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COVID-19 Invention Pipeline

Northwestern's entrepreneurs are vigorously responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with their expertise, resources, and energy.  The inventions and startups below are at different stages of development but share the same passion to solve this global challenge. 

To facilitate and expedite needed access to COVID-19 technologies, Northwestern offers non-exclusive royalty-free Ready to Sign Licenses for select design technologies.  For more information on Ready to Sign Licensing, contact INVO.

Selections generally fall under the following categories:

Northwestern Technologies and Faculty Startups

Therapeutics

Therapeutics
Angiotensin Therapeutics

Daniel Batlle (Feinberg)

Potential biologic therapeutic, novel ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) for nephropathy, cardiac disease, and viral disease.

SwiftScale Biologics Swift Scale Biologics

Michael Jewett (McCormick)

Cutting-edge cell-free and bacterial production platforms to rapidly produce protein therapeutics

*Currently scaling up production of COVID-19 antiviral therapies using antibodies developed in partner labs and companies

ImmunoChem Therapeutics immunochemtherapeutics logo

D. Martin Watterson (Feinberg)

New class of anti-inflammatory drugs, past Phases 1a and 1b, that suppresses overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines down to homeostatic levels

*Currently aiming to test reduction of cytokine storm in COVID-19-related ARDS patients using its available supply of GMP-manufactured clinical-grade intravenous drug product.

 MORE THERAPEUTIC OPPORTUNITIES

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Diagnostics

Diagnostics
Minute Molecular Diagnosticsminute molecular diagnostics

David Kelso (McCormick)

Rapid molecular point of care diagnostics.

*Currently developing rapid molecular screening system for drive-through testing.

Epicore BiosystemsEpicore Biosystems

John Rogers (McCormick)

Sweat microfluidic sensing and analytic platform.

*Currently developing wearable microfluidic patches that collect biofluids and can help track cytokine inflammatory responses in immunocompromised patients.  IEEE Spectrum Article

StemLoop stem loop

Julius Lucks (McCormick) and Michael Jewett (McCormick)

Developing rapid, easy-to-use, point-of-need diagnostics that address existing technology gaps.

*Currently developing cell-free biological technology for on-site detection of pathogens.

EnMed MicroAnalytics
enmed microanalytics

Thomas McDade (Weinberg) and William Funk (Feinberg)

Developing a minimally-invasive method for quantifying exposures to toxic metals.

*Currently implementing testing for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

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Hospital Optimization/Logistics

Hospital Optimization/Logistics
Needed Resources

Kristian Hammond (McCormick)

AI platform, ERx, that connects the supply needs of hospitals with the supply chain both quickly and directly

*Currently partnered with Rheaply to help make connections with hospital supply needs more efficiently.

Stochastic Optimization Technologies

Sanjay Mehrotra (McCormick)

Predictive analytics to forecast healthcare staffing demand and create a more accurate and cost effective staff schedule

 MORE OPTIMIZATION/LOGISTICS OPPORTUNITIES 

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Telemedicine/Remote Monitoring

Telemedicine/Remote Monitoring
Sibelsibel logo

John Rogers (McCormick)

Wireless sensors for capturing patient vital signs-- temperature, oxygen, heart rate, etc.

Sonicasonica

John Rogers (McCormick)

Wearable sensors that wirelessly transmit unprecedented levels of data related to movement and activity for health providers to closely monitor the effectiveness of their care. 

*Currently testing a novel wearable device on patients and healthcare workers to create a set of data algorithms specifically tailored to catch early signs and symptoms associated with COVID-19 and to monitor illness progression.

Adaptive Health

David Mohr (Feinberg)

Mobile technology for mental health (depression and anxiety).

MORE REMOTE MONITORING OPPORTUNITIES

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Manufacturing

Manufacturing
Azul 3Dazul vertical

Chad Mirkin (Weinberg)

High area rapid 3D printing (HARP) offers a streamlined, low cost solution from prototyping to manufacturing

*Currently helping to manufacture PPE parts for local hospitals

Dimension InxDimension Inx

Ramille Shah (UIC, Former McC)

Advanced biomaterials 3D Platform

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News Highlights of Northwestern Innovators

Additional Northwestern News related to COVID-19

COVID-19 Funding Opportunities for Northwestern Innovators