Larta Institute to Manage $2.5M NIH Commercialization Efforts

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest federal funding source for life sciences research conducted by small tech firms, has selected the Larta Institute to manage its nationwide Commercialization Assistance Program. The multi-year $2.5 million award will target Phase II recipients of the NIH Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR).

"NIH is interested in seeing products derived from SBIR funding make their way into the marketplace for the benefit of the American people," said Jo Anne Goodnight, NIH SBIR/STTR Program Coordinator. "We are committed not only to supporting high quality research through NIH SBIR awards, but to investing in the long-term success of our SBIR-winners."

Los Angeles-based Larta, will provide assistance in all aspects of commercialization, including: business development, funding and capital acquisition, government regulatory processes, intellectual property protection, licensing strategies, and merger and acquisition opportunities.

The new program will involve a combination of training workshops, individual mentoring and consulting sessions, and public events in which companies present their technologies to the biomedical and biotechnology investment communities.

Larta Institute also will select a team of advisors from its professional network to work with companies participating in the program. Advisors will draw upon their ongoing relationships and contacts with private equity investors, industry partners and other resources necessary for successful commercialization.

More information is available through Larta at http://www.larta.org. More information on the NIH SBIR/STTR program, which has an Aug. 1 deadline approaching for Phase I research proposals, is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm