Category: Innovation
Innovation

Invention Spotlight: U.S. Patent Issued for Simultaneous Biomarker Detection in Diffuse Glioma

Congratulations to inventors Analiz Rodriguez and Thidathip Wongsurawat on the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,753,446, titled Use of Simultaneous Marker Detection for Assessing Diffuse Glioma and Responsiveness to Treatment. Issued on October 6, 2026, the patent describes a molecular analysis method designed to improve the assessment of brain tumors by simultaneously detecting genetic mutations and DNA methylation patterns associated with diffuse gliomas.  Diffuse gliomas are a group of brain tumors that can be challenging to diagnose and treat due to their molecular complexity. Identifying specific genetic and epigenetic biomarkers plays an important role in characterizing these tumors, understanding their progression, and informing treatment decisions. However, conventional testing methods often require separate analyses of different biomarkers, increasing the time and complexity involved in obtaining comprehensive molecular information.  This patented technology addresses that challenge through a method that simultaneously evaluates mutations in the IDH1 and IDH2 genes and methylation levels in the MGMT gene, three important molecular markers associated with glioma diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response.  The approach uses CRISPR-Cas9 targeted nanopore sequencing, a technique that enables researchers to analyze specific regions of DNA and identify multiple molecular characteristics within a single sequencing workflow. By combining mutation detection and methylation analysis, the method offers a potentially more efficient way to characterize brain tumors and assess their molecular profiles.  The technology also has potential applications in evaluating responsiveness to treatments such as temozolomide, a chemotherapy drug commonly used in glioma care. Understanding these molecular markers could help clinicians make more informed treatment decisions and support the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.  The patent represents an advancement in molecular diagnostics and precision oncology, with the potential to streamline biomarker analysis and improve how researchers and clinicians assess diffuse gliomas. Further clinical development and validation would be needed to establish its use in routine patient care.  BioVentures congratulates Dr. Rodriguez and Dr. Wongsurawat on this achievement and recognizes their contributions to advancing molecular diagnostics and precision medicine for patients with brain tumors.  Inventors  Analiz Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D.  Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery  Director of Neurosurgical Oncology  UAMS College of Medicine  Thidathip Wongsurawat, Ph.D.  Adjunct Faculty, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences  Division of Medical Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University  This technology is currently available for licensing. For more information or to discuss potential licensing opportunities, please contact BioVentures at bioventures@uams.edu.

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November 3, 2026
Innovation

UAMS Cancer Immunotherapy Research Published in Cell

A UAMS research team led by Brian Koss, Ph.D., with first author Sydnye Shuttleworth, has published findings in Cellthat could help advance cancer immunotherapies by addressing a central challenge: keeping immune cells effective against cancer over time.

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October 27, 2026
Events

BioVentures Invites Community to Register for Innovation Day 2026

Turning promising discoveries into products, companies and technologies that improve lives takes more than great ideas. It takes collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, industry partners and the organizations that help move innovation forward.  Those connections will be at the heart of BioVentures Innovation Day 2026, taking place August 19 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.on the 12th floor of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. Registration is now open for the one-day event, which will bring together innovators from across Arkansas and beyond to explore how research can become real-world impact.  Hosted by BioVentures, this year’s event is centered on the theme “From Discovery to Impact.” Throughout the day, attendees will hear from leaders in health care, life sciences and entrepreneurship while exploring topics including intellectual property, startup formation, funding strategies, medical device development, commercialization, regulatory pathways and industry partnerships.  Innovation Day is designed for researchers, clinicians, faculty, students, entrepreneurs, investors, industry professionals and community partners who are interested in advancing health care innovation and strengthening Arkansas’ life sciences ecosystem. In addition to educational sessions, attendees will have opportunities to network, connect with innovation support organizations and discover resources available to help translate research into new products and ventures.  Innovation Day is made possible through the support of organizations that share BioVentures’ commitment to advancing innovation and entrepreneurship across Arkansas, including Polsinelli, ARise, Wright, Lindsey & Jennings, Synapse Communications Consulting and Norton Rose Fulbright. Their partnership helps create opportunities for researchers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to connect, collaborate and accelerate the commercialization of new health care technologies.  Whether attendees are taking their first steps toward commercialization or looking to expand an existing venture, Innovation Day offers an opportunity to learn from experienced leaders, build new partnerships and become part of Arkansas’ growing innovation network.  Registration for Innovation Day 2026 is now open. 

