EPO Training Coop: From Lab to Market - Smarter Prognostic Tests for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Host:
European IP Helpdesk, in cooperation with the EPO’s Patent Academy

Speaker:
Ciaran O'Beirne, Head of Knowledge Transfer at University College Dublin

Level of Expertise: 
Intermediate

According to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is one of the leading causes of death before the age of 70 years in over 100 countries. Worldwide, almost 20 million new cancer cases and almost 10 million cancer deaths occurred in 2020 alone. Thus, it is no surprise that the global cancer therapy market surpassed USD 150 billion in 2020 and is expected to double by the end of this decade.

Start-ups and universities play a significant role in this market since they are often the first to develop new diagnostic approaches, new drugs and therapies and work closely together to conduct research and clinical trials. The EPO has developed a new set of innovation case studies covering three cases to highlight the importance of smart IP strategy and management to facilitate the exploitation and commercialisation of novel technologies to fight cancer. 

In this session, we will learn how the collaboration between two Irish professors resulted in a new multi-parameter prognostic test for early-stage breast cancer that helps clinicians confidently determine the best treatment options. OncoMark in-licensed the patented technology and subsequently developed and validated the test, which led to an acquisition of the company by a large pharmaceutical company.

Ciaran O'Beirne, Head of Knowledge Transfer at University College Dublin and author of the case study, will share first-hand insights and key takeaways from their journey and will be answering individual questions from participants in a "Q&A" session. 

Assistance: 
For any technical assistance or questions, please contact the training team at: trainingiprhelpdesk [dot] eu (training[at]iprhelpdesk[dot]eu)