Innovation Support Unit

Support for researcher

Since its creation, the INCLIVA Foundation has prioritised the promotion of innovation among research staff, providing advisory and management services for the protection of research results and promoting the transfer and application of the results of the research projects developed in the institution.

Therefore, one of INCLIVA’s strategic objectives is to optimise the transfer of research results, both to clinical practice and to the productive sector. INCLIVA considers that innovation is inherent to the research process and that the protection of knowledge, and the commercial exploitation of results are complex tasks. For this reason, it has an Innovation Support Unit that coordinates and supports these activities.

In addition, INCLIVA provides research staff with research support platforms and technical resources to support their work.

Do you have an invention or an idea that could be useful for the hospital or for companies?

Let us know about it by sending us the idea communication form to innovacion@incliva.es

Why protect my results?

Because this way you can be sure that you will be recognised as the author of the results. Moreover, if you want to transfer them to third parties for exploitation (for example, to a company to develop a commercial product based on them), they will only be interested in negotiation if they know that you or your group are the exclusive owners of these results.

How do I know if my results are worth protecting?

The best thing to do is to contact us for a thorough analysis of any idea, result or invention that you think may be of commercial interest.

What are the ways to protect my results?

There are several Intellectual Property and Industrial Property mechanisms. Which one to use will depend on the type of results and what we want to do with them afterwards.

Intellectual Property (author’s rights, such as copyright) protects the originality of the author of any type of work (literary, cinematographic, musical, scientific, artistic…) or software.

However, Industrial Property protects certain creations with a real and exclusive property right. Industrial property titles are trademarks, industrial designs, utility models and patents.

In addition, there are trade secrets, know-how and confidential information, which would exercise their protection if they kept secret, something that is difficult to guarantee.

What is a patent?

A patent is a property tittle granted by the state in respect of a particular invention for a certain period. The holder of a patent has the exclusive right to prevent others from owning, using, making or selling the patented invention in that territory and for the duration of the patent.

What can be patented?

Any invention of a technical nature that is new, has industrial application and has required intellectual effort by the inventor. Ideas, scientific theories, mathematical methods and formulae, business plans or ways of presenting information are not patentable.

Can I disclose my results if I patent?

Yes, but you must respect the order: “Protect, Publish, Transfer”. First the invention is protected, i.e. the patent application is made to the corresponding office. In this way we ensure that we have the priority of the invention, and we can then disclose it, in the form of scientific publication, attendance at congresses, conferences… It is important not to make ANY type of disclosure before the patent application. If we do so, our invention will no longer be new, and therefore patentable. Any research result that has been published can no longer be patented subsequently, as it has lost is novelty.

How long does a patent last?

In general, 20 years from the date of application.

What geographical area does my patent protect?

Patents are granted by states. Therefore, a patent will only protect in the state in which it was granted. However, broadly speaking, there are some routes that simplify the processing of patent in several countries at the same time, such as the European application (practically all European countries) and the PCT (142 countries).

If I patent, can I use or market my invention?

You don’t have to. It will prevent others from using it, but the patent does not ensure that I can use it. It may happen that, to use my invention, I need a previous invention that is already patented by a third party.

What is the difference between the inventor and the patentee?

The inventor is the author of the invention. He/she is the person who carried out the research that led to the invention and subsequently patented it. But the inventor is not necessarily the owner of the patent. The owner of the patent is the patent holder. For example, for an invention obtained at INCLIVA, the inventor will be the researcher(s) who carried out the R&D project, but the owner in the case of a patent will be INCLIVA and other institutions or companies that participated in the R&D project.

Do I receive financial remuneration for patenting?

Not for the mere fact of patenting, but if this patent is transferred to a third party, the inventors will be entitled to at least 1/3 of the income generated by the exploitation of the patent.

Since its formal constitution as a Biomedical Reseach Institute in 2010, INCLIVA has achieved notable achievements because of its research activity. It is worth highlighting the more than 20 patents and 4 registered software programmes, as well as 4 spin-off companies that have been created because of research carried out within INCLIVA.

TECHNOLOGICAL OFFER:

Spin-Off technology-based companies:

Seqplexing is a company created in 2013, which was born from the idea of generating solutions for research and clinical applications, using as a basis the introduction of new advanced genetic techniques and platforms, mainly next generation sequencing (NGS). Seqplexing aims to cover the need for reliable protocols for the sequencing of amplicons or genes. To this end, it develops closed solutions that are easy to use and implement in its own laboratories.

Seqplexing’s mission is focused on providing a service to those laboratories that, due to their daily routine, do not have time to carry out the development of suitable protocols for the sequencing of genes or regions of interest. Seqplexing is transforming into a commercial kit all the necessary elements to carry out these techniques, providing a comprehensive service from the beginning of the sample preparation to the final analysis of the results.

Epidisease was created in 2014 because of a project led by INCLIVA researchers and the Center for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER) of Rare Diseases to transfer knowledge in the field of epigenetics and biomedical sciences to the service of society.

Epigenetics studies all those factors and mechanisms involved in the control of gene expression. The importance of this science is growing, as demonstrated by some of the conclusions of the Human Genome Project, thanks to which scientist have realised that the molecular bases of cellular functioning, development, ageing and many diseases goes far beyond the DNA sequence. Proof of this are recent findings from the Epigenome Road Map project.

Epidiseases’s mission is to leverage its expensive expertise in the field of epigenetics to provide its customers with biomedical solutions, diagnostic tools and new therapies, as well as to stimulate translational research with the goal of improving people’s health and well-being.

Nela BioDynamics is a young technology development company in biomedicine, which arises from Valencian university collaboration, formed by a group of multidisciplinary researchers with expertise in biomedicine and engineering. The company arises from the results of a master’s Thesis in Biomedical Engineering, which led to the obtaining of two patents on a novel intramedullary fixation device for joint arthroplasty, nails for fractures and exo-prosthetization; and a percutaneous collar for ostomies.

NELA spinal implant technology allows for a customised fit for each patient and avoids conventional techniques based on impact pressure fitting or the use of bone cement to achieve fixation. All this translates into a shorter surgical time, less pain, higher success rates and better quality of life for the patient. NELAS’s mission is to respond to different unmet medical need, while providing a positive socio-economic impact.

ARTHEx BIOTECH is a spin-off company of the University of Valencia that develops advanced RNA treatments against genetic diseases. The team has a solid experience in drug discovery and the involvement of microRNAs in neuromuscular diseases. They are supported by world-renowned scientific and clinical advisors who will facilitate the successful development of their products.

ARTHEx Biotech mission is to find effective treatments for unmet medical needs. The company’s first objective will be to investigate anti-miRNAs for the treatment of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), which is an orphan disease affecting more than 900 000 people worldwide (estimated prevalence 1/8000).

• Innovation policy
• R&D&I vision and strategy
• Innovation guidelines