The NIH-funded CADET program, administered by BioVentures, will provide cancer researchers with the entrepreneurial training and mentorship needed to bring lab discoveries to patients. Applications are open until October 31.
Newly granted patent: U.S. Patent No. 12,370,338 B2, “Immersive Distraction Therapy.
Join us on October 22, from 4–6 PM at the Jack Stephens Spine Institute (12th Floor) for the next UAMS Showcase of Medical Discoveries, focused on UAMS intellectual property and innovations. The event will feature technologies developed by UAMS researchers and supported through BioVentures, offering a look at discoveries with the potential to improve health outcomes and drive commercialization. Visit the official event page for more details.
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.
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
Curious how an idea becomes a protected invention at UAMS? At BioVentures, we guide innovators through every step, from disclosure to patent decisions and market strategy. Here’s how the process works, what to expect, and how we support you along the way. 1) Submit Your Invention Disclosure The first step is fully and adequately disclosing your invention to BioVentures by submitting an invention disclosure. Even if you’ve already reached out to schedule a meeting, we require a disclosure to initiate the process. It allows us to review the technology in advance, and gather essential information on compliance, funding, and inventorship. We’ve recently adopted a new AI-powered disclosure platform to simplify the process. You can upload relevant documents—papers, figures, posters, presentations—and the system will generate a draft disclosure for you to review and edit before submission: 👉 Submit your disclosure The form captures a complete overview of your invention, its potential applications, and any existing data or prototypes. Once submitted, BioVentures typically reviews the disclosure within 1–2 weeks before scheduling a meeting with you. Typical timing: BioVentures review in 1–2 weeks. 2) Meeting with the Technology Manager We meet with the inventor to clarify the technology, confirm federal compliance needs, capture inventor and funding information, and discuss long‑term goals and commercialization paths. Typical timing: Scheduled within 1–2 weeks after disclosure review. 3) P&CC Decision (Patent & Copyright Committee) The inventor presents at the P&CC. This committee reviews the presented technology and makes a determination on how the technology should be protected. Outcomes can include: Typical timing: P&CC is usually scheduled 1–2 months after acceptance of the disclosure. 4) Protection Strategy Based on P&CC Outcome The legal protection route follows the P&CC decision. If a provisional patent filing is recommended, we move quickly to secure a priority date and a 12‑month window to strengthen data and assess market potential. This is because in the United States is a first to file country which means that the right to a patent generally belongs to whichever inventor files an application with the USPTO first, not to whoever first conceives the idea. As such, protecting your invention in a timely manner is important to us. Typical timing: Provisional filing is typically completed within a few weeks of the P&CC meeting. 5) Marketing and Commercial Pathways If the inventor agrees, we begin targeted outreach. Options include: Why Early Disclosure Matters Submitting your invention disclosure early is essential. It helps preserve your patent rights before any public disclosure or publication, ensuring your ability to pursue protection. Early disclosure also allows BioVentures to align your IP strategy with funding sources and compliance requirements, and accelerates our ability to evaluate the market potential and identify relevant partners. This overview is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Specific strategies and timelines may vary by technology. Have an invention to disclose? Submit your disclosure now!
BioVentures supported University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) first-year medical students this summer through the Partnership in Cancer Research (PCAR) program. Over eight weeks, participants worked in multidisciplinary teams to address real-world challenges in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or survivorship. The program culminated in entrepreneurial pitch presentations to a panel of judges. Three BioVentures team members served as mentors, advising students on refining problem statements, assessing market opportunities, and developing business models. Another team member participated as a judge, providing feedback from a commercialization perspective. The collaboration aimed to foster entrepreneurial thinking, highlight the role of innovation in cancer care, and encourage future clinician-innovators at UAMS. This initiative reflects BioVentures’ ongoing commitment to advancing healthcare entrepreneurship and translating research into real-world impact.
Newly granted patent: U.S. Patent No. 12,281,171 B2, “Periostin Antibodies and Methods of Using the Same” What’s the problem? Some cancers create a unique “signal” by adding a rare sugar modification to proteins like periostin. This tumor-specific marker could help identify and target cancer, but it’s extremely difficult to detect. Traditional tools often miss it because these sugar structures are hard for the immune system to recognize. What does this technology do? This patent covers a new monoclonal antibody, C9, that targets the sugar marker not the whole protein. Using samples from ovarian cancer patients, inventors at UAMS identified an antibody that binds precisely to this cancer-specific structure. In mouse models, this C9 antibody successfully located and attached to tumors, showing strong potential for cancer imaging and targeted treatment.
In one week, BioVentures will welcome innovators from across UAMS and beyond for Innovation Week 2025. Four days of ideas, insight and industry connection on the UAMS Main Campus in Little Rock. Whether you’re advancing breakthrough research, launching a startup or simply curious about commercialization, this is the place to turn discovery into opportunity. Date Time Location Highlight Mon 12 8 – 10 a.m. Biomed I Atrium Meet & Greet: coffee, donuts and conversation with the BioVentures team Tue 13 11:30 a.m. I. Dodd Wilson 115 A/B Inventors Lunch & Award Ceremony — celebrating UAMS discoveries Wed 14 Noon Cancer Institute, Strauss‑McCaskill Learning Center “Raising Capital for Your Startup Endeavors” with Michael Geranen Thu 15 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. I. Dodd Wilson Industry‑Research Forum — keynote by Justin Rerko, expert panels, lunch & networking happy hour Full agenda details, speaker bios and session descriptions are available on the registration page. Why Attend? Seats are limited. See you next week at Innovation Week 2025 — Where Discovery Meets Opportunity.
BioVentures invites the UAMS community to Innovation Week, May 12-15, 2025. Designed to showcase innovation, foster industry connections and highlight the pathway from research to commercialization, Innovation Week offers opportunities for everyone from seasoned inventors and those just starting out. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, inventor, researcher or industry partner, Innovation Week is your chance to engage with the thriving healthcare innovation ecosystem at UAMS and beyond. Innovation Week Highlights Join us to learn, connect and take your ideas to the next level. Learn more & register.
