University of Tartu (Estonia) and Quattromed Plc Apply For a U.S Patent

In collaboration with Quattromed plc, UT has filed for US patent on a novel methodology permitting to speed up considerably the production process of therapeutic proteins and other biological substances.

The filing will be followed by 10 months of studies in the laboratories of Quattromed plc, a spin-off from UT, to assess the industrial applicability of the work of UT scientists. The authors of the methodology are Toomas Silla, Ingrid Hääl, Yelizaveta Geimanen, Kadri Janikson, Aare Abroi, Ene Ustav, Mart Ustav and Tiiu Mandel, all of the UT Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology.

”Where so far in international practice the setting up of production lines for proteins used to take 10-12 months, switching to the novel type of protein lines allows us to cut our production process down to 2-3 months. Such an economy of time represents an important development for our customers in launching drug development programmes,” explained Erki Mölder, Executive Director of Quattromed plc.

”Our collaboration with Quattromed plc has been an active one since the company started, and will hopefully continue as intensively also in the future,” says Jane Saatre, Head of the Technology Licensing Department of UT Institute of Technology, throwing light on the background of the joint activities.

For the last five years, the developed methodology constitutes an eighth scientific result of potential commercial value to protect which UT has filed for a patent. During that period, over 50 patent applications have been filed in Europe, the US and Japan in protection of UT inventions. UT patents portfolio is managed by the UT Institute of Technology.
Quattromed plc is Estonia’s leading firm in the field of molecular diagnostics. The company’s IP portfolio contains three patent applications, a dozen technology licences and one trade mark.

For more information contact –

Illari Lään
Head, UT Public Relations and Information Office
Additional information: UT Institute of Technology, Ms Jane Saatre, tel. +372-737-4804, +372-52-97956; Quattromed plc, Mr Erki Mölder, tel. +372-737-7070

News Source: Ülle Must, Archimedes Estonia, ScanBalt Webeditor