Paris hospitals earned €17M from technology transfer in 2010

The Office of Technology Transfer, Licensing and Industrial Ventures (OTTLIV), the commercialisation body representing hospitals in Paris, handled more than 200 requests, generated €17 million in licensing fees and supported the formation of five start-ups in 2010, according to figures released last week.

OTTLIV is the single-point of entry for industry to access intellectual property coming out of Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, (AP-HP) the umbrella body for 37 Paris hospitals, including university and teaching establishments. It also assists would-be entrepreneurs from AP-HP in setting up their own companies, last year helping to establish five new startups. These added to 35 already in business, bringing the number of jobs created in the Paris region to 250.

OTTLIV also has close associations with research institutes including Inserm, the CNRS, the Institut Curie, the Institut Gustav Roussy, the Institut Pasteur, and France’s nuclear energy agency. It is unusual amongst public technology transfer bodies in specialising in intellectual property emanating directly from hospitals, as well as from universities. AP-HP is the leading sponsor of clinical trials in Europe and employs 17,000 doctors and pharmacists. In addition it holds 418 patent families, is involved in 685 R&D partnerships and has granted some 150 licenses.

The 201 requests for technology transfer assistance handled by OTTLIV in 2010 were a new record for the body, which was created in 1992. This included 42 patent applications, nine requests for software protection and 127 projects for partnerships with industry.

“It is really satisfying to see OTTLIV’s efforts to protect and leverage the innovations produced by AP-HP’s doctors and carers bringing results and generating revenues,” said Florence Ghrenassia, OTTLIV director. “We are intensifying our efforts in industry collaboration and hope to be able to at least maintain these results in 2011.”