Year: 2004-05

Company: Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Liaison(s): David Warburton

The CHLA team of Developmental Biology researchers is concentrating on lung and pancreas regeneration and tissue repair in scarless wound healing. The lung regeneration research involves the use of pulmonary epithelial and vascular stem cells to increase alveolar surface area. This technology may provide an effective therapy for lung failure caused by emphysema, lung hypoplasia and other severe diseases. The wound healing technology being developed is aimed at the prevention of scar tissue formation by manipulating the protease balance in healing wounds. Prevention or reduction of scarring could have widespread impacts on surgery and traumatic wound healing. The KGI team working with CHLA has investigated drug-based approaches to tissue repair and wound healing. The team engaged in an in-depth review of the technology packages available for development and chose a scarless wound healing technology to move forward as the lead technology for a CHLAfounded tissue and organ regeneration start-up corporation. The team has taken steps to incorporate the new entity and are assisting in the writing of a Phase I STTR grant to generate early financing for the company. They have also written a commercialization strategy for the Phase II portion of the STTR grant. In addition, the team has taken steps to enhance CHLA’s technology transfer and marketing effectiveness through the development of a formal marketing process.