News Release

MCW Research Foundation licenses invention for stroke treatment

Business Announcement

Medical College of Wisconsin

A new drug to prevent brain damage in stroke victims was licensed by the Medical College of Wisconsin Research Foundation to Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The new treatment was co-developed in the laboratories of Richard Roman, Ph.D., and David R Harder, professors of physiology at the Medical College, in cooperation with Taisho scientists. The Research Foundation awarded Taisho exclusive, world-wide rights to further develop and commercialize the drug.

Dr. Roman, director of the Medical College's Kidney Center and a member of its Cardiovascular Research Center, and Taisho scientists have been working together testing the new drug for its effect on brain tissue protection shortly after a stroke. The drug helps control blood vessel dilation which can result in saving brain tissue from damage. Taisho has collaborated with Dr. Roman and funded research in his laboratory toward this end.

"The drug will now enter the path toward approval for use in humans by the FDA," explains William Hendee, Ph.D., president of the College's Research Foundation.

The Foundation patents intellectual property generated by faculty and staff at the Medical College and licenses it in line with its mission to commercialize as many inventions as possible to help patients. The Foundation believes that its "Patents to PatientsSM" brand best describes its mission. The Foundation is wholly-owned and housed within the Medical College.

Taisho is the leading over-the-counter drug company in Japan and has also been strengthening its research and development efforts including development of its research infrastructure in the area of prescription drugs. As an outcome from such efforts, Taisho has succeeded in initiating clinical trials on several original new drugs. Taisho continues efforts to strengthen its prescription drug business through expansion of its novel original research and development and active collaboration with domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies.

###


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.