In the scientific community, the invention of Gatorade in 1965 by a
team of researchers at the University of Florida is a landmark event. By
creating a drink that rapidly replaced lost fluids and helped prevent dehydration,
the University of Florida opened the door to a windfall of royalties that
brought millions of dollars back to the university.
At the University of Nebraska Medical Center and other research centers
around the country, the Gatorade story serves as an inspiration to what
can happen if research results in a breakthrough discovery.
This weekend, a contingent of Nebraskans will travel to Washington,
D.C. to attend the largest biotechnology convention in the world in an
effort to raise awareness for Omahas biotechnology programs.
The group, which includes representatives from the academic, business
and governmental sectors, will attend the BIO 2003 International Biotechnology
Convention and Exhibition being held June 22-25 in Washington, D.C. About
15,000 people from around the world are expected to attend this years
convention.
For the third consecutive year, the Nebraska contingent involves a partnership
spearheaded by the UNMC and its technology transfer company, UNeMed. Other
partners include the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Nebraska Department
of Economic Development and the Omaha Public Power District. An area biotechnology
company Nature Technology Corp. of Lincoln also will attend.
Highlighting the UNMC display at this years conference will be a new
product developed by a team of researchers in the UNMC College of Pharmacy.
The product a new form of creatine, a nutritional supplement taken by
athletes to boost performance is believed to have the potential to make
a dramatic impact on the nutritional supplement industry.
Were very excited about this technology, said Sam Augustine, Pharm.D.,
associate professor in the UNMC College of Pharmacy and president of ProNutrient
Technologies Inc., a company that was formed in 2001 to manufacture and
distribute the supplement. We believe our form of creatine will prove
to be more useful to the general public as well as the athletic community.
Dr. Augustine said the ProNutrient form of creatine is more soluble
in water and lipophilic (fat soluble) than creatine monohydrate, the most
widely used salt form of creatine on the market. The monohydrate salt is
poorly absorbed by the body and can cause gastrointestinal problems, he
said.
The changes we have made to creatine make it more bioavailable, meaning
it is more readily absorbed by the body and presented to cells in a higher
concentration, Dr. Augustine said. There also are minimal side effects,
if any. In short, it is better absorbed and tolerated than the monohydrate
form.
Creatine is important biologically because it combines with phosphate
and becomes a carrier for the energy system of the cell. There are
other interesting observations with the use of this ester form that include
more immediate muscle recovery from fatigue, and aches and pains. It should
have a broad application that will benefit not only high-performance human
and animal athletes but also the weekend warrior, and even aging pets.
The technology used by ProNutrient is the result of three years of comprehensive
research conducted at UNMC, Dr. Augustine said. Other College of Pharmacy
faculty involved in the project included Donald Miller, Ph.D., Jonathan
Vennerstrom, Ph.D., Jon Wagner, Pharm.D., and Dennis Robinson, Ph.D.
Dr. Augustine said the ProNutrient form of creatine applies technology
involving the concept of creating a pronutraceutical. The pharmaceutical
industry uses these methods to create molecules that are metabolized by
the body into active forms.
Dr. Augustine recognized Drs. Miller and Vennerstrom for their work
in making the creatine molecule an ester, thereby masking its acid portion
with oxygen and carbon atoms.
The product will be tested in a performance trial with subjects at Athletes
Performance on the Arizona State University campus in the near future.
Safety data for the ester is currently under review by the Food and Drug
Administration.
In 2002, ProNutrient obtained exclusive, worldwide rights from UNeMed
for the creatine ester technology. That same year, the company received
a $120,000 research grant from the Small Business Administration and the
National Institutes of Health to identify and commercialize creatine ester
products. Following trials, ProNutrient hopes to bring the product to market
later this year.
In addition to ProNutrient, several start-up companies and partnerships
have been developed around UNMC technology. The newest of these include:
· Eleos, Inc. is developing low-cost, non-toxic, highly active
therapeutics for major medical disorders. Its lead antisense oligonucleotide
compound blocks the production of p53, a disease-promoting protein known
to play a key role in cancer.
· Prommune, LLC is developing vaccines to drugs of addiction,
agents of chemical and biological warfare and environmental toxins.
The development of vaccines by Prommune employs a novel molecular adjuvant
technology that was developed by UNMC faculty member Sam Sanderson, Ph.D.,
associate professor, School of Allied Health Professions.
We received more than 1,300 leads at the BIO 2002 Convention in Toronto,
said Marsha Morien, administrator, advanced biomedical technologies. We
are looking forward to a similar response this year. Its a wonderful opportunity
to let others know that Omaha and UNMC are real players in the biotechnology
field.
This years theme for the Nebraska delegation will be BIOs Hot in
Omaha.where UNMC is sizzlin with biotech opportunities. To attract more
attention to the UNMC booth at the convention, Morien said UNMC will have
a robotic dog named HotShot on display. Visitors to the booth can leave
their business cards to be eligible for a drawing for HotShot at the end
of the convention.
Besides Morien and Dr. Augustine, other UNMC staff attending the convention
include: Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance; Tom
McDonald, Ph.D., president and CEO, UNeMed; Sandy Goetzinger-Comer and
Elizabeth Kumru, both public affairs; Kimberly Lamb, Ph.D., biotechnology
marketing and management specialist, UNeMed; Leonard Agneta, J.D., director
of the UNMC Intellectual Property Office; Rick Spellman, J.D., chairman
of the board of directors, UNeMed; and Bob Bell, vice president for business
and community development for UNeMed.