Biotech and Medtech - Inventions & Patents

In February 2007, the USPTO announced that they would revoke Genentech's controversial Cabilly II patent (US 6,331,415), which is a continuation of US patent number 4,816,567 (known as the Cabilly I patent). [Click here to read our earlier post on this topic.]

The Cabilly patents pertain to fundamental methods of synthesizing antibodies, which are used across industry to manufacture therapeutic antibodies, such as Abbott's Humira and MedImmune's Synagis. The patent brought Genentech $106 million in royalties in 2006 alone - it is little wonder that many licensees are happy to see it quashed.

Jim Larrick, MD PhD runs a private research institute called Panorama Research in Mountain View, California (a stone throw from Google headquarter).  This private research institute competes on equal terms with academic institutions for research grants from NIH and other federal agencies including SBIR grants.  Jim has founded 14 biotech companies out of Panorama Research of which 4 have gone IPO (some through mergers).  This is not a bad record for a private research institute.  Many universities would have love such a track record.

Jim is first and foremost a maverick; not the type that will fit well in an academic institution.  He is not only an entrepreneur but also a consummate scientist with a solid track record of having published over 240 peer review journal articles.  He published one of the first books on oncogene with Ed Liu, currently the Executive Director of the Genome Institute of Singapore.

He was recently in Africa with the Sanofa Center for African Dance & Culture.  The purpose of this trip was to promote AIDS awareness through the medium of dance.  Jim's production company, Slick Production (no kidding), produced a moving documentary in HDTV format about this trip.  You can view a sample of the documentary from here and a new trailer from here.