TechLink : Now Hear This...Help for Those with Hearing Loss

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Now Hear This...Help for Those with Hearing Loss

FLC NewsLink

June 04, 2002

MSU TechLink Advances Tech Transfer

Established in 1996 at Montana State University in Bozeman, the TechLink Center helps northwest companies access, develop and commercialize technology from federal laboratories. Funded by the Department of Defense, NASA, and other federal agencies, TechLink links companies with federal laboratories for joint research and technology transfer. Its main goal is "to contribute to the success of both technology-based companies and key resource-based industries in the state and region."

TechLink provides specialized assistance in the industry areas of advanced materials, aerospace, agricultural technologies, biomedicine and biotechnology, electronics, environmental technologies, information technologies and software, and photonics and sensors.

Through its understanding of the technology needs and strengths of industry and federal labs, the center develops productive partnerships for technology transfer, development, and commercialization. It helps companies transfer innovative technology from private industry to federal labs.

TechLink offers TechLaunch (client assistance in commercialization), TechAid (special grants to companies from DOD, NASA), and DOD SBIR/STTR Assistance programs (proposal development for clients in rural NW states).

There is good news for the more than 39 million individuals who are at risk or suffer from hearing loss caused by noise or chemical exposure. A new technology - a family of unique antioxidant compounds-proved promising in the prevention and restoration of hearing loss in animal models exposed to diverse noises and cancer therapies.

In March, the American BioHealth Group, LLC signed an exclusive license with the U.S. Navy for this novel technology. Developed by the Naval Medical Center - San Diego and researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo, this pharmaceutical compound is anticipated to aid millions of Americans at risk for sensorineural hearing loss. The Montana State University (MSU) TechLink Center assisted with the technology transfer.

The Department of Defense is especially interested in the hearing restoration/treatment aspect since it annually spends $300 million on hearing loss compensation treatment for personnel. The Air Force Research Laboratory reports that 22,000 new hearing loss claims are filed annually with the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. In addition, the compound offers a very large civilian market application. According to The Centers for Disease Control, reduced hearing capacity costs the nation billions of dollars every year.

The agreement will result in needed pharmaceutical products for millions of Americans who have no pharmaceutical treatment options for the prevention or restoration of sensorineural hearing loss.

The chairman and CEO of American BioHealth, David Karlman, said, "We are honored to be the organization chosen to work with the Naval Medical Research Center in San Diego and the Office of Naval Research to bring this exciting research to commercialization."

Under the licensing agreement, American BioHealth will conduct clinical research and product development, and have an exclusive license to market products for the protection and restoration of hearing loss. The compounds that will be developed and commercialized by American BioHealth have been approved by the FDA and have acceptable and proven safety profiles.

For more info: David Karlman, American BioHeath Group, LLC, 858-675-3600, Industrial_Relations@ABGPharma.com; Nick Zelver, MSU TechLink, 406-994-7706, nzelver@montana.edu