Provost Office: Memorandum
To: The Drexel University Community
From: Ken Blank, Ph.D. Vice Provost for Research
Subject: Drexel University Licenses Plasma Medical Technology
Date: 9 July 2008
Drexel University today announced the licensing of Drexel's plasma medicine technologies, developed in the A.J. Drexel Plasma Institute, to Plasma Technologies, Inc (PTI), a Texas-based plasma technology and device development company. PTI intends to design, patent, and market medical devices related to wound healing, tissue regeneration and sterilization based on non-thermal plasma. In addition to civilian healthcare applications, the technology may have near term impact on the U.S. military market. Prototype medical devices have been designed with the participation of PTI’s surgeons to address needs in trauma and plastic surgery, and to augment healing in acute and chronic wounds. These devices have immediate applications in the battlefield, emergency rooms, rehabilitation centers and cancer treatment centers in the military as well as international and U.S. civilian markets.
"We are very pleased to have PTI as a partner to commercialize the plasma medicine technologies", said Dr. Ken Blank, Vice Provost for Research at Drexel University. "PTI has the expertise to bring the technology through clinical trials and FDA approval so that this breakthrough technology can be used to benefit patients."
The license with Drexel “is a giant step for Plasma Technologies, Inc.," said Bert Quintanilla, who oversees the plasma commercialization project-development team, medical subject-matter experts, plasma researchers and device design specialists. "With Drexel’s Plasma Institute research, we've moved well beyond theory to the implementation of this revolutionary technological advance in medicine.
"Plasma Technologies, Inc. has commercial value, as demonstrated by Drexel’s desire to market and further develop this technology for a variety of commercial applications," Quintanilla said. "Our research is showing that Plasma has true commercialization value, and this technology will enhance the project's economic impact in Texas and Pennsylvania."
Under an associated collaborative research agreement, Drexel University researchers will continue to develop new medical applications for plasma with funding from PTI. "Drexel will continue to identify important new medical applications for this technology" said Dr Alex Fridman, Director of the A.J. Drexel Plasma Institute. Drexel University is located in Philadelphia, PA and is a comprehensive nationally recognized research university. In 2002, Drexel incorporated Drexel University College of Medicine (formerly MCP Hahnemann University) into the university with the goal of combining medical and engineering expertise to develop new technologies.