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LSU licenses diabetes treatment technology to major pharmaceutical company LSU has licensed a portfolio of drug treatment technologies to PLIVA d.d., an international pharmaceutical company. The patented technologies have the potential to treat type 2 diabetes, obesity, and a host of cardiovascular conditions. Under the new licensing agreement, PLIVA has already made an initial payment of $300,000 to LSU. If PLIVA, based in Croatia, receives approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a new treatment option will become available for diabetic patients and LSU could receive future royalty payments. "It was a genuine pleasure to cooperate with LSU," said Jane Scott, director of business development for PLIVA's U.S. subsidiary. "LSU's Office of Intellectual Property went the extra mile to make everything go as smoothly as possible. This technology fits well into PLIVA's strategy to expand its proprietary business and we are pleased to have it in our pipeline." The treatment, which employs a drug to reset metabolic cycles, was discovered by Biological Sciences Professor Emeritus Albert Meier and a former graduate student, Anthony Cincotta. A number of patents have been granted for the technology in the U. S. and other countries. LSU initially licensed the technology to a start-up company in the New England area. That company took the drug through several expensive phases of clinical trials for the FDA, but the FDA has required that an additional clinical trial be conducted. PLIVA recently acquired the rights to continue the necessary research, development and clinical trials. As part of a complex, multiparty series of transactions, PLIVA and LSU restructured the basic licensing agreement. "We are pleased at the ease with which LSU and PLIVA were able to negotiate the new license terms, and with the spirit of cooperation shown by both sides," said Mani Iyer, director of LSU's Office of Intellectual Property. "The private sector sometimes perceives that it is difficult to interact with public universities, but I believe that this case is a model for how to do it right. Both LSU and PLIVA showed extraordinary goodwill to conclude this deal to the mutual benefit of both parties." "The possibility of ongoing collaborative research with PLIVA makes this recent agreement even more exciting," said Kevin Smith, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies at LSU. "The benefits of working together, including PLIVA's international reach and additional research funding for LSU, will go far to support the goals of the Flagship Agenda. We're simply delighted." ON
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