solutions for automated compounding pharmacy essential to patient safety. Isitec exports its products throughout the world.

Fostering IP culture

Our TTO is linked to innovation networks, marketplaces, and stakeholders looking for new business opportunities. Special attention is devoted to education on IP management and valorization.

Support to researchers:

• As TTO, we advice on IP issues and agreements for material transfer and confidentiality protection between various partners including companies and other institutions.
• We help in performing "prior-art" search for promising technologies, thanks to the collaboration with the PatLib service, from Area Science Park (Trieste).
• We give support in defining and promoting start-up ventures.
• Researchers interested in our services can download the Technology Disclosure Invention Record and CRO Technology Transfer Regulation.

In-House training:

• Idea to market path (two-parter, June and November 2020)
• Protecting IP in the biomedical sector (December 2019)
• From patent application to collaborations between public and private sector (June 2019)
• Promoting innovation. CRO meets Venture Capital (July 2018)
• Intellectual property and patent: exploitation modes to boost research (July 2017)
• The importance of prior search on patent databases and what to protect in the oncology field (March 2017)

• Technology Transfer School for IRCCS researchers (hosted at CRO Campus, October 2017)
• CRO Meets Industry 2014. From biomedical research to market (December 2014)

Contacts

Please feel free to contact us for any information at:

Ermes Mestroni
TTO Manager, Scientific Direction
Telephone (+39) 0434 659723
E-mail emestroni@cro.it

Samuele Tusini
Knowledge Transfer Manager, Scientific Direction
Telephone (+39) 0434 659749
E-mail samuele.tusini@cro.it

Vanessa Cesaroni
Technology Transfer Officer, Scientific Direction
Telephone (+39) 0434 659866
E-mail vanessa.cesaroni@cro.it