Date: May 16, 2013 Source: Company Data (
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NEURO KINETICS IN TECH TRANSFER LICENSING DEAL WITH OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
Licensed Software Enables Researchers to Conduct Pulse-Step-Sine Rotation Tests for Better Understanding of Vestibular Abnormalities
PITTSBURGH (May 16, 2013) -- Medical device manufacturer Neuro Kinetics, Inc. (NKI) (www.neuro-kinetics.com) said today that it has licensed rights to patented diagnostic software developed at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) (www.ohsu.edu) that enables medical researchers to perform Pulse-Step-Sine Rotation tests to better understand vestibular system abnormalities.
The Pulse-Step-Sine Rotation test, pioneered by OHSU's Dr. Robert Peterka, is one of more than 30 diagnostic tests that NKI clinical and research users can perform using the company's I-Portal® testing protocols and equipment. NKI gives neurologists, audiologists and other medical specialists the ability to undertake oculomotor (eye movement) and vestibular tests to identify a range of balance and equilibrium issues, as well as other diseases and conditions.
"We're delighted to work with OHSU to add to the arsenal of tests our research users can perform," said J. Howison Schroeder, NKI president and CEO. "OHSU's Pulse-Step-Sine test is a significant new tool that will improve medical research into a range of patient issues." (The Pulse-Step-Sine test is not yet approved for clinical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.)
The Pulse-Step-Sine test is based on a rotational stimulus. The profile stimulates each horizontal semicircular canal component of the vestibular organ in each ear independently, enabling a fast diagnosis of a deficit in one ear compared to the other. This test has the potential to replace the current standard being used, the caloric, which can be time-consuming and sometimes uncomfortable as it involves squirting hot and cold water or air in each ear.
J. Timothy Stout, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president for Technology Transfer and Business Development at OHSU, said that "Our agreement with Neuro Kinetics is a perfect example of the benefits that stem from collaboration between academic researchers and commercial vendors. OHSU will earn royalties to help fund ongoing research, Neuro Kinetics will have additional tests to offer its user base, research capabilities will improve and, most importantly, patients will ultimately benefit. This is a true win-win-win for all concerned."
Financial details of the licensing agreement were not disclosed.
About OHSU
Oregon Health & Science University is a nationally prominent research university and Oregon's only public academic health center. It serves patients throughout the region with a Level 1 trauma center and nationally recognized Doernbecher Children's Hospital. OHSU operates dental, medical, nursing and pharmacy schools that rank high both in research funding and in meeting the university's social mission. OHSU's Knight Cancer Institute helped pioneer personalized medicine through a discovery that identified how to shut down cells that enable cancer to grow without harming healthy ones. OHSU Brain Institute scientists are nationally recognized for discoveries that have led to a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease and new treatments for Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke. OHSU's Casey Eye Institute is a global leader in ophthalmic imaging, and in clinical trials related to eye disease.
ABOUT NKI
Neuro Kinetics, Inc. (NKI) is the world leader in eye-tracking technology and non-invasive neuro-otologic diagnostic testing. Central to its product mix and technological advances is the premise that the eye is the portal to the brain. Research has shown the detection of abnormal eye reflexes can indicate the presence of more than 200 diseases and medical conditions.
For more than 25 years, NKI has supplied comprehensive neuro-otologic diagnostic tools to audiologists, ENT's, neuro-otologists, neuro-ophthalmologists and neurologists around the globe. The company's patented products include the I-Portal® NOTC (Neuro-Otologic Test Center), I-Portal® VNG (Video Nystagmography) and I-Portal® VOG (Video Oculography), along with related accessories, software, training and support services.
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