Yale Bulletin and Calendar

October 19, 2007|Volume 36, Number 7

Life science technologies to be
highlighted in Yale BioHaven series

The Yale BioHaven Entrepreneurship Series, which showcases locally life science technologies that have progressed along the path to commercialization, will kick off this year’s offerings on Wednesday, Oct. 24.

Presented by the Yale Office of Cooperative Research (OCR) and Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE), the Yale-BioHaven events feature speakers who represent both the scientific and business sides of the enterprises. In addition to looking at the companies’ scientific or technological advantages and other key success factors, the programs examine the lessons the founders learned while starting and developing their businesses.

The hour-long seminars are held in the Anlyan Center auditorium, 300 Cedar St., beginning at 4 p.m. Each presentation is followed by a one-hour networking event that includes light refreshments.

The subjects of this year’s programs are as follows:

Oct. 24: BioRelix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company working to identify antibiotics that target pathogens resistant to currently available drugs. BioRelix’ competitive advantage resides in the use of novel patented bacterial RNA targets called “RiboSwitches™.”

Nov. 13: Vascular Insights, LLC, which is developing a general infusion catheter and a system for the removal of blood vessels in the treatment of varicose veins. The market for varicose vein disease is one of the largest markets for any chronic condition in the developed world.

Feb. 20: Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is designing and developing novel small-molecule antibiotics for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospital and community settings. Rib-X has proprietary access to the high-resolution crystal structure of the target of numerous currently valuable antibiotics.

March 19: Optherion, Inc., a company dedicated to research, development and commercialization of therapeutics and diagnostics for Age-related Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over age 60 in the developed world.

April 16: “The Next Big Idea — Creating a New Venture,” a panel presentation giving venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and the Yale community a chance to look into the future at the next generation of therapeutics.

In addition to looking “under the hood” at several new technologies, the program will feature presentations by leading industry observers on new trends in business formation.

April 23: Vidus Ocular, Inc., which is developing an innovative medical device for the treatment of glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness. Their Aquashunt™ patented technology lowers intraocular pressure by providing a drainage pathway for aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of the eye.

For more information on the BioHaven Programs, contact Tracy Huang at OCR, (203) 436-4933 or Laura Malis at CURE, (203) 458-0283. Tapes of selected programs are on the OCR website www.yale.edu/ocr/news/biohaven.html. To register for individual programs, R.S.V.P. to biohaven@yale.edu or call (203) 785-6209.

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