The original SBIR awards were made by NIH were to TransTk, a technology transfer company that helps researchers at university medical centers and at independent research institutions translate their scientific discoveries into potentially commercial products. These projects were then assigned to geneRx+ Inc. geneRx+ has identified a market for specially designed products that prevent and treat respiratory diseases that are not effectively treated by existing pharmaceuticals. geneRx+ is set up to develop products, carry out pre-clinical and clinical studies, and then license its products to fully-integrated pharmaceutical companies. The strategy is to create products based on innovative gene and protein-based technologies. These new products will have several advantages over conventional products such as a higher therapeutic efficacy and less frequent administration. geneRx+ has identified pulmonary conditions that currently lack effective treatments and may be treatable by these innovative therapies. geneRx+ plans to license its products to such companies that have the necessary resources to conduct Phase III trials and seek regulatory approval for marketing products to patients relatively early in development. The research willbe undertaken in geneRx+ laboratories and at in Georgia and at Emory University. Manufacturing will be done under contract with a GMP facility.
