Ontario R&E SummitOntario R&E Summit
June 5-6, 2006June 5-6, 2006
Innovations in Medical and
Life Sciences Research
Dr. Mark PoznanskyPresident and Scientific DirectorRobarts Research Institute
What is Robarts?
Canada’s only Private, Non-Profit Medical Research Institute
45 Scientists
160 Trainees
620 Total Staff
Our Raison d’être
Fundamental Discovery in Biology and Medicine
“Accelerating Medical Research”
160 170
230
300
365
440
500
100
150
200
250
300
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500
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002
People working600
2004
600
1.02 1.11.95
3.15
4.5
6.6
8
0
1
2
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6
7
8
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002
CIHR Funding ($M)
9.2
2004
9
10.2 10.6
13.5
15.1
18.5
21.522.5
10121416182022
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002
External Funding ($M)28.5
2004
24262830
3
18
30
50
0
10
20
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50
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002
Invention Disclosures60
2004
60
The proof is in our success: our growth
THE ROBARTS ADVANTAGE
Immune System
Central Nervous System
Vascular System
Imaging Genomics
Clinical Trials
An interdisciplinary model unique in Canada. Robarts is . . .
Treatment Breakthroughs
Improved Diagnostics
Corporate Ventures
New Molecular Targets
The Robarts Advantage
• 96,000 square foot expansion (double current space)
• $29M Investment
• Seven floors plus basement
• Opened Fall 2003
• Will allow growth and recruitment of new principal investigators and staff
The proof is in our success: our expansion
The Robarts Advantage
Excellence in Science• Neurosciences
– understanding the healthy and diseased brain– Alzheimer’s, stroke, ALS, cancer
• Cardiovascular disease– from genetics to lifestyle issues – atherosclerosis, heart attack, cholesterol, BP
• Immune-mediated disorders & trauma– diabetes, cancer, spinal cord injury, transplant
• Clinical trials– assessing best practices & encouraging evidence-based
medicine
Excellence in Imaging
• New techniques in MRI, CT and ultrasound to improve treatment of patients suffering from stroke and brain diseases, cancer and bone disorders.
• 3D ultrasound for the treatment of prostate cancer (brachytherapy), breast cancer diagnosis.
• Imaging software developed to gauge blood flow (perfusion) in the assessment of cancer and stroke is now standard in all GE hospital CT scanners worldwide.
• Molecular and cellular imaging, including the use of novel anti-inflammatory to block secondary damage in spinal cord injury.
Robarts Imaging Modalities
1) 3D ultrasound (C, PC)
2) 3D CT (Neuroangiography) C, PC)
3) 4T MRI (C, PC)
4) 3T MRI (C, PC)
5) 9.4T MRI (PC)
6) Micro Ultrasound (PC)
7) Micro CT (PC)
8) Micro, Volumetric CT (PC)
C = clinical; PC = Pre Clinical
Integrating engineering, medicine and imaging
Vascular imaging: a 3-D image of an aneurysm in pig vasculature
3D-X-ray (Computed Rotational Angiography)
Image-Guided Surgery and Therapy
Familial Partial Lipodystrophy (FPLD) Phenomics
29.2 mm3 41.6 mm3
Dec 2001 Aug 2002 Jun 2003
55.6 mm3
Integrating genomics and advanced imaging research
Early Detection of Heart Disease and Stroke
Blocking white blood cell invasion of the injured cord protects it from secondary damage
Untreated Anti-Integrin Treatment
Rat spinal cord six weeks after injury
Toward Rescue and Repair of the Spinal Cord
Lipid Core- foam cell formation- genetics of lipid metabolism
Cap Destabilization- inflammatory mediators- adhesion molecules and chemokines- anti-inflammatory and protease inhibition strategies
Cap Generation- smooth muscle cells- extracellular matrix
Atherosclerotic Plaque VulnerabilityAtherosclerotic Plaque Vulnerability
Atherosclerotic Plaque Vulnerability
Micro-MRI: Single Cell Imaging
Single Cell Detection of infiltrating macrophages during spinal cord injury.
Foster PJ
Cancer Imaging - Micro-MRI
Single Tumor Cell Detection in a mouse brain. Foster/Rutt
Invention Disclosures• 130 Disclosures Filed
Intellectual Property• 60 Patents Filed• Copyrighted Software
Licensing• 15 Active License Agreements
Sponsored Research• 15-20 annually• $2-3 million
Ventures Formed• 4 biomedical companies formed in last 4 years • raised $35 million+ in venture capital
Robarts Commercial Success
• Merck contributes $3.9M to establish the Merck Frosst Centre for Respiratory Imaging with Merck agreeing to fund a new Imaging Scientist with an additional $2M+
• Robarts enters into a purchase and research agreement with General Electric Medical Systems to develop 3T lung and cardiac imaging in a Clinical Imaging Research Laboratory
• Total value is $8.5M ($2.5M in cash, $6M in discounts and gift in kind contributions
• Opened Summer 2004
The Robarts Advantage
Partnership Success: Robarts, Merck, and GE
What are the Contentious Issues?
1) Will we be able to continue to do Creative, Exciting, Publishable work?
2) Will we do what we say we will in a timely, and where
appropriate, confidential manner?
3) Public Debate:
Is this a partnership made in ?????
SOLD TO
• EVS formed in 1997
• Pioneer in MicroCT imaging technology
• Sold to GE Medical Systems in 2002
GE Health Care
•Investigating the use of viral proteins to treat inflammation
•Benefits:•High Efficacy – Low dose favorable safety profile •Natural Drug design•Strong Patentability
•Strong Pipeline:•1 Compound in Phase 2a cardiovascular clinical trial•5 Pre-clinical compounds in development
The Viron Advantage
“The use of biological reagents derived from viruses to inhibit inflammation will become as routine as using antibiotics from fungi to treat bacterial diseases.”
- Grant McFadden, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Founding Scientist
Robarts Business Development Score Card
10 Business Development Initiatives:
1 Company sold to GE Healthcare
1 Yielding $2M/yr. license fees1 Biotech company with a Phase II Drug1 Biotech company moved to Toronto1 Imaging company out of business1 Biotech company out of business2 Imaging software/hardware companies1 Imaging CRO1 Major partnership – Merck/GE
The Institute’s Mission Remains Consistent:
2004 160 Publications
$25.5 M in Research Grants
$8.0M in Donations, Investments, etc.
$4.5M in Research Contracts
New England Journal of Medicine
Nature Immunology
Nature Biotechnology
Journal of Immunology
Journal of Biological Chemistry
www.robarts.ca
The Medical Continuum“From Bedside to Bench and Back Again”
a. Strong Research Settingsb. Research Fundingc. Discoveryd. Intellectual Property Recognition/Protectione. Technology Transferf. Receptors/Entrepreneurs
What are the Limiting Factors?
1. Strong, Well-Funded Entrepreneurial Universities
2. Effective, Supportive Tech Transfer Offices
3. Experienced Technology-Receptors
4. Professional Management/Serial Entrepreneurs
5. Venture Capital has to be Venture Capital
6. Patient Money
7. Government Policies
Robarts Research Institute
Established 1986 Discovery Health Care Outcomes/Evidence Based
Medicine Technology Development/Transfer
To Strive, To Seek, To Find-- Tennyson
““Without medical research, Without medical research, there is no cornerstone for there is no cornerstone for cutting health care costs”cutting health care costs”
Mark Hatfield, Republican, Chairman Appropriation Committee, Senate of the
United States of America
