With COVID-19 sweeping across the country, scientists and innovators are roused to devise ways to contain the virus. However, research became challenging during the quarantine; hence, the UP Manila Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) took on a new mission and together with other UP constituent units have committed to help expedite research initiatives and technology transfer to address this public health crisis.
Since the beginning of the quarantine, the entire staff had been working tirelessly remotely to provide full circle assistance to the technologies that needed to be protected and for these to be made available for use by health workers and patients with COVID-19. Going beyond their job descriptions and working past required hours, employees vowed to make it easier and faster for inventors to do research and transfer technology.
Before COVID-19, technologies usually took years to be developed. The drug and biomedical device development and process had several steps. This arduous process also included getting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for drugs and intellectual property (IP) protection which took months to years to accomplish; but is important to guarantee that university retains the rights to the technology.
Technology transfer requires a proactive approach that combines engaging researchers, promoting the technology, and encouraging potential industrial partners to use the technology. Given the urgency of the present situation, the TTBDO stepped up to assist researchers to ensure fast and maximum public benefit from their technologies.
Technology transfer officers volunteered to co-create with inventors even during the research phase, understanding the nuts and bolts of the technology. From several months, the office had proudly reduced the turn around time of IP protection to just a few weeks—and quickly proceeded to engage with potential licensees and release of inventions to the market. Business development officers have also doubled their efforts in getting funding or securing collaborative research agreements with interested industry partners.
To facilitate ideation and direct research teams towards the ‘new normal’, the TTBDO staff learned the art of Design Control Process. And since all COVID-19 technologies are health related, the staff had an orientation on the Research Ethics Board protocols which are fundamental to every health technology. Lastly, to fast track commercialization efforts, the staff also became more accustomed to securing FDA approvals.
From germicidal masks, to sanitation tents, to telepresence robots, and mechanical ventilators; the TTBDO has successfully joined forces with the brains of the university to offer anti-COVID 19 technologies within the reach of our fellow Filipinos.
Aside from COVID-19 technologies, TTBDO simultaneously facilitated the protection of many other technologies. Recent successes of TTBDO are the filing of several patent applications before the end of 2019 up to the first quarter of this year.
TTBDO as part of UP Manila remains true to its mandate to bring forward service tantamount to the value of life. With its continuous pursuit of new solutions through research and technology transfer, it will help the country rise up stronger from this health calamity.
Kevin U. Facun, ECE, MEng’gEE and Lourdes Marie Tejero, PhD
Published in Healthscape Special COVID-19 Issue No. 11
