Expanding the Scope of Innovation & Discovery
Technology Transfer at CHORI

Drs. Horst Fischer, PhD, and Beate Illek, PhD, have developed a novel therapy for cycstic fibrosis, a debil-itating condition of the lungs caused by an inherited mut-ation in an epithelial ion channel that conducts both chloride and bicarbonate. Treatment is based on oral or inhaled administration of a novel composition capable of stimulating chloride trans-port in epithelial tissues. Dr. Julie Saba, MD, PhD has developed novel composi-tions, methods and kits for the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of cancers, such as breast cancer and colon cancer, which impact hund-reds of people annually. Dr. Frans Kuypers, PhD has developed a novel technique to detect and measure bio-logical and biochemical ma-terials. The new technique improves on currently available methods providing increased sensitivity and the ability analyze multiple ana-lytes with a single sample. The device is also highly affordable and easy to use.

Among the leading biotech enterprises in the Bay Area, CHORI’s success in translational research has also resulted in a myriad of novel techniques of commercial value. With over 25 inventions born from CHORI researchers in the past 5 years alone, CHORI is fertile ground for technology transfer opportunities and collaborative research and development efforts with industry.

While many of the inventions born from CHORI research are patents on individual discoveries, multiple opportunities for mutually rewarding collaborations with industry exist, and may result in commercially viable products. Such collaborations provide industry with access to researchers who are leaders in their field, tangible scientific resources important to research and development efforts, as well as opportunities for joint publications in leading scientific journals. Similarly, CHORI staff is given access to scientific resources and intellectual property owned by collaborators which might otherwise not be available.

The examples here are but a sampling of the many innovative approaches to treatment, cure and prevention of disease developed at CHORI that contribute to improved quality of life across the globe.

Click here for a list of current licensing opportunities with CHORI.