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July 7, 2026
Innovation

Licensing Spotlight: From UAMS Research to NuvOx’s NanO₂ Stroke Program

A technology developed at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and licensed through BioVentures is continuing its path toward the clinic as NanO₂, an investigational oxygen therapeutic being developed by NuvOx Therapeutics for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.  The underlying innovation was discovered by William C. Culp, M.D., Robert D. Skinner, Ph.D., and Evan C. Unger, M.D. and is based on dodecafluoropentane emulsion (DDFPe), a technology designed to enhance oxygen delivery to tissues affected by ischemia. During an ischemic stroke, blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, depriving brain tissue of the oxygen needed to survive.  Early research at UAMS demonstrated the potential of DDFPe to support oxygen delivery to vulnerable brain tissue in preclinical models of ischemic stroke. These findings led to the development of intellectual property covering the use of DDFPe for stroke and ischemia, which was subsequently licensed to NuvOx Therapeutics through BioVentures.  Since licensing, the technology has continued to advance through both preclinical and clinical development. UAMS investigators evaluated intravenous DDFPe in an early randomized, controlled, dose-escalation clinical trial involving patients with acute ischemic stroke, generating data that supported continued clinical investigation.  Today, NuvOx is evaluating NanO₂ in NOVEL, a Phase IIb clinical trial in the UK with 150 patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by large vessel occlusion. The study is investigating NanO₂ in combination with standard reperfusion therapy and is designed to evaluate its ability to reduce brain infarct size by improving oxygen delivery to tissue at risk.  While NanO₂ remains an investigational therapy and has not yet been approved for general medical use, its progress illustrates how discoveries made within academic research institutions can evolve into promising therapeutic candidates through intellectual property protection, licensing, and industry partnership.  BioVentures is proud to support the commercialization of innovations that have the potential to improve patient care while translating groundbreaking university research into real-world impact. 

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July 7, 2026
Innovation

Invention Spotlight: Novel Approach to Protein Aggregation in Neurodegenerative Disease

Congratulations to UAMS inventors Dr. Robert Reis, Dr. Peter Crooks and Dr. Srinivas Ayyadevara on the issuance of a new patent for a promising approach to targeting protein aggregation in neurodegenerative disease.   Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease are often linked by one major biological challenge: the buildup of toxic protein aggregates in the brain and central nervous system. While many therapies focus on managing symptoms or addressing downstream effects, there remains a significant need for approaches that target protein aggregation more directly.  This newly issued patent covers methods using combretastatin-A4 (CA4) and related analogs to prevent or reduce protein aggregation through compounds that bind glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The technology represents a new therapeutic direction for aggregation-associated disorders and suggests a potential disease-modifying strategy across multiple neurodegenerative indications.  Preclinical studies described in the patent showed encouraging findings across several model systems, including reductions in aggregate burden, decreases in amyloid accumulation, improved disease-related phenotypes, and lifespan extension in nematode models. Together, these results support the potential of a CA4-based platform as a differentiated approach for targeting protein-aggregation pathology in the central nervous system.  Inventors  Peter Crooks, M.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Manc), FRSC, FRPharmS, CSci, CChem, Professor Emeritus of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).  Robert Reis, Ph.D., Professor at the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).  Srinivas Ayyadevara, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).  

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March 25, 2026
Innovation

New Patent Enables Enhanced Viral Production Using Engineered Human Cell Lines 

What’s the problem?  Viruses are essential tools in modern biotechnology, with applications in cancer immunotherapy, gene therapy, and vaccine development. However, producing viruses efficiently at clinical and commercial scale remains a major bottleneck. Many commonly used human cell lines, including the widely adopted A549 line, retain natural antiviral defense mechanisms that limit viral replication, resulting in lower yields and increased manufacturing costs.  One key antiviral factor is the human protein SAMD9, which restricts viral replication inside host cells. Its presence significantly reduces the efficiency of producing certain therapeutic viruses, including oncolytic viruses such as myxoma virus. This limitation slows research, clinical development, and commercialization of promising viral therapies.  What does this technology do?  This patent covers engineered human cell lines modified to eliminate or reduce expression of the antiviral host factor SAMD9, enabling significantly enhanced viral replication in vitro. By removing this natural antiviral restriction, the modified cells allow viruses to replicate more efficiently, increasing overall production yields.   The technology can be implemented using gene-editing approaches such as CRISPR-Cas9 to generate stable, virus-permissive cell lines suitable for research, clinical development, and manufacturing. These engineered cells have demonstrated improved production of oncolytic viruses, which are increasingly used as targeted cancer therapeutics and immunotherapies.  By improving viral replication efficiency, this innovation has the potential to:  This platform provides a practical and scalable solution for enhancing viral production using human cell lines compatible with therapeutic applications.  Inventor  Jia Liu, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

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February 24, 2026
Blog

BioVentures Receives Chancellor’s Circle Grant to Expand Student Innovation Training

BioVentures LLC has been awarded a $15,000 Chancellor’s Circle Grant to support the initiative “Empowering Student Innovation: Building an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem at UAMS.” The program provides UAMS medical and STEM students with hands-on training in intellectual property, startup development, translational research, and commercialization. By integrating scientific research, technology transfer, and entrepreneurial education, it creates structured, experiential pathways for students and trainees to transform scientific ideas into innovations that improve the health and well-being of Arkansans. Megan Reed, Ph.D., MBA, senior licensing associate with BioVentures, accepted the grant on behalf of the organization. This initiative reflects BioVentures’ ongoing mission to bridge research and commercialization at UAMS and to empower the next generation of innovators working to translate discoveries into real-world health solutions.

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November 12, 2025
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