Biotechnology/Health
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Energy I
Information Technology I
Photographs
AgION Technologies Inc, USA I
CTO Interview
Representative:
Dr Jeffery Trogolo, Executive Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer
Company Profile: The Company provides engineered antimicrobials that inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, and fungus. Its antimicrobials are used in a variety of industrial, consumer, and medical products, includingappliances, building products, food packaging, medical devices, moulded plastic, fibres, and coatings.
Innovation: Silver has long been recognized for its antimicrobial properties. Throughout history it has been used to purify drinking water, treat medical conditions and prevent the spread of disease. AgION Technologies has incorporated this age-old antimicrobial into a safe, efficient and long-lasting compound that continuously inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold, and fungus on a broad range of industrial, consumer and medical products from HVAC systems and building products to water filters, appliances and catheters. The AgION™ antimicrobial compound can be can be used in both newly manufactured products and already installed equipment and assets.
Ahura Corporation, USA
Representative:
Dr Daryoosh Vakshoori, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile: The Company makes and markets FirstDefender, a handheld instrument that can identify thousands of chemicals using lasers and a specific optical analysis known as Raman spectroscopy. Potential consumers of FirstDefender include fire fighters, police bomb squads, and first responders who encounter unknown substances. Other uses include doctors checking the content of medications and manufacturers overseeing the production of goods. In addition to handheld instruments, Ahura also makes lasers used in telecommunications.
Innovation: The First Defender is the only light-weight, rugged instrument for in-the-field identification of unknown solids and liquids by first responders, soldiers, law enforcement and homeland security personnel. The First Defender sets the standard for accuracy, applicability, durability ruggedness and usability, exceeding everything available in today's market. The First Defender technology is unique from both a hardware and software perspective and has captured the attention of counter-terrorism groups around the world.
Amyris Biotechnology Inc., USA I
Founder Interview
Representative:
Dr Jay D. Keasling, Founder
Company Profile: Amyris Biotechnologies is focused on translating the promise of synthetic biology into solutions for real-world problems. Applying advances in molecular biology, we have engineered microbes capable of cost-effectively producing high-value, complex molecules that are currently available only in small quantities through extraction from natural resources. We are employing these microbial chemical factories to produce new pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Our initial project is to construct a synthetic microbe for use in the production of the anti-malarial drug artemisinin to meet a critical need in the developing world. We are working in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley, and the Institute for OneWorld Health in this effort.
Innovation: As a Flagship project, Amyris is applying its innovative approach to combat the world health blight of malaria. Amyris, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley and the Institute for OneWorld Health, is using its technology to decrease the cost of drugs needed to treat the individuals in endemic countries. Upon completion, this $43 million project will deliver to the world an integrated biochemical-chemical process for the production of up to half a billion tons of life-saving drugs saving the global health community hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
DNA Genotek Inc., Canada I
CEO Interview
Representative:
Mr Ian Curry, President and Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile: DNA Genotek is focused on improving DNA collection. Our lead product, the Oragene™ DNA Self-Collection Kit, is the easiest way to collect and preserve large amounts of DNA from saliva. Oragene’s reliability and ease-of-use have resulted in rapid adoption at top-tier health research institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, and Johns Hopkins. DNA Genotek markets its products worldwide and has established a global customer base, with more than 750 labs in 45 countries currently testing and using their products.
Innovation: Oragene enables easy and cost-effective collection, transport, storage, and processing of human DNA for genetic research and testing. It is unique for a number of key reasons. Oragene is a specially designed plastic vial and chemical solution that together allow the user to safely and easily deliver a saliva sample (note: saliva contains cells which contain DNA). When the user closes the cap on the vial, a unique mechanism is triggered which releases the special chemical solution to mix with the saliva. Prior to closing the vial, the chemical solution is secured in a contained compartment to ensure it is kept away from the user – a critical feature for users in unsupervised (low cost) sample collection scenarios. This chemical solution preserves the DNA at room temperature for years and makes it very easy and cost-effective to transport, store, and subsequently analyze the DNA.
