The team is responsible for all aspects of commercialisation including: monitoring research activities so as to capture intellectual property, identifying market opportunities, and negotiating and managing commercial agreements. It also assists Garvan researchers with non-commercial activities such as setting up academic collaborations and transferring scientific material.

The Business Development team also seeks to establish relationships with organisations that have research capabilities complementary to those at Garvan, such as antibody production, high throughput screening and bioinformatics. These collaborations increase the potential value of the initial Garvan discovery and therefore the likelihood of clinical application.

A Business Development Advisory Council (BDAC), which includes key Garvan staff and representatives from the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, has also been set up to ensure access to the most up to date information on potential commercial opportunities.

Managing intellectual property

Garvan’s patent portfolio is an important long-term asset of the Institute. Patents are filed with the dual goals of supplementing the Institute’s funding sources with commercial income, and enabling further development of the discoveries. The portfolio is continually reviewed so that only patents with commercial value or strategic relevance are maintained. Patents have been filed in the disease treatment, diagnostics and screening categories.

Deals, alliances and related companies

Garvan has a strong history of both scientific and commercial collaboration and some of its discoveries have been cornerstone technologies leading to the formation of several companies. These include G2 Therapies Limited and AZA Research Pty Ltd.

Collaborations have been formed with Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma and Airways and the Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences.

Technology transfer

To protect the rights of Garvan scientists and the responsibilities of the Institute to its supporters and partners, Garvan uses a material transfer agreement (MTA) to establish the terms and conditions for sharing research materials with academic investigators.

The Garvan MTA is based on the uniform agreement recommended by the Association of University Technology Managers. A sample Garvan MTA can be downloaded from this web site and a specific agreement arranged by contacting the Garvan scientist in possession of the desired materials. Sample MTA (link to PDF – needs to be updated with corporate logo – or on new form)

Garvan’s MTA-Web is an automated, web-based system that has been created to facilitate the prompt exchange of academic research materials while protecting the strategic commercial rights of the institute. Access MTA-Web.

For more information about any of our activities and to discuss potential licensing deals, contact the Business Development Unit at business'at'garvan.org.au.

Contact details

Ms Christina Hardy - Director
P: +61 2 9295 8132
E: c.hardy'at'garvan.org.au

Dr Michael Prodigalidad – Business Development Manager
P: +61 2 9295 8118
E: m.prodigalidad'at'garvan.org.au

Dr Katrina Frankcombe – Business Development Manager
P: +61 2 9295 8491
E: k.frankcombe'at'garvan.org.au

Ms Lisa Hilder - Intellectual Property Manager
P: +61 2 9295 8130
E: l.hilder'at'garvan.org.au