New Spin-Off Company

The McGill Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) and Adherex Corporation have entered into an agreement for the commercialization of technology developed by Professor Orest Blaschuk, a cell biologist from the Division of Urology in the Department of Surgery, and Professor Barbara Gour, a chemist from the Division of Medical Oncology in the Department of Medicine. This new platform technology is considered by peers to be revolutionary in that it provides methods for regulating cell adhesion. These methods facilitate the development of targeted anti-cancer therapies and drug delivery systems which will broaden the range of medications available for therapeutic use. These novel delivery systems will allow drugs previously available only by injection to be administered via skin patch. Other potential uses of the technology include biological glues to enhance wound healing and neural shunts to stimulate neural regeneration for use in the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

The technology will be developed by Adherex Inc., a newly established Canadian biotech company, in partnership with McGill and BioCatalyst Yorkton. Financing of the development aspects of the technology will be supported through a group of venture capital firms. McGill holds the patents on the technology and has licensed them to Adherex for scientific development and commercialization.

Related research supported by Adherex will continue at McGill under the direction of Professors Gour and Blaschuk.

BioCatalyst Yorkton Inc., a Toronto-based firm, provides consulting and management services to individuals and developing companies in the biotechnology field, expertise in due diligence for investors and knowledge of the investment community. The company has positioned itself as a partner in the ongoing management of biotech companies. Strategically linked to Yorkton Securities, Canada's most active and successful life sciences/knowledge-based security firm, BioCatalyst is in a position to assist biotechnology companies from start-up through to initial public offering (IPO).

Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)

The number of MTAs generated in the scientific community is growing at a phenomenal rate. A recent issue of Science (Oct. 10, 1997) discusses the increasing complexity of the issues involved.

What are MTAs ?

MTAs are formal agreements between suppliers and recipients of biological or chemical materials. The agreements are created to provide reasonable protection of property rights and commercial potential of the materials for the supplier while allowing the necessary freedom to the recipient to conduct research using the material. MTAs include a description of the material, restrictions on the use, distribution and disposition of the transferred material, and clauses governing publication rights and ownership of research resulting from the use.

When are they used ?

MTAs should be used whenever biological or chemical materials are shared between researchers from different labs. This might mean intra-university transfer, inter-university transfer, university-to-government research facilities and vice-versa, university-to-company transfer and company-to-university transfer. The complexity of the agreements increases as one moves further outside the university and non-profit organization interactions.

The free flow of information and materials between scientists is an essential part of academic research. OTT fully supports this objective and is here to assist in and facilitate the process. Should any McGill researcher feel the need for a formal agreement with another researcher within McGill or at another university, we can quickly provide the framework for the transfer. In this connection, if the information or material relates to a reported invention, OTT has to be involved.

MTAs from corporations tend to be much more restrictive and to place limitations on the publication of findings and the use of research results related to the supplied materials. OTT is able to negotiate a better deal with fewer restrictions for the researcher. Should any researcher receive an MTA for requested materials, whether it is from another university or a company, OTT should review the document to ensure that the obligations to the supplier don't severely restrict a researcher, or prevent further research in a particular area.