NitroMed Inc., USA
Representative:
Dr Michael D. Loberg, Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile: NitroMed® is an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of proprietary pharmaceuticals based on the therapeutic benefits of nitric oxide.
Innovation: NitroMed is currently developing their lead nitric oxide-enhancing drug candidate, BiDil®, to treat African Americans diagnosed with heart failure. They are also applying their nitric oxide technology with the goal of developing new pharmaceuticals, as well as safer and more effective versions of existing drugs, to target significant diseases and major commercial markets.
Optos Plc, United Kingdom I
CEO Interview I
Video Interview
Representative:
Mr Stephane Sallmard, Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile: Optos is a leading medical technology company for the design, development, manufacture and marketing of retinal imaging devices. Optos’ platform technology is its Panoramic200 (P200) Scanning Laser Opthalmoscope device. It incorporates a patented scanning laser system that utilises ellipsoidal mirror technology. The P200 is the world’s first and only ophthalmic device capable of producing a high resolution, digital wide-field image of up to 200 of the retina in a single capture. The image, branded as the optomap® retinal examination provides eye-care practitioners with clinically useful information that facilitates the early detection of eye and systemic related diseases evidenced in the retina.
Innovation: Unlike conventional examination methods, the Company’s product, the optomap® retinal examination, allows optometrists and ophthalmologists to see a more complete view of the retina (back of the eye) which provides important clinical information about a patient's eyes and their overall health. A new product, optomap® plus, was commercialised in 2005 and another, optomap® fa, is expected to be commercialised in 2006.
Ossur, Iceland I
CEO Interview
Representative:
Mr Jon Sigurdsson, President and Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile: Creates special prosthetics and orthotics that enable people to live the kind of life they want to, a life without limitations.
Innovation: The product Rheo Knee® was launched in Feb. 2005, the Rheo Knee has captured the world’s imagination, and was included in Time magazine’s “Coolest Inventions of 2004” cover story, Fortune magazine’s “Best 25 Products of the Year,” and Technology Review’s 2005 “Top Ten Emerging Trends.” It is the first artificially intelligent knee system that has the ability to learn and adapt to its user’s movements, resulting in continually improved and optimized performance.
Stem Cell Sciences Ltd, United Kingdom I
CEO Interview
Representative:
Dr Peter Mountford, President and Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile: The Company coordinates the global protection, development and commercialisation of stem cell technologies through an international network of affiliated companies and academic centres of excellence in the stem cell field. SCS principally focuses on technologies to grow, differentiate, genetically modify and purify embryonic and neural stem cell products. In the longer term, the Company is developing cell-based therapies for central nervous system and degenerative diseases.
Innovation: The Company’s technologies permit the generation and genetic selection of unlimited quantities of highly purified stem cells and their differentiated progeny for use in genetic, pharmacological and toxicological screens. Moreover, these technologies can be utilised to provide pure populations of appropriate cell types for transplantation therapies.
TheraVitae Ltd, Israel I
CEO Interview
Representative:
Dr Valentin Fulga, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile: TheraVitae is an emerging healthcare company focused on using the patient's own cells to treat a variety of disorders, especially cardiovascular diseases, TheraVitae offers novel, state-of-the-art therapies to people for whom existing medical procedures cannot be used or were not successful.
Innovation: TheraVitae utilizes advanced cellular therapy strategies to achieve effective groundbreaking medical treatments. Cell therapy is the treatment of human disease by the transplantation of cells that have been isolated, multiplied and processed outside the body, in order to replace, repair or enhance the function of damaged tissues or organs. These new techniques are being applied to a wide range of human diseases, including many types of cancer, neurological diseases, spinal cord injuries, and heart disease.
XDx, USA I
CEO Interview
Representative:
Dr Jay Wohlgemuth, Co-Founder and Vice-President, Clinical Development
Company Profile: XDx is a molecular diagnostics company which has developed a proprietary technology that monitors the immune system by measuring gene expression in a patient’s peripheral blood.
Innovation: XDx has developed and launched a technology called AlloMap that enables doctors to determine with a simple blood test whether a patient will reject a transplanted heart.
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