International Technology Transfer

As part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) mission to support biomedical research and reduce the burden of illness worldwide, the NIH Roadmap Initiative outlines the need to position the NIH to address the evolving public health challenges of the 21st Century and to enhance public-private partnerships. To support this mission, the NIH Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) is working to address global health challenges by facilitating the transfer of technologies to people around the world.

With many years of intellectual property management experience, OTT is ideally positioned to move technologies from the public sector to private industry in the U.S. and abroad. Indeed, out of the thousands of licenses OTT has executed to date, over 300 have been licensed to foreign companies. Approximately 200 products utilizing NIH technologies have been commercially marketed through various domestic and international public-private partnerships.

Through a comprehensive analysis of its portfolio and an on-going dialogue with regional, international, and private institutions to delineate the needs and capabilities of emerging economies, OTT has identified a niche of relevant technology transfer opportunities for diseases such as HIV/AIDS, pertussis, malaria, dengue, childhood diarrhea (rotavirus), meningitis, typhoid fever, cancer, and diabetes. OTT has already transferred such technologies or is currently negotiating license agreements with public and private institutions in India, Mexico, Brazil, China, Korea, Egypt, Argentina, and South Africa.

Through these partnerships, OTT has identified crucial technology transfer needs that pertain to neglected and endemic diseases. To address these needs, OTT and several U.S. university technology transfer offices have compiled a list of their technologies that relate to these specific neglected diseases. These inventions initially will be hosted at the OTT Web site and later by other partnering organizations. This list is expected to function as an additional tool to facilitate the transfer of such technologies to potential licensee institutions worldwide.

OTT recognizes the importance of developing a cadre of international scientists and technology managers experienced in intellectual property management and other technology transfer-related matters and has launched an International Technology Transfer Training Program. At present, OTT is collaborating with institutions in China, India, Brazil, South Africa, and Hungary and, with time, hopes to expand the program to include other countries. For the requirements, application or more information about the program please go to International Mentoring Opportunities or contact Steve Ferguson by email.

Intellectual Property, Research & Development, and Innovation Resource Data Bank for Developing Countries & Emerging Economies Resource Data Bank document