Ohio University and Battelle Partner for Economic Development

Contacts:

• at Ohio University: David Wight, (740) 593- 4713 or Kelli Whitlock, (740) 593-0946
• at Battelle: Katy Delaney, (614) 424-5544

ATHENS, Ohio (November 29, 2000) -- A new partnership between Ohio University and Battelle will foster the creation of new start-up businesses in southeastern Ohio. The collaboration is intended to deliver faculty discoveries and innovations to the public and could yield high-tech companies designed to develop new products for use in health care, agriculture and other industries.

The agreement is a joint effort between the university's Edison Biotechnology Institute (EBI) and Battelle, a Columbus-based international research and development organization. The partnership will allow EBI and Battelle to promote economic development in the region while furthering their shared mission to help create and commercialize new technologies for the public.

"The agreement also will give Ohio University another avenue to support faculty interested in developing their discoveries in the marketplace," said Ohio University President Robert Glidden, who announced the partnership at a press conference in Athens today.

"We are very interested in supporting our faculty as they work to move their ideas and innovations in a direction that leads to new products and that have a direct and positive impact on the health and well being of people, the environment and the economy," Glidden said. "This partnership is just another way for us to make that happen."

EBI was created in 1984 to foster economic development by aggressively pursuing basic life sciences research in areas with commercial potential and transferring new technologies and discoveries into the marketplace. Ohio University and EBI scientists have been instrumental in developing and protecting technologies that have led to the creation of six start-up companies.

"This collaboration is a natural outgrowth of our common goals of technology development and commercialization," said David Wight, director of EBI.

"I'm particularly excited," Wight added, "because it gives the institute the opportunity to assist faculty at Ohio University engaged in life sciences research beyond the boundaries of EBI by providing a new avenue for commercialization for their technologies. This also is the beginning of what could become a much larger collaboration between Ohio University and Battelle."

Battelle collaborates with numerous universities and colleges on technology development projects, but this is the first time the nonprofit organization has linked with Ohio University on a major effort, according to Rich Rosen, senior vice president and general manager for Battelle's Pharmaceutical and Medical Products Market Sector.

"We're delighted to be collaborating with the Edison Biotechnology Institute and Ohio University and have high hopes that we'll create innovations that have true economic impact," Rosen said. "By combining our resources and know-how, we can drive technology development and commercialization in southeastern Ohio."

Ohio University and Battelle are in the process of identifying for commercialization faculty-generated biotechnology innovations that have pharmaceutical and other medical applications.

Battelle focuses on product development, technology development, technology commercialization and laboratory management. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle has annual revenues of nearly $1 billion and more than 60 locations around the world.