FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2006

Columbus, OH -- Ohio Governor Bob Taft today announced that $32.1 million in grants have been awarded to five Ohio entities to assist in the commercialization of biotechnology processes and products through the Biomedical Research Commercialization Program (BRCP). Formerly the Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer Partnership, the BRCP is a part of the Third Frontier Project. The Third Frontier Commission approved the awards.

"Ohio is rich in world class hospitals and cutting edge biomedical partnerships," Taft said. "The Biomedical Research Commercialization Program supports organizations that are involved in research and committed to commercializing new innovations that will create jobs in the future."

The BRCP was created to support biomedical and biotech research, leading to commercialization in Ohio and long-term improvements to the health of Ohioans. Prior to today's announcement, $73.4 million in grants had been awarded, creating 620 jobs and seven new companies and have leveraged more than $192 million in co-investments. Today's awards bring the total to $105.5 million in BRCP awards.

"Ohio is committed to research that leads to commercialization and improves Ohioans quality of life," said Lt. Governor Bruce Johnson, who also serves as state development director. "Today's awards are a resounding answer to biomedical companies looking for a place to expand their business and asking 'Why Ohio?'" As development director, Johnson also serves as chair of the Third Frontier Commission.

The 2006 BRCP award recipients and collaborators include:

Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland), $8 million to extend the research and capabilities of the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. Cited as an exemplary model of the kinds of projects the BRCP aims to support, the Center has exceeded all previous goals and objectives, and is now in an excellent position to pursue new applications for adult stem cell therapies. The major projects to be pursued are: 1) use of bone marrow stem cells to be administered after an ischemic injury to the heart for improved recovery; 2) develop an effective cellular therapy to modulate the severe immune reaction of host tissues following the grating of skin and bones; 3) develop therapies to re-vascularize heart muscles following a heart attack; and 4) finding an approach to activate the stem cells in the heart and regenerate muscle cells following congestive heart failure.

Collaborators: The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals of Cleveland, and Athersys Corporation (Cleveland)


ChanTest, Inc. (Cleveland), $4.7 million to develop the Ion Channel Panel Screening for Drug Safety and Discovery. This project involves the creation of 72 ion channel cell lines that will facilitate and enhance the discovery of drugs for diseases that have ion channels as primary targets. Ion channels are the membrane proteins responsible for the electrical activity of all cells. Ion channels comprise about 15 percent of drug targets for diseases that include cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, heart failure, epilepsy, asthma, diabetes and cancer. Drug development for ion channels has been slow and difficult. This project will enhance the repertoire of channel targets that can be screened functionally at high throughput. It will provide a safety and discovery service that will benefit human health through the development of safer and more effective drugs.

Collaborators: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (Rootstown), Analiza, Inc. (Cleveland)


Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland), $8 million to extend the research capabilities of the Ohio Neurostimulation and Neuromodulation Partnership. This award will provide for a diversification of the Partnership's successful R&D efforts over the past three years. The project will be able to research, develop and market devices for peripheral nerve stimulation in the control of pain (failed back surgery syndrome, inguinal entrapment syndrome), cardiac function (atrial fibrillation), motor function (regaining of motor control after spinal cord injury) and pelvic control (urge incontinence, bladder control, erectile dysfunction).

Collaborators: NDI Medical, Inc., The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, MetroHealth Medical Center (Cleveland)


The Ohio State University (Columbus), $3.5 million to develop the Advanced Biomedical Devices for Disease Diagnosis and Therapy project. The award is based on the excellent commercialization potential of this magnetic cell separation technology. The project involves a commercial partner, Flowsort, to continue improving the equipment and arrange for its manufacture, performance and regulatory testing and documentation. The application of this magnetic cell separation technology will be for T-cell depletion for miss-matched bone marrow transplantation and for rare cancer cell enrichment therapies.

Collaborators: Medical University of Ohio (Toledo), the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Flowshort, Inc. (Floyds, IN)


The Ohio State University (Columbus), $7.9 million to the Biomedical, Structural, Functional, and Molecular Imaging Enterprise to further enhance and diversify cutting edge developments already made. This award will assist in establishing the next level of hybrid imaging, which uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Positron Emission Tomography (MRI/PET) and imaging based therapy (magnetic resonance (MR) based high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)). Specifically, the project is directed towards the use of imaging as a non-invasive therapeutic tool and has the potential to treat a broad spectrum of malignant and non-malignant diseases, as well as enabling regionally targeted gene of Nanotechnology based therapies.

Collaborators: Phillips Medical Systems of Cleveland, Cardinal Health (Dublin)