[news 2003 - 2004]

Queen's University researchers issued 15 patents in 2003-2004

Aug. 25, 2004

For immediate release

KINGSTON, ON - A therapeutic approach for treating neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, a method for enhancing plant growth, and a process for producing a dense, hard-wearing ceramic coating are among Queen's University-generated technologies that were issued a total of 15 patents during the 2003-2004 year, reports PARTEQ Innovations, the technology transfer arm of the university.

Seven patents were issued from the U.S., three from Canada, two from Mexico and one each from the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and South Africa.
Two of the patents, from Canada and Korea, were issued for a ceramic coating process developed by Drs. David Barrow and Ted Petroff with Dr. Michael Sayer in the Department of Physics. The technology is licensed to Datec Coating Corp., a spinoff company of PARTEQ which is currently working with a major appliance manufacturer to develop a glass ceramic cooktop element, and with IRCA SpA of Italy, the world's largest manufacturer of heating systems and components, to bring to market a thin, lightweight space heater element.

Also issued two patents was an invention relating to a compound family called nitrate esters, and methods for making and using them, with applications in the treatment of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The patents, from the U.S. and Mexico, were issued to Queen's inventors Drs. Brian Bennett, Roland Boegman, Khem Jhamandas, James Reynolds and Greg Thatcher. Their discovery is being developed by GB Therapeutics, a PARTEQ spinoff company now located in Mississauga, Ont.

Receiving its first patent, from South Africa, was a method for enhancing plant growth and yield through the exposure of soil to hydrogen. The technology, discovered by Drs. David Layzell and Zhongmin Dong of the Department of Biology, has also been approved for issuance of patents in Europe and Australia, and it has patents pending in India, Canada and the U.S. The discovery has led to a major research initiative by the Grains Research Development Corp. of Australia.

"Nearly all of our patents this year relate to technologies that are on the market or in commercial development," says John Molloy, President of PARTEQ. "This fact illustrates both the quality of the Queen's research that underpins these discoveries, and the effectiveness of PARTEQ's value-added approach in bringing these discoveries to market."

PARTEQ also reported that researchers made a total of 61 disclosures of new discoveries to PARTEQ, a new record over last year's high of 57 disclosures. Physical sciences generated 38 disclosures, life sciences 20, and social sciences three. Confidential disclosure to PARTEQ, the first step in the commercialization process, enables PARTEQ to assess researchers' discoveries for commercial potential.

Information:
John Molloy, President and CEO
PARTEQ Innovations
613. 533. 2342