Transfer to Transform 2024
Guiding Ideas to Solutions
A hospital environment is a fertile ecosystem for new ideas. Innovators from every corner of the organization – from surgeons, doctors and nurses to research staff – have unique perspectives on what can help a patient, or a fellow clinician or a scientist.
The Office of Technology Commercialization at Nationwide Children’s Hospital facilitates the transfer of new technologies, research and innovations to outside partners to benefit pediatric care, our community and the general public.
Message from Leadership
Matt McFarland, RPh, PhD
Vice President of Commercialization and Industry Relations
Nationwide Children's Hospital
At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, we understand the importance of translating innovative work beyond our walls and into the world. New technologies drive economic development in our local, national and global ecosystem and most importantly, improve pediatric care. The Office of Technology Commercialization exists to ensure that the necessary partnerships are in place to execute this important function.
In 2012, our office had three employees. Flash forward to 2024 and we have grown into a sophisticated office of 20 full-time professionals specializing in intellectual property management, licensing, start-up support, federal compliance, project management and strategic alliances. According to the annual Association of University Technology Managers Licensing Survey, Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s commercialization revenue has ranked in the top 40 among all reporting U.S. universities and academic research institutions for the last five years, and in the top 15 in both 2017 and 2021. This activity has also resulted in 28 out-licensed technologies that are currently in active clinical trials, as well as the regulatory approval and commercialization of two novel therapeutics and two novel medical devices. During this time, 21 start-up companies launched from Nationwide Children’s are either still active or have been acquired by a strategic partner.
Indeed, the intellectual property developed here is plentiful and continuing to advance. Additionally, we have invested in a full-service regulatory services department for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) filings and interactions, created a pre-license Technology Development Fund for proof of concept and prototyping which has deployed more than $2.8 million in funding, and deployed more than $15 million in pre-seed and seed funding to Nationwide Children’s start-up companies. Our commercialization track record and the experience of building and successfully functionalizing the infrastructure described above speak to the fitness of our institution to support the mission of translational impact on the lives of patients.
As we begin 2024, and I begin my 13th year with the organization, I am tremendously proud of what we have accomplished so far. I am pleased with our organization’s leadership that had, and continues to have, the vision to support commercialization activity as materially important to the life cycle of impactful innovation. I am delighted with the individuals on our team, and beyond, who have executed so well. I am proud to have been a small part of it, and daily I am excited by all of it. As you read the following pages of this report, I hope that you too will feel that same energy.
Jerry Mendell, MD
Senior Advisor
Center for Gene Therapy
The collaborative research of Jerry Mendell, MD, embodies the spirit of innovative research and discovery. To recognize his dedication, creativity, collaboration, and impact, on behalf of the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) at Nationwide Children’s, Abigail Wexner Research Institute President Dennis Durbin, MD, presented Dr. Mendell with the 2023 Excellence in Innovation Award during the AWRI Annual Research Retreat on November 15, 2023.
Innovative Approaches to Patient Care
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a devastating genetic disease that affects nearly 1 in every 5,500 newborns and approximately 2 million people worldwide. The most severe form of TSC, Type 2, is caused by mutations in the TSC2 gene.
Mark Hester, PhD, and colleagues have developed and are now testing a gene replacement therapy for TSC Type 2. The gene therapy uses adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) to deliver a functional version of the gene to affected cells. The researchers have begun preliminary testing and in vitro efficacy studies have shown robust proof-of-concept for further advancement.
Gene Therapy for the Masses?
Long-lived financial and logistical hurdles make bringing new gene therapy products to market a major challenge. To help bring more of these medical miracles to fruition, experts across industry, regulatory review, science and medicine have begun to problem solve. Together, they are actively seeking opportunities for efficiency in development, manufacturing, regulation and post-market policies to make it possible for more life-saving gene therapies to reach patients.
Hear Me Read: Novel Technology Approach to Reading Skills for Children with Impaired Hearing
For children who are deaf or have impaired hearing, access to sound through tools like hearing aids, cochlear implants and/or intensive speech therapy is critical for developing speech and literacy.
Hear Me Read is a first-of-its-kind digital storybook innovation targeting toward helping children with hearing impairment develop speech and literacy skills. Utilizing storybook learning, the goal is to further stimulate language development at home to supplement office-based speech therapy.
A New Catalyst for Pediatric Device Development
In September 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a $6.95 million grant to be distributed over five years to create a new consortium led by investigators from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, Cleveland Clinic Children’s and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital medical Center to help increase the number of pediatric medical devices across the nation.
Meet Daphne©, A Chatbot for Pediatric Health Care
Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) have exploded across the worlds of marketing and commerce in recent years. At Nationwide Children’s clinicians and researchers are focusing on how AI and related technologies can be used to reduce clinician workloads and improve patient outcomes.
Emre Sezgin, PhD, principal investigator in the Center for Biobehavioral Health at Nationwide Children’s, leads the Intelligent Futures Research Lab. He and his team are working to build a healthier future for all children and families using intelligent methods and approaches to scientific research and development.
Available Technologies
Our portfolio of over 200 available technologies developed by our innovative researchers and clinicians is diverse and ever-growing. They span a wide array of research fi elds and categories of market applications and range from early-stage innovations to market-ready products.
Types of innovations include:
- Biomarkers
- End User Innovations
- Gene Therapies
- Therapeutics
- Tissue Engineering Innovations
- Research and Clinical Tools
Startups
The Office of Technology Commercialization at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, led by Matt McFarland, RPh, PhD, facilitates the transfer of new technologies, research and innovations to outside partners to benefit pediatric care, the local community and the general public.
2023 Metrics
*A contributor is any Nationwide Children's faculty or staff member who submitted one or more invention disclosures.
*2023 Revenue unavailable at time of publish