Day: September 2, 2025

News

Dr. Megan Reed Awarded the Susan Riley Keyes Memorial Fellowship 

We’re proud to share that our Senior Licensing Associate, Megan Reed PhD, MBA has been selected as a 2025 recipient of the Susan Riley Keyes Memorial Fellowship from the AUTM Foundation. This highly competitive fellowship supports early-career technology transfer professionals through:  • Mentorship from seasoned leaders in the field  • Specialized training in invention evaluation, patenting, licensing, and commercialization  • Full access to AUTM educational resources, including the Technology Transfer Practice Manual and webinar library  • Registration, travel, and lodging for the AUTM Essentials Course, AUTM Annual Meeting, and regional meetings  • Networking opportunities with a national cohort of fellows and industry experts  Only three fellows were selected from a pool of  50 applicants, and Megan is one of them. This fellowship will deepen her expertise and broaden her professional network, further strengthening BioVentures’ ability to support UAMS innovators and drive the commercialization of life-changing biomedical technologies.  Join us in congratulating Megan on LinkedIn!

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News

A New Approach to Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance 

Newly granted patent: U.S. Patent No. 12,268,674 B2, “Mi-2β Inhibitor as an Immunotherapy Agent”  What’s the problem?  Immune checkpoint therapies, such as anti-PD-1 antibodies (e.g. Keytruda, Opdivo), have transformed cancer treatment. Yet many patients either don’t respond at all or eventually develop resistance. This limits their long-term effectiveness, leaving a major gap in oncology care.  What does this technology do?  This patent covers novel small-molecule inhibitors that block the ATPase pocket of Mi-2β (CHD4), a chromatin remodeling protein identified as a key driver of PD-1 resistance.  One lead compound, Z36-MP5, restores responsiveness to PD-1 therapy by:  By directly targeting tumor-intrinsic resistance mechanisms, Mi-2β inhibitors open the door to a first-in-class therapeutic strategy to make immunotherapy work for more patients. 

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Events

BioVentures to Participate in the TRI Research Expo 2025 

BioVentures will be present at the Translational Research Institute (TRI) Research Expo 2025, taking place Wednesday, September 10, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. CDT at the Reynolds Institute on Aging, First Floor.  The Expo brings together more than 50 research services across UAMS, providing investigators with the opportunity to explore resources, build connections, and learn about available support for advancing their work. Visitors can stop by the BioVentures table to discuss invention disclosures, licensing, commercialization pathways, and opportunities to bring biomedical innovations to market.  Don’t miss the chance to connect with colleagues, enjoy refreshments, and learn how BioVentures can support your research journey.  👉 Register here